Gnar Counters
The best Gnar counters in League of Legends patch 26.1 are Ambessa, Teemo, Malphite, Olaf, Shen. The best Gnar counter is Ambessa, with Gnar having only a 26.32% win rate in this matchup. Secondary patch 26.1 Gnar counter choices are Sett, Yasuo, Nasus, DrMundo, Yorick. Below are the top Gnar counters and matchups alongside their win rates.
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.Cost:- 0
Cooldown:- 16/
- 15/
- 13/
- 12/
- 10
Range:- 1100
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.Cost:- 0
Cooldown:- 7
Range:- 0
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.Cost:- 0
Cooldown:- 22/
- 20/
- 17/
- 15/
- 12
Range:- 475
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.
Cost:- 0
Cooldown:- 90/
- 60/
- 30
Range:- 590
- Fighter,
- Tank
These champions are Gnar's hardest counters in League of Legends patch 26.1. Ambessa is Gnar's biggest counter with only a 26.32% win rate for Gnar. When facing these Gnar counter picks, focus on safe farming and waiting for jungle assistance. Avoid extended trades and play around your power spikes to survive difficult Gnar matchups.
Ambessa
Teemo
Malphite
Olaf
Shen
Sett
Yasuo
Nasus
Dr. Mundo
Yorick
When facing Gnar in League of Legends, understanding Gnar's primary damage profile is essential for building effective counter strategies. Gnar deals primarily physical damage, which means prioritizing armor in your defensive itemization will significantly reduce Gnar's threat in fights. Top defensive items against Gnar include Plated Steelcaps, Frozen Heart, Randuin's Omen, and Thornmail. These items provide substantial armor stats that directly mitigate Gnar's damage output throughout all stages of the game.
From a champion selection perspective, the strongest Gnar counters are Ambessa, Teemo, Malphite, and Olaf. These champions either out-trade Gnar in lane, have abilities that negate Gnar's core mechanics, or scale better into team fights. Ambessa in particular exploits Gnar's weaknesses by providing consistent pressure while being difficult to punish.
Beyond item builds and counter picks, successful counter play against Gnar involves understanding Gnar's power spikes and cooldown windows. Engage on Gnar when key abilities are on cooldown, and coordinate with your team to focus Gnar in team fights before Gnar can output maximum damage. Vision control is also crucial when playing against Gnar to avoid getting caught out of position. By combining proper defensive itemization with smart champion selection and strategic gameplay, you can effectively neutralize Gnar's impact and secure victory.
Understanding Gnar's power curve is essential for effective counter play. Here's when Gnar is most vulnerable throughout the game.
EARLYEarly Game (Levels 1-6)
Gnar may look for extended trades. Avoid long fights and kite with slows. Short trades favor you against sustained damage.
MIDMid Game (Levels 7-13)
Gnar becomes increasingly tanky mid game. Focus on kiting and percent health damage. Avoid fighting in choke points.
LATELate Game (Levels 14-18)
Gnar is very durable late game. Use armor penetration or anti-tank items. Focus squishier targets first if Gnar is too tanky.
Use these actionable tips to gain an advantage when facing Gnar in lane or team fights.
- Pick Ambessa or similar champions with kits that exploit Gnar's weaknesses
- Build Plated Steelcaps or Seeker's Armguard early to reduce Gnar's damage in lane
- Track Gnar's cooldowns and engage when key abilities are unavailable
- Ward Gnar's common roam paths and ping missing immediately
- Coordinate with your jungler to gank Gnar during vulnerable windows
- Avoid extended trades where Gnar can stack sustained damage
- Kite Gnar with slows and crowd control
Gnar performs exceptionally well against these champions in patch 26.1. Volibear is Gnar's best matchup with a 84% win rate. When playing Gnar into these favorable matchups, look for early aggression and lane dominance. Gnar can capitalize on these champions' weaknesses to snowball leads and carry games.
Volibear
Illaoi
Riven
Yone
Camille
Ornn
Renekton
Mordekaiser
Irelia
Cho'Gath
Gnar Counters - Frequently Asked Questions
Who counters Gnar?
The best Gnar counters are Ambessa, Teemo, and Malphite. These champions have favorable matchups against Gnar and can exploit Gnar's weaknesses effectively in League of Legends patch 26.1.
What is Gnar's hardest counter?
Ambessa is Gnar's hardest counter with Gnar having only a 26.32% win rate in this matchup. Teemo (31.71% WR) and Malphite (36.84% WR) are also strong Gnar counters.
Who does Gnar counter?
Gnar performs well against Volibear, Illaoi, and Riven. These are Gnar's best matchups where Gnar has favorable win rates and can dominate lane in patch 26.1.
How do I beat Gnar in lane?
To beat Gnar in lane, pick a counter champion like Ambessa or Teemo. Focus on trading when Gnar's key abilities are on cooldown, and build armor items to reduce Gnar's damage output. Ward defensively and call for jungle assistance if Gnar gains an advantage.
What items counter Gnar?
The best items to counter Gnar are Plated Steelcaps, Frozen Heart, Randuin's Omen, and Thornmail. These items provide armor which directly reduces Gnar's damage. Consider building these items early if you're struggling against Gnar in lane.
When is Gnar weakest?
Gnar is typically weakest during specific power troughs between item spikes. Exploit windows when Gnar's ultimate or key abilities are on cooldown. Coordinate with your team to engage on Gnar before Gnar can set up fights on Gnar's own terms.
How do I play Gnar into counter matchups?
When playing Gnar into counters like Ambessa, focus on safe farming, waiting for jungle assistance, and playing around power spikes. Avoid extended trades in unfavorable matchups and look for opportunities to scale into mid and late game.
What champions are similar to Gnar's counters?
If Ambessa, Teemo, or Malphite are banned or picked, look for champions with similar kits that can exploit Gnar's weaknesses. Champions with crowd control, burst damage, or sustained damage (depending on Gnar's vulnerabilities) can serve as alternative counters.