Gnar vs Irelia

Gnar
vs
46.6%

over 2215 games

Irelia

Skill matchup

Heavy AD damageSplit pushSustained DPSHigh burst

Build vs Irelia

Build adapted to this matchup

Recommended items for Gnar: Trinity Force, Black Cleaver, Sterak's Gage, Plated Steelcaps, Bramble Vest, Thornmail, Randuin's Omen, Wit's End.

Starting items

Doran's Blade
Health Potion

Core build

Trinity Force
1
Black Cleaver
2
Sterak's Gage
3

Standard

Boots of Swiftness
4vs Slow
Bramble Vest
5

Summoner spells

FlashTeleport57%
ExhaustFlash20%

Anti CC

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC

Other options

Bramble Vest
Thornmail
Randuin's Omen
Wit's End
Executioner's Calling
Jak'Sho, The Protean
Blade of The Ruined King
Force of Nature
Terminus
Hullbreaker
Chempunk Chainsword
Frozen Heart
Guardian Angel
Kaenic Rookern
Death's Dance
Dusk and Dawn
B. F. Sword
Dead Man's Plate
Iceborn Gauntlet
Heartsteel
Eclipse
Stridebreaker
Spear of Shojin
Mortal Reminder
Spirit Visage
Kraken Slayer
Titanic Hydra
61.7% WR193 games
PrecisionPrecision
Fleet FootworkFleet Footwork
TriumphTriumph
Legend: AlacrityLegend: Alacrity
Last StandLast Stand
ResolveResolve
OvergrowthOvergrowth
Bone PlatingBone Plating
Attack SpeedAdaptive ForceHealth Scaling

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

Irelia's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Ionian Fervor (P)

When Irelia strikes enemies with spells she gains stacking bonus Attack Speed. At maximum stacks she also gains bonus damage on hit.

Cooldowns

Cooldowns by spell rank

LevelQWER
310s20s16s–
68s20s16s2m05
96s18s16s2m05
116s16s16s1m45
166s12s13s1m25
186s12s10s1m25

Playing as Gnar

Tips to maximize your impact

  1. Poke and catch your boomerang

    As Mini Gnar, poke and kite with Boomerang Throw (Q): it slows, and catching it on the way back lowers its cooldown.

  2. Three hits on the same target

    As Mini Gnar, land three hits on the same target: Hyper (W) then adds damage based on their max health and gives you move speed.

  3. Engage at almost full Rage

    Engage when your Rage Gene (passive) bar is almost full: your next ability turns you into Mega Gnar, tankier and with new spells.

  4. Send them into a wall

    Cast GNAR! (R) to send enemies into a wall: those who hit it are stunned and take more damage, the others are only knocked back.

Playing against Irelia

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

  1. Stay away from low-health minions

    Don't stand near your low-health minions: Bladesurge (Q) resets when it kills, so she chains dashes from minion to minion until she reaches you.

  2. Dodge the line of her blades

    As soon as the first blade of Flawless Duet (E) lands, change direction: the stun only hits enemies caught between the two blades.

  3. Trade before her passive stacks

    Take your trades when Ionian Fervor (passive) isn't stacked: she builds stacks with her abilities, and at max stacks her autos deal more damage.

  4. Wait out her Defiant Dance

    Save your burst for after Defiant Dance (W): while charging, she takes much less damage, but she can't do anything else.

  5. Dodge her blade ult

    Dodge Vanguard's Edge (R): its blades make you Unsteady, which resets Bladesurge (Q) on you, and the cage they form damages and slows anyone who crosses it.

Patch 16.21.1