Why go Sunfire on Gnar?

DJ Ratchet·10/11/2014, 12:53:30 AM·4 votes·1,805 views

To be honest, I just don't understand it...it does very little for his Mini Gnar form. If you're getting that close to the enemy in Mini Form and you're not close to transforming, something is wrong. I've been going BotRK and Trinity consistently (well, generally speaking. Some games call for other items...) and winning lane as well as being a team fighting monster in either form. I've been told by two team members last night that my build is all wrong...yet...my win rate as Gnar is off the charts. After BotRK and Trinity, I tend to go all tanky after that so even Mini Gnar is tough to kill. Honestly though...what is it that I'm missing here? I just don't see how a Sunfire over a Randuin's can be a thing...I honestly feel it's a subpar choice on Gnar since he pushes just fine without one.

7 Comments

NeoScout10/11/2014, 12:56:13 AM1 votes

sheep that just follow other people

Zeus Jukem10/11/2014, 12:56:36 AM1 votes

it's all about that item 3031 yo

redniwediS10/11/2014, 12:59:51 AM1 votes

The longer the game goes on the less time Gnar spends in his mini form. Basically people who get sunfire are building for Mega Gnar initiated team fights. Tanks treat sunfire as a damage item more than a tank item, so if you're going less tank and more damage it's not particularly needed.

From the sound of it your play style isn't the super tank initiator type, and so your build is perfectly fine.

Siachi10/11/2014, 1:04:35 AM1 votes

I don't really like Sunfire cape, at least not compared to Randuin's (At least you can get the attack speed slow as mini-gnar), since it doesn't really benefit Mini-Gnar as much.

But I guess late game you'll be spending a lot of time in Mega-Gnar form, and lets face it with the amount of CC on Mega Gnar's kit, if he gets on top of a target they aren't getting away without burning a flash: The Randuin's active might end up feeling redundant because of this, so maybe Sunfire works in that instance. I don't know; I don't really use it either, but that's just my thoughts.

That being said, and this isn't that relevant, I don't like BoRK on Gnar for the opposite reason: Benefits Mini-Gnar quite a bit, but not so much Mega-Gnar (Who mostly does AoE damage with his abilities, occasionally autoattacking for the sheen proc, but otherwise wouldn't be doing much focused, single-target damage; even the active isn't that great because, as I said before, with the amount of CC on Mega-Gnar, they probably wouldn't be getting away anyway if you're in range for the active).

oh you wanna die10/11/2014, 1:05:20 AM1 votes

sunfire has always been a situational item, but that doesnt make it bad on gnar all the time.

DJ Ratchet10/11/2014, 1:24:13 AM1 votes

One of the reasons why I tend to go BotRK is due to the attack speed, sustain in lane as a Vamp Scepter, the % based health damage and of course the beautiful active.

It most certainly helps Mini Gnar more, I can't disagree with that...but it still very much helps Mega Gnar as well. Chasing...fleeing...and certainly assists with the burst potential Mega form has. It's rather fun to jump on the enemy ADC and watch as they go 100-0 from the entire rotation alone.

I can somewhat see the potential loss of Randuin's active in such scenarios, but I still see Sunfire's passive going the same route while lacking all of the potential utility.

googlemaster10/11/2014, 2:02:00 AM1 votes

its cheap. 350 gold less than randuins. thats a pair of boots or a longsword ahead of your opponent who rushes randuins. pretty much the same efficiency. its 1 out 2 items that give health and armor in high quantities. mega gnars large hitbox makes sunfire larger. mini gnar doesnt really need damage. the guy is a ball of stats and really good mobility after lvl 6. and his W shreds anyone and does magic damage to boot.

gnar in either form has so many steroids you dont need damage, you need survivability. try going: giant belt > brutalizer > sunfire >ghostblade. sub sunfire for bveil or SV if its ap top and mid.