Farm, shape the wave, bank Rage

0:00–14:00, especially before the first recall, level spikes and the first dragon or Voidgrub setup.

In the opening, decide whether the lane is about short Mini trades or holding the wave near your side for a safer all-in angle. If your wave is larger and the enemy must last-hit, use Q and W-triggered movement speed to pressure without spending Hop unnecessarily; if the enemy wave is stacked or your Rage is low, take the safe CS and avoid an extended trade. Build toward a crash before recalling or moving. When Rage nears maximum, stop treating the next ability as ordinary poke: position so the transformation can matter, or back away if the enemy can punish the form change.

Lane

Choose the lane state around Rage

If the first waves are meeting and your Rage is low, use Q to control the approach and take short trades only when the enemy is last-hitting or your minion wave is larger. If Rage is approaching maximum and the enemy is extended, build the wave toward a crash rather than forcing a fight in the middle of it; your next ability may transform you, so the useful window is the enemy’s position when that transformation occurs, not the Rage bar alone.

With Gnar

• Play around the form, not just the champion icon. If Gnar is near maximum Rage, hold your engage until he can reach the fight and let him choose the terrain; if he is low Rage, avoid starting a fight that requires him to be the only frontline because his Mega tools are not immediately available.
• Give him a wave and a reset before objective contests. If the next dragon, Voidgrub, Herald or Baron setup is 60–90 seconds away, help him create a crash or protect the exit so he can recall and return with Rage, health and cooldowns. A teammate who starts the pit before Gnar has completed that cycle can remove the champion’s main timing advantage.
• Follow the first contact instead of racing ahead. If Gnar lands a Mega stun or displacement and two allies are close enough to damage the target, commit immediately; if he is still in Mini form or has used Hop to enter without a clear target, keep formation and do not turn his isolated entry into a second death.
• Use Gnar’s side pressure as a timer tool. If he is winning the likely 1v1 and has a safe escape or Teleport plan, hold the other four near the next meaningful objective without taking a blind 4v5; if he is behind or lacks a safe exit, let him catch the safer wave and keep the team’s main threat together.
• When Gnar is the weaker side, protect the comeback pattern rather than demanding a miracle engage. If he can catch a wave under tower and reach the next setup with Rage, give up an unsafe contest and trade for farm or a structure; if the enemy is already trapped near terrain and your team has numbers, then convert his Mega control into the fight instead.