Gwen vs Ryze TOP Matchup Guide | LaneStomp

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Ryze

Gwen vs Ryze

Updated Jun 3, 2026

Overview

Focus on scaling through extended trades by stacking (Q) before committing to fights against Ryze.
Maintain medium lane pressure and avoid giving Ryze a passive lane to farm safely and scale.
Prioritize reaching item spikes and using (W) to deny Ryze's ranged retaliation in side-lane or teamfight scenarios.

Trading pattern

Prepare (Q) stacks and use (E) to engage, then activate (W) to block Ryze's counter spells and extend trades.
Punish Ryze when he wastes (W) root defensively or when his mana is low, limiting his spell rotations.
Avoid committing to trades when (Q) is unstacked or (W) is down, as Ryze can punish short trades effectively then.

Danger windows

Respect Ryze's threat when he has mana and cooldowns to cycle (E) and (Q) repeatedly for poke and damage.
Avoid fighting when (W) is down, as Gwen loses her main defensive tool against Ryze's retaliation.
Be cautious of (W) root setup, especially when empowered by (E), to prevent getting locked down for follow-up damage.

Early game

Use early waves to safely stack (Q) without overcommitting before level 6.
Avoid short burst trades before (Q) is stacked or (W) is available to block Ryze's retaliation.
Control spacing with (E) to stay out of (W) root range and punish his attempts to engage.

Power spikes

At level 6, use (R) after stacking (Q) to add slow and chase, turning extended trades into kills; avoid fighting outside (W).
After first two AP items, pressure side lanes and teamfights using (W) to deny Ryze's ranged spells and capitalize on Gwen's durability.
Respect Ryze's first mana/AP item spike by avoiding extended trades before Gwen's own item spikes are reached.

Win conditions

Reach item spikes and stack (Q) before committing to extended fights where Gwen's damage and sustain excel.
Use (W) to negate Ryze's ranged poke and root, forcing fights inside the mist where Gwen thrives.
Pressure side lanes and join teamfights to leverage Gwen's scaling AP damage and protected DPS role, denying Ryze safe scaling.