Gragas vs Heimerdinger Counter Pick

Heimerdinger is by far the more fragile champion here — 558 starting health, 19 armor, 90.4 at level 18 — and he still holds Gragas to 39.5% across 152 games on patch 16.13.1. Turrets are why a stat comparison misses the point.

• H-28 G Evolution Turret places damage on the ground that does not need him standing beside it, so trading with Heimerdinger means trading with something that owns a separate health bar.
• Hextech Affinity grants move speed near allied towers and his own turrets, stacking on a 340 base against 330 — and Gragas is the one who has to cross the distance from 125 units to 550.
• CH-2 Electron Storm Grenade stuns on a direct hit, and a stunned Gragas mid-approach forfeits both the Body Slam he committed and the mana that paid for it.

Gragas is built for one decisive moment rather than attrition. Barrel Roll gains potency the longer the cask sits before detonating, and Explosive Cask knocks back, the natural reply to a champion whose damage depends on ground he has already prepared. Durability favors him heavily at 2,595 health and 123 armor by level 18, and Happy Hour refunds part of every poke exchange. His opponent’s damage is entirely magic, so 32 base magic resist is the stat worth buying while armor contributes little. Execution ratings are 8 against 5.