From runes to items, gameplay tips amd more, we've put together a guide to help you master playing Gangplank in the toplane in League of Legends.
Be mindful that there are several ways to build and play a champion, and you'll need to be adaptable as the game and the enemy team progress.
That said, this guide is a good starting point to helping you get to grips with the champion and making an impact in your games.
Runes
Core Items
Build
Trinity Force is a good all-round item in the toplane, offering plenty of damage potential.
The Collector adds to this, alongside a handy execute that can generate more gold for Gangplank.
Other good items include Mortal Reminder, Sterak's Gage, and Lord Dominik's Regards.
Starting Item & Boots
Skill Order
While your choices may differ according to how the game progresses, the typical Gangplank skill priority is:
R > Q > E > W
Summoner Spells
These are the summoner spells most typically taken by Gangplank in this role. Naturally, this may change depending on match-ups.
Gameplay
A toplane duelist, Gangplank is particularly fragile. You'll want to play passively, zoning your opponent with your Powder Kegs and poking as much as possible. He has a high skillcap, but if played well and once he's reached his power spike, he can often bully lanes.
- Level 1 - Take Q - Parrrley, for early-game poke.
- Level 2 - Take E - Powder Keg, so you can lay your barrels and begin to zone your lane opponent.
- First Back - Start working towards your Trinity Force.
Tips & Tricks
- The trick to playing Gangplank well is chaining your Powder Kegs - destroy the first with Parrrley to reach distant enemies.
- Placing a Powder Keg in a bush and starting the chain from there is a good way to surprise your opponent.
- Only champions can hit Powder Kegs. You can quickly reduce it to 1HP with an auto as soon as it appears, for quick damage.
- When it comes to upgrading your ult, start with Death's Daughter, then opt for Raise Morale, and finally Fire at Will.
- If you place two Powder Kegs, it's possible to detonate the first and place a third which will be triggered by the chain. This takes a lot of practice and needs to be precise.
- Even more complicated to master, the phantom barrel consists of placing one barrel, detonating it with Parrrley at maximum range, then placing a second barrel to be triggered instantly by the explosion.
