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Playing Against Gnar
TopPatch 16.2.1
What They Do
Gnar is a shapeshifting lane bully who alternates between a fast, ranged harasser (Mini) and a massive, tanky crowd-controller (Mega). He builds rage through combat via , transforming into a beast that can stun your entire team if you're positioned near walls.
Abilities (What to Watch For)
| Ability | What You'll See | What It Means For You |
|---|---|---|
| A bar under his HP that fills from yellow to red | When the bar is full, his next ability makes him Mega Gnar. When the bar is white, he is 'Tired' and cannot gain rage or transform for 15 seconds. | |
| A returning boomerang in Mini or a thrown boulder in Mega | Both forms slow you. If he catches the boomerang or picks up the boulder, the cooldown is drastically reduced. Dodge the return path of the boomerang. | |
| Three rings around your feet (Mini) or a ground-slam indicator (Mega) | Mini: Every 3rd hit deals % Max HP damage and gives him a speed boost. Mega: An AoE smash that stuns for 1.25s. Do not let him proc the 3rd ring for free. | |
| A hop that can bounce off units | In Mini, if he lands on a minion or champion, he double-jumps. He is vulnerable if he uses this aggressively and misses. Mega form just lands and deals AoE damage. | |
| A massive shove in a target direction | Only usable in Mega Gnar. He knocks everyone nearby back. If you hit a wall, you are stunned and take massive extra damage. Stay away from terrain! |
Respect
- !The 'Mega-Jump' Engage→If Gnar is at 95+ rage, he can use to hop off a minion, transform mid-air, and instantly use to slam you into a wall from huge range.
- !Mini Gnar Kiting→Once he procs , he gains massive movement speed. If you can't gap-close, he will chase you down the entire lane with slows.
- !Wall Stun Combo→Mega Gnar's into is a 2.5s+ CC chain. If you are near a wall, you will likely die before you can move again.
- !Rage Management→A good Gnar will sit at 90% rage to zone you from the wave. Respect the bar, not just his current form.
Punish
- +The 'Tired' State (White Rage Bar)→After Mega Gnar ends, he cannot gain rage for 15s. This is your primary window to all-in him while he's squishy and has no access to .
- +Missed Catch→If he fails to catch his boomerang or boulder, the cooldown is roughly 20s early game. Engage immediately as he loses his primary slow and farming tool.
- +is on Cooldown→His jump has an 18-14s cooldown. Without it, Mini Gnar is one of the easiest targets to gank or dive in the game.
- +Mini Gnar is low Rage→If he is at 0-30% rage, he is very squishy. Use high-burst champions to chunk him before he can build enough rage to survive the trade.
Laning Tips
- •Stand behind your minions to ensure hits them first; this reduces the damage you take and makes the skillshot easier to predict.
- •If you have two stacks of on you, back off immediately. Don't let him get the third proc for the % HP damage and MS boost.
- •Bait his Mega Gnar form by taking a small trade when he's at high rage, then disengage until he turns back into Mini Gnar.
- •Rush Plated Steelcaps. They are incredibly effective against his auto-attack harass and the physical damage from his passive.
- •Stay away from the alcove and walls whenever he is above 70% rage. It makes his much harder to land.
- •Pick champions with targeted gap-closes (Irelia, Jax, Wukong) to punish Mini Gnar's low base defensive stats.
Teamfight Warning
- ⚠Never group in tight chokepoints or near jungle walls when his rage bar is yellow or red; he is looking for a multi-man .
- ⚠If Gnar has Flash and Mega form, assume he will try to Flash-Ult your backline. Stay spread out.
- ⚠Poke him from a distance to force his transformation early before the objective (Dragon/Baron) is actually started.
- ⚠Don't let him 'Rage Battery' off your tank. If he keeps autoing the front line, he will get his Mega form back too quickly.
- ⚠If he uses to engage and doesn't get a multi-man stun, he is stuck in the middle of your team. Focus him down instantly.
AI-generated counterplay guide • Patch 16.2.1 • Cached