By the Numbers: Strongest New Decks, 24 hours into the New Meta

Twenty-four hours into the patch, these are the strongest decks in Plat+, among decks close to or above the 1% playrate mark, according to our favorite data sources, Balco and Legna.

Early Leaders

As Zilean says, "Predictions are hard, and especially about the future."

With unrefined brews (and extremely generous pilots bent on donating LPs through taking archetypes with below-Sun-Disc performances to the ladder), it's anybody's guess which brews will come out on top in a couple of weeks from now.

That caveat out of the way, here are the best performing new Archetypes, according to the data.

Gnar Ziggs Noxus: 55%+ WR

Gnar fits like a glove in the old ladder terror, Yordle Burn. This is the deck with the highest playrate at Plat+, and second only to old-dog Fizz Lulu in winrate ( just by a tiny bit).

Some versions go for a slightly more midrange-y curve, adding Spotted Toad to the mix. While doing well, they seem to be a bit inferior to the more aggressive builds.

(And if you fancy playing Midrange with this region pair, you may be better served by Swain Gnar, which is coming up next).

It's a slight underdog to old-dogs Fizz Lulu, Scouts, and Darkness, and seems to have a hard time against the rejuvenated Bandle Tree.

Seems to consistently beat Swain Gnar and Lurkers.

Regions

Noxus
15 cards

Bandlecity
25 cards

Rarities

25 900

6

3

6

25

eternal

Mana cost

0

0

9

1

13

2

9

3

6

4

0

5

3

6

0

7+

Champions

6

3

Ziggs

3

4

Gnar

3

Followers

24

1

Inventive Chemist

3

1

Legion Rearguard

3

1

Legion Saboteur

3

2

Conchologist

3

2

Imperial Demolitionist

3

2

Stone Stackers

3

3

Bandle City Mayor

3

4

Teenydactyl

3

Spells

10

2

Flamespitter

1

2

Pokey Stick

3

3

Noxian Fervor

3

6

Decimate

3

Swain Gnar: 55%+ WR

Nexus damage? Noxus approves, and so does the Grand General.

Interestingly, the archetype seems to be polluted with a few bad (or badly played…) lists, which suggests there's lots of room for improvement.

Has a really bad time against Ziggs Gnar and Darkness, and is slightly unfavored against Scouts and Lurkers.

Regions

Noxus
20 cards

Bandlecity
20 cards

Rarities

27 500

6

3

14

17

eternal

Mana cost

0

0

6

1

9

2

11

3

5

4

6

5

0

6

3

7+

Champions

6

4

Gnar

3

5

Swain

3

Followers

20

2

Conchologist

3

2

House Spider

3

3

Arachnoid Sentry

3

3

Loping Telescope

3

4

Teenydactyl

2

5

Spotted Toad

3

7

The Leviathan

3

Spells

14

1

Poison Dart

3

1

Ravenous Flock

3

2

Pokey Stick

3

3

Death's Hand

3

3

Noxian Guillotine

2

Yuumi Pantheon Demacia: 54% WR

If you want to play this Champion pair, Demacia is the way -- the Bandle City version seems to be far inferior.

There's not much data, but it seems to die horribly to Gnar Ziggs and Elise Noxus.

Regions

Demacia
16 cards

Mount Targon
24 cards

Rarities

23 800

6

0

12

22

eternal

Mana cost

0

0

3

1

15

2

13

3

5

4

4

5

0

6

0

7+

Champions

6

3

Yuumi

3

4

Pantheon

3

Followers

12

1

Saga Seeker

3

2

Petricite Broadwing

3

3

Durand Protege

2

3

Wounded Whiteflame

3

4

Blinded Mystic

1

Spells

22

2

Guiding Touch

2

2

Hush

2

2

Pale Cascade

3

2

Sharpsight

3

2

Single Combat

2

3

Shield of Durand

2

3

Zenith Blade

3

4

Bastion

1

5

Concerted Strike

2

5

Golden Aegis

2

Braum Galio: 53% WR

Currently the best-performing Galio build, and the only one sitting solidly over the 50% WR mark.

Current smallish data samples suggest that its weak into Gnar Ziggs and Elise Noxus, but very strong into Scouts.

Regions

Demacia
26 cards

Freljord
14 cards

Rarities

28 700

6

5

9

20

eternal

Mana cost

0

0

3

1

15

2

8

3

4

4

5

5

0

6

5

7+

Champions

6

4

Braum

3

7

Galio

3

Followers

22

1

Petricite Hound

3

2

Durand Sculptor

3

2

Petricite Broadwing

3

2

Vulpine Wanderer

3

3

Durand Architect

3

3

Kindly Tavernkeeper

3

5

Mountain Drake

3

9

Gorlith the Unscalable

1

Spells

12

2

Single Combat

3

2

Troll Chant

3

3

Shield of Durand

2

4

Bloodsworn Pledge

1

5

Concerted Strike

2

9

Buried in Ice

1

Up to You…

All these champion pairings perform roughly at, or decidedly below, 50% -- there may be a diamond in the rough here, but if that's the case it needs quite a bit more polish.

Up to you if you want to take your chances:

Sejuani Gnar (nearly 50%), 

Gangplank Gnar Bandle City: 48% WR overall, although the recommended list is at 51%, 

Yuumi Pantheon Bandle City (47%) 

Soraka Galio Starspring (44%) - Huge playrate, and has found success in the hands of extremely gifted players, but on average leaks LPs left, right and center.

Seen on the Twittersphere

Proceed with caution -- these are Aspect Tier pilots, expect your mileage to vary.

Fizz Gnar YiA

The build with which faintHD arrived to Americas Master first.

Regions

Piltover & Zaun
17 cards

Bandlecity
23 cards

Rarities

23 600

6

0

11

23

eternal

Mana cost

0

0

9

1

18

2

7

3

3

4

3

5

0

6

0

7+

Champions

6

1

Fizz

3

4

Gnar

3

Followers

18

1

Zaunite Urchin

3

2

Ballistic Bot

3

2

Bomber Twins

3

2

Boom Baboon

3

2

Conchologist

3

3

Loping Telescope

3

Spells

16

1

Poro Cannon

3

2

Mystic Shot

3

2

Pokey Stick

3

3

Get Excited!

2

3

Wallop

2

5

Yordles in Arms

3

Gnar Galio

Recommended by prominent pilot and admirable alliterator Cephalopod, who described it thus: "Freljord Formidable forms a fantastic fortress of fat fellows! Regen from the fox functionally forces favorable fumbles from foes, and four power fancy fearsome fervently finds fatalities."

Regions

Demacia
24 cards

Freljord
16 cards

Rarities

25 600

6

2

10

22

eternal

Mana cost

0

0

5

1

12

2

12

3

3

4

3

5

0

6

5

7+

Champions

6

4

Gnar

3

7

Galio

3

Followers

17

1

Petricite Hound

3

2

Petricite Broadwing

3

2

Vulpine Wanderer

3

3

Durand Protege

3

3

Kindly Tavernkeeper

3

8

Wrath of the Freljord

2

Spells

17

1

Elixir of Iron

1

1

Three Sisters

1

2

Sharpsight

2

2

Single Combat

1

2

Troll Chant

3

3

Shield of Durand

3

3

Winds of War

3

5

Concerted Strike

3

Akshan Gnar

"If you're looking for a good honest midrange deck," says Aikado, "to help you through first week of patch, here it is."

Regions

Shurima
20 cards

Bandlecity
20 cards

Rarities

33 600

6

8

17

9

eternal

Mana cost

3

0

13

1

8

2

3

3

7

4

0

5

5

6

1

7+

Champions

6

2

Akshan

3

4

Gnar

3

Followers

15

1

Otterpus

3

2

Conchologist

3

3

Devoted Council

2

4

Voice of the Risen

3

6

Curious Shellfolk

3

7

Thrumming Swarm

1

Spells

19

0

Feral Prescience

3

1

Rite of Calling

1

1

Scrapheap

1

1

Scrying Sands

3

1

Shaped Stone

2

1

Trinket Trade

3

2

Pokey Stick

2

3

Ancient Hourglass

1

4

Rite of Negation

1

6

Minimorph

2

Bonus Track: Ye Ole Powerhouses

These old dogs may not have learned any new tricks, but boy are they booting unrefined butts six ways from Sunday:

Fizz Lulu (which is currently one of the top-performing deck in Plat+) -- notice that, technically speaking, it IS a new deck, since it includes Yordle Portal! =) 

Darkness, 

Scouts, which needless to say is the only Goddess Tier deck when it comes to Champion Skins, 

Lurkers, 

Elise Noxus, which by this time probably deserves to be declared GOAT.

In Closing

The meta is chock-full with new archetypes -- the above seem to be the strongest among the most played, but who knows what will bubble up in the next few days?

Stay tuned for our Weekend Warrior Weapons tomorrow, when we'll dig deeper into the little-played archetypes!

Any questions or comments, or more data you may need, poke me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/HerkoKerghans) or ping me on Discord (Herko Kerghans#6252).

Good luck in your brewing or climb! =)