Locke vs Gwen — Top Lane Matchup Guide

How to win lane as Locke against Gwen · 47.81% win rate over 389 Emerald+ games · Updated 2026-07-27

Verdict: Closer than it looks — Locke owns 1 of the 7 game windows, but the win rate still favours Gwen: you have to convert those windows or the game slips away. Locke wins 47.81% of games vs Gwen in top lane (389 Emerald+ games analysed).

Favour timeline — who owns each window

StageFavouredWhy
Level 1Even / skillLevel 1 is even — both poke with no engage online.
Level 2Even / skillLevel 2 stays skill as her Q true damage matches your P chip.
Level 3Even / skillLevel 3 is even — Hallowed Mist (W) offsets your E gap-close.
Levels 4-5Even / skillLevels 4-5 remain skill-based with neither committing.
Level 6Even / skillLevel 5 is even until your ult comes online.
First itemLockeAt 6 you're favoured — Purgatory (R) executes steroid-less Gwen.
Two+ itemsEven / skill2+ items returns to skill as her W and Needlework (R) give her escape outs.

Early game (levels 1–5)

Levels 1-4 are skill: Gwen pokes with Snip Snip! (Q) and can hide inside Hallowed Mist (W) where none of your abilities land, but she has no early sustain so your P Silver Stake chip keeps trades fair. Bait her W, respect the Q true damage, and farm even.

Read the rest of this matchup

The full Locke vs Gwen 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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Related guides

Playing the other side? Gwen vs Locke guide →
All Locke top lane matchups →