Elusive takes over early Legends of Runeterra metagame

Climb the ladder quickly before the meta adjusts again.

Legends of Runeterra Shadow Assassin
Image via Riot Games Legends of Runeterra

Topping the Legends of Runeterra meta, prior to the weekly reset tomorrow, the Ionia region and its elusive support cards have taken over the early meta. 

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Mostly everyone thought aggro was the best way to climb the LoR ladder upon its launch last Friday. And for Swimstim’s Dawnspiders, it was. For about a day. But as players head into the weekly reset tomorrow and restock up on their wildcards, there are several new top-tier LoR decks everyone will likely be crafting next. 

There’s a handful of elusive builds being played in the higher tiers of the ladder. Swimstrim highlighted several of these decks during his stream today and shared some of the decklists via his LoR early meta breakdown video

One of the most popular decks being played on the ladder this past weekend combined Ionia and Frejlord, created by Petrify, and aptly named Petrify Ninjas. Champions Zed and Braum are at the helm of this build but it’s the synergy between cards that takes this build to the next level. Omen Hawk, Inspiring Mentor, and Navori Conspirator are ideal early draws—pumping up your deck with +1/+1 counters while dropping a potential 4/3 elusive on turn two. 

Drawing cards is essential for tempo before opponents go too wide with aggro, or stomp with overwhelm. Shadow Assasin and Avarosan Sentry keep the cards flowing while Zed provides early aggro and Braum uses the mechanic, Challenger, on potential threats. And don’t underestimate a pumped up Kinkou Lifeblade, replenishing health after avoiding unnecessary blocks while on defense. 

Other variations of this deck have also included cards like Scarmaiden Reaver in place of Babbling Bjerg and The Empyrean in place of Avarosan Hearthguard. And if you’re short on wildcards and shards for spells, Ghost is always a solid option. 

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Danny Forster
Danny has been writing for Dot Esports for over five years, first as a freelancer and now as a staff writer. He is the lead beat writer for Magic: The Gathering and Teamfight Tactics. Danny is also a solid Monopoly GO player, having beaten every main event without spending a dime. When Danny isn't writing or gaming, he's chilling by the water in Spacecoast Florida with his family and friends. He's always got a tan, because touching grass is important, and loves playing strategic digital and tabletop games. Past outlets Danny has written for include TheGamer and ScreenRant.