Garen Top Build Guide: Key Takeaways
- Skill path Max R-E-Q-W
- Recommend Runes are Sorcery with Phase Rush keystone and Resolve secondary tree
- Recommend Doran’s Shield start into a Stridebreaker + Dead Man’s Plate as core items
- Build AD and Heath with situational tank items
- Garen counters several champions while having a hard time against enemies with excel at dealing percent health damage
Table of Contents
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Recommended Runes
Garen should be using Sorcery and Resolve trees to grab move speed and durability options allowing him to survive fights and maximize his movement while spinning to win.
Phase Rush keystone is highly recommended. This allows Garen to run right into the heart of teams, cast E – Judgment, and stay on top of them as they try to kite out of the fight. The rest of the sorcery team further stacks with his move speed gained from casting Q – Decisive Strike.
Recommended Skill Path for Garen Top Build
Summoner Skills: Flash + Ignite
Order: R → E → Q → W
Garen top should grab Q – Decisive Strike at level one. Putting a point into his E – Judgment and W – Courage thereafter.
This helps with early lane CS and trades. Additionally, his Q – Decisive Strike can be used defensively for getting out of strange situations, such as an early level 2 gank from the enemy jungle.
Once you have a point in all three skills, you should grab your R – Judgment at levels 6, 11, 16. max E as this is the source of your primary damage and allows you the ability to proc Phase Rush consistently in team fights.
Remember to make use of your Passive skill. Perseverance may help you stay in lane longer and heal you while you roam to apply map pressure or place vision.
Items – Recommend Build Path for Garen Top Build
- Starting items:
- Doran’s shield + Health pots
- Core Items:
- Berserker’s Greaves
- Stridebreaker Mythic
- Dead Man’s Plate
- Fourth item options:
- Black Cleaver: health and AD
- Mortal Reminder: Considered if the enemy team is stacking armor or has significant healing during fights
- Fifth Item options:
- Force of Nature: Grab if MR is needed
- Sterak’s Gage: AD and more burst survivability
- Black Cleaver: Still good option if you did not pick up as Fourth Item
- Sixth Item options:
- Sterak’s Or Black Cleaver: if you have not already picked up
- Phantom Dancer: Spectral Waltz passive to help stay on top of enemies while increasing your DPS overall.
Garen Top Counters
Garen is overall a strong pick top lane.
These are some of the best matchups where you should consider picking Garen.
- Vladimir
- Dr. Mundo
- Renekton
Meanwhile, expect a difficult time against these champions that excel at surviving your damage output and dealing back percentage health damage.
- Cho’gath
- Zac
- Kayle
Recommended Garen Streamers
Check out these streamers who know how to spin to win!
- Riste – Currently 400 LP Masters with a peak rank in S9 at Challenger 642LP. Streams Monday to Saturday starting at Noon ET.
- Lol_sunlight – Has previously hit rank 1 with Garen and Viego. Streams Monday to Saturday starting at Noon ET.
