Irelia vs Gnar TOP Matchup Guide | LaneStomp

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Irelia

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Gnar

Irelia vs Gnar

Updated Jun 3, 2026

Overview

Irelia must leverage her high early agency and wave control to pressure Gnar and deny him safe scaling opportunities.
Prioritize creating minion waves that enable (Q) resets and passive stacks to maximize lane pressure and all-in potential.
This matchup favors Irelia's snowball style, focusing on wave-based all-ins and side-lane pressure to overwhelm Gnar's ranged poke and form shifts.

Trading pattern

Stack passive and position around low-health minions to use (Q) resets for extended trades, committing only when (E) or (R) marks Gnar.
Punish Gnar's cooldowns by engaging after he uses (E) to escape or when his mega form is on cooldown.
Avoid (Q) forward without a reset minion or mark, as Gnar can punish Irelia if she is stranded without mobility.

Danger windows

Respect Gnar's mega form (R) and (W) stun windows, especially near terrain where his crowd control is strongest.
Avoid all-ins when Gnar's Rage is near mega form and his engage cooldowns are up.
Be cautious when (E) or (R) are on cooldown, as Irelia's all-in threat and escape options are significantly reduced.

Early game

Use level 2 power spike by combining (Q) and (E) to stun and reset on low-health minions, forcing Gnar into unfavorable trades.
Avoid engaging without passive stacks or a clear (Q) reset path, especially before level 6 when Gnar gains mega form.
Control the wave to keep minions low health and close, enabling safe (Q) mobility and punishing Gnar when he overextends in mini form.

Power spikes

Level 2 unlocks (Q)+(E) combo, enabling early stun and reset trades; use this aggressively when wave and cooldowns align.
Level 6 (R) adds strong engage and slow zone, increasing all-in threat; commit only with passive stacks and reset paths.
First completed fighter item boosts damage and durability, allowing more confident wave pressure and extended trades.

Win conditions

Use wave control to maintain low-health minions and passive stacks, enabling safe (Q) resets and extended all-ins.
Force fights when (E) or (R) are available to reliably mark and lock down Gnar for resets.
Convert successful all-ins into side-lane pressure to snowball advantage and deny Gnar scaling and teamfight impact.