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ARAM · Howling AbyssMatchup guidePatch 16.20.1

Gwen vs Rell

Build, runes, abilities and practical pre-game checks in one queue-aware reference.

GwenVSRell

Matchup guide

Choose the matchup

Search any two champions. ARAM uses one shared lane, so no Rift role selection is required.

VS
FormatOne shared lane

Choose two champions from the list.

ARAM context

One shared lane, one champion-specific plan

The page uses ARAM starting, shopping and teamfight rules. Its internal build source is not shown as a Rift assignment.

Howling Abyss
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 fighter 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 Blade

950 gold

An ARAM attack-damage 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
First fighting item

Trinity Force

3,333 gold

Adds health, haste and a flexible first fighting spike.

3
Armour shred

Black Cleaver

3,000 gold

Adds armour shred for extended physical-damage fights.

4
Physical fight safety

Death's Dance

3,300 gold

Adds physical-damage durability during committed fights.

5
Low-health safety

Sterak's Gage

3,200 gold

Adds health and a low-health shield after bonus health is established.

6
Late sustain

Ravenous Hydra

3,300 gold

Completes the permanent inventory with sustain and faster wave control after the fighting core is established.

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. First fighting itemTrinity Force
  3. Chempunk Chainsword
  4. Physical fight safetyDeath's Dance
  5. Low-health safetySterak's Gage
  6. Late sustainRavenous Hydra

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

AlternativeSustained magic damageKaenic Rookern is a defensive answer when repeated magic damage is the real problem.View full route

Best when: Kaenic Rookern is a defensive answer when repeated magic damage is the real problem.

  1. Physical-defence BootsPlated Steelcaps
  2. First fighting itemTrinity Force
  3. Armour shredBlack Cleaver
  4. Kaenic Rookern
  5. Low-health safetySterak's Gage
  6. Late sustainRavenous Hydra

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 fighter referenceRecommendation review pendingView full route

Recommendation review pending

  1. Physical-defence BootsPlated Steelcaps
  2. First fighting itemTrinity Force
  3. Armour shredBlack Cleaver
  4. Physical fight safetyDeath's Dance
  5. Low-health safetySterak's Gage
  6. Late sustainRavenous Hydra

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. First fighting itemTrinity Force
  3. Chempunk Chainsword
  4. Physical fight safetyDeath's Dance
  5. Low-health safetySterak's Gage
  6. Late sustainRavenous Hydra

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

AlternativeSustained magic damageKaenic Rookern is a defensive answer when repeated magic damage is the real problem.View full route

Best when: Kaenic Rookern is a defensive answer when repeated magic damage is the real problem.

  1. Physical-defence BootsPlated Steelcaps
  2. First fighting itemTrinity Force
  3. Armour shredBlack Cleaver
  4. Kaenic Rookern
  5. Low-health safetySterak's Gage
  6. Late sustainRavenous Hydra

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

Runes and summoner spells

Runes and summoner spellsGwenHowling 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.

Matchup notes

What changes when Rell is opposite you?

Pre-game kit comparison
Shared-lane interaction

Compare reliable reach and repeatable value

Track which champion can apply damage, control or protection without crossing the enemy team's safe space. ARAM does not turn this kit comparison into a lane-counter claim.

Team context first

Rerolls, allied range, engage and protection can matter more than either champion in isolation.

Your plan

Use the route you prepared

Use the champion-specific ARAM build as a starting reference, then check the current Recommended shop, your five-player composition and the next available death shop.

Ability reminders

Gwen reminders

  • Always be Attacking - In addition to dealing bonus damage, Gwen's Attacks empower or reset many of her Abilities.
  • Gwen can still damage enemies outside her Hallowed Mists, especially with her Ultimate's range.
  • Some of Gwen's Abilities can apply her passive to multiple enemies, so aim them at groups to get maximum damage and healing.

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.

Sustained magic damage

Kaenic Rookern

Kaenic Rookern is a defensive answer when repeated magic damage is the real problem.

Only when enemy healing is deciding fights

Oblivion Orb

Oblivion Orb supplies healing reduction without committing to a completed Morellonomicon. Skip both when healing is not the problem or an ally already covers your target reliably. Healing reduction does not reduce shields.

Conditional component, not a core item. Complete Morellonomicon only when its stats and slot efficiency justify delaying another purchase.

Ability reference

Compare both kits

Ability reference Data Dragon 16.20.1

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

Gwen

  1. P
    A Thousand Cuts

    Gwen's attacks deal bonus magic damage based on the targets health. She heals for a portion of the damage dealt to champions by this effect.

  2. Q
    Snip Snip!

    Gwen snips her scissors in a cone up to 6 times dealing magic damage. Gwen deals true damage to units in the center and applies her passive to them on each snip.

    Cooldown (s) 6.5/5.75/5/4.25/3.5 · Cost 40 · Listed range (units) 450
  3. W
    Hallowed Mist

    Gwen summons mist that protects her from enemies outside of it. She can only be targeted by enemies who enter the mist.

    Cooldown (s) 22/21/20/19/18 · Cost 60
  4. E
    Skip 'n Slash

    Gwen dashes a short distance then gains Attack Speed, attack range, and magic damage On-Hit for a few seconds. If she hits an enemy during that time, this Ability's cooldown is partially refunded.

    Cooldown (s) 13/12.5/12/11.5/11 · Cost 35 · Listed range (units) 400
  5. R
    Needlework

    Gwen hurls a needle that slows enemies hit, deals magic damage, and applies A Thousand Cuts to champions hit. This ability can be cast up to two more times, with each cast throwing additional needles and dealing more damage.

    Cooldown (s) 120/100/80 · Cost 100 · Listed range (units) 1200

Rell

  1. P
    Break the Mold

    Rell's Attacks and Abilities deal additional magic damage and steal Armor and Magic Resist on hit.

  2. Q
    Shattering Strike

    Rell deals magic damage to units in a line, breaking their shields and stunning them.

    Aim through shielded enemies to break their shields and stun them.

    Cooldown (s) 11/10.5/10/9.5/9 · Cost 50 · Listed range (units) 600
  3. W
    Ferromancy: Crash Down

    Mounted: Rell Dismounts, crashing down in her armor, Knocking enemies up and gaining a large Shield. While dismounted, she gains Armor, Magic Resist, Attack Speed, and Attack Range, but is Slowed. Dismounted: Rell forms her Mount, gaining a burst of speed and Knocking Up the next enemy she attacks.

    Cooldown (s) 10 · Cost 40 · Listed range (units) 450
  4. E
    Full Tilt

    Passive: Rell gains out of combat Move Speed. Active: Rell and an ally gain ramping Move Speed, doubled toward enemies and each other. Her next Attack explodes, dealing magic damage.

    Cooldown (s) 14/13/12/11/10 · Cost 40 · Listed range (units) 1200
  5. R
    Magnet Storm

    Rell explodes in a magnetic fury, violently Pulling nearby enemies toward herself. Then Rell constantly Drags nearby enemies toward herself for a short while, dealing magic damage over time.

    Cooldown (s) 120/100/80 · Cost 100 · Listed range (units) 200

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

Gwen 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 with Howling Abyss information

Open the complete ARAM build or compare another champion. Rift role counters are intentionally kept out of this page.

Open full ARAM buildCompare another pair