Gwen Guide in League of Legends: Abilities, Builds, Runes, Tactics on Top and Tips for Winning

On April 15, a new hero will appear in League of Legends — a charming doll with different eyes named Gwen. This lady with magic scissors managed to spend two weeks on the test server, and during this time, players had the opportunity to thoroughly study her style of play. We have prepared a handy guide for you that will help you understand Gwen’s abilities, her key advantages and weaknesses.

What is especially interesting is that Gwen is the first champion from the Twilight Isles, which is strikingly different from the usual gloomy images of this location. She does not seek to wipe all life from the face of the earth, like Viego, and does not dig graves for days on end, like Yorick. On the contrary, Gwen symbolizes the warmth and kindness that she dreams of giving to the world. However, behind her soft appearance lies a merciless duelist with magic damage and talents for split pushing. In battle, Gwen turns into a real threat and is able to punish any opponent who makes a mistake.

But let’s take it all step by step.

Skills in Gwen’s abilities in LoL

“A Thousand Cuts” (Passive)

Each of Gwen’s basic attacks deals bonus magic damage based on her health. When hitting an enemy champion, some of the damage is returned to her as healing.

This passive makes Gwen very stable in the lane: she can trade blows with the enemy without unnecessary risk. If the enemy plays carelessly and allows you to frequently deal basic attacks, you will gradually strengthen your advantage. The additional magic damage strengthens every action you take, and the health recovery from attacks forces the opponent to think twice before going into an aggressive trade.

However, you should not overestimate the power of Gwen’s basic attacks. They are not so destructive that you can afford unnecessary impudence. Champions like Jax or Camille can easily disrupt her tempo with stuns, and Fiora can simply interrupt her with damage. The most unpleasant opponent for Gwen is Riven. She has more damage, more dangerous combinations, and stronger control, so in a duel she almost always comes out the winner.

“Chick-chick!” – that’s how Gwen’s [Q] sounds

When she brings her scissors together, a cone of blows opens up in front of her, dealing magic damage. The base number of cuts is two, but each of her auto-attacks against an enemy adds one more. Gwen can cut up to six times. Those who end up in the very center of the affected area receive not only pure damage, but also additional magic damage from her passive “A Thousand Cuts”.

[Q] is Gwen’s main tool for putting pressure on the lanes and dealing significant damage. The rule is simple: do not enter a fight without pre-prepared Q stacks. That is why the style of play on the lane looks like this: farm charges on minions – boldly go into exchange. And be sure to try to catch the opponent in the center of the cone – that’s where the damage reveals its maximum potential.

It is difficult to say how aggressive Gwen can be on the lane due to the combination of the passive and Q. The version of the champion on release may differ slightly from the test version on PBE. So the best advice is to rely on your in-game sense: attack only when the opponent has already used up their key abilities and is unable to adequately respond.

“Holy Mist” [W]

Gwen’s unique ability, allowing her to surround herself in a cloud of mystical mist for five seconds. While the mist is active, the champion gains additional armor and magic resistance. Enemies outside the cloud cannot target Gwen or hit her with abilities. The first time she tries to leave the zone, the mist moves after her, but immediately dissipates upon exiting again.

The mechanics parameter makes W one of the strongest abilities in the doll’s arsenal. With its help, Gwen is able to ignore almost any enemy damage and easily escape ganks. In essence, the skill is similar to a mixture of Xin Zhao’s ultimate and Senna’s mist skill, who also uses the haze for protection.

How to use “Holy Mist” correctly? It is important to take into account the timing: the ability resembles Fiora’s W – incorrect use can result in a lost kill or even death. In one-on-one duels, it is best to activate it right in the heat of the fight to gain resistances and feel more confident. But in team fights, it is better to save the skill for a critical moment – for example, to survive the enemy’s ultimate or another powerful combination. The main goal is to “hold off” dangerous skills as much as possible, preserving health and breaking into the teamfight already fully combat-ready.

“Free Cut” [E]

skill that allows Gwen to dash a short distance and boost her auto attacks for 4 seconds. During this time, her attacks become faster, have additional range, and deal magic damage. Each hit on an enemy reduces the skill’s cooldown by exactly half.

In practice, this is a great ability for active exchanges. If the enemy goes on the offensive, just roll back, turn on “Free Cut” and deliver a series of enhanced strikes. Due to the passive, you can quickly gain stacks and finish the combo with a powerful “Q”. And if the enemy decides to retreat, the scenario can be easily repeated.

There is also an additional plus: the dash will allow you to jump over thin walls, which gives Gwen additional mobility. This is convenient both for escaping from an enemy jungler and for a surprise attack.

However, the skill is most effective in a defensive role – as a way to dodge dangerous enemy skills. If Mist is on cooldown, it is E that will help you dodge a skill shot or take an advantageous position in a duel. One of the simplest examples: Camille activates her dash with harpoons, and at the moment of her jump, Gwen moves to the side with Free Cut, after which she easily begins to cut her opponent into pieces.

Gwen’s Role in LoL: Top Lane, Split Push, and the Secret to Her Strength

If you have already managed to get acquainted with the doll Gwen, then you probably noticed: most often her path lies on the top line. She is not chosen to the mid very often – rather as a rare adventure. Everything is played quite simply: we stand still, accumulate the passive, then – a sharp dash with E, a combo with Q flies into the opponent’s face, and then a slight rollback. Everything is repeated until the poor guy opposite gives up and goes home or gets stuck on the gray screen, remembering that he should have played more carefully.

When the lane phase comes to an end, Gwen seems to change her mask and turns into a real “magical Fiora”. She shows herself brilliantly in one-on-one duels, feels at home in small skirmishes, but in large teamfights her charm noticeably fades. Often there is simply not enough time to stack the passive and squeeze the maximum out of Q, and the ultimate, no matter how you look at it, does not always feel as destructive as you would like.

That is why her real element after laning is split pushing. Gwen seems to go on her own little crusade: she puts pressure on lanes, destroys towers and makes opponents rush around the map. She joins in large skirmishes selectively – most often together with the jungler or the whole team, when the dragon or baron is at stake. But in her heart she is still a solo hero, preferring to fight one on one and decide the fate of the game with cunning pressure on the map.

Gwen counterplay in LoL

Playing against Gwen is always a small test of endurance and the ability to think ahead. She looks cute with her doll and scissors, but if you underestimate her, she will turn your screen gray. It is important to keep two key points in mind: how many stacks are on her passive and whether W and E are on cooldown.

If Gwen has already pumped up “Thousand Cuts”, it is better not to be a hero. At this moment, her Q deals pure damage and simultaneously heals her. That is, you seem to be trying to win the exchange, but in fact you yourself give up health and get nothing in return.

But this is where you have a chance – this is control. Almost every relevant top laner now has some kind of stun, root or slow in their arsenal. Caught Gwen for a couple of seconds? Great! During this time, you can deal solid damage and roll back to a safe place.

Pay special attention to her E and W. Without a dash, Gwen is like without scissors: vulnerable and easy prey. Therefore, try to lure out the dash first. With fog, the situation is trickier: a competent Gwen never presses it for no reason. When trying to gank a jungler, you shouldn’t throw around skills in the hope of a miracle – it’s better to wait until she presses fog herself, and then give out a combo.

What to collect by items on Gwen in LoL

Gwen’s ideal build is subtly indicated by her passive ability and Q skill. As it’s essential for her to accumulate stacks on her passive as swiftly as possible to truly harness the power of “Chop Chop!”, “Nashor’s Tooth” stands out as a fantastic choice. This item not only provides a bonus on-hit effect but also enhances her attack speed and grants a substantial 100 AP, which positively influences all her abilities and overall performance in battle.

When it comes to her mythic item, “Riftmaker” is the optimal selection. This item aligns seamlessly with her playstyle—allowing her to build stacks before making a decisive entrance and then unleashing a torrent of damage through her auto-attacks and Q ability. The synergy here is key to maximizing her effectiveness in skirmishes.

From that point, the rest of your build should be tailored to the specific dynamics on the map and your own level of boldness. If the game is fairly balanced, picking up “Zhonya’s Hourglass” is a smart move for enhanced survivability, especially during intense team fights. Following that, you might want to invest in “Void Staff” if you notice that opponents are stacking magic resistance, helping you maintain your damage output.

Additionally, keep “Morellonomicon” in mind if the enemy team is focusing on lifesteal, as it will help counter their healing and give you an edge in prolonged engagements.

On the other hand, if you find yourself in a dominating position, absolutely shredding through your foes, it’s time to solidify your build with a powerful and costly item like “Rabadon’s Deathcap.” This will amplify your damage significantly. To cap it off, consider adding “Liandry’s Anguish” for even more burst potential—you’ll find yourself turning enemies into origami in a matter of moments, showcasing Gwen’s true destructive power on the battlefield.

What runes to put on Gwen

If you’ve ever played Gwen, you probably know how much she loves to “crash” into battle and slash opponents with her auto attacks. That’s why her main choice is almost always “Conqueror”. This rune not only increases damage, but also gives a pleasant sustain at maximum stacks. And another bonus – Q begins to deal noticeably more damage, and slashing enemies becomes much more fun.

There are no strict rules in the second line: all three options are good. This is a matter of your style – try different combinations and find the one that is more comfortable for you. Then everything is simple: “Zeal” gives additional attack speed (and for Gwen this is vital), and “Strike of Mercy” helps to finally “finish off” those who decide to run away with a small amount of HP. Believe me, there will be many such moments, and this rune saves a lot.

But with the second branch, the build becomes more interesting. The most popular solution is considered to be the red branch: “Taste of Blood” paired with “Insatiable Hunter” literally turns Gwen into a little vampire – the longer she fights, the harder it is to stop her. But if you understand that life is going to be tough on the lane (for example, the opponent plays a champion who will not let you take a step), try the green branch. “Bone Plate” and “Revival” will help you survive the pressure and give you a chance to enter the mid-game fully armed.

If we take statistics on runes, we get the following:

Gwen has a 45.6% win rate in the top lane, with a 2.4% pick rate among Emerald and above players. Despite this, she still holds her spot in the A rank. We analyzed 5,710 matches on patch 15.18 and found that the optimal build for Gwen is:

• Rupture as a core item,
• Fused Steel Caps for extra protection,
• Nashor’s Tooth for damage acceleration,
• Shadow Flame for penetration,
• and the classic Zhonya’s Hourglass for long-term survival.

As for runes, the most common ones for Gwen are:

• Conqueror,
• Presence of Mind,
• Legend: Zeal,
• Last Stand in the main tree, as well as Bone Plate and Resolute in the off-tree.

This build makes Gwen stable in the lane while still allowing her to shine in team fights.