Gnar vs Ryze TOP Matchup Guide | LaneStomp

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Ryze

Gnar vs Ryze

Updated Jun 3, 2026

Overview

Use mini form's ranged poke to control the lane and deny Ryze safe scaling opportunities.
Manage Rage carefully to time mega form for impactful teamfights or wave crashes, leveraging terrain for (R) wall stuns.
Prioritize lane control and pressure to prevent Ryze from comfortably farming and scaling into late game.

Trading pattern

Trade short bursts with (Q) poke and back off before Ryze can follow up with (W) root.
Punish Ryze when he steps forward to cast (E) by engaging with (E) hop and mini form poke.
Commit to all-ins only when Rage is near full, enabling mega form for durable crowd control and follow-up damage.

Danger windows

Respect (W) root combined with (E) spread and (Q) empowered damage when he has mana for multiple rotations.
Avoid fighting in mini form without (E) available, as Ryze can punish your lack of mobility and crowd control.
Be cautious when Rage is low and mega form is unavailable, as you lose hard CC and durability for trades or all-ins.

Early game

Harass Ryze with (Q) and (W) poke while kiting with (E) to avoid his (W) root and (Q) damage.
Avoid extended trades when (E) is down in mini form to prevent being caught by Ryze's root.
Use wave control to keep Ryze from safely applying his (E) and (W) combo for damage and root setups.

Power spikes

Level 6 mega form (R) grants hard CC and durability; enter fights with Rage nearly full and look for terrain angles.
Ryze's first mana/AP item spike increases his sustained damage; respect his extended spell rotations after this point.
Ryze's level 6 (R) enables map plays; hold key cooldowns and avoid forced fights during his (R) window.

Win conditions

Use mini form's ranged poke and kiting to deny Ryze safe farming and pressure his cooldowns.
Time mega form transformations to engage fights near terrain, maximizing (R) crowd control to set up kills or objectives.
Control the wave and side-lane pressure to force Ryze into uncomfortable positions, preventing his scaling and map influence.