We’ve just concluded the latest seasonals and you know what that means.

Expansion time! It’s Trevor “Shugo” Yung here and I’ve returned with another top 10 list!

• Once again, allow me to drop the usual few disclaimers.
• These cards are in no particular order.
• No Champions, as they are the obvious place to start with when deck building.

This list isn’t solely based on power and playability. You don’t need me to tell you that a one mana 2|2 with upside is a good card. So instead we’ll focus on the more juicy stuff.

The real potential powerhouses and crazy designs!

I’ll be honest, the majority of this list will be spells, but you just gotta go with the flow. Alright, let’s get started… Drumroll, please!

Drum Solo

This is a pretty big deal for PnZ. All this time the region’s card draw options have been limited to either cantrips, symmetrical draw, discard draw, or expensive burst draw. While they all have their merits, they do require the right synergy to be effective.

Drum Solo is a straight-up card-draw. Five for two isn’t a fantastic rate, but it’s made up by the cost reduction so long as you can enable Flow.

Now, of course, you can whiff and hit 0-1 mana spells; minimizing value. However, being able to pull anything from your deck at a reduced cost could be a real game changer. There are no restrictions here, not just spells, units, or non-champions.. It’s simply draw-two.

Perhaps we’re about to see old Fizz TF make a return? If there’s a deck that loves card draw, it’s that one.. And it’s getting another spicy card as well..

Fish Fight

While a Slow speed Single Combat is a little on the weak side, a one-sided slap to the opponent’s unit is incredible! This does require some specific building, but if we can figure out an efficient list, Fish Fight will be an absolute all-star.

Even its drawback of returning the weapon to hand can be a good thing. There are times we’d rather move the equipment from one unit to another, but in order to do that, the host unit either needs to die, or we have to spend extra mana to equip it with something else.

Honestly, even in the worst case, Slow speed Single Combat is still pretty okay. I imagine this will be a Demacia staple moving forward, so long as equipment becomes a mainstay.

The Expanse’s Protection

This is Bastion for two mana. It may not give stats, and the effect may be temporary, but nine times out of ten, it’s a two-mana Bastion.

More often than not Bastion is used as a reactive protection spell. The opponent casts Vengeance? Bastion. Our unit’s about to get bounced by Homecoming? Bastion. While there are a few niche scenarios when this isn’t the case, they are far and few between.

If we ever see Lee Zoe make a return, The Expanse’s Protection becomes incredibly mana-efficient insurance. And what does it cost? Put Hookmaster into the deck. That’s it.

Of course, this won’t be the case for all region combinations, but Targon is already in a decent spot as far as equipment goes. Lodestone and Wandering Shepherd are both solid options and easily splashable. Be on the lookout for this one!

The Darkin Aegis/Joraal

Oh, man… As a baseline weapon, this card is already in a good spot. Granting +1|+1 and tough is already solid and will make combat a lot harder for the opponent. But that’s not all…

The backside of this card is our cheapest Darkin yet, and it’s a real punisher! Joraal is going to cause nightmares for spell-based decks, while also picking off enemy units. Thankfully the tax window only applies during combat, though it will make it more difficult to abuse spells like Recall and Homecoming.

We already know Demacia’s getting a big push towards playing equipment this patch, and this seems like a no-brainer inclusion. Overall this looks super solid and likely will become another Demacia staple.

Opulent Foyer

I really like the design of this landmark. Three mana is about the limit we can afford to play without falling too far behind, but what really makes this great is it guarantees a unit on summoning.

Ephemerals make for excellent deterrents, as there’s often no reason for the opponent to attack a unit that’s already going to die unless they have multiple attackers. And in that case, we get a free block on either the most threatening target or a free favorable trade.

This also gives us a repeatable way to build up Hallowed triggers. With its effect triggering upon gaining the attack token, it synergizes with Scouts, Free Attacks, and Katarina!

We’ll have to see how many times this card can reliably trigger throughout a game. Summoning three Ghastly Bands gives us a little more than our mana’s worth, and any more than that is awesome value.

Fanclub President

I know its stats are awful, but the potential payoff is pretty insane. I don’t think it’s completely out of the question to play a 2/2 on turn four. After all, we already play TF and Aloof Travelers.

There are a lot of good spells that cost five mana, and they become insane when you have to consider them at two mana. Sunburst, Harsh Winds, Eye of Nagakabouros!? That’s just to name a few.

If you thought Ferros Financier was miserable to play against, have fun trying to play around with Fanclub President’s spells!

The Unforgiving Cold

It’s our second spell of the three-four mana “Once you have Equipped” bunch, and this one is equally as punishing. It’s Harsh Winds for four mana. It’s even got the potential to be better than that, as it does have double-spell applications. Does anyone else remember Ezreal Teemo?

This also fits perfectly into Ashe Noxus as a cheaper Harsh Winds. It should be easy enough to throw Hookmaster into the deck and call it a day. The deck’s already lacking 2-drops, so it sounds like a perfect fit.

Not all decks that want Harsh Winds will be able to justify an equipment package, so I don’t see this as an outright replacement. Each card will have its own place. Overall, Frostbite is still a niche mechanic, so it’s gonna depend on how the meta shapes up in the end.

Crowd Pleaser

+2 Power and Quick attack for two? That’s a pretty reasonable combat trick. Wait, it’s in PnZ!?

Crowd Pleaser is basically a miniature Rising Spell Force, except, it actually looks good! The difference between a two and three-mana combat trick is huge, and at two, it could do some real damage.

Think of it like PnZ’s version of Pale Cascade. However, instead of acting as a minor protection buff, it lets you strike enemies out of nowhere! It’s going to be pretty awkward committing a block hoping to trade, then the opponent casts this in response. What a blowout.

Not only that, but when Flow is active we get a free spell to replace it? Call me crazy, but this card looks nuts! Even when punished by removal the card still replaces itself. But when things work out, the payoff is incredible and at such little cost. I’m scared of this one.

Bloodcursed Harpy

Very few 6+ cost units are worth considering in Runeterra’s increasingly fast meta.. But Bloodcursed Harpy may just meet the bar. Scout is a busted keyword, plus we get to combine it with a free instant equip from hand. Then if it were to die, instead it just gets healed at the cost of the equipment?

Standalone this threatens a lot of damage. If we assume the average 2-cost equipment grants two power, then we can push 16 damage in one round. Obviously, we have to expect some form of interaction, be it blockers or removal, but that’s A LOT of damage in one card.

Demacia’s ready to make a comeback, and if the equipment comes to the forefront, there’s a decent chance Bloodcursed Harpy follows alongside.

The Unending Wave

And now we know why Twisted Fate is getting rotated. What is this card!? It’s the third and final equipment-reduced spell, and this card is absolutely bonkers!

Design space for spells in Bilgewater is tricky thanks to cards like Nami and Shelly. Additionally, card draw has typically been limited or came with caveats because of TF. The Unending Wave is absurdly powerful, and it’s in the region that can abuse it more than any other!

Yes, Fleeting is a real drawback, but the decks that can truly abuse this card don’t even care. Either the cards are cheap enough to play without worry, or they become easy discard fodder.

Fizz TF could make its return. Who needs pre-nerf Pick a Card when you have The Unending Wave!? Between that, Rummage, and Stress Testing, it’s time to turbo level TF once again!

At least that’s my hope haha. Fizz TF was peak Runeterra in my eyes.. 🙂

Conclusion

It may only be three champs, but I think we’re in for a wild expansion. There’s a lot of potential playables here, and the spells look insane!

Don’t forget to take the time to mess around and enjoy it!

Shugo’s Productivity Thought of the Day

While we may not control the environment around us, we can control our outlook. Reframe our negative thoughts to positive ones.

Life is a lot easier when we don’t make it mentally harder on ourselves.

To explore all Legends of Runeterra cards including the new ones from Domination, head to the Card Gallery.

The post Top 10 Domination Cards to Watch appeared first on Mobalytics.

Hey all, it’s Trevor “Shugo” Yung here.

Today we’ve got a handful of support cards for Shadow Isles and Shurima!

To see the rest of the Domination reveals, head to our Spoiler page where they’ll be revealed each day until its official release.

If you’d like to see our expert breakdowns for the cards, check out the rest of our reveal articles.

Camouflaged Horror

Seven mana is a lot these days, but Camouflaged Horror presents a payoff that’s well worth the investment. It comes down and strikes an enemy for seven, while also leaving a 7/5 Fearsome body on board. It’s almost like a bigger Riptide Sermon, unless things don’t go as planned..

The big downside is that it’s counterable. While it may not be easy to deal five damage at fast speed, having this card eat a Vengeance isn’t going to feel great.. And what’s even worse is getting bounced by a Homecoming!

Evolve also comes with a deck building cost, and playing this as a 5/3 is awful. There’s potential we see this as a one or two-of in a Midrange Evolve list, but it’s really going to depend on how the meta shapes up. If Ionia remains king, Camouflaged Horror will remain unseen.

Curse of the Tomb

This is a pretty strange spell for Shurima. In a way it feels similar to Disintegrate, except it’s stuck in a region with a huge lack of damage spells. Shurima succeeds best in combat by taking advantage of vulnerable enemies. Sure you can double up the damage and trade up, but at best you two for one yourself.. And at worst, you get completely blown out!

Disintegrate’s advantage is that it can be combined with cheap spells to deal with just about anything. That’s not often the case for Curse of the Tomb.

At the very least it does add another Predict spell into the pool, but I really can’t see this making sense in any deck.

The Altar of Blood

This looks like a fun build-around card that aims to cheat out a big Darkin a few turns earlier. Shurima does play well with the Slay archetype, and combined with Shadow Isles it’s possible to build up triggers quite quickly.

However, taking off turn two in order to set this up is a real cost, especially when we need to develop units early to start the slaying spree. I don’t expect we’ll see much of this, but it’ll definitely be a fun concept to experiment with!

Swinging Glaive

I haven’t been the biggest fan of equipment, and they’ve kinda played out to my expectations since their release. Of course cards like Bloodletters and Lodestone are great, alongside the Improvise staple; Hookmaster. Cost matters a lot, and that’s why most others haven’t seen success.

Swinging Glaive is no different. While generating Lucky Finds on strike is nice, three mana is just too much of an investment, especially considering the payoff isn’t guaranteed. If this were to trigger upon attack I would maybe consider it, but as it stands, it feels a bit weak.

Opulent Foyer

If you ever wanted a more consistent way to build up Hallowed triggers, now you’ve got it! Opulent Foyer actually looks pretty reasonable. While three mana landmarks are often pretty bad, we can sort of compare this to God-Willow Seedling in terms of tempo. It may not represent the same level of defensive threat, but summoning any Ephemeral unit is often enough to help halt an attack.

This also fits perfectly with Katarina as we’re able to gain attack tokens on the opponent’s offensive turn. This forces them to open attack, or else it opens a window for us to play Katarina and summon a Ghastly Band on the same action.

Gwen Katarina has been a solid deck for a while and it always lacked a proactive 3-drop outside of Katarina. Opulent Foyer may just be the perfect fit.

Wraith of Echoes

We’re definitely in meme territory with this one. It’s pretty hard to justify playing a six mana 2/5 that doesn’t actually do anything the turn you play it. Even if you’re able to trigger its Round End effect, the benefit only applies if you have additional copies of the card readily available.

That said, it’s got some hilarious applications with Minion. Perhaps this will birth the true Minion OTK deck!? 😉

Moonlit Glenkeeper

Moonlit Glenkeeper feels like Nightfall’s version of Blighted Caretaker, except instead of two Saplings, we get one 3/1 Sapling. While a 2/3 Fearsome for three is pretty awful, the 3/1 Sapling can force a very favorable exchange.

It’s a great card against other unit based decks such as Demacia, but will fare poorly into control decks or those with access to cheap pings. It’s an ‘A’ in some situations and an ‘F’ in others, so because of this, it may only make the cut in small numbers (or not at all).

However, be prepared as its another notable card added to the Unspeakable Horror pool.

Bonus Deck: Minion OTK

Deck code: CEDAGAIFFAXTCAQFAQDBQAIDAQGQCBIKO4AQCBBUAEDAKIQDAIBQIAYLAEDAIFQBAECQCBABAMCQCAIBAQAQCAQEBABACBIPDE

[See Minion OTK deck details]

Alas, we finally have Minion OTK!

Utilize copy spells like Fading Memories and Iterative Improvement to create multiple Minions to flood the board. Then once Wraith of Echoes is online, our Minions will continue to grow bigger and bigger until the opponent’s inevitable DOOM! 😀

At least, that’s the hope haha. Regardless, this deck looks like a blast to play! It’s definitely on my list of early patch experiments! 🙂

Shugo’s Productivity Thought of the Day

Where do we draw the line between what we think we want for ourselves, versus what we actually want?

Stay tuned for more reveal articles! To build your own deck, head to our Deck Builder.

The post Domination Impressions: Day 5 Shurima and Shadow Isles Variety Pack appeared first on Mobalytics.

Hey all, it’s Trevor “Shugo” Yung here and today I’m bringing you my version of Akshan Kayn!

This was a popular archetype at the beginning of the expansion, but the deck fell out of favor after a week of mediocre results.

Akshan Kayn does inherently broken things if the deck is built to exploit them, and if you ask me, the previous lists weren’t.

Allow me to introduce you to its true power!

Deck Code: CEDQEBQHAQCQCBQCEIBAIBZGQIAQCBQFAYAQKBYWAEDAGIQBAYGAKAQBAYDSABIEA4GTWRK5NUAQCBQHFA

[See Akshan Kayn deck details]

Deck Overview

Akshan Kayn is a midrange Shurima deck that utilizes equipment and strike spells to take over and dominate the board. What makes this list different is it’s built with much fewer units, and a lot more interaction.

Once we’re able to get our champions and equipment going, the rest really doesn’t matter. Unless heavily pressured by a wide board, there’s no need for additional units. And in those cases, an equipped Keeper of the Box can drastically turn the tide in our direction!

You may also notice the lack of Cultist units. We aren’t playing Shadowblade Fanatic or Ranger-Knight Defector as they just aren’t quite good enough, and that’s okay!

Thanks to The Darkin Bloodletters, drawing our free Kayn is easy! This rounds out the deck a lot better and saves us from playing mediocre cards.

Mulligan Strategy

Due to a severe lack of overall units, against aggressive decks, we’ll want to keep any unit we can get our hands on. Against everything else, we really want our champions and equipment. It can actually be nice to keep one Kayn in hand. This may sound odd given the guaranteed draw, but having access to Kayn’s Shadowstep is a huge advantage that can swing the game when timed correctly.

• Always Keep:
  • Akshan
  • Buried Armory
  • The Darkin Bloodletters
  • Forsaken Baccai
• Situational Keep:
  • Kayn: Always keep unless against aggro.
• Keep Against Aggressive Decks:
  • Keeper of the Box
  • Rock Hopper

Example Hand 1: Akshan – Buried Armory – The Darkin Bloodletters – Forsaken Baccai

Example Hand 2: Buried Armory – Forsaken Baccai – Keeper of the Box – Kayn

Game Plans

Akshan Kayn has access to two of the best equipment cards in the game, and each of them serves a unique role.

Buried Armory provides Treasure of the Sands, which grants +4|+4 to your unit of choice for only three spell mana. That is an incredible rate for stats, and better yet, it can be reused again and again! It also allows us to have a 6|6 Akshan as early as turn three! Or against aggro, a 6|6 Keeper of the Box.

The Darkin Bloodletters is our second equipment, and if you ask me, it’s the best equipment in the entire game. In fact, I think it’s probably the best card of the expansion.

Equip this early and happily trade, because in that exchange, we get a free 1|1 that becomes an immediate 4|3 beater. That alone is already powerful, and that’s not counting the fact we can do it repeatedly, AND later summon a 7|7 Overwhelm threat!

Beyond the baseline power of this equipment, they also serve another key purpose; turbo-leveling Akshan! By utilizing two Darkin Bloodletters, it’s extremely easy to cheaply proc Akshan’s landmark and get it closer to finishing its countdown. But in general, equipment provides an easy access, non-committal way of progress, whereas in most cases it comes down to interactive spells.

During the early game, our goal is to hopefully find equipment and start jamming early units. Akshan and The Darkin Bloodletters are our most important cards in the deck, and Forsaken Baccai can help us find them.

Darkinthralls are great early threats that can pressure the enemy or force favorable trades with help from Ruthless Predator or Rock Hopper.

As we reach the mid game, we want to get Kayn down as soon as possible. Kayn can be pretty weak initially… But one safe attack plus an additional strike will flip him into a monster! However, if there’s one thing that is absolutely crucial with this deck, it’s properly timing our actions.

In order to pilot this deck well, we really need to understand how to utilize our actions effectively. A lot of the powerful things this deck can do take time to set up.

We can often be extremely vulnerable to open-attacks, as we often want to play a unit or equipment beforehand. While interactive spells such as Desert Duel and Kayn’s Shadowstep are powerful, they are slow. We can be stuck choosing only one option and falling flat to the enemy’s assault.

It’s for this very reason that Furious Wielder is so important. It’s our only true form of Fast speed removal and it can even double as a healing spell when used with Keeper of the Box. Unless the situation is dire, we should rarely cast this proactively, even when it can flip Kayn.

Kayn already has Challenger, which means every second turn there’s a chance to proactively strike and force the opponent to respond. When we want to go one step further and level-up, that’s the time to cast Desert Duel or Kayn’s Shadowstep.

If they reply with removal, that’s the moment Furious Wielder (or Rite of Negation) can come in. Do NOT waste Furious Wielder if we don’t have to!

Rhaast is the correct choice 90% of the time, as The Shadow Assassin has really poor synergy with Kayn’s champion spell. The combination of Challenger + Overwhelm already fills a similarly evasive role, as we can always pick off any weak units on board.

The one time where this deck can really struggle is against another much larger unit such as Nasus. In tough spots like these, we have two choices. Either we find a combination of strike spells to answer the threat, or find an opening to push damage around it. Usually it’s the latter.

Xolaani can help push through that final damage and Ruthless Predator can let us drag the big blocker away. Even without that, a couple turns of challenging weak units with Rhaast can be enough, with Shadowstep as the extra icing to top it all off.

And if they choose not to play other units, we can often threaten wide with an army of smaller equipped units.

The final piece to note is knowing which spell we want from Akshan’s Warlord’s Hoard. If we have a healthy hand of answers, the SpellShield buff makes Rhaast nearly unstoppable. With a lighter hand, be sure to take the draw two, as all we want at that point of the game is interaction.

General Tips

Each piece of equipment can only be played once each turn. When trying to progress Akshan’s landmark, consider whether you’ll need to equip something this turn in case you limit yourself next turn.

Furious Wielder as Kayn’s second strike allows him to ghost block an enemy or dodge removal thanks to the recall on level-up.

Don’t equip level one Kayn with Treasure of the Sands unless you really have to. It’s a major tempo loss once he returns to hand upon level-up.

Be careful casting a strike spell with Kayn pre-combat when the opponent has the attack token. Leveling him up will send him back to hand and leave you defenseless to their open-attack.

Don’t feel forced to attack if the opponent doesn’t want to commit any mana. If the opponent passes when you play Kayn on turn five during your attack token, just pass back and burn their mana. Tempo is far more valuable than the strike trigger.

Shugo’s Productivity Thought of the Day

When trying to build a new habit, we often plan up the ideal scenario and outcome. We envision the best case, hoping to set ourselves up for success, until life inevitably gets in our way.

We feel defeated… But it doesn’t have to be this way!

While our initial plan may be foiled, we can always have a Plan B, Plan C, or Plan D! The next best thing is often just as good, or at the very least, good enough for one day.. And that will keep us going long enough to try again tomorrow.

For more decks, head to the Deck Library! To build your own, head to the Deck Builder.

The post LoR Deck Guide: Akshan Kayn appeared first on Mobalytics.

Hey, it’s Trevor “Shugo” Yung here and today I’m bringing you my top 10 list of cards that are worth watching from the new expansion; Awakening!

Before we begin, let me drop the usual few disclaimers.

• These cards are in no particular order.
• No Champions, as they are the obvious place to start with when deck building.
• This list isn’t solely based on power and playability. Some of these cards will be notable meta players, such as the new removal spells. Others are more theoretical, as these cards have huge potential if the right pieces are put together.

We’ve got a ton of decks to explore this time around, so don’t be too shocked if some of your favorites don’t make the list. It was tough choosing only ten cards.. So this time we’ll be starting with a few honorable mentions!

Honorable Mentions

Hexbliterator

One of PnZ’s common weaknesses is its inability to deal with larger units. While it may have efficient damage removal, it often relies on help from regions like Noxus or Shadow Isles to deal with threats outside of its reach.

Hexbliterator is a step toward filling in that gap. It’s a little on the weak side as five damage won’t always get the job done.. But the Obliterate can be a nice bonus.

It’s not quite top 10 material, but hey, it’s a great card to pick off of Ferros Financier!

Celestial Impact

Piggybacking off of Hexbliterator, Celestial Impact is a solid option for a lot of the same reasons. It fills that gap of being a top-end removal in a region that lacks reliable options.

Seven mana is a lot, but it’s definitely a nice catch-all answer to a single major threat. And once again, it’s a great Ferros Financier target!

Tempting Prospect

We haven’t really seen this type of effect in Runeterra, at least not at this type of cost. What’s even more interesting is that it’s in Demacia?

Tempting Prospect helps us find the right follower or equipment for the situation. If there’s ever a specific piece we need for a combo, this can almost be a way to tutor it. It’s sort of like a Time Trick, but better. The only caveat being we can potentially whiff and hit nothing..

I’m not sure whether the average midrange Demacia deck will want a card like this, as they can’t always afford to spare any mana.. But cheap cantrip spells are almost always effective in some way, so I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before it finds a home.

Heavy Metal

If you’ve read my articles before, you know I’m all for two mana deal twos. Even at slow speed, you can’t really go wrong.

What makes this even better is the region it’s in. Bilgewater has a knack for having garbage tier spells and minimal removal options, but Heavy Metal doesn’t fall into that camp.

This allows Bilgewater a bit more freedom to utilize its Keg and spell synergies without solely relying on its second region. And if equipment ever defines the meta, it only gets better!

Wuju Style

If there was an 11th card on my list, it would be Wuju Style. But unfortunately, there’s another more efficient Ionia spell that’s taken its place. (Spoilers, sorry!)

Regardless, Wuju Style is a fantastic spell that perfectly fits Ionia’s double-spell archetype. The attack half is great alongside Quick Attackers to allow even more bluffs that the opponent must consider. Then on the backside, we get a two mana Elixir of Iron for protection.

In a way, this can sort of function like a Troll Chant effect as we’re able to cast each spell on different targets. Three mana isn’t an outrageous cost, so this will definitely win some exchanges.

All that said, the card does still have some situational uses. It’s a bit too costly to rely on solely as a protection spell, and there won’t always be a perfect target for both halves. Regardless, it provides excellent value for one card and will definitely be worth considering in multiple lists.

Top 10 Awakening Cards

1. Momentous Choice

Starting off our top 10 we have the spell that beat out Wuju Style… Momentous Choice. This card is a nutty combat trick. While it does have a bit of a deck building cost, the payoff is a mini Twin Disciplines for ONE MANA!

I know, two health is very different from three. But Elixir of Iron is already a solid card, and we also have the ability to flex it into an attack buff.

Assuming equipment becomes a mainstay, I suspect Momentous Choice will be a staple piece of interaction for a long time.

2. Forsaken Baccai

I was absolutely floored when they spoiled this card. What in the world IS this!?

Released as a one mana 2|1 with Predict and I’d already be sold. Ekko Zilean is going to have a field day with this one. But no… This card can actually turn into a 3|2!? Excuse me!?

The Cultist tag also makes this a Kayn staple, though that’s probably the least of our worries.

This is a ridiculous 1-drop. It may even be enough to bring back the old Noxus Shurima burn decks. If there’s a way to efficiently build equipment into the list, the deck will have six 3|2’s with this and Legion Rearguard.

3. Quietus

We got Hate Spike at one mana, and now we get this? Shadow Isles is getting some really efficient removal spells, and it’s going to be needed to help halt the increasing aggression.

Quietus is essentially a miniature Culling Strike at slow speed. One mana makes this a premium choice, and there’s no clause preventing it from killing champions.

This will kill a good number of things, but we’ll still have to be careful of it fizzling to buffs. At the very least, it’s a good tech card against equipment.

Gotta love the buff to Burblefish!

4. Gift of the Hearthblood

This is a strange card to evaluate, but what really intrigues me is the cost we’re paying for the effect. At first glance, we may compare this to Avarosan Hearthguard. Instead of getting a 5|6 body, we heal four and draw a card (plus equipment buff).

However, a key difference is the spell mana. We can theoretically play this as early as turn three if we want to; which bolsters every unit and equipment draw from that point forward.

That’s a pretty interesting consideration. While I don’t suggest taking a huge tempo loss on the first three turns, this could actually be a realistic play pattern in more controlling matchups.

Outside of that, Gift of the Hearthblood offers a nice mid to late-game value tool. It’s basically the Freljord Starshaping, and that’s pretty good as is!

5. Fireth, Reaper of the Sands

This unit may look like a Sand Soldier that can’t block. But it’s so much more than that! On average, it’s a Reborn Grenadier that draws us an equipment. Ephemeral disincentivizes the opponent from blocking, and beyond pushing damage, we gain permanent value!

Fireth is a powerful aggressive tool. Its only real drawback is it doesn’t function defensively, and will force us to re-equip our Improvised card to retain value. I imagine it’ll be the frontrunner for aggro, but perhaps take a back seat to the other equipment options in slower decks.

6. Ionian Hookmaster

At a quick glance, Ionian Hookmaster looks a lot worse than Fireth.. But I think it’s actually the opposite. Ionian Hookmaster is the only 2-drop other than Jax that can immediately gain equipment without paying an additional cost. And what makes this better than Fireth is that it stays on the board!

On average it’s a 3/2 with a keyword. Even as a 3|1 it will still trade well and give us the equipment when it dies. I see it as a pre-nerfed Boom Baboon in terms of being a valuable 2-drop. This card is very good!

I’m pretty confident this falls into the staple 2-drop category. Improvise is just so powerful because you don’t have to pay the initial equip-cost, but still, retain the value after the unit dies!

Unless equipment ends up being garbage, be prepared to see a lot of this card.

7. Combat Cook

I usually like to alternate between similar effects, but I think it’s interesting to see how the Improvise cards compare. Combat Cook is another great contender.

With the Forge ability, Combat Cook will be a 5|4 (with keyword) on average. Then when it dies, drops the Forged version of the equipment. There’s really nothing not to be liked; it’s an excellent 4-drop.

I mentioned this the other day in my reveal article, but the only real downside is its cost. There’s a lot of competition in the four-slot, so that does limit its usability depending on how decks are built.

Either way, it’ll definitely see play in the equipment archetypes, and still, potentially find a home outside of them as well.

8. Heedless Resurrection

This.. Is a scary card.. Even without the cost reduction, paying five spell mana to summon the strongest dead champion is super powerful! Shurima is already the region with some of the hardest champs to kill.. And look how easy it is to bring them back! It’s basically a Mist’s Call without timing restrictions or the chance of whiffing.

It also allows for more possibilities of duplicating champions. Rekindler was the most common way before, but having access to this for three mana unlocks some broken combinations!

Coming back down to reality, we can’t forget that this card literally does nothing when none of our champions have died. That is a massive downside, and quite likely writes this card off as not being the problematic nightmare it appears to be.

However, the combo potential and ceiling is high, so it definitely had to make the list as a card to watch!

9. Seal in Steel

Seal in Steel offers a really unique effect. It falls into the Glimpse Beyond/Noxian Fervor category, being a very good counterspell to opposing interaction.

When used on a large unit, we get to save all of those stats onto the equipment that can be used repeatedly. This could very easily give us a three mana, grant +5|+5.. or even better!

It’s a great way to save those built-up Fated stats and reuse them later. The one thing to note is it Obliterates the ally, so we can’t take advantage of any death or slay triggers. This makes sense given its name, and overall won’t matter in most cases.

10. Junk Construct

I raved about this card in my reveal article, and frankly, I’m surprised there hasn’t been much talk about it.

I think Junk Construct is quite possibly the most unfair 2-drop in the entire game. We’re paying only two mana for a 2-drop, PLUS a second 2-drop, OR 3-drop, a few turns later. That’s an entire unit of free stats at no cost! As a 2/2 this already trades with most things, but then you’ll end up a whole card ahead within a few turns later.

On offense, this will help aggressive decks swarm the board even faster for cards like Sneezy Biggledust. On defense, it’ll be an aggro player’s nightmare when you get a second unit to halt their attack.

Piloted Shredder has come to Runeterra and I’m scared. Junk Construct is one heck of a card. Do not sleep on this 2-drop!

Conclusion

You may be wondering why I didn’t include any equipment on the list, and to be honest, they’re tough to evaluate. As a whole, I definitely expect they’ll make an impact in the game. Though I’m not certain how many will be directly playable. I believe the Improvise cards are likely the strongest, as they all come attached to the unit.

Well, that wraps up my top 10 list! If you want to reach out and discuss more, feel free to hit me up on Twitter @Shugo_LoR!

Shugo’s Productivity Thought of the Day

We all have a long list of things we’d love to spend time on, and I’m not talking about a bucket list.

Take a moment to consider all of our possessions, hobbies, and commitments. I imagine it’s a pretty long list, and in some ways, it can be a bit intimidating.

I like to think of this as our own personal backlog. Us gamers are very familiar with this term, but what if we extend this thought to everything else in life?

Before I take on anything else, I like to look at my personal backlog, because in most cases it already includes a much greater priority than the newly considered endeavor.

How often do we select something new and overlook what’s already right there in front of us?

The post The Top 10 Awakening Cards to Watch appeared first on Mobalytics.

Hey all, it’s Trevor “Shugo” Yung here. It’s our final day of reveals before the patch.

We’ve seen all the champions, but here’s the last handful of cards to wrap things up.

To see the rest of the Awakening reveals, head to our Spoiler page where they’ll be revealed each day until its official release.

If you’d like to see our expert breakdowns for the cards, check out the rest of our reveal articles.

Heavy Metal

We’re finally starting to see more regions get a reliable early game removal spell. Last time it was Bandle City with Drop the Bomb, and this time it’s Bilgewater with Heavy Metal.

Slow speed deal twos may not seem that impressive, but they are a solid option to help round out the card pool. With units becoming increasingly stronger and with multiple “must answer” threats, we need more efficient ways to combat them. The cost efficiency is worth the speed.

Heavy Metal is a very nice addition to Bilgewater; a region with Keg and spell synergies, but few playable spells. This may open up more deck building potential with other regions that lack spot removal such as Targon or Ionia (now that Bilgewater can fill this role).

Of course, let’s not forget about the equipment destruction. If equipment ends up being a metagame staple, Heavy Metal will be an excellent way to counter it.

Utter Devastation

It’s a big bad one-sided Ruination in the right deck.. Somewhat similar to The Skies Descend, except without the potential cost reduction. Thankfully it specifies allied units, so it won’t be a dead card against the mirror.

All that said, it’s still 11 mana. I expect the only time we’ll be seeing this card is when it’s manifested by Ferros Financier. Though I must say, having Ruination 2.0 added to the Ferros pool could be a solid option against certain matchups.

The Darkin Bloodletters

Here’s the last of the “follower equipment” cards, and it’s a cool one at that. Not only does this card double as a follower, but it creates even more followers!

Equip this to a unit, and when it dies, it’ll create another host for equipment. Attaching this to a Darkinthrall turns it into a one mana 4/3. That’s a very cheap threat despite its inability to block.

Having the option to play this as a 7/7 Overwhelm for six is pretty solid. It does come with the additional cost of killing a unit, but has the benefit of recreating the weapon if the unit dies.

The only real drawback here is the weapon itself is basically just a Tiny Spear if the unit doesn’t die. If you’re unable to trade efficiently early on, you won’t be able to take advantage of the Darkinthrall.

When equipped to a non-threatening unit, the opponent may simply ignore it and take the damage, thus denying us the value. So when possible, equip it to a unit that matters!

Bonus Patch Notes

Looks like we’ve got a few small changes coming up alongside the expansion!

Void Abomination

It’s good to see a preemptive nerf to Kai’Sa decks as we go into the new patch. Void Abomination is a game winning threat that can make games feel almost invalidated by the time it comes down.

Increasing its cost to nine mana slows down the inevitability which allows more time for interaction and counterplay. Great change.

Deep Meditation

Changed from playing 2+ spells to Flow (includes skills).

Deep Meditation has been changed to coincide with the new Flow mechanic. This is a really cool buff that opens up potential for Deep Meditation to be run in skill-focused decks.

While it’s seen some play in the past, it was often limited by the reactive nature of Ionia. It’s not always easy to double-spell efficiently, so Deep Meditation would end up feeling clunky.

I’m looking forward to experimenting with this card in a more proactive deck.

Did someone say Jhin?

Eye of the Dragon

Eye of the Dragon gets the same treatment which could really help put Eye of the Dragon at the forefront once again. And let’s be honest, the card doesn’t need it.

I’d still argue Eye of the Dragon is one of the best 2-drops in the entire game, despite the fact it’s taken a back seat in recent metas.

I think it’ll be less impactful than Deep Meditation, as Eye of the Dragon is a more defensive card. But still a nice quality of life buff either way!

Shugo’s Productivity Thought of the Day

Material items compete for our time. This is especially true with any form of entertainment such as movies or video games.

Before making a purchase, ask yourself…“Am I going to use this today? Tomorrow? This week?”

If the answer is no, then chances are it’s not worth buying; at least not right now. This doesn’t have to mean forever. But it helps show us we have other priorities at this time.

If you’d like to see our expert breakdowns for the cards, check out the rest of our reveal articles.

The post Awakening Impressions: Last Day and Balance Changes appeared first on Mobalytics.

Hey all, it’s Trevor “Shugo” Yung here and today we’ve got a bunch of cards for the new Forge archetype!

If you’ve missed the previous reveals or need a quick refresher, here’s how the mechanic works.

Forge: Grant an ally +1|+1. If the ally is equipped, grant it to their item instead.

To see the rest of the Awakening reveals, head to our Spoiler page where they’ll be revealed each day until its official release.

If you’d like to see our expert breakdowns for the cards, check out the rest of our reveal articles.

Combat Cook

This is a really cool design for the Forge archetype, while also being overall flexibly useful. It’s another dual-region and Weaponmaster card which opens up a lot of future deck-building potential.

The average Improvise equipment gives +2|+1 in stats, with the lesser options having more powerful keywords. Couple this with the +1|+1 from Forge, and we’ve got a four mana 5/4 with a keyword that gives a forged equipment once he leaves play.

While the actual results will vary, that’s a pretty solid average baseline. The stats are respectable enough to be playable, but it will really come down to how valuable the equipment is to the deck later in the game.

Honestly, the biggest challenge may just be its mana cost. The four mana slot is very competitive in both Freljord and Demacia, and that’s not even taking into account the many other playable options from their paired regions.

At the very least, Combat Cook is an obvious choice for any equipment based deck.

Weaponsmith’s Apprentice

Having access to additional stats early on can be a massive benefit, especially when those stats are permanent. Being able to equip an ally, get an additional +1|+1, then reuse those stats later is quite powerful.

Weaponsmith’s Apprentice gives you this benefit at the cost of being a weak 1/1 follower itself. It’s tough to say whether or not this is worth the trade off.

If Forge decks are able to greatly utilize the same equipment over and over again, the additional +1|+1 will make up for the initial stat loss. Curving Apprentice into Jax gives you a 4/3 Quick Attack on turn two, and that’s pretty solid.

There’s definitely some potential here, but it could end up being a trap depending how the meta shapes out. This isn’t a unit you’ll want to trade on the first turn, and one health makes it vulnerable to pings.

Hearthblood Mender

Having access to additional stats early on can be a massive benefit, especially when those stats are permanent. Being able to equip an ally, get an additional +1|+1, then reuse those stats later is quite powerful.

Weaponsmith’s Apprentice gives you this benefit at the cost of being a weak 1/1 follower itself. It’s tough to say whether or not this is worth the trade off.

If Forge decks are able to greatly utilize the same equipment over and over again, the additional +1|+1 will make up for the initial stat loss. Curving Apprentice into Jax gives you a 4/3 Quick Attack on turn two, and that’s pretty solid.

There’s definitely some potential here, but it could end up being a trap depending how the meta shapes out. This isn’t a unit you’ll want to trade on the first turn, and one health makes it vulnerable to pings.

Adept Weaponsmith

At three mana this is a solid follow up to a turn two equipment play. However, there currently aren’t a lot of options that fit that curve. Jax is the primary target as he comes down auto-equipped. Ionian Hookmaster is the only real other choice, unless we’ve managed to play a unit, plus equip it, all with only three mana.

Giving +1|+1 to a unit without a weapon isn’t the worst case, but isn’t enough to justify the card if that’s the usual result.

The other issue is having our 2-drop removed before Weaponsmith can come down to buff it. Then we fall victim to the issue all Support decks have.. Not having a target to benefit from.

I think we’ll have to wait and see the rest of the reveals. Alongside more consistent early equipment support, Adept Weaponsmith becomes a very nice option. As it stands, I’m not convinced it’ll be consistent enough to be worth it.

Favored Artisan

This has always been a somewhat awkward stat line for a 2-drop. Against X/1’s it’s fantastic and it can help slow the game down, but can be pretty bad against many other board states.

That being said, having extra health makes it a pretty reasonable target for equipment as it’s less prone to removal. And as an added bonus, its generated spell Time and Dedication will improve it further.

It’s a little bit slow, so we’ll have to see how these Forge decks shape up.. But Favored Artisan does offer some nice utility to be worth considering.

Demacian Steel

Demacian Steel is as simple as equipment gets. It’s like a reusable Battlefield Prowess, except it has the potential to become even better with Forge.

At a baseline this feels pretty weak, as Demacia often wants to fully utilize its mana to curve out efficiently. Any spell mana it banks is usually vital for interaction, so sparing even one mana could be a challenge, especially for a mediocre effect.

It could be a decent filler card to help smooth out any awkward curves, and since it’s an equipment, it won’t feel wasteful to use (like Battlefield Prowess would be).

If you’re able to Forge it, Demacian Steel is the real deal. A repeatable +2|+2 grant for one mana is incredible and will turn just about any unit into a relevant threat.

Once again, we’ll have to see the rest of the support cards. We still only have just a handful of Forge effects, and not all of them are efficient. Fingers crossed we get some more goodies before the patch!

Shugo’s Productivity Thought of the Day

Instead of stopping work at the perfect conclusion, consider stopping part way through. Quit in a spot where you absolutely don’t want to stop; deep in the heart of the task.

Once it’s time to work again, you may find it a lot easier to begin.

It’s easier to brush off work when you’re at a point that you can “always continue from later”.

Stay tuned for more reveal articles! To build your own deck, head to our Deck Builder.

The post Awakening Impressions: Ornn Support Pack appeared first on Mobalytics.

Hey all, it’s Trevor “Shugo” Yung here and today we’ve got another handful of new cards from everyone’s favorite region: Bandle City!

Kicking things off, there’s a brand new Boon being added to the game…and from a competitive standpoint, it’s a spooky one…

To see the rest of the Awakening reveals, head to our Spoiler page where they’ll be revealed each day until its official release.

If you’d like to see our expert breakdowns for the cards, check out the rest of our reveal articles.

Mysterious Portal

These Mysterious Portals follow Bandle City’s past trend of random 2-3 cost followers, except this time, they’re randomly summoned upon drawing the Boon from your deck! You thought free stats are a problem? How about free units!?

Before we get too carried away, remember that Chimes are powerful because they make units much more threatening and resilient than they normally would be. Mysterious Portals won’t do that. But what they will do is flood the board out of nowhere!

While this does seem like a fun mechanic from a casual standpoint, competitively this scares me. What determines its playability are the cards surrounding the mechanic, so let’s dive in.

Magical Journey

Mysterious Portals are interesting as they function as essentially a delayed unit. Getting a random 2-3 drop for two mana is likely worth the cost most of the time, but not knowing when it will happen is a real downside.

Thankfully we know it’s within the top four cards, but getting the unit on the first draw versus the fourth could be night and day, and that’s not even accounting for the unit itself that’s summoned.

Seeing how the card doesn’t actually do anything the turn it’s played (unless paired with draw effects), I don’t expect it’ll be worth including. The Chimes are an added benefit, but not enough to help justify the card.

At least Bard’s card pool gets a bit bigger.

Origami Slicer

The ceiling of this card is very high for its cost, but I imagine we’ll be left with more feel-bads than feel-goods. Not only are we at the mercy of RNG, but it’ll only sting more when our huge buff happens on the turn we can’t attack.

Sure, there are times where this being buffed defensively could be a good deterrent.. But in general we’ll want to be dealing damage.

This feels too slow and unreliable now that Bard doesn’t start creating Chimes until turn three. Puffcaps seems like the best place in terms of trap quantity, but there aren’t many appropriate targets aside from Teemo, and he’s got a huge target on his back already.

The Tea Maker

We can treat this as a three mana 3/1 that summons a random 2-3 cost unit a bit later. Stat wise, it’s like a delayed Petty Officer. While a 2-3 cost unit is much better than the average 1-drop, not being able to summon it immediately is a massive drawback. It’ll only feel worse when you get a below average 2-drop in return..

At 3/1 for three, this just isn’t good enough. At best it’s okay and at worst it’s unplayable. However, it’s still a Fae, so be prepared to see it Manifested from time to time.

Junk Construct

This is where I start to get a bit nervous.. Whenever there’s a new mechanic, we often get a two mana 2/2 with upside, which often leads to a very good card. Junk Construct is that card..

At a baseline, this is a two mana 2/2 with “Last Breath: Summon a random 2-3 drop within a few turns”. EXCUSE ME!? There are no drawbacks here.. This literally replaces itself with another unit, and in many cases it’ll be stronger than it was originally. AT NO COST!

Anyone else remember Piloted Shredder? If you know, you know.

I would not be surprised to see nerfs in the future. The Tea Maker is a joke in comparison. I hope I’m overreacting here, but Junk Construct is a spooky card!

Shugo’s Productivity Thought of the Day

The trajectory of our day is often influenced by its first moments. We hear it all the time. It’s why many advocate for starting the day off on the right foot.

Even something as simple as a cup of coffee can go a long way. Find what comforts you!

Stay tuned for more reveal articles! To build your own deck, head to our Deck Builder.

The post Awakening Impressions: Day 6 Bandle City Pack appeared first on Mobalytics.

Hey all, it’s Trevor “Shugo” Yung here and today I’m covering the next reveals for the upcoming Awakening expansion!

Day 5 includes cards from Bandle City, Piltover/Zaun, and Targon.

To see the rest of the Awakening reveals, head to our Spoiler page where they’ll be revealed each day until its official release.

If you’d like to see our expert breakdowns for the cards, check out the rest of our reveal articles.

Mechapulverizer

At a baseline, this is the best rate of stats we’ve seen on equipment so far, or any spell for that matter. But of course, this comes at the cost of an additional card. This can matter a lot in later turns, as playing this card a second or third time may not be feasible because of the discard.

However, we’ve seen Riot push the Bandle discard archetype for quite some time now. Mechapulverzier’s ability to continually discard could actually be an asset at times, as it helps ensure there’s always a discard effect available alongside the discard fodder.

Outside of that, perhaps the most suitable home is the good old Bandle PnZ Yordle In Arms shell. Discard that Flame Chompers, drag their blocker, and send Mechapulverizer to the face!

Back Alley Bar

It wouldn’t be an LoR expansion without a big clunky Epic-rarity landmark.. But it’s a fun one! Back Alley Bar gives us support for the classic random card generator.

I think it’s safe to assume that by the time we play this, we’ll have played at least one Back Alley Barkeep. So Back Alley Bar becomes a six mana 3/3 that creates two random cards.. Yeah, still awful, but it’s fun!

Now that last line of text does need a bit of clarification. “Your new cards cost 1 less.” What exactly counts as a “new” card?

If I were to guess, this refers to any card that you have not yet played during the game. This would make some sense due to Barkeep’s crazy random nature. We aren’t limited to a small pool of cards.. We could get just about anything.

Or, this is just inconsistent text and should be properly worded as “created” cards. Though given how specific it is and how it does make sense with the card, my bet’s one option one.

The Darkin Lodestone

This is an interesting one. On the surface, this is +2|+2 stats split across two bodies with the added benefit of potentially granting more. However, it’s a support card, which comes with multiple inherent problems.

Not only will we need at least two units on board to really utilize the effect, but both of them need to be able to attack effectively. It’s pretty bad if the equipped unit would simply trade or die on the first swing.

A key reason why Esmus is an effective support card is that it can usually attack freely without harm. Esmus solves half of the issues. Unfortunately, The Darkin Lodestone only amplifies them.

It’s definitely cool that there’s a backside to the card. Equipment cards look pretty bad in the late game, so having the option to play an eight mana threat is a real upside. And not only is Horazi threatening, but it can turn another unit into a 7/7 with SpellShield. It’s a powerful swing, but without Elusive or Overwhelm they are prone to being endlessly chump blocked.

Cool design, and perhaps good enough to be considered as a one or two-of in Fated style decks. We’ll have to see!

Seal In Steel

I’ve always been a fan of these types of cards. They’re the ones like Glimpse Beyond, Single Combat, and Noxian Fervor. Ones where you have the option to cast proactively, but are often best used as a reactive counter when your opponent casts their removal.

Let me take a step back here, as I don’t think Seal In Steel is quite in the same camp in terms of power. It’s definitely the most narrow effect of the bunch, and really isn’t something you’ll want to cast proactively. I suppose there’s some cute synergy with Ephemerals, but let’s be honest, we’re not playing that.

While it may not be card draw, removal, or burn.. It can create one heck of an equipment! Imagine your opponent casts Vengeance on your big Fated unit and you cast Seal In Steel in response.

Do keep in mind that we still need to play the equipment, and so we’re investing five mana to see the entire benefit. In that light, we can’t fully see this as a protection spell. It’s a way to preserve some power in the event things go wrong, and that’s pretty cool!

Shugo’s Productivity Thought of the Day

We’re often at the mercy of the environment around us. With the potato chips on the counter and the TV remote ready by our side, we fall victim to a scenario that almost feels predetermined.

Making the right decision is hard, especially when the wrong choice is the easiest one.

Instead of focusing on the right choice, change your environment and you’ll take the decision out of the equation.

Stay tuned for more reveal articles! To build your own deck, head to our Deck Builder.

The post Awakening Impressions: Day 5 Variety Pack appeared first on Mobalytics.

Hey all, it’s Trevor “Shugo” Yung here and today I want to showcase a deck that’s been having success even in the crazy Kai’Sa meta.

Nami TF SI has been a prevalent force for a while now, but what about other regions? Bandle City has fish, so it has to make some sense right!?

To top it all off, this deck completely dodged all the nerfs! And the decks that challenged this one the most are ALL getting hit!

If you want a head start into the new meta, look no further than Nami TF Bandle City!

Deck Code: CECQKBIKAQUDDJQBYYAQIAQGBYMBUJQBAYFCOAQFAYCQWAIDAYIQAAIBAYFCQ

[See Nami TF BC deck details]

Deck Overview

While the Bandle City variant still plays the traditional Nami game plan, it does have some key differences. Thanks to an abundance of Attune effects, we get to play a better tempo game plan. There’s less need to sit and pass in order to bank spell mana for Nami, allowing for a lot more flexibility.

Another notable difference is the lack of top-end. The SI variant plays copies of Vengeance, and often utilizes Harrowing and/or Ruination to give it a late-game Plan B.

Instead, Nami TF BC focuses on disruption via Pranks and uses the tempo advantage to win with Nami or Shelly. And let’s be honest, that’s usually how Nami decks win anyway.

Twisted Fate takes more of a backseat role here as we’re not running additional card-draw outside of Zap, Pokey Stick, second TF, or randomly generated spells. Twisted Fate’s utility is more than good enough while the threat of level-up can still force the opponent into an awkward spot.

Lastly, the Bandle City package adds an absurd amount of lines and play patterns. Literally, one-third of the deck generates random cards, making it almost impossible to account for every possible situation. However, those who do take the time will be extremely rewarded as you’ll find yourself Manifesting the very out you need to win!

Mulligan Strategy

The easiest way to lose with Nami decks is to draw the wrong half of your deck all at once. When we’re unable to spend spell mana efficiently, the deck can really struggle. Focus on early drops and always take into account how you can spend spell mana in order to refill it at the end of the turn. Double Trouble is the absolute best card for achieving this goal.

• Always Keep:
  • Double Trouble
• Situational Keep:
  • Nami: Always keep unless against aggro.
  • Twisted Fate: Only keep vs. matchups weak to Red Card. Low priority.
• Keep Against Aggressive Decks:
  • Otterpus
  • Conchologist
  • Coral Creatures
  • Group Shot
  • Drop The Bomb
  • Pokey Stick

Example Hand 1: Double Trouble – Nami – Conchologist – Pokey Stick

Example Hand 2: Double Trouble – Otterpus – Coral Creatures – Group Shot

Game Plans

• Almost every game begins with the same two goals.
• Sequence our cards to progress and level-up Nami.
  Cast enough spells to reduce Burblefish to 0.

Unless we’re against hyper-aggressive decks such as Annie Jhin or Spiders, our core game plan remains true. And if we are against aggro? Don’t worry, I’ll be covering that a little later!

The standard ideal start for most Nami decks is passing the first two turns, then casting Double Trouble on turn three. If the situation allows it and we aren’t under pressure, it’s often the ideal line.

We want to let our opponent develop first. If the opponent plays an X|1 on turn one, we’ll match it with Otterpus. If they play a unit on two, match them with any second unit.

When we aren’t under pressure, this is where we have the freedom to pass and bank spell mana. However, always ALWAYS plan ahead! You don’t want to play an Attune unit with full spell mana!

Otterpus, while simple on the surface, is one of the most interesting and skill-testing cards in the entire deck. This goes beyond knowing when to cast a Prank, as it can be vital knowing when to play it in general.

You need to identify your hand plus the matchup and imagine future turns.

Here are a few questions to ask.

• How important are actions in this matchup? Do I have the time to play this later without getting punished?
• Otterpus effectively functions as a burst-pass in many cases. Will this put my opponent in an awkward spot if I do this later?
• My opponent is Shurima. Do I need a unit to pop Roiling Sands?
• How quickly am I going to need the Prank? Will I need it to set up a big open attack turn? Do I need to cast Prank earlier to disrupt my opponent and/or free up spell mana for my Attune?
• Will I need an additional Attune to flip Nami?
• Otterpus will be my weakest unit on board. Do I need Nami to target a different unit right now?

As you can see, there are a lot of nuances here, and these decisions can really matter. What’s fantastic about Otterpus is it’s essentially free.

We can play it on-curve and it won’t mess up the Double Trouble turn. Either way, Otterpus will definitely have its use. But if you can take it that step further, you’ll unlock a whole new level of agency with the deck.

Post Forces From Beyond, Nami TF BC got an excellent tool in Drop The Bomb. A two mana deal two, even at slow speed, is nothing to scoff at.

One of the weaknesses of this region combination is its lackluster removal. Adding Drop The Bomb really helps fix this, and it’s also amplified by being added to the Manifest pool. You can even combine it with Pokey Stick or Group Shot to deal with larger units efficiently.

Once we approach the mid game, we’ll be looking to set up Nami or Shelly. Nami is often the safer pick as the four health makes her tricky to deal with, and three mana is far easier to commit. Shelly does come at a bit of a cost but gives us massive snowball potential if the opponent doesn’t answer it right away.

With an army of Elusives backed by spells, this deck has some insane kill potential. Bandle Tellstones is a powerful source of burst damage with Nami, turning one card and four mana into eight damage!

It may not be as efficient as the 2-for-6 rate of SI Tellstones, but it represents a TON of damage from only one card.

If there’s a reason to play Nami Bandle City, it’s Trinket Trade. This card is absolutely bonkers in so many situations. Not only is it the best card to proc Nami and Shelly, but it can bail us out of so many situations.

There’s an absurd amount of good choices. At least ten of these I’m very happy to pick! Best of all, we aren’t limited to just three copies.

Conchologist, Coral Creatures, and Wiggly Burblefish will help you find more!

Beyond its combo and utility potential, there’s a common and efficient play pattern that Trinket Trade provides.

• When Nami is 6|8 and we’re sitting with full spell mana, cast Trinket Trade and choose Otterpus.
• Play Otterpus to generate a Prank. Nami goes to 7|8, our spell mana is full again.
• Cast Prank, then play Nami to flip her immediately!

Of course there are similar lines with Otterpus itself or other Attune cards, but part of the challenge is having an efficient way to utilize spell mana and refill it the same turn. This two card combo of Nami + Trinket Trade opens up a sneaky window to drop a leveled Nami one turn earlier than your opponent expects!

Against Aggro

Alright, coming back to the aggro matchup. This is the one time where our fish game plan simply doesn’t matter. It’s all about survival.

We have a lot of units and spells that can help combat the board. The biggest danger is when they are able to go wider, or if they stun our blockers. Otterpus is great into the 2|1’s, but otherwise should chump just about anything (past turn one) to reduce damage.

Double Trouble should always be cast on turn two. It’s an excellent way to match their output. We really don’t care about poor trades. Chump block to reduce damage if necessary. They can always be cleaned up later via Twisted Fate, Pokey Stick, or Group Shot.

Prioritize units with on-attack triggers. Everything else can be dealt with later. We want to avoid as much direct damage as possible so that we can stay out of burn range.

Group Shot can be a good answer to mid game Noxian Fervor as it’s possible to have 4+ units by that state of the game. Although sometimes one damage is already enough.

If you double-draw Nami, make sure you play one so that the other turns into Ebb. This gives us access to an additional removal spell (albeit it could fail). But more importantly, it gives us a form of healing!

Overall, so long as we don’t completely brick and we know what we’re doing, we’re extremely favored here. This deck is an aggro deck’s nightmare. We have an incredible amount of early tempo plays, can flood the board with blockers, and cheaply remove just about everything. We’ve got all the tools so long as we can properly use them!

General Tips

Unlike Shellfolk decks, Pranks aren’t solely used as a combo piece. In fact, on many occasions, we’ll want to cast a Prank in order to free up spell mana for an Attune trigger. Sometimes it’s just straight up useful to disrupt the opponent’s plans. Making their removal or interaction overly expensive opens a safe path for Nami and Shelly!

Group Shot is one of the most efficient removal spells in the deck. Between Double Trouble, Otterpus, and Coral Creatures, it’s very easy to consistently meet the four-unit threshold. Keep this in mind before deciding to trade units.

In some matchups, we heavily rely on Elusives to push through damage. Be cautious of developing other units as they’ll become the target for Nami’s buffs instead.

Take time to learn the Manifest pool. There are a ton of cards that change the equation and can outright save us from losing the game. Desperate for a blocker but don’t have any unit mana or Double Trouble? Manifest a Ransom Riches and have it generate a 0 mana follower. Seriously, the sky’s the limit. There are so many lines of play.

Shugo’s Productivity Thought of the Day

What things in your life deserve more attention than they are currently receiving?

For more decks, head to the Deck Library! To build your own, head to the Deck Builder.

The post LoR Deck Guide: Nami TF Bandle City appeared first on Mobalytics.

It’s that time again. The moment we’ve all been waiting for… new cards! To all of us deck builders out there, it feels like Christmas morning. The metagame has been refreshed and it’s time to brew. The possibilities are endless!

But where do we begin?

Building an effective deck is not easy, even for experienced players. There’s a lot of testing, tuning, and going back to the drawing board. Even when it’s all said and done, there’s a good chance we didn’t create the perfect deck we were hoping for. And that’s okay!

It’s Trevor “Shugo” Yung here and today I’m going to go over my approach to deckbuilding!

Choose a Concept

Every deck begins with an idea. In LoR, the most common place to start is with the champions. They are undeniably powerful, and with champions being the only limited card type (max 6 per deck), it makes sense to build around them. This is a given already, so let’s look at two other ways we can discover a concept.

Specific Card Interactions

Sometimes it all starts with a unique interaction between a couple of cards. Let’s look at an example using one of the new cards, Formal Invitation, and pair it with Doombeast.

Formal Invitation creates copies of two allied followers that have died during the game. In the average use case, this will create two random followers. But what if we could guarantee ourselves a Doombeast? That’s a lot of burn!

So how could we accomplish this? Build a deck with only two different followers. That may sound kinda crazy, but having this drawback does come with a pretty intriguing payoff. Plus, we’ll still have our champions.

As for the second follower, Boomcrew Rookie or Imperial Demolitionist would be great options to consider as they both compliment our game plan.

While this is likely miles away from being competitive, it’s an example of how we can take a couple of non-champion cards and theory craft a whole new type of list.

It’s possible as we start filling out the rest of the deck that we add Ravenbloom Conservatory, bumping up to three followers we’re happy to create with Formal Invitation. Or perhaps we scrap the Noxus half in favor of Jhin, then bring in the Boomcrew Rookies!

I’ll leave the rest up to your imagination. 😉

Anti-Meta Approach

There are times when the meta stabilizes to a pretty consistent degree. The top dogs are known, and the decks that exist on ladder are common appearances. If you can identify the pocket-meta you’re in, perhaps there’s a way to build to counter it.

This type of deckbuilding comes with its own flaws. For starters, not every metagame is narrow enough that you can appropriately build against it. And even when it is, there’s a good chance matchmaking doesn’t line up that way you hoped.

Overall, it’s better to build with your own game plan in mind, rather than your opponent’s. But if you can find a way to effectively tie the two together, it could be a good starting point!

Identify Strengths

Once you’ve chosen a concept, it’s important to identify the pillar cards to your strategy. These should be the most powerful options; the staples of the archetype or region.

For example, let’s say we’re looking to rebuild Caitlyn Ezreal. The immediate cards that come to mind are Mystic Shot and Ravenous Flock. These are two key cards that define the archetype and confirm the region pairing of Noxus PnZ. From there, the next obvious inclusion is Arachnoid Sentry.

It’s good to keep this in mind when starting out. If you aren’t playing the staples from your regions, then what is the reason for including them? Would another region be able to support your strategy better?

Sometimes we pigeonhole ourselves into certain champion pairings when in reality, we’re much better off forgoing the lesser champion and picking a better second region. Take the time to consider multiple regions and compare the best cards that each one has to offer.

You’ll usually be able to narrow down on 1-2 regions that have a considerable advantage above the rest. Then you can put together a shell for each and go from there!

Assemble a Shell

Once we’ve defined the pillars of our strategy, it’s time to build out the core of our deck. These are the bread and butter cards that make everything churn nicely. If you ever struggle to find enough cards for the outline, it’s probably an early sign that the concept won’t work. We should have a good amount of structure before looking to fill in the gaps.

Let’s have a look at a rough shell for Soraka Tahm Kench.

All of these cards are just about staple 3-of’s in every Star Spring list. This makes up 27/40 cards and still leaves room for many other inclusions.

Star Shepherd and Broadback Protector can often be found in many versions, along with Shakedown for additional interaction. Though these are not always selected, and thus aren’t included in the original shell.

Defining a shell can be important as it gives the deck direction. Each inclusion is vital to the strategy. When proceeding to fill in the rest of the gaps, ask yourself, does this support my game plan? In what way does this card serve me?

As fun as it can be to just jam any odd card into the list, you’ll save a lot of time if you take a moment to really consider it first. But if you really want to, give it a try! You can always cut it later.

Include Interaction

In a fresh metagame, it’s better to be more proactive than reactive. When decks are unrefined, they’ll even lose to themselves, so don’t worry about including too many tech cards. After all, it’s hard to have the answer when you don’t even know the question.

Once things stabilize, that’s the time you’ll really want to be cognizant of the meta.

Ask yourself: What popular decks do I need to account for? How does my deck fare in those matchups?

Another important question. Does my interaction support or detract from my game plan? Some decks aren’t accustomed to playing much removal, and really can’t afford the slot. Simply adding a tech card may not even win you the matchup. You could have better odds just playing for a solid curve, compared to playing out a mediocre draw with the tech card in hand.

It can be hard to find the right balance and amount of interaction, and that’s where the playtesting comes in. As you get more games in, you’ll learn what cards are worth their slot.

Reflect & Revise

After we’ve had the chance to play a few games, we’ll likely already have a pretty good idea of how the deck feels. Of course, while it’s hard to judge perfectly with a small sample size, we’ll be able to evaluate some of the play patterns.

Then we can reflect and ask ourselves more questions.

• What does this deck do well?
• What are its weaknesses?
• How reliable is my win condition?
• Does another deck do a similar thing, but better?

The last one is often a truth that’s hardest to accept. While we may have created a functional deck that can hold its own if it’s a worse version of something that already exists, why are we playing it?

Don’t be afraid to let go and move on. There’s always time to revisit it later, and you may discover something even greater next time!

There’s no right or wrong way to approach deckbuilding, but I hope this helps inspire some direction to those who may struggle with where to begin. Until next time, happy brewing!

Shugo’s Productivity Thought of the Day

Allow yourself the permission to mess up.

One perfect day doesn’t define you, and neither does one mistake.

It’s not about how often you fail, but about how often you get back up to try again.

Ready to build a new deck with these tips? Head to the Deck Builder!

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