10 Best Champions To Counter Gnar in League of Legends

Gnar is a unique top lane champion in League of Legends, known for his ability to switch between Mini Gnar, a ranged form with mobility and poke, and Mega Gnar, a tanky form with powerful crowd control. His versatility makes him a strong laner, but he struggles against champions who can punish his weak early game, dodge his abilities, or engage when he’s vulnerable. In this article, we’ll cover the 10 best champions to counter Gnar, focusing on picks that can exploit his weaknesses, deny his transformation power spikes, and dominate him in lane.

#10: Trundle

Trundle is a strong counter to Gnar because of his sustain, dueling power, and ability to punish Gnar’s mobility. Gnar relies on kiting and poking in Mini form, but Trundle’s Frozen Domain (W) gives him movement speed and healing, allowing him to chase Gnar down. Pillar of Ice (E) can slow Gnar and disrupt his escape, making it much harder for him to reposition safely. When Gnar transforms into Mega Gnar, Trundle’s Subjugate (R) steals Gnar’s resistances, making him significantly weaker in extended fights. Since Trundle excels in prolonged trades, he can outheal Gnar’s poke and force all-ins where Gnar struggles. With high sustain, strong crowd control, and the ability to negate Gnar’s defensive power, Trundle is a great pick to shut him down in lane and in team fights.

#9: Jax

Jax is a strong counter to Gnar because of his mobility, dueling power, and ability to block Gnar’s auto attacks. Gnar relies heavily on ranged poke in Mini form, but Jax’s Counter Strike (E) completely negates his auto attacks and boomerang harass, allowing Jax to engage safely. Leap Strike (Q) lets Jax close the gap quickly, making it hard for Gnar to keep his distance. In Mega Gnar form, Jax can absorb Gnar’s burst damage with his tanky Ultimate (R), Grandmaster’s Might, and continue dealing high sustained damage. Since Jax scales into a late-game powerhouse, he outduels Gnar once he gets a few items, making it nearly impossible for Gnar to win extended trades. With strong gap-closing tools, an anti-auto attack ability, and excellent scaling, Jax is a top-tier pick to counter Gnar and dominate him in the side lane.

#8: Riven

Riven is a strong counter to Gnar because of her mobility, high burst damage, and ability to punish his weak early game. Gnar relies on poking and kiting in Mini form, but Riven’s Broken Wings (Q) allows her to quickly close the gap and engage before Gnar can escape. Her Valor (E) shield absorbs his poke damage, making it harder for Gnar to whittle her down. When Gnar transforms into Mega Gnar, Riven can use her mobility to dodge his crowd control and reposition for an all-in. Since Riven excels in extended fights, her strong scaling and high damage output allow her to consistently outtrade Gnar once she gets a lead. With fast engages, strong sustain, and excellent dueling power, Riven is a great pick to shut down Gnar and dominate him in the lane.

#7: Teemo

Teemo is a strong counter to Gnar because of his ranged poke, blind effect, and ability to kite him effectively. Gnar relies on auto attacks in Mini form, but Teemo’s Blinding Dart (Q) shuts down his basic attacks, making it much harder for Gnar to trade effectively. Toxic Shot (E) allows Teemo to harass Gnar constantly, forcing him to play defensively. Since Gnar struggles against ranged champions who can poke him down, Teemo can use his Move Quick (W) to keep his distance and avoid taking damage from Gnar’s Boomerang Throw (Q). Additionally, Noxious Trap (R) provides vision and slows Gnar’s engage attempts, making it harder for him to capitalize on his Mega Gnar form. With consistent poke, strong zoning tools, and the ability to deny Gnar’s damage, Teemo is an excellent pick to control the lane and shut Gnar down.

#6: Fiora

Fiora is a strong counter to Gnar because of her mobility, true damage, and ability to punish his predictable attacks. Gnar relies on auto attacks and skill shots in Mini form, but Fiora’s Riposte (W) can block his Boomerang Throw (Q) and even stun him if timed correctly. Since Gnar is squishy in Mini form, Fiora can use Lunge (Q) to continuously poke and apply Duelist’s Dance (Passive) for percentage-based true damage, making it difficult for Gnar to sustain in lane. If Gnar transforms into Mega Gnar, Fiora’s Grand Challenge (R) allows her to heal through his burst damage while shredding his health. Additionally, her mobility with Q lets her dodge Gnar’s crowd control, preventing him from locking her down. With strong dueling power, high sustain, and the ability to nullify Gnar’s key abilities, Fiora is an excellent pick to dominate Gnar in lane and outscale him in side lanes.

#5: Kled

Kled is a strong counter to Gnar because of his aggressive playstyle, strong all-ins, and ability to punish Gnar’s weak early game. Gnar thrives in extended poke trades, but Kled excels at quick, decisive fights where he can burst Gnar down before he kites away. Bear Trap on a Rope (Q) forces Gnar into melee range and slows him, making it much harder for Gnar to escape once Kled engages. Since Kled has Skaarl as an extra health bar, he can tank Gnar’s poke damage and stay in fights longer. Additionally, Chaaaaaaaarge!!! (R) allows Kled to force fights and prevent Gnar from safely farming and scaling. Because Kled’s kit encourages nonstop aggression, he can consistently pressure Gnar and deny him the space he needs to play effectively. With high burst damage, anti-kite tools, and strong all-in potential, Kled is an excellent pick to shut Gnar down and dominate the lane.

#4: Quinn

Quinn is a strong counter to Gnar because of her ranged advantage, high burst damage, and strong mobility. Gnar struggles against champions who can poke him from a distance, and Quinn’s Harrier (Passive) and Blinding Assault (Q) allow her to constantly harass him while reducing his damage output. Since Gnar is reliant on auto attacks in Mini form, Quinn’s Q blinds him, preventing him from trading effectively. Vault (E) allows Quinn to disengage when Gnar tries to engage, making it difficult for him to land his full combo. Additionally, Behind Enemy Lines (R) gives Quinn global map pressure, allowing her to roam and impact other lanes while Gnar is stuck farming. With consistent poke, strong disengage tools, and high mobility, Quinn is an excellent pick to counter Gnar, denying him farm and preventing him from scaling into a late-game threat.

#3: Pantheon

Pantheon is a strong counter to Gnar because of his early-game dominance, burst damage, and ability to punish Gnar’s weak laning phase. Gnar relies on poking from a distance in Mini form, but Pantheon’s Aegis Assault (E) blocks incoming damage, negating Gnar’s harass and letting him engage freely. His Comet Spear (Q) allows him to poke Gnar down before all-inning, while Shield Vault (W) provides a stun to lock Gnar in place, preventing him from kiting away. Since Gnar is squishy in Mini form, Pantheon can easily burst him down before he has a chance to transform into Mega Gnar. Additionally, Grand Starfall (R) gives Pantheon global map presence, allowing him to impact other lanes while Gnar is stuck farming. With high early-game pressure, strong crowd control, and the ability to block Gnar’s poke, Pantheon is an excellent pick to dominate Gnar and shut him down before he scales.

#2: Darius

Darius is a strong counter to Gnar because of his high sustain, extended fight dominance, and ability to punish Gnar’s weak melee form. Gnar struggles against champions who can force all-ins, and Darius excels in close-range combat where he can stack Hemorrhage (Passive) for massive true damage. Apprehend (E) pulls Gnar in, preventing him from kiting and forcing unfavorable trades. Crippling Strike (W) slows Gnar down, making it even harder for him to escape once engaged. Since Darius heals from Decimate (Q), he can sustain through Gnar’s poke and turn fights in his favor. Even if Gnar manages to transform into Mega Gnar, Darius’ Noxian Guillotine (R) ensures he can finish him off, ignoring his resistances if he’s already stacked Hemorrhage. With superior sustain, strong gap-closing tools, and deadly all-in potential, Darius is one of the best champions to counter Gnar and dominate the lane.

#1: Renekton

Renekton is the best counter to Gnar because of his early-game dominance, mobility, and ability to punish Gnar’s weak laning phase. Gnar relies on poking from a distance in Mini form, but Renekton’s Slice and Dice (E) allows him to close the gap instantly, preventing Gnar from kiting. Once in melee range, Ruthless Predator (W) stuns Gnar, ensuring a winning trade while preventing him from escaping. Since Gnar is extremely squishy in Mini form, Renekton’s empowered abilities can quickly burst him down before he has a chance to transform into Mega Gnar. Even if Gnar does transform, Dominus (R) gives Renekton extra health and AoE damage, allowing him to continue fighting and outlast Gnar’s Mega form. With strong gap-closing tools, powerful early-game pressure, and superior all-in potential, Renekton is the best champion to counter Gnar and dominate the lane from start to finish.

Conclusion

Gnar can be a tricky champion to deal with due to his ranged poke, mobility, and Mega Gnar transformation, but he struggles against champions who can engage quickly, sustain through his harass, or punish his weak early game. Champions like Renekton, Darius, and Pantheon excel at all-ins, preventing Gnar from kiting and forcing him into bad trades. Fiora, Jax, and Kled take advantage of Gnar’s predictable abilities and punish him in extended fights, while Teemo and Quinn use ranged poke to deny him farm and control the lane. By picking the right counter, you can keep Gnar from scaling, disrupt his game plan, and dominate the lane before he becomes a real threat.