How to win lane as Garen against Gnar · 51.93% win rate over 3,162 Emerald+ games · Updated 2026-07-27
| Stage | Favoured | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Gnar | Level 1 Mini Gnar out-ranges and kites you with Q, so he's ahead. |
| Level 2 | Gnar | Level 2 his hops and poke keep you from closing, favouring him. |
| Level 3 | Garen | Level 3 you gain move speed and range to walk him down, so you lead. |
| Levels 4-5 | Garen | Levels 4-5 you out-trade his squishy Mini body when you reach him. |
| Level 6 | Even / skill | Level 6 evens out - his Mega R wall-stun can swing any engage. |
| First item | Garen | First item you edge ahead by catching him in Mini form. |
| Two+ items | Even / skill | Two-plus items even - his Mega teamfight swing versus your side-lane duel. |
Concede levels 1-2. Mini Gnar out-ranges you, kites with Boomerang (Q) and hops, and there's nothing you can do about his poke early - just farm and eat minimal harass. From level 3 you gain the tools to close: use Q move speed to walk him into melee and spin E when he can't hop away.
The full Garen vs Gnar report continues with the mid-game plan, the late-game and teamfight plan, every power spike to play around, and the win conditions for both sides — plus cooldown tracking and the live enemy-jungle tracker inside the app.
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Playing the other side? Gnar vs Garen guide →
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