Volibear vs Gnar
Skill matchup
You are stronger early. Look to snowball before your opponent scales.
Build vs Gnar
Build adapted to this matchup
Recommended items for Volibear: Dusk and Dawn, Navori Flickerblade, Spirit Visage, Plated Steelcaps, Statikk Shiv, Hextech Gunblade, Randuin's Omen, Unending Despair.
Starting items
Core build
Standard
Summoner spells
Anti CC
Other options
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Gnar's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
While in combat Gnar generates Rage. At maximum Rage his next ability will transform him into Mega Gnar, granting increased survivability and access to new spells.
Cooldowns
Cooldowns by spell rank
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 16s | 7s | 22s | – |
| 6 | 13s | 7s | 22s | 1m30 |
| 9 | 10s | 7s | 22s | 1m30 |
| 11 | 10s | 7s | 22s | 1m |
| 16 | 10s | 7s | 17s | 30s |
| 18 | 10s | 7s | 12s | 30s |
Playing as Volibear
Tips to maximize your impact
- Charge in, then stun
Cast Thundering Smash (Q) to charge at your target: your speed doubles when heading toward a champion, and your next auto stuns them.
- Two Frenzied Mauls on one target
Hit the same target twice with Frenzied Maul (W): the second hit, on the marked target, hits harder and heals you based on your missing health.
- Stay under your lightning
Cast Sky Splitter (E) where you're fighting and stay in the zone: when the lightning strikes, you gain a shield, and enemies hit are slowed.
- Dive the tower with your ult
To dive under a tower, cast Stormbringer (R) near it: on landing, you disable it for a few seconds, and you gain bonus health.
Playing against Gnar
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
- Play hard against Mini Gnar
Take your trades when he's Mini Gnar with little Rage Gene (passive): he then has no stun and none of Mega Gnar's defenses.
- Dodge his boomerang
Dodge Boomerang Throw (Q): it slows you, and if he catches it on the way back, its cooldown drops.
- Short trades
Take short trades: on every third auto or ability that hits you, Hyper (W) adds damage based on your max health.
- Stay away from walls
Stay away from walls against Mega Gnar: GNAR! (R) knocks back every nearby enemy, and those who hit a wall are stunned.
Other Volibear matchups
Patch 16.21.1