Control the lane by using mini form range to poke and kite K'Sante, denying him safe scaling opportunities.
Manage Rage carefully to maximize mega form impact near terrain for crowd control and engages.
This is a control matchup where Gnar must pressure and avoid giving K'Sante room to use terrain for displacement.
Trading pattern
Trade primarily in mini form using ranged poke and kite with (E) to avoid K'Sante's short-range knockbacks.
Punish K'Sante when his (W) displacement or (Q3) knockback are on cooldown by stepping forward for short trades.
Commit to mega form trades only when Rage is near full and terrain is favorable for (R) wall stun angles.
Danger windows
Respect K'Sante's (Q3) knockback and (W) displacement cooldowns as windows where he can force all-ins.
Avoid fighting in mini form without (E) available to escape his engage or displacement.
Be cautious when (R) is up near terrain, as he can isolate and displace you into unfavorable positions.
Early game
Use mini form (Q) and (W) to chip damage while preserving (E) for escape against K'Sante's engage.
Avoid fighting without (E) available to prevent being locked down by K'Sante's knockbacks.
Time your Rage buildup to hit level 6 with mega form ready for impactful trades or objective fights.
Power spikes
Level 6 mega form with (R) enables hard crowd control and teamfight engage; manage Rage to transform at key moments.
K'Sante's level 6 (R) is a threat near terrain; respect his isolation potential and avoid fights when he can isolate you.
Objective fights with controlled Rage are major spikes; enter with mega form ready to maximize crowd control and durability.
Win conditions
Use mini form poke and kiting to deny K'Sante safe farming and force cooldowns.
Time mega form transformations to coincide with K'Sante's key cooldowns being down or to engage near terrain for maximum (R) impact.
Control wave state and terrain angles to set up impactful mega form engages and teamfight presence, leveraging Gnar's ranged pressure and crowd control.
Tip: For Gnar vs K'Sante, read overview, trading pattern, and danger windows first for a fast Top lane check.
