How to beat Cho'Gath

Common role: Top

The best counter to Cho'Gath in Top is Ahri: 70.5% win rate over 51 ranked games on patch 26.17.

A scaling tank who grows infinitely and true-damage executes with a bite.

What makes Cho'Gath dangerous

Cho'Gath stacks permanent max-health on champion takedowns with his ultimate — a point-and-click true-damage execute — becoming a giant. He knocks up (Q), silences (W), and slows, providing frontline CC while being nearly unkillable late. His threat is his scaling and the execute bite.

How to play against Cho'Gath

• 1Stay above his ultimate's execute threshold — his R is a true-damage bite that ignores your resistances. Don't sit low in melee range.
• 2Dodge his Q (a delayed knock-up) — sidestep the circle and his combo has no lockdown.
• 3Deny his stacks: don't let him get takedowns with his ult, and pressure his weak early game before he scales into a giant.
• 4Low mobility — kite him. % health and magic damage beat his stacked HP better than raw damage.

Weaknesses to exploit

• ✓No mobility — kiteable.
• ✓Q knock-up is a dodgeable delayed skillshot.
• ✓Deny ult takedowns to stop his scaling.
• ✓Weak early before stacks and items.

Abilities & how to counter them

What each of Cho'Gath's abilities does — and how to play around it.

• P
  Carnivore

  Whenever Cho'Gath kills a unit, he recovers Health and Mana. The values restored increase with Cho'Gath's level.

• Q
  Rupture

  Ruptures the ground at target location, popping enemy units into the air, dealing damage and slowing them.

  Strong: a delayed knock-up that sets up his combo. Weak: sidestep the circle and his combo has no lockdown.

• W
  Feral Scream

  Cho'Gath unleashes a terrible scream at enemies in a cone, dealing magic damage and Silencing enemies for a few seconds.

• E
  Vorpal Spikes

  Cho'Gath's attacks release deadly spikes, dealing damage and slowing all enemy units in front of him.

• R
  Feast

  Devours an enemy unit, dealing a high amount of true damage. If the target is killed, Cho'Gath grows, gaining maximum Health.

  Strong: a point-and-click true-damage execute that also stacks his max health. Weak: stay above its threshold and deny his takedowns to stop the scaling.

Itemization

Cho'Gath is a scaling tank with a true-damage execute. % health and magic damage beat his HP, stay above his ult threshold, and dodge his Q. Deny his stacks early.

This guide covers Cho'Gath's core kit and playstyle — advice that holds up across patches.