Playing against Gnar: what to respect and when
What Gnar threatens, which cooldowns open your safe window, and Riot's own notes on beating it.
What you are up against
Gnar is a fighter that wants to trade repeatedly, survive the return damage, and win the third exchange rather than the first. At 175 attack range Gnar has to walk into damage to deal it, so every trade begins with a decision about whether you can afford the walk.
That shapes the lane more than any item choice: you are deciding, every wave, whether to stand where it does its job.
The cooldowns that decide your safe window
Rage Gene
While in combat Gnar generates Rage. At maximum Rage his next ability will transform him into Mega Gnar, granting increased survivability and access to new spells.
Boomerang Throw / Boulder Toss
Gnar throws a boomerang that damages and slows enemies it hits before returning to him. If he catches the boomerang its cooldown is reduced. Mega Gnar instead throws a boulder that stops on the first unit hit, damaging and slowing everything nearby. It can then be picked up to reduce the cooldown.
Hyper / Wallop
Gnar's attacks and spells hype him up, dealing bonus damage and granting him Move Speed. Mega Gnar is too enraged to be hyper and instead can rear up on his hind legs and smash down on the area in front of him, stunning enemies in an area.
Hop / Crunch
Gnar leaps to a location and bounces off the head of any unit he lands on, traveling further. Mega Gnar is too large to bounce and instead lands with earth-shattering force, dealing damage in an area around him.
GNAR!
Mega Gnar throws everything around him in a chosen direction, dealing damage and slowing them. Any enemy that hits a wall is stunned and takes bonus damage.
The window is the cooldown
Each of those numbers is a window. With its defining ability down, Gnar is a fighter without the tool the whole kit is built around — that is when the lane is yours.
Gnar uses Rage rather than mana, so "back when you are out of mana" does not apply — track the bar itself.
Riot's own notes on playing against Gnar
Worth reading even when you are the one playing Gnar: it is the list of what your opponent is being told to do to you.
- Gnar can't gain Rage for 15 seconds after he turns from big to little. Use this chance to engage on his team.
- Gnar's animations and resource bar change as he gets closer to transforming.
- Gnar's ultimate stuns if he hits you into a wall. Be careful when fighting him near one.
Where Gnar is strongest
| Stat | Level 1 | Level 18 |
|---|---|---|
| Health | 540 | 1883 |
| Attack damage | 60 | 60 |
| Armour | 32 | 94.9 |
| Magic resist | 30 | 52.1 |
Movement speed 335 and attack range 175 do not grow with levels — they are the two numbers that stay true all game.
Full Gnar page — abilities, stats and every skin →