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Gnar vs Karthus
Top Lane MatchupGnar vs Karthus TOP matchup tips: who wins, how to trade, wave control and common mistakes.
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Who Wins
- Pre-6, you win this matchup at all stages due to your ranged auto-attacks and Q poke; Karthus has no meaningful way to trade back at levels 1-3 and his Q is slow and telegraphed enough that you can dodge it consistently while harassing him.
- Post-6, the dynamic shifts dangerously because Karthus R ignores your positioning entirely, and if you're in Mega Gnar form when you engage, you can all-in him, but if you're Mini Gnar and he's low HP, he can still kill you through passive and R even while dying.
How to Trade
- Your best trading pattern is to poke with Q from max range to stack fury, then engage only when you have enough fury to transform into Mega Gnar mid-trade, using E to close the gap and R to stun him against terrain for a full combo.
- Avoid extended auto-attack trades at close range because Karthus passive and his W slow make prolonged fights punishing even when you're ahead.
Wave Control
- You want to push the wave consistently to deny Karthus the ability to freely farm with Q and to force him under tower where his Q farming becomes less efficient and he's more vulnerable to your all-ins.
- Shoving also lets you roam or reset safely, since a frozen wave near his tower is dangerous for you because his W slow can trap you in a bad position.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Do not engage on Karthus when your fury bar is low or nearly empty, because committing to a fight in Mini Gnar form without the ability to transform means you lose the trade and potentially die to his passive.
- Also never ignore his R when you're low HP elsewhere on the map — always keep enough HP that his R cannot finish you off while you're in lane.
Created on 07/11/2026
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