GGtoor x Mastering Runeterra Cup #8 Recap

Welcome to another Tournament Recap article, today we'll look at the data from what came out to the recent MR x GGtoor cup in the open rounds, the results of the top 8, and go into the full lineups of the top 8 winners. Shout out to the folks who run lor.dne.to for their site that translates .csv files into handy analytic graphics like you'll see below!

Swiss Rounds Analytics

Here we can see some of the major competitors definitely holding up off the ladder, with almost HALF the competitors of the 87 person tournament bringing Aphelios Zoe Vi, and about a third bringing Nami TF. At the bottom we can also note that a deck that was completely dead in the reign of thralls may be starting to pop back up; Scouts!

Taking a brief look at the region breakdown, we see that the removal regions (PnZ and SI) are currently the hotness, but even the lower numbers aren't that dismal, with even the lowest population region Demacia finding 34 decks, a balanced showing overall! But let's see if the top cut tells a different story...

Top 8 Analytics

This tells a bit of a story, showing how often TF Nami can translate open rounds to top cut with it's high skill expression and diverse lines. Alongside that it looks like Viego is back in force, and the slippery elusive/agro lists are on the rise as well. It is interesting to note that no two lineups are identical for the top 8 as well. With that said and done; the lists.

5-8th Place - SleepyPunda - https://twitter.com/sleepypunda27

Ahri Bard

A newcomer to the meta since shortly before the patch, Ahri Bard is a concept that on paper sounds like it shouldn't work, but it somehow just does. It makes use of the draw power of the Ahri shell in concert with Dancing Droplet to power through your deck and land some key chimes on your cheap elusive units to poke in for damage until the enemy dies to a 7/6 Mourned. This list also makes use of one Navori Highwayman, a good way to gum up the board when used with Ahri, or to generate a huge tempo swing with 8/10 of stats for a reasonable 2 mana.

A big addition that makes the deck very potent in the current meta is it's ability to use six copies of Homecoming in the form of 3x natural ones, and 3x Ionian Tellstones. The deck was especially powerful in the time of Thralls, and has since fallen off a tad with the value of Homecoming lessening, it is still a potent contender all the same.

Viego Shurima

Sandy Lad returns once again. The modern Viego Shurima is mostly the same as old iterations, skipping any Baccai Sandspinners, and even with the nerf, still packing a full three quicksands. With the high density of decks winning through elusive threats and overwhelming for singular massive chunks, it still is a killer card.

Nami Twisted Fate (Shadow Isles)

Another newer deck that has stormed the ladder and meta, Nami TF (also known as Dead Fish) uses the control elements afforded to it from Shadow Isles, the game-winning champions in Nami and TF alongside some cheap shenanigans to typically swing in for one massive game ending turn. In addition to the normal TF and Nami gameplan, the deck uses three copies of Shadow Isles Tellstones, which when combined with a flipped nami, can generate +6/+4 of stats for two mana (using mark of the isles). It also uses the unit-generating spells from the Illaoi package, being Answered Prayer, Tentacle Smash, and Eye of Nagakabouros to keep it's spell count high. It's 'combo' turn usually uses multiple Wiggly Burblefish, Fading Memories, and either Nami or Fleet Admiral Shelly to crack in for a massive wave of elusive damage.

5-8th Place - DunoGP

Bard Galio

A touch different than the Demacia Bard list we've seen for a while now, this variation opts to go tall rather than fast. This version also uses some of the grindier cards one would expect from a midrange deck, such as Vanguard Redeemer, Silverwing Vanguard, and Swiftwing Flight. In addition to this, it goes a lot more interactive, using Ranger's Resolve, Sharpsight, Shield of Durand, and a single Petricite Pillar due to how much it cripples some big decks (Nami, Fizz Riven, sometimes Aphelios) for key turns.

Fizz Riven

One of the new top dogs, this uses Papercraft dragon alongside a slippery fish to crash in for often a full 20-0 in one swing. This version utilizes one of Flamespitter for large bumps of damage, Sharpened Resolve, and a singular Friendship to keep non-fizz threats alive for combo turns.

Viego Shurima

This version of SandViego cuts out the Fading Icons to return to the Baccai Sandspinner to have more good interaction and keep control of the board.

5-8th Place - Jtamonda - https://twitter.com/jtamonda?lang=en

Nami Twisted Fate (Shadow Isles)

This is exactly the same as the earlier list, not much else to add.

Aphelios Zoe Vi

With board buffs come Flame Chompers!, this is the latest of such decks since the death of Yordles in Arms, using The Winding Light and early swarm tactics to chip in damage before pumping the board to put the enemy on low health, so you can finish them off with a full package of burn. Unlike the Fizz Lulu decks of old, this one also has cards that can be used aggressively or on a slower scale in Zoe and Aphelios that give you more game into grindier matches.

Fizz Riven

Jta's take on Fizz Riven spices it up with a full three Assistant Librarians to force blocks or draw extra cards, and opts out of Sharpened Resolve, and in on one Noxian Tellstones to be a bit more flexible.

5-8th Place - Mathonical - https://twitter.com/Mathonical

Ahri Bard

This take on the deck opts to go a bit more on the grindy side of things, opting in for a full three Sai'nens, and lowering the count of Tellstones so you don't run out of gas.

Nami Twisted Fate (Shadow Isles)

Math's number on Dead Fish takes out one Vengeance since the meta has changed to a position where it isn't as key of a card, and puts in another Answered Prayer so that they can commit to the board and fight more aggressive lists easier.

Zoe Aphelios Vi

This version looks to get grindier rather than going all in on the aggressive style with winding light. It plays more to it's champs through use of Spacey Sketcher, Subpurrsible, and a few Suit Ups to keep your poros or other threats from dying. It also can power a chompers up for easy challenger kills.

3/4th Place - Sergi2Vamos - https://twitter.com/ta_sergi2vamos

Annie Ziggs

In a meta, where everyone says aggro is dead, one man takes an aggro heavy lineup to 3/4th place. First off we have Annie Ziggs, an aggressive list looking to use the same rough gameplan as before Annie existed, 12 one-drops, three Decimates, three Ruinous Path, and more spells aiming just to push damage in. (Diazepam)

Draven Sion

Draven Sion hasn't seen too much innovation, this is a burn heavy version aiming to push damage fast and then power them down with a heavy burn package and sion as a finisher.

Bard Poppy Jarvan

A more snowbally Bard Demacia list, this lowers the interaction to try and get more power packed into it's board, leaning into the Bannerman+Rally type gameplan. The deck also has one Stony Suppressor to put a hamper on the spell heavy decks that usually toss Demacia around.

3/4th Place - Ghosterdriver - https://twitter.com/ghosterdriver

Jayce Heimerdinger (Shadow Isles)

With the Cast/Play changes, and more recently the cast+copy changes this deck has seen a fair uptick as one of the premier control decks. It makes use of Jayce's doubling in tandem with Heimerdinger generating double turrets to power down the opponent after controlling the board and getting a handle on things with powerful 6+ cost spells.

Nami Twisted Fate (Shadow Isles)

Ghost's twist on this opts in for a Ruination, cutting out the Prayers for another Coral Creatures as well for early board presence and card generation.

Aphelios Zoe Vi

This is the rather standard version of the deck, same as we saw initially, heavy in on the Board + Winding Light gameplan.

2nd Place - Pugs

Illaoi (Ionia)

A deck and champion that we haven't seen much of since thralls took over, this deck looks to land a tentacle, keep it alive, then multi-bonk with Ghost and Buhru Leader to give free attacks.

Akshan Gnar

"Paper Gnar-io" Lives! This is the same shell as we saw soon after Gnar's initial release, with Papercraft Gnar the aim is to put double attack on something with overwwhelm, then hold up Rite of Negation, Wallop, and or use it's natural spellshield (from Warlord's Horde, or Ruin Runner) to crash in for a kill. The main innovation here is use of Byrd to power up your papercraft or overwhelmer.

Fizz Riven

A rather standard Librarian variant of the Fizz Riven list.

1st Place - Squallywag

Azir Irelia

Riot has given it enough buffs, Azir Irelia is back. Irelia's huge attune buff combined with some recent tools such as The Stagehand have paired to put the deck back to the top tier of the meta. The deck has a lot more power from the use of Field Musicians, with a common line involving banking one spell mana, into Irelia on 3, and Field Musicians + Flawless Duet to get a card and +1 mana.

Aphelios Viktor Vi

Another grindier version of Aphelios PnZ as the deck type is collectively known. This opts in for Viktor to eventually use 0 mana moon weapons and get immense value off all your card generators.

Viego Shurima

To cap us off we see a SandViego opts in for the Sandspinner, a Spirit Leech to keep the value coming, and a Mist's Call to get back key units when there is no efficient way to keep them alive.