Gnar vs Kayle TOP Matchup Guide | LaneStomp

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Kayle

Gnar vs Kayle

Updated Jun 3, 2026

Overview

Use mini form's ranged poke and kiting to deny Kayle safe scaling and keep her under pressure.
Control the lane tempo to prevent Kayle from farming safely and hitting her late-game thresholds.
This is a control vs scaling matchup; Gnar must leverage early and mid-game agency to disrupt Kayle's passive scaling.

Trading pattern

Poke with (Q) and (W) in mini form, then disengage with (E) to avoid retaliation.
Time trades to coincide with near-full Rage for a safe mega form engage with hard CC.
Punish Kayle's cooldowns and pre-6 weakness by forcing short trades and backing off before she reaches ranged form.

Danger windows

Mini form without (E) is vulnerable to (Q) slow and follow-up poke; avoid fighting during this cooldown.
(R) invulnerability negates burst damage; respect this window to prevent wasted all-ins.
Mega form expiring leaves Gnar without hard CC and durability; disengage or reset before this happens.

Early game

Aggressively harass Kayle in mini form before level 6 when she is melee and vulnerable.
Avoid extended trades when (E) is down to prevent getting caught by (Q) slow and poke.
Use (E) to maintain spacing and kite Kayle's attempts to engage in early levels.

Power spikes

Level 6 mega form (R) is a major spike; enter fights with Rage near full to maximize crowd control and durability.
Kayle's level 6 ranged form and (R) invulnerability is a spike to respect; avoid all-ins when (R) is up.
Objective fights with controlled Rage amplify Gnar's teamfight impact; prepare Rage before these engagements.

Win conditions

Deny Kayle safe farming by consistent mini form poke and wave control to delay her scaling.
Time mega form engages near terrain to maximize (R) wall stun and secure kills or force summoner spells.
Use lane pressure and Rage management to create side-lane pressure and teamfight opportunities before Kayle reaches late-game DPS.