Gnar vs Swain

Gnar
vs
44.1%

over 220 games

Swain

Hard matchup

Heavy AP damageHigh sustainSustained DPSHigh burst

Build vs Swain

Build adapted to this matchup

Recommended items for Gnar: Trinity Force, Black Cleaver, Sterak's Gage, Mercury's Treads, Wit's End, Randuin's Omen, Executioner's Calling, Bramble Vest.

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
Wit's End
5

Summoner spells

FlashTeleport65%
FlashDot23%

Other options

Wit's End
Randuin's Omen
Executioner's Calling
Bramble Vest
Thornmail
Chempunk Chainsword
Jak'Sho, The Protean
Force of Nature
Blade of The Ruined King
Kaenic Rookern
Terminus
Guardian Angel
Death's Dance
Dusk and Dawn
47.6% WR21 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

Swain's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Ravenous Flock (P)

Swain's ravens collect Soul Fragments that heal him and permanently increase his maximum health.

Cooldowns

Cooldowns by spell rank

LevelQWER
37s20s12s–
65s20s12s2m
93s19s12s2m
113s18s12s2m
163s16s11s2m
183s16s10s2m

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 Swain

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

  1. Dodge Nevermove on its return

    Get out of the Nevermove (E) path as it comes back: it only roots on its return to Swain, then he can pull each rooted champion to him.

  2. Leave the area of his eye

    Leave the area as soon as Vision of Empire (W) appears: it strikes and slows 1.5 seconds later, and each champion hit gives him a Soul Fragment.

  3. Keep your distance during his ult

    During Demonic Ascension (R), back off and hit from range if you can: he only drains nearby enemies, and his form ends when he stops draining.

  4. Cut his healing during his ult

    If you have Grievous Wounds, apply it during Demonic Ascension (R): the drain heals him every second, and that healing keeps him alive.

Patch 16.21.1