Welcome, my friend! Glad to see you again, as the Longest Season draws to an end!
And a long Season indeed, this one, yet all things must come to an end: the Icons have been shown…
… along with the flurry of spoilers that announce the arrival of the new, and renewal of the old.
But please, come! Step inside!
No Archetype should go quietly into the night. Any one, or even all of these blends that I shall showcase for you today may vanish by next week – so, come, please let me show you our wares, so you can have a raging taste of these perhaps soon to be gone blends.
Do tell me, then: shall you check first…
… the Cream of the Crop, best of the best blends?
- Yuumi Pantheon,
- Heimerdinger Jayce Shadows, making a surprise appearance at the top,
- Draven Sion,
- Scouts,
- Pirates,
- Azir Irelia,
- Curious Ezreal Viktor, a fresh face among the Top Dogs,
- Other considerations, such as Ezreal Caitlyn or Taliyah Ziggs,
… the Connoisseur's Corner, for a tad more exotic blends, today with an extra sprinkle of shrooms?
- Teemo Yuumi Zed, arguably today's gem,
- Teemo Tristana,
- Classic Teemo Burn,
- Ahri Katarina,
- Fizz Riven,
… our Wild Side, to cast caution to the winds?
- Fizz Udyr,
- A crowd favorite and r/LoRCompetitive classic: Luzeldon's Muscle Dragon
- Matron Kindred Galio,
- A Top Cut delicacy: Trash Katarina,
- Captain Teemo and the Piltover Avengers.
The finest formulas from formidable figuristas Balco and Legna, my friend – only the best of the best!
Thus this Season's Sun Sets
Not many novelties at quick glance: as is to be expected by Season's Sunset, the most potent decks enjoy an uptick in their performance.
As increasingly more pilots reach their desired rank, and climbing becomes no longer for them a factor, more leisurely brews become habitual – thus feeding LPs to those who still struggle in their ascent.
There are still a few surprises when looking up close, though – our munificent Meta often manifests a few gifts for those that look for them.
Cream of the Crop
If you are struggling to climb and you feel the pressure of time, these are the blends you should look into.
Sturdy, tried-and-true, all-business blends that are by now undoubtedly the best tools for the job, with 54%-plus WR in Platinum and above, and play rates above 1%.
Yuumi Pantheon (DE)
Oh, how the puns roll through the tongue, when a Targon deck attaches itself to the Top, as many claimed it was fated to be!
Yet that's how this Season ends, my friend: Pantheon has had many comrades in arms in LoR, and at one point him by his lonesome was among the toughest blends to face; yet the feline Fae has proved to be the Warrior's most steadfast ally, and this week the Throne is theirs.
They have also proven to be perhaps the most relevant factor in Tournaments. As a handful of Top Cut pilots have confided, and witnessed in learned aligners Sirturmund's and MonteXristo's Open Rounds meditations, Pantheon blends were in most cases the medley to either bring, ban, or target.
Its power is made manifest in its matchups, this blend overpowering many of the most popular blends, and only truly weak against Pirates.
Strong Against: Sun Disc, Lurkers (which are on the rise), Taliyah Ziggs, Scouts – an edge against Tryndamere Trundle and Afizzelios.
Struggles Against: Pirates, Tri-beam blends.
14 cards
26 cards
23 400
Heimerdinger Jayce Shadows
Now, this is a bit of a surprise – a blend that has steadily gained traction during the last few weeks, and now jumps to the fore.
This shadowy archetype is an interesting example of how much the fates of a particular medley is tied to the whims of the Meta at large: Heimer Jayce could perhaps be the best archetype right now, were it not for it being mercilessly wrecked by Sun Disc.
We'll recommend here the most popular formula for this blend, although lists with a slightly more aggressive curve – cutting [Albus Ferros] to add a copy of [Forge Chief] and another [Station Archivist] – seem to be doing even better.
Strong Against: Viego Shurima, Afizzelios, Pirates, Tri-beam blends, Scouts
Struggles Against: Sun Disc (horrible matchup!), Taliyah Ziggs
6 cards
34 cards
28 400
Draven Sion (PZ)
The revenant and the mustached axe whirler have proven themselves as worthy challengers to the Meta Throne title, and the best Discard envoys – other blends (such adding Rumble in any proportion) have proven less potent these last three days…
… unless it's Vi who you add, in case you're feeling adventurous, and try this version instead.
Strong Against: Viego Shurima, Yuumi Pantheon, Sun Disc, Tryndamere Trundle, Heimer Jayce Shadows
Struggles Against: Pirate Aggro
21 cards
19 cards
26 100
Miss Fortune Quinn
Not much to say about this stalwart blend – as safe a bet for climbing as one could hope for, as refined a medley as one could find: the most popular formula is also among the best-performing.
Strong Against: Sun Disc, Pirates, Affizelios, Taliyah Ziggs
Struggles Against: Viego Shurima, Pantheon Yuumi, Tri-beam Blends
32 cards
8 cards
28 800
Pirate Aggro
I would issue caution here, my friend – in spite of its excellent average performance in the last few days, and its undeniable potency throughout this meta cycle, this aggressive medley shows some signs of exhaustion as of late.
Case in point, the most popular formula barely reaches a mediocre 50% WR, and it is on the back of less popular formulas that the archetype as a whole is puissant still.
I shall recommend here the third most popular list, which has performed excellently the last few days – leaning more on [Twisted Fate] than [Ganplank], and packing your board full of units, seems to be the best bet.
Strong Against: Yuumi Pantheon, Taliyah Ziggs, murders Sun Disc,
Struggles Against: Scouts (badly!), Affizelios, Tri-beam blends – at a slight disadvantage against Viego Shurima.
17 cards
23 cards
26 300
Other Fresh Meta Options
Short on shards, or none of the above float your boat, while still on the lookout for a solid Meta Staple?
You cannot go wrong with these, my friend – with WR in the 52-54% range in Platinum and above, any practiced pilot can do wonders with them.
Irelia Azir
Some old-timers' eyes surely swell with tears (whether from joy or terror would be harder to guess) at the sight of Azirelia's return to the top.
For those with less than a handful of Seasons under their belt, though, and no memories of the Dark Age of Azirelia, this can very well be a fresh, new blend to try.
Strong Against: Viego Shurima, Sun Disc, Trundle Tryndamere
Struggles Against: Pirates (horribly!), Tri-beam blends (idem!), Scouts
25 cards
15 cards
23 200
Curious Ezreal Viktor
It is indeed a pleasure to find a truly fresh face at the top, and our most munificent Meta has delivered!
Well…it is yet another Curious Shellfolk
blend – still, this is indeed a new Champion pair close to the top.
Strong Against: Viego Shurima, Affizelios,
Struggles Against: Yuumi Pantheon, Taliyah Ziggs, Sun Disc
23 cards
17 cards
28 600
Other considerations
You could also aim for:
Ezreal Caitlyn, making a return among the strongest LoR decks by way of its superb odds when facing Viego Shurima, Pantheon blends, Pirates and Scouts.
Taliyah Ziggs, struggling a bit yet still packing a punch.
Connoisseur's Corner
In the mood for something a tad more exotic, yet still well-tested? These medleys are not usually seen on the Ladder – yet with hundreds of games played in the last few days at Platinum and above, these are no strangers to success.
Bandle Teemo Yuumi Zed
This is probably today's most exciting find, my friend! =)
An APAC delicacy, with our recommended formula being very rarely seen on the Sunset Shards – Faes taken to the extreme, if you will, with the blood-curdling mixture of Zed
and Elusives.
Strong Against: Viego Shurima, Sun Disc, Trundle Tryndamere
Struggles Against: Pantheon Yuumi, Taliyah Ziggs
14 cards
26 cards
24 200
Teemo Tristana
Another successful marriage of shrooms and Faes, with emphasis on Ionia permission spells and late-game grinding power via Sai'nen Thousand-Tailed
Strong Against: Viego Shurima, Pirates, Trundle Tryndamere, Taliyah Ziggs, Pantheon Yuumi, Sun Disc
Struggles Against: Scouts (horribly!)
15 cards
25 cards
27 300
Classic Teemo Burn
In a meta where somewhat slower decks are a large factor, it should come as no surprise that Shroom 'n' Boom is a thing too!
Strong Against: Sun Disc (burns it to a crisp), Tri-beam blends, Taliyah Ziggs, Pantheon Yuumi
Struggles Against: Pirates (horribly!),
19 cards
21 cards
13 900
Fizz Riven
Seen more in the West than in the East, this Papercraft Dragon
blend should please Combo enjoyers most thoroughly.
Strong Against: Sun Disc, Viego Shurima, Taliyah Ziggs, Afizzelios
Struggles Against: Pirates (badly), Scouts (equally badly)
18 cards
22 cards
27 100
Ahri Katarina
The only successful Katarina blend to be found the Ladder in the last few days, this medley can be traced all the way back to the Age of Ahri Kennen – and, interestingly, seems to be the only surviving Ahri archetype.
Strong Against: Sun Disc, Viego Shurima, Pantheon Yuumi, Taliyah Ziggs, Heimer Jayce Shadows.
Struggles Against: Pirates (horribly!), Scouts (most painfully!), Tri-beam blends
7 cards
33 cards
24 000
A Walk on the Wild Side
Tired of the shackles of performance?
Ready for the thrill of the little tested? A walk on the wild side may be down your alley, then – three of these blends have at least 50 games played in the last few days; one of them is a delicacy that reached Top 32 on the Grand Tournament a few days ago.
Will they work in your hands and pocket meta? Only you can answer that, my friend!
Fizz Udyr
I strongly believe this blend to actually be a real thing, my friend, since I have seen it making waves quite a few times – still, there's usually just a single formula being played, which strongly suggests a single, or just a few, extremely skilled pilots at the helm.
Strong Against: Sun Disc
17 cards
23 cards
24 400
Luzeldon's Muscle Dragon
A crowd favorite and LoRCompetitive classic, no Season can be said to be whole without Luzeldon's sharing the latest iteration of Muscle Dragon; do take the time to read his learned writings, for there's much detail to this most refined brew.
20 cards
20 cards
27 100
Kindred Galio
This Spectral Matron
deck seems to keep surprising foes, judging by its stellar performance. As noted by constant climber DoubleP2k, "People seem really caught off-guard by Kindred
and how she plays. My favorite part is that by the time people get a handle on Kindred, they forget that she's probably not the win condition, just in time for Galio's rally and Matron forcing favorable fights."
Strong Against: Tri-beam blends
25 cards
15 cards
29 600
Trash Katarina
A blend so crazily potent that a whole LoR team changed its name after it, shortly after their very own superb skipper friendlynihilist reached Top 32 during last Saturday's Open Rounds with said blend.
As friendlynihilist explains in his wrap-up:
Ravenous Flock
piles are my comfort zone – it’s what I play pretty much exclusively, and that is very much reflected in my lineup.
As such, ever since Gnar
was initially revealed, I knew that he would be my way of bringing a Bandle City version of Flock to the Seasonal Tournament. And so, from the first hours of the Curious Journey season, I began my own curious journey in refining this deck.
It started out as just a boring ol' Ziggs Gnar deck, and doing very nicely off the generally bloated power of Bandle City at the time. The one issue I kept coming back to, though, was not having enough top-end to close out games, and for a while this puzzle kept perplexing me.
Outside of Captain Farron
, there weren’t very many good finishers to slot in, but then I saw that Smooth Swoleoist (a fellow TKG player) was having some amazing success with Treasured Trash
in their Gnar Swain deck, so decided to give it a try.
I very quickly realized quite how strong this card is as a top-end threat, with some amazing hig-hroll potential that also made it an incredibly enjoyable card to play…
… and so Ziggs Gnar became a Trash deck.
Fast-forward to much, much closer to the Seasonal (about two days before, in fact!) – another TKG player (woke) was talking about running a single copy of Katarina
in Bandle Burn, and this got me thinking about whether that could be a good option here, in this ostensibly Bandle Slow Burn deck.
I went to test a couple of games with the Blade Lady and I was in love immediately – her recent buff makes her an amazing tool for enabling Ravenous Flocks, and so Trash Katarina was born.
19 cards
21 cards
26 400
Piltover Pile
Few things are nicer than a weird pile that just happens to work.
This "Captain Teemo and the Piltover Avengers'' medley seems like one such pile, my friend… I would not dare hazard a guess about how this blend is supposed to work, yet we've seen this pile pull great performances in weeks past, and it's doing so now again.
And with three copies of Treasured Trash, too!
20 cards
20 cards
26 900
And so this Season ends, my friend!
I hope you are either comfortably sitting at your desired Ladder rank, with ample time to test weird brews…
… or, if you are still struggling to climb in the nick of time, I hope one of these blends takes you to the top! We may do a quick update in a couple of days, for those that may be in need of the freshest batch of data, but any of these should serve you well in the coming days.
Any questions, comments or feedback – or any exotic blend you're after! – feel free drop a comment, poke me on Twitter (@HerkoKerghans), or ping me on the Poetry Discord: https://discord.gg/VNN5NmGhXY
(Yes, indeed, my friend: a LoR Poetry Discord! =).
And you can find more writings on Substack (https://riwan.substack.com/)
Good luck on your climb!
