Garen vs Darius TOP Matchup Guide | LaneStomp

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Darius

Garen vs Darius

Updated Jun 2, 2026

Overview

Use medium lane pressure to force short trades with (Q) silence and (E) spin, denying Darius the chance to stack his passive and control the lane.
Focus on surviving early lane pressure by avoiding extended fights and aiming to reach level 6 where (R) execute can turn chip damage into kills.

Trading pattern

Use (Q) to silence and start quick (E) damage trades, then disengage before Darius stacks his passive or pulls with (E).
Punish Darius immediately after his (E) cooldown by stepping in with (Q)+(E) combos, then back off to recover health with your passive.
Avoid extended trades after your (E) ends to prevent Darius from building lethal passive stacks and healing from his (Q) outer blade.

Danger windows

Avoid extended trades when Darius has 5 passive stacks to prevent lethal damage and being hit by outer (Q).
Respect (E) pull threat by not stepping too close without (Q) silence ready to block his follow-up.
Be cautious after using (Q) as your reduced reach and cooldown window can let Darius punish with (E) or (Q).

Early game

Use (Q) to silence and quickly follow with (E) for short trades, then disengage to let your passive heal before Darius stacks his passive.
Avoid extended fights before level 6 to prevent Darius from building lethal passive stacks and threatening all-ins.
Keep the wave stable near your side to safely reset health and pressure with controlled short trades that deny Darius easy passive stacking.

Power spikes

Use level 6 (R) to execute Darius when he's low from short trades, turning chip damage into kills.
After your first bruiser item, engage in controlled trades to absorb burst and maintain a health advantage.
Respect Darius's level 6 (R) execute and first bruiser item by avoiding extended trades and disengaging before he stacks his passive fully.

Win conditions

Use (Q) silence and (E) spin to quickly chip away at Darius, then back off to let your passive regenerate before he can stack his passive.
At level 6, capitalize on Darius's lowered health from short trades by executing him with (R) to secure kills and snowball.
Sustain through your passive regen and first bruiser item to survive lane pressure and outlast Darius in short, controlled trades.