Best Garen Counters in League of Legends

Garen - League of Legends
Image via Riot Games

You may be asking yourself what are the best Garen Counters in League of Legends? We’ve got you covered! Battling Garen, the Might of Demacia, in Riot Games’ League of Legends can be a daunting task. With a unique set of abilities that enhances his durability and burst damage, Garen can be a formidable opponent in the top lane. However, as the saying goes, every hero has an Achilles’ heel, and Garen is no different. This detailed guide will delve into the world of Garen, his strengths and weaknesses, and how to effectively counter him with the right champion picks.

Understanding Garen’s Abilities

Before we get into countering Garen and the best Garen Counters in League of Legends, it’s important to understand his abilities:

Decisive Strike

Garen’s Q ability, Decisive Strike, is a powerful, silencing strike that boosts his movement speed, allowing him to quickly close the gap between his enemies.

Courage

Courage (W), grants Garen a passive boost to his armor and magic resistance. When activated, it provides damage reduction and tenacity, which can turn the tides of any fight.

Judgment

Judgment (E), Garen’s signature move, is a spinning attack that deals significant area damage around him, making him a threat in team fights.

Demacian Justice

Garen’s ultimate, Demacian Justice (R), deals true damage based on the enemy’s missing health, making it a powerful finishing move.

Top 5 Garen Counters

When it comes to the best Garen Counters in League of Legends, the following champions have been proven to effectively withstand his onslaught, according to their win rates against Garen in Platinum and above worldwide.

ChampionWin RateNumber of Games
Camille54.77%2,556 games
Quinn54.64%571 games
Kayle54.47%3,000 games
Vayne54.39%649 games
Cho’Gath54.1%1,623 games
Source: u.gg

Camille vs Garen: The Steel Shadow’s Advantage

Camille - League of Legends
Image via Riot Games

In the League of Legends top lane, the face-off between Camille and Garen serves as an intriguing matchup, showcasing a tactical contrast between precision and brute strength. Camille is one of the best Garen Counters in League of Legends. Let’s delve deeper into this from a Challenger’s perspective, dissecting the strategies and playstyles that can tilt the scales in favor of Camille.

Camille’s Objective: Precision over Power

Camille, the Steel Shadow, thrives in engagements that demand precision and calculated aggression. Her core strategy against Garen revolves around exploiting her superior range and mobility to steadily chip away at his health while expertly evading his abilities.

Garen’s Objective: The Might of Decisive Engagements

Garen, the Might of Demacia, is the embodiment of brute force and resilience. His primary objective is to lure Camille into brief, yet decisive exchanges, maximizing his burst damage output while mitigating the return damage.

Camille’s Path to Victory: Tactical Sweeps and Hookshots

Camille’s victory over Garen hinges on her ability to optimally exploit her unique skillset. Her W, Tactical Sweep, not only enables her to harass Garen from a safe distance but also forms a key part of her sustain in the lane due to its healing component.

Camille’s E, Hookshot, serves as a critical tool for mobility. It allows her to deftly dodge Garen’s Q, Decisive Strike, or to engage Garen when he’s vulnerable, adding an unpredictable element to her strategy.

Her ultimate, The Hextech Ultimatum, is a game-changer. It allows her to isolate Garen, forcing him into an unfavorable one-on-one duel, thwarting his escape attempts, and turning his frontline strength into a liability during team fights.

In conclusion, the Camille vs Garen matchup is a test of patience, precision, and timing for Camille. By cleverly utilizing her range, mobility, and her unique ultimate, Camille has the tools to overcome Garen’s resilience and brute strength.

Quinn vs Garen: Demacia’s Wings Take Flight

Camille - League of Legends
Image via Riot Games

Quinn is one of the best Garen Counters in League of Legends. In the constantly evolving battle for the top lane in League of Legends, the Quinn versus Garen matchup is a classic case of agility versus strength. Quinn, as an agile marksman, has a unique set of tools at her disposal to challenge Garen’s might. Let’s unpack this matchup from an expert challenger’s viewpoint.

Quinn’s Objective: Aerial Harassment and Denial

Quinn’s primary goal in this matchup is to use her unique strengths as a ranged champion to keep Garen at bay. She aims to use her superior range to consistently harass Garen, whittling down his health and denying him the ability to farm effectively. This strategy is centered on using her ranged basic attacks and abilities to maintain a safe distance from Garen’s melee attacks.

Garen’s Objective: Closing the Distance

Garen, on the other hand, has a simple but challenging task – to close the gap and engage Quinn in melee range where he holds the upper hand. As a tanky, melee champion, Garen wants to use his Q, Decisive Strike, to rush into Quinn’s zone, shrugging off her harassments and retaliating with powerful, short-ranged blows.

Victory Path for Quinn: Kiting, Vaulting, and Blinding

For Quinn to win this matchup, she has to effectively use her kit to maintain a safe distance while dealing consistent damage. Her E ability, Vault, plays a key role in this strategy. When Garen charges with his Q, Decisive Strike, she can use Vault to create a safe distance, effectively countering his engage attempt.

In addition to Vault, Quinn’s Q ability, Blinding Assault, is another essential tool in her arsenal. It not only deals damage but also applies nearsight to Garen, significantly reducing his damage output by causing his basic attacks to miss.

Furthermore, Quinn can utilize her passive, Harrier, to enhance her basic attacks, and her ultimate, Behind Enemy Lines, to roam and affect other areas of the map, giving her team an advantage.

Kayle vs Garen: The Judicator’s Judgement

Kayle - Leauge of legends
Image via Riot Games

Kayle is one of the best Garen Counters in League of Legends. When it comes to the clash between Kayle and Garen in the top lane, a delicate balance between early vulnerability and late-game dominance unfolds. Let’s dive into this matchup from the perspective of an expert Challenger player, analyzing the strategies and nuances that can tip the scales in Kayle’s favor.

Kayle’s Goal: Scaling Towards Ascendance

Kayle’s primary objective is to survive the early game and scale into the late game, where her true power shines. With her ranged attacks, Kayle aims to safely farm and poke Garen, gradually chipping away at his health while accumulating gold and experience.

Garen’s Goal: Exploiting Early Weaknesses

Garen recognizes Kayle’s fragility in the early stages and aims to capitalize on it. His goal is to deny her farm, prevent her from scaling, and potentially secure kills by pressuring her relentlessly in the early game.

Victory Path for Kayle: Patience, Farming, and Power Spikes

To achieve victory against Garen, Kayle must exercise patience and focus on farming while avoiding unnecessary engages. Her primary goal is to accumulate gold and experience to reach her core itemization and level milestones.

Once Kayle reaches her power spike, typically around level 11 with key items like Nashor’s Tooth or Guinsoo’s Rageblade, she can transition into a more aggressive playstyle. At this point, Kayle can trade more favorably against Garen, utilizing her enhanced attack speed, on-hit damage, and ranged attacks to whittle down his health.

One of Kayle’s greatest assets in this matchup is her ultimate, Divine Judgment. When timed correctly, it can effectively nullify Garen’s ultimate, Demacian Justice. By activating Divine Judgment at the precise moment, Kayle can negate the execution damage from Garen’s ultimate, turning the tables in a duel and potentially securing a kill.

In conclusion, Kayle’s path to victory against Garen lies in patient farming, avoiding unnecessary engages in the early game, and reaching her power spike to assert dominance in the late game. With well-timed use of her ultimate, Kayle can nullify Garen’s execute and potentially turn the tide of the matchup.

Vayne vs Garen: The Night Hunter’s Prey

Vayne - Leauge of legends
Image via Riot Games

Vayne is another of the best Garen Counters in League of Legends. The face-off between Vayne and Garen in the top lane presents an intriguing dynamic of agility versus durability. Let’s explore this matchup from the perspective of an expert Challenger player, dissecting the strategies and intricacies that can lead to Vayne’s victory.

Vayne’s Goal: Elusive Precision

Vayne’s primary objective in this matchup is to leverage her superior range and mobility to kite Garen, denying him the ability to engage in effective trades. Her goal is to maintain distance from Garen while continuously dealing damage, utilizing her agility to outmaneuver his attacks.

Garen’s Goal: Closing the Divide

Garen’s aim is to minimize the gap between him and Vayne, utilizing his Q, Decisive Strike, for increased speed and his E, Judgment, for damage. He will try to burst Vayne down before she has the opportunity to retaliate effectively. Garen’s success lies in finding opportunities to close in on Vayne and unleash his devastating blows.

Victory Path for Vayne: Tumbling to Safety

To achieve victory against Garen, Vayne must rely on her abilities and precise positioning. Vayne’s Q, Tumble, serves as a key tool for evading Garen’s Q. By tumbling away when Garen activates his Decisive Strike, Vayne can create distance and mitigate his initial burst of speed, allowing her to maintain the advantage.

Additionally, Vayne’s E, Condemn, plays a crucial role in disengaging from Garen. If Garen manages to get too close, Vayne can utilize Condemn to push him away, creating breathing room and preventing further engagement.

In the late game, Vayne’s W, Silver Bolts, becomes a powerful tool against Garen’s defenses. With true damage on every third consecutive attack, Vayne can shred through Garen’s durability, making him vulnerable to her relentless assaults.

In conclusion, Vayne’s victory against Garen lies in her ability to kite effectively, utilizing Tumble to evade his attacks, Condemn to create distance, and capitalizing on her late-game true damage with Silver Bolts. With precision, positioning, and calculated trades, Vayne can emerge victorious in this challenging matchup.

Cho’Gath vs Garen: The Terror of the Void’s Feast

Cho'Gath - Leauge of legends
Image via Riot Games

Cho’goth ranked 5th of the best Garen Counters in League of Legends. In the clash of titans between Cho’Gath and Garen, two powerful juggernauts meet on the top lane battlefield. Let’s dive into this matchup from the perspective of an expert Challenger player, unraveling the strategies and intricacies that can lead Cho’Gath to victory.

Cho’Gath’s Goal: Unyielding Sustenance

Cho’Gath’s primary objective in this matchup is to out-sustain Garen, utilizing his passive ability, Carnivore, to regenerate health over time. Cho’Gath aims to trade effectively with Garen, maximizing the use of his crowd control abilities to control the flow of the fight.

Garen’s Goal: Exploiting Mispositioning

Garen recognizes that Cho’Gath’s strength lies in his ability to sustain and trade effectively. Garen’s goal is to take advantage of any mispositioning by Cho’Gath, punishing him with relentless trades to whittle down his health and deny him the opportunity to stack health with his ultimate.

Victory Path for Cho’Gath: Controlling the Void

To secure victory against Garen, Cho’Gath must strategically utilize his kit to disrupt Garen’s plans and maintain control over the engagement. Cho’Gath’s Q, Rupture, serves as a crucial tool in this matchup. By accurately landing Rupture, Cho’Gath can knock up Garen if he attempts to engage, effectively nullifying his initial assault and creating an opportunity for a counterattack.

In addition to Rupture, Cho’Gath’s W, Feral Scream, plays a pivotal role in silencing Garen and preventing him from utilizing his abilities effectively. A well-timed Feral Scream can disrupt Garen’s combo and reduce his overall damage output, giving Cho’Gath the upper hand in trades.

Cho’Gath’s ultimate, Feast, is a game-changer. It can be used to secure kills when Garen is low on health or to stack additional health for Cho’Gath, making him even more resilient in the late game. As Cho’Gath stacks health, he becomes increasingly difficult for Garen to handle, tipping the scales in favor of the Void terror.

In conclusion, Cho’Gath’s victory against Garen hinges on his ability to out-sustain and out-trade his opponent. By effectively utilizing his Q to disrupt engagements, his W to silence Garen’s abilities, and his ultimate Feast to secure kills and stack health, Cho’Gath becomes an unstoppable force that Garen struggles to overcome.

Conclusion

Mastering these matchups can drastically elevate your performance against Garen. By understanding the goals of both your chosen champion and Garen, and using the strategies outlined here, you can turn a daunting enemy into a manageable foe. Remember, practice makes perfect, and knowing your enemy is half the battle!


FAQ’s

Q: Why is Garen considered a strong champion in the top lane?

A: Garen is considered a strong champion in the top lane due to his durability and burst damage. His passive ability, Perseverance, allows him to regenerate health quickly, granting him sustain during trades and making him difficult to poke down. Garen’s Q, Decisive Strike, provides a significant burst of damage and silence, allowing him to quickly trade and disrupt his opponents. Additionally, his W, Courage, grants him bonus resistances, further enhancing his survivability. These factors make Garen a formidable force in the top lane, capable of dealing significant damage while soaking up enemy attacks.

Q: Can any champion counter Garen?

A: While every champion has strengths and weaknesses, some champions have proven to be strong counters to Garen. Champions such as Camille, Quinn, Kayle, Vayne, and Cho’Gath have shown effective strategies and kits that can neutralize Garen’s strengths. Camille’s mobility and crowd control, Quinn’s range and kiting potential, Kayle’s scaling and poke, Vayne’s mobility and true damage, and Cho’Gath’s sustain and crowd control abilities can all provide advantages against Garen. However, it’s important to note that skill, player experience, and individual playstyles also play a significant role in determining the outcome of a matchup.

Q: What is the most effective strategy when playing against Garen?

A: The most effective strategy when playing against Garen involves understanding his abilities, knowing his playstyle, and selecting champions that counter him effectively. It is crucial to respect Garen’s early game strength and be mindful of his burst potential. In the laning phase, champions with range, crowd control, or sustain can often have an advantage against Garen. Harassing him from a distance, avoiding extended trades, and denying him opportunities to engage can be effective strategies. Additionally, coordinating with your team and denying Garen opportunities to impact other lanes through effective map awareness can further hinder his success.

Q: How can I practice countering Garen?

A: The best way to practice countering Garen is to play against him regularly. By facing Garen in various matchups, you will gain a better understanding of his abilities, playstyle, and weaknesses. Experiment with different champions and strategies to find what works best for you. Watching high-level gameplay, studying Garen’s matchups, and analyzing how experienced players handle the Garen matchup can also provide valuable insights and help you improve your ability to counter him.

Q: What items are effective against Garen?

A: Items that provide armor penetration, grievous wounds, or reduce attack speed can be effective against Garen. For example, items like Black Cleaver, Lord Dominik’s Regards, and Mortal Reminder can help penetrate Garen’s armor and increase your damage output. Grievous Wounds items like Executioner’s Calling or Bramble Vest can reduce his healing, limiting his sustain in fights. Attack speed reduction items like Frozen Heart or Randuin’s Omen can hinder Garen’s ability to deal damage quickly. However, the choice of items may vary depending on the champion you’re playing and the specific circumstances of the game.






Scroll to Top