Poppy vs Gnar TOP Matchup Guide | LaneStomp

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Poppy

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Gnar

Poppy vs Gnar

Updated Jun 3, 2026

Overview

Use terrain to maximize (E) wall stuns and hold (W) to deny Gnar's engage dashes.
Control the lane by punishing Gnar's mini form cooldowns and forcing him away from safe poke range.
This is a control vs teamfight matchup where denying Gnar's mobility and mega form engage is key.

Trading pattern

Trade around your passive shield and terrain, using (Q) slows to start short trades.
Hold (W) until Gnar commits a dash or hop to punish with a stun or counter-engage.
Punish Gnar when his (E) hop is down or when he is forced away from walls, reducing his escape options.

Danger windows

Be cautious when Gnar's Rage bar is near mega form and he has wall angles for (R) and (W) stuns.
Avoid fighting when Gnar has (E) hop available to engage or escape.
Your threat drops if (R) is down; avoid extended fights without disengage options.

Early game

Focus on short trades using (Q) and passive shield while near walls to threaten (E) stuns.
Hold (W) to stop Gnar's hop engages, especially when he tries to close distance for poke.
Avoid extended trades away from terrain where Gnar can kite or poke safely.

Power spikes

At level 6, use (R) to disengage Gnar's mega form all-ins or isolate him from his team.
First tank item spike increases your durability to outlast Gnar's burst and sustain trades near walls.
Respect Gnar's level 6 mega form timing and avoid fighting when his (R) and (W) stuns are available near terrain.

Win conditions

Deny Gnar's dash engages with well-timed (W) and punish his positioning with (E) wall stuns.
Use your tankiness and (R) knockaway to peel for your team and disrupt Gnar's mega form engages.
Control the lane by forcing Gnar away from walls and punishing his cooldowns to prevent safe scaling.