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Game patch 26.21Data Dragon 16.20.1

Reference patch 16.20.1

Gnar ARAM · Howling Abyss

A champion-specific Howling Abyss plan with ARAM starting, shopping and teamfight rules. Summoner's Rift roles are not used here.

One shared laneOne-lane Howling Abyss preparation
Champion overview
Review patch unknownRecommendation review pending

These patches track recommendation review, build validation and item lookup separately. Updating item data does not complete a build review.

Recommendation patch
— Data Dragon
Build validation patch
16.19.1 Data Dragon
Item lookup patch
16.20.1 Data Dragon

Howling Abyss rules

Prepare for one shared lane

ARAM removes the normal Rift role map. Build around the champion, the five-player team and the next fight instead.

01
Start together

Review rerolls and the shared bench, then leave with an opening that fits this champion and the team around it.

02
Shop while dead

You cannot Recall to buy. Plan components before leaving the shop and use each death timer deliberately.

03
Share health relics

A relic heals nearby allies after a short delay. Signal it and avoid taking the trigger when a lower-health teammate needs the area.

04
Fight with the wave

Minions create structure pressure and safer space. Clearing first can be more useful than forcing another low-health engage.

ARAM · Howling Abyss

ARAM tank reference

Compare the opening with Riot's ARAM Recommended shop before leaving base. After that, purchases happen only while dead; the six usable inventory slots do not increase.

Death-only shopping
S
ARAM opening · separate from item 1

Guardian's Horn

950 gold

An ARAM health and regeneration starter to compare with the current Recommended shop.

1
Physical-defence Boots

Plated Steelcaps

1,200 gold

Adds movement and basic-attack defence against physical pressure.

2
Mixed resistance

Jak'Sho, The Protean

3,200 gold

Adds mixed resistance during extended fights.

3
Armour and wave control

Sunfire Aegis

2,800 gold

Adds health, armour and close-range wave control.

4
Against magic damage

Kaenic Rookern

2,900 gold

Adds dedicated magic resistance against sustained spell damage.

5
Against critical strikes

Randuin's Omen

2,700 gold

Adds armour and critical-strike protection against attack-heavy opponents.

6
Health and recovery

Warmog's Armor

3,100 gold

Completes the permanent inventory with health and recovery after the resistance core.

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

Complete build choices

Choose the route before play

Recommendation review pending

AlternativeToo much healingChempunk Chainsword adds anti-heal without abandoning attack damage and health.View full route

Best when: Chempunk Chainsword adds anti-heal without abandoning attack damage and health.

  1. Physical-defence BootsPlated Steelcaps
  2. Mixed resistanceJak'Sho, The Protean
  3. Chempunk Chainsword
  4. Against magic damageKaenic Rookern
  5. Against critical strikesRanduin's Omen
  6. Health and recoveryWarmog's Armor

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

AlternativePhysical burstDeath's Dance delays physical damage so takedowns can stabilise the fight.View full route

Best when: Death's Dance delays physical damage so takedowns can stabilise the fight.

  1. Physical-defence BootsPlated Steelcaps
  2. Mixed resistanceJak'Sho, The Protean
  3. Death's Dance
  4. Against magic damageKaenic Rookern
  5. Against critical strikesRanduin's Omen
  6. Health and recoveryWarmog's Armor

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

AlternativeThey stack armourBlack Cleaver shreds armour during extended fights.View full route

Best when: Black Cleaver shreds armour during extended fights.

  1. Physical-defence BootsPlated Steelcaps
  2. Mixed resistanceJak'Sho, The Protean
  3. Black Cleaver
  4. Against magic damageKaenic Rookern
  5. Against critical strikesRanduin's Omen
  6. Health and recoveryWarmog's Armor

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

Complete build comparison

Complete build comparison

Recommendation review pending

Build review neededARAM tank referenceRecommendation review pendingView full route

Recommendation review pending

  1. Physical-defence BootsPlated Steelcaps
  2. Mixed resistanceJak'Sho, The Protean
  3. Armour and wave controlSunfire Aegis
  4. Against magic damageKaenic Rookern
  5. Against critical strikesRanduin's Omen
  6. Health and recoveryWarmog's Armor

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

AlternativeToo much healingChempunk Chainsword adds anti-heal without abandoning attack damage and health.View full route

Best when: Chempunk Chainsword adds anti-heal without abandoning attack damage and health.

  1. Physical-defence BootsPlated Steelcaps
  2. Mixed resistanceJak'Sho, The Protean
  3. Chempunk Chainsword
  4. Against magic damageKaenic Rookern
  5. Against critical strikesRanduin's Omen
  6. Health and recoveryWarmog's Armor

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

AlternativePhysical burstDeath's Dance delays physical damage so takedowns can stabilise the fight.View full route

Best when: Death's Dance delays physical damage so takedowns can stabilise the fight.

  1. Physical-defence BootsPlated Steelcaps
  2. Mixed resistanceJak'Sho, The Protean
  3. Death's Dance
  4. Against magic damageKaenic Rookern
  5. Against critical strikesRanduin's Omen
  6. Health and recoveryWarmog's Armor

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

AlternativeThey stack armourBlack Cleaver shreds armour during extended fights.View full route

Best when: Black Cleaver shreds armour during extended fights.

  1. Physical-defence BootsPlated Steelcaps
  2. Mixed resistanceJak'Sho, The Protean
  3. Black Cleaver
  4. Against magic damageKaenic Rookern
  5. Against critical strikesRanduin's Omen
  6. Health and recoveryWarmog's Armor

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

Runes and summoner spells

Runes and summoner spellsGnarHowling Abyss

ARAM rewards reliable access to clustered fights. Mark helps a melee front liner enter; Flash preserves a separate escape or reposition.

ARAM
Primary tree

Resolve

Grasp of the UndyingFont of LifeConditioningOvergrowth
Secondary tree

Precision

TriumphLegend: Haste
Summoner spells
FlashMark
Howling Abyss only

Mark and Clarity are mode-specific choices. Do not copy this pair onto a Summoner's Rift page.

Protect the next fight

Choose the second spell around access, survival and team resources rather than treating every ARAM champion as a diver.

Static alternatives

Compare the problem before changing the plan

These choices are not selected from live scores. Use one only after you identify the stated match problem yourself.

Too much healing

Chempunk Chainsword

Chempunk Chainsword adds anti-heal without abandoning attack damage and health.

Physical burst

Death's Dance

Death's Dance delays physical damage so takedowns can stabilise the fight.

They stack armour

Black Cleaver

Black Cleaver shreds armour during extended fights.

Kit reference

Gnar abilities

Ability names, descriptions and numeric fields come from Riot Data Dragon. Practical reads are independently written; the current in-game tooltip remains authoritative.

Abilities Data Dragon 16.20.1Cooldown (s) / Cost / Listed range (units) Data Dragon 16.20.1
P
Passive

Rage Gene

What it doesWhile in combat Gnar generates Rage. At maximum Rage his next ability will transform him into Mega Gnar, granting increased survivability and access to new spells.

Q
Q ability

Boomerang Throw / Boulder Toss

What it doesGnar throws a boomerang that damages and slows enemies it hits before returning to him. If he catches the boomerang its cooldown is reduced. Mega Gnar instead throws a boulder that stops on the first unit hit, damaging and slowing everything nearby. It can then be picked up to reduce the cooldown.

Cooldown (s)16/14.5/13/11.5/10Listed range (units)1100
W
W ability

Hyper / Wallop

What it doesGnar's attacks and spells hype him up, dealing bonus damage and granting him Move Speed. Mega Gnar is too enraged to be hyper and instead can rear up on his hind legs and smash down on the area in front of him, stunning enemies in an area.

Cooldown (s)7
E
E ability

Hop / Crunch

What it doesGnar leaps to a location and bounces off the head of any unit he lands on, traveling further. Mega Gnar is too large to bounce and instead lands with earth-shattering force, dealing damage in an area around him.

Cooldown (s)22/19.5/17/14.5/12Listed range (units)475
R
Ultimate

GNAR!

What it doesMega Gnar throws everything around him in a chosen direction, dealing damage and slowing them. Any enemy that hits a wall is stunned and takes bonus damage.

Cooldown (s)90/60/30Listed range (units)590

Adapt the plan

What to do when the game changes

Judge the whole lane or map state, not only personal kills. Choose the situation closest to the current game.

Even plan

Trade around health, range and the next wave

1
Wave

Let the team clear without spending every important cooldown at once.

2
Map play

Track the shared lane, brush control and available relics rather than looking for a Rift rotation.

3
Fights

Use the champion's reliable range, protection or control before forcing a low-percentage engage.

Shared-lane plan

Gnar on Howling Abyss

Read health, range, wave position and respawn timing together. ARAM has no side-lane rotation, neutral-objective setup or normal ward-control loop.

ARAM only
1
Before the fight

Clear or escort the wave, check which allies are alive and preserve enough health to use the champion's reliable range, protection or engage.

2
During the fight

Use the nearest safe target and the team's reachable follow-up. Do not cross the whole enemy formation for a single low-health champion.

3
After the fight

Push with surviving minions, take the safe structure damage available and reset only through a real death rather than donating one alone.

Keep preparing

Stay inside the ARAM ruleset

Compare another champion, review all Howling Abyss builds, or return to the champion overview. Rift lanes and counter-pick claims stay out of this mode.

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