Beginner's Guide to Playing Gwen in League of Legends (2024)

Gwen, the Hallowed Seamstress, is one of the more intriguing champions in League of Legends. Transformed from a doll into a living being by magic, Gwen uses the tools of her creation, including giant spectral scissors, to carve through her enemies. With her versatile kit, Gwen can adapt to various situations in the game. This guide will delve into her abilities, runes, build paths, and strategies to help you master Gwen and dominate the Rift. Learn how to master Gwen in League of Legends with this comprehensive guide. Explore builds, runes, and strategies to dominate the Rift.

Gwen stands out due to her unique backstory and her gameplay mechanics. Her lore adds a layer of depth, as she was a doll brought to life by magic, created by a seamstress who infused her with love and care. This transformation is reflected in her combat style, where she uses enchanted scissors, needles, and thread to fight her foes. Gwen’s abilities allow her to switch between dealing significant damage and protecting herself with her Hallowed Mist. This combination makes her a strong pick in various scenarios, whether it’s dueling in the top lane or contributing to team fights.

Understanding Gwen’s Abilities

Passive – A Thousand Cuts

Gwen’s basic attacks deal bonus magic damage based on the target’s health. She heals for a portion of the damage dealt to champions by this effect, making her sustain in fights particularly potent.

Q – Snip Snip!

Gwen snips her scissors in a cone, dealing magic damage with up to six snips. Units in the center take true damage and have Gwen’s passive applied to them with each snip. This ability is Gwen’s primary source of damage, and mastering its use is crucial for maximizing her output in fights.

W – Hallowed Mist

Gwen summons mist around her, protecting her from all enemies outside of it. Enemies must enter the mist to target her, providing Gwen with crucial protection against ranged threats and allowing her to outplay opponents in tight situations.

E – Skip ‘n Slash

Gwen dashes a short distance and gains attack speed, attack range, and bonus on-hit magic damage for a few seconds. If she hits an enemy during this period, the ability’s cooldown is partially refunded. This makes Gwen incredibly mobile and allows her to engage or disengage effectively.

R – Needlework

Gwen hurls a needle that slows enemies hit, deals magic damage, and applies her passive. This ability can be cast up to three times, with each cast throwing more needles and dealing more damage. Gwen must hit an enemy between each cast to unlock the next one, making it essential to time her abilities precisely.

Optimal Rune Choices for Gwen

Selecting the right runes is vital for enhancing Gwen’s strengths and mitigating her weaknesses.

Primary Path: Precision

• Conqueror: Grants stacking AD or AP for each attack, providing Gwen with sustained damage and healing in prolonged fights.
• Presence of Mind: Restores mana on takedowns, ensuring Gwen can continue casting her abilities during extended engagements.
• Legend: Alacrity: Increases attack speed, which synergizes well with Gwen’s E ability.
• Last Stand: Grants increased damage when Gwen is low on health, making her even more dangerous when she’s on the brink of death.

Secondary Path: Inspiration

• Magical Footwear: Provides free boots at 12 minutes, saving gold for other crucial items.
• Cosmic Insight: Reduces cooldowns on summoner spells and items, giving Gwen more uptime on her abilities and mobility.

Item Build for Gwen

Starting Items

• Doran’s Ring: Provides AP, health, and mana regeneration, crucial for Gwen’s early game.
• Health Potions: Sustain through the laning phase is essential.

Core Items

• Riftmaker: Grants omnivamp and bonus damage, transforming into true damage after a few seconds in combat.
• Nashor’s Tooth: Increases attack speed and provides on-hit magic damage, synergizing with Gwen’s E.

Boots

• Ionian Boots of Lucidity: Reduces cooldowns, allowing Gwen to use her abilities more frequently.

Situational Items

• Zhonya’s Hourglass: Grants a stasis effect, allowing Gwen to dodge crucial abilities or survive burst damage.
• Cosmic Drive: Provides movement speed and AP, making Gwen more mobile and enhancing her kiting potential.
• Morellonomicon: Reduces healing on enemies, useful against compositions with high sustain.

Playing Gwen: Tips and Strategies

Early Game

Gwen’s early game is focused on farming and trading efficiently. Use Skip ‘n Slash (E) to engage or disengage from trades, and maximize Snip Snip! (Q) for consistent damage. Hallowed Mist (W) should be used sparingly to avoid crowd control and to escape ganks.

Mid Game

As Gwen starts to complete her core items, she becomes a formidable duelist. Look for opportunities to split push and apply pressure on the map. Utilize Needlework (R) in skirmishes to maximize her damage output and sustain.

Late Game

In the late game, Gwen excels in extended team fights due to her sustain and damage output. Position yourself carefully, using Hallowed Mist (W) to avoid being targeted by the enemy backline. Focus on hitting as many champions as possible with Needlework (R) to apply her passive and maximize damage.

Countering Gwen

While Gwen is strong, she has counters. Champions with strong burst damage or displacement abilities can give her a hard time. Avoid prolonged fights against champions who can kite her effectively or who can burst her down before she can heal up.

Conclusion

Gwen is a unique and versatile champion in League of Legends. By mastering her abilities, selecting the right runes and items, and employing effective strategies, you can dominate your games and climb the ranks. Practice her combos, understand her strengths and weaknesses, and you’ll be well on your way to mastering the Hallowed Seamstress.

Gwen’s adaptability makes her a valuable pick in various matchups and team compositions. Her ability to sustain through fights and outplay opponents with precise use of her abilities sets her apart from other champions. Continuous practice and game sense development will enhance your proficiency with Gwen, allowing you to carry games and become a formidable presence on the Rift. Whether you prefer solo lanes or team engagements, mastering Gwen will provide you with a robust toolkit to tackle any challenge in League of Legends.