Matchup

Heavy AD damageHeavy pokeSplit pushHigh burst

You are stronger late game — farm safe and avoid early trades.

Build vs Gangplank

Build adapted to this matchup

Starting items

Doran's Shield
Health Potion

Core build

Malignance
1Mage
Seraph's Embrace
2Mage
Mejai's Soulstealer
3

Standard

Boots of Swiftness
4vs Slow
Rod of Ages
5HP

Summoner spells

41282%
41412%

Anti AD

Plated Steelcaps
4vs AD
Zhonya's Hourglass
5vs AD
Frozen Heart
vs AD
Randuin's Omen
vs AD

Anti CC

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC

Anti Tank

Void Staff
5vs Tank
Shadowflame
vs Tank

DPS

Archangel's Staff
Mage
Rabadon's Deathcap
Mage

Other options

Rod of Ages
HP
Muramana
100.0% WR1 games
InspirationInspiration
First StrikeFirst Strike
Cash BackCash Back
Triple TonicTriple Tonic
Cosmic InsightCosmic Insight
DominationDomination
Ultimate HunterUltimate Hunter
Sudden ImpactSudden Impact
Adaptive ForceHealth ScalingHealth Scaling

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

Early (0-15)
Mid (15-30)
Late (30+)
KassadinKassadin
GangplankGangplank
Neutral
Neutral
Neutral

Gangplank's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Trial by Fire (P)

Every few seconds, Gangplank's melee strike will set his opponent on fire.

Cooldowns

Cooldowns by spell rank

LevelQWER
34.5s22s0s
64.5s22s0s2m40
94.5s20s0s2m40
114.5s18s0s2m20
164.5s14s0s2m
184.5s14s0s2m

Playing against Gangplank

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

1

Destroy his barrels before he shoots them: one auto is enough when they're at 1 HP. The race for the last-hit on barrels is crucial.

2

His W (cleanse) has a very long cooldown (22-16s): engage with CC, bait the W, then re-engage with a 2nd CC.

3

GP is weak in early game (1-5) and vulnerable to all-ins — aggressive bruisers like Riven or Irelia dominate him.

4

In late game, respect his crit barrel burst — a crit barrel on a carry can one-shot.

Source: op.gg + LTL Engine · Patch 16.9.1 · May 9, 2026