Gwen vs Aatrox
Skill matchup
You are stronger late game. Farm safe and avoid early trades.
Build vs Aatrox
Build adapted to this matchup
Recommended items for Gwen: Dusk and Dawn, Shadowflame, Rabadon's Deathcap, Plated Steelcaps, Riftmaker, Nashor's Tooth, Oblivion Orb, Zhonya's Hourglass.
Starting items
Core build
Standard
Summoner spells
Anti CC
Other options
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Aatrox's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
Periodically, Aatrox's next basic attack deals bonus magic damage and heals him, based on the target's max health.
Cooldowns
Cooldowns by spell rank
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 14s | 18s | 9s | – |
| 6 | 10s | 18s | 9s | 2m |
| 9 | 6s | 16.5s | 9s | 2m |
| 11 | 6s | 15s | 9s | 1m40 |
| 16 | 6s | 12s | 7s | 1m20 |
| 18 | 6s | 12s | 5s | 1m20 |
Playing as Gwen
Tips to maximize your impact
- Land 4 autos before your Q
Land 4 autos before Snip Snip! (Q): each auto adds a snip, on top of the first and the last.
- Hit with the center of your Q
Land the center of Snip Snip! (Q): in the center, part of the damage becomes true damage and each snip applies A Thousand Cuts (passive).
- Mist against poke
Place Hallowed Mist (W) against poke and ranged CC: enemies outside the mist can't target you, except towers.
- Use all three casts of your R
Cast all three Needlework (R) activations within 6 seconds: the first throws one needle, then three, then five, with growing damage.
Playing against Aatrox
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
- Avoid the edge of his blade
Stick to him or step out of range when he casts The Darkin Blade (Q): only the edge, at the end of each swing, knocks you into the air and deals full damage.
- Get out of his chains fast
Leave the Infernal Chains (W) zone before it closes, with a dash if you have one: otherwise you get pulled back to the impact point and take the damage again.
- Trade after his blade
Take a trade right after the three swings of The Darkin Blade (Q): it's his only knock-up, with a 14 to 6 second cooldown depending on rank.
- Short trades
Take short trades: Umbral Dash (E) heals him for part of all the damage he deals to champions, so a long trade favors him.
- Respect his level 6
Once he hits level 6, back off when he casts World Ender (R): he gains AD and increased healing, and every takedown extends its duration.
Other Gwen matchups
Patch 16.21.1