LoR: Top 5 Lineups for the Last Runeterra Open

On February 24th, we'll have the last Runeterra Open for now. From this date onward, we won't have any other official Riot Games tournaments, and the entire competitive scene will go into hiatus indefinitely.

If you keep up with my content, you're probably used to reading articles about the top 5 best lineups for Runeterra Opens - unfortunately, this will most likely be the last one.

If this is the first time you see one of my competitive articles: any time we have a Runeterra Open, I share the best 5 lineups to play in these tournaments based on the most popular game styles among players.

This article was based entirely on my 4-year experience playing and casting LoR tournaments professionally.

Let's see the best lineups for the last Runeterra Open!

Before anything, let's discuss the current competitive meta.

Due to Riot's mass layoffs in the past month, and the decision devs made to focus on LoR's PvE modes and leave the competitive scene behind, the meta has never been this crazy.

It was extremely difficult to choose the lists for the lineups in this article, considering we don't have a lot of data on games in the ranked queue currently, and the numbers we have don't necessarily show the actual best decks in the game.

This, added to the fact that most grassroot tournaments we had no longer exist, means it was a bit challenging to look up winning lineups, or research new ideas that can be interesting for LoR's competitive format.

Therefore, the decks I chose for this article will probably not be on the data websites that still exist, or won't be considered "top decks" right now, as the data on the websites that are still around are a bit inconsistent nowadays (for the competitive format, of course).

You'll have to trust my game experience and my work as an LoR analyst.

To sum up: the meta is quite favorable for slow control lists, or Midrange decks, due to the Elder Dragon and Morgana nerfs. Morgana is still an excellent option if you want to play responsively, considering she is the only champion that has Lifesteal.

Let's first take a look at what will be, probably, the most popular meta lineup.

This lineup has the 3 most popular decks among competitive players, and also makes more sense in the context of tournament metas.

These are 3 safe decks, with just a few bad matchups, that have been extremely popular in the past and might still be the best options for anyone who wants to play a stress-free tournament, without that much excitement.

Gnar Darius - This deck dodged nerfs and remains incredibly strong.

Besides being straightforward to pilot, it is one of the most consistent decks in the meta, and will catch many players off guard.

It has just a few bad matchups, besides being quite solid, and, as it has always been a popular list, even before the competitive scene was scrapped, this list will probably be one of the most popular lists in the tournament.

Morgana Elder Dragon Galio - Even though it took some nerfs, this archetype is still strong because Elder Dragon's Origin allows us to address some problems they have.

For instance, in this list, Windsinger allows us to develop a unit while we answer another enemy unit on the board, which is something Demacia decks usually can't do.

Therefore, this archetype is still strong, and, even without some of its main pieces, which were nerfed, it is still one of the best lists in the game.

Seraphine Sett - Most veteran competitive players who will take part in this event love this archetype.

Seraphine lists have an incredible track record in Runeterra Opens because they can adapt to any situation. The only drawback is that they are extremely challenging to pilot.

These lists are powerful against small units and aggressive decks because of the gigantic number of removals they use. They also have some solid alternatives to answer most control lists in the meta, even if these matchups are, theoretically, unfavorable to Seraphine lists.

In any case, if you face this list at the Open, you can be sure your opponent is someone experienced who is playing this deck because of their emotional connection to it and because of how incredibly strong it is in competitive formats.

This lineup has the most aggressive decks in the meta currently.

Most LoR players prefer playing Aggro decks; notice that, if we look at the data available on certain websites, the ranked queue basically only shows decks that fit this archetype.

As a result, it was a bit harder to decide which decks would be in this lineup because we have too many Aggro deck options nowadays.

Jhin Annie - It is not the least surprising that one of the most popular archetypes in the game would come back (again) to the competitive meta.

After Elder Dragon was nerfed, Aggro decks once again stood out in the ranked queue. Another factor that made these decks popular was that players changed their focus while playing, as now they prioritize their own fun, and don't focus as much on playing only the most competitive lists. Considering now everyone is playing different lists, Aggro decks, and mostly Jhin Annie, have dominated the ranked queue.

In particular, Annie Jhin stood out even among the other Aggro decks because it punishes their opponent quite heavily if they aren't prepared to deal with Stuns and direct damage.

As most players will bring something that resembles the ranked queue at the tournament, Jhin Annie will likely win many rounds purely because it is incredibly consistent.

Teemo Elusives - The Yuumi nerf certainly shook the foundations of this archetype, but it wasn't enough to completely remove it from the competitive scene.

This list has Skip, "King of the Reef", which is one of the most frustrating cards to face in the current meta because, if you steal an important card from your opponent with it, the game can end right then and there.

This, alongside the absurd amount of direct damage and cheap units this list has, will naturally give you an excellent win rate, and therefore it is an excellent choice for tournaments.

Zed Gwen - This is the go-to list for most ranked queue players right now.

This deck has an incredible track record in tournaments because it is an extremely challenging list to face. The constant pressure created by strong attacks and the massive damage cheap units with Hallowed stacks deal is practically impossible to handle, and almost no current deck can face this list on equal grounds.

All throughout last year, we optimized this archetype. Now, it has reached its final form, and is ready to dominate this final Runeterra Open.

One of my recommendations for this tournament is to either ban this list or play with at least two strong decks that can win against this archetype.

These are the three decks I recommend for those who like control archetypes. Keep in mind that this type of strategy is once again popular because of the Mageseeker Inquisitor nerfs, which means, now you can play your slow spells without any issues.

Another factor that made these lists strong is that, as we aren't 100% sure of what's really popular or strong in the current meta, decks that answer their opponents or have a specific combo are naturally strong against unusual lists, or archetypes that don't interact with the board.

If you answer at least one of your opponent's win conditions, in the current state of the game, it might be enough to end most matches at this Runeterra Open.

Ramp Elder Dragon - This list is the best one we have in the current meta in terms of ramp.

She Who Wanders is one of the best cards in Standard, and can, alone, stop any aggressive strategy in the current meta: you just need to get to turn 10.

After the Warmother's Call buffs, this type of deck became even stronger. Freljord has one of the best defensive, early game packages, and powerful units - this, added to ramp cards, made this deck incredibly consistent.

Karma Sett - For those who like Sett decks, the classic Karma Sett list is never completely out of the competitive meta.

Now that Mageseeker Inquisitor was nerfed, this deck once again stands out, and can be a true headache for most aggressive lists in the meta.

This is one of the few decks that can heal your Nexus in the current meta because of Smooth Mixologist, which is still one of the best Ionia units. This list can still change, considering it works so well with so many Piltover & Zaun cards that you might have too many suitable options when it's time to choose which cards to put in your list.

So, feel free to play with the Seraphine Sett Purrsuit of Perfection version, which is a more straightforward win condition and demands less effort from you when it's finally time to win the game.

Norra Portals - This list isn't necessarily a control deck, but it goes into the "combo list" category.

This deck is an extremely safe option for those who like punishing their opponent, and it also works well with RNG.

The main idea with this list is playing Portals, defending your Nexus, and playing even more Portals. Eventually, your opponent won't have any resources left to deal with your board, and you'll probably carry on summoning units.

Eclectic Collection is this deck's finisher, which means it also works with Puffcaps and Flash Bombs.

As the meta isn't open-and-shut, instead of getting three decks that answer the meta directly, as usual, I decided to pick 3 lists that I, personally, believe are getting good results in this chaotic meta.

I tested these three decks myself on the ranked queue, and, after having some success with them, I'm convinced they will also do well at this Runeterra Open.

Jax Ornn - This list was once the best deck in the game, and can now return and triumph over the current meta decks.

This archetype is extremely resistant to direct removals because of Freljord's defense spells, which are still incredibly strong.

The resilient units in this list are also powerful against aggressive lists, which will probably be left behind after you throw your defensive spells at them.

Not to mention, your Overwhelm units will always be efficient against blockers that don't have a lot of health points, which are popular in the current meta.

So, this deck is consistent and strong, and might be an extremely safe option for those who want stress-free games at this Open.

Vayne Aatrox Morgana - This is one of my favorite decks in the entire game, and, now with Morgana in the list, the Darkin Demacia archetype is even better.

Morgana fixes the issue this deck has against extensive boards, considering you never have enough blockers on board to build a consistent defense against them. With her Lifesteal, it is a bit easier to absorb this damage, which gives us time to set up our units and mount a good offensive turn.

This deck's strength comes from Ranger-Knight Defector, which, if equipped with any Darkin, will hardly be removed from the board, and will certainly be your main source of damage and also your main win condition.

Miss Fortune Quinn: Scouts - This deck is quite old and has had several different versions; this is another one of them.

This is the most recent interpretation of this archetype. It combines elements from the Champions' Strength versions with the Inspiring Light versions, and forms a deck that works extremely well because it draws cards, unlike the other ones.

Barbed Chain is a card that went really well in this list, and gave a new face to this archetype, considering this deck's greatest issue has always been how it couldn't draw cards consistently.

Now, with more cards in your hand, you won't get left behind in terms of hand value as much as before, and this will allow you to have a much better end game compared to the past versions of this archetype.

These three decks are for those players who like playing the Opens to have fun. These lists are the ones I consider the most fun ones in the current meta, but they can also face some meta decks on equal ground.

If you want to play the last Runeterra Open and bring entirely new, crazy decks, this lineup is for you.

Poros - Poro decks are extremely competitive, and have also been the main stars of several metas (even at the last World Championship!).

This list has dodged nerfs quite skillfully, and was popular for a long time - as a result, it might be a strong option for this Open.

Poros are one of the most casual, fun, and light game styles in the entire game: it only requires you to buff your Poros and eventually win the match - nothing else.

It is incredible how most meta decks can't deal with the fast-paced rhythm this list operates on, and, as a result, you might be able to steal some victories from your opponents with this archetype.

Freljord Buried Sun Disc - This Azir Renekton Nasus deck is a new thing that came along after Buried Sun Disc was "adjusted", considering now we can play other regions with this archetype.

Therefore, the Ascended archetype was mixed up with the Warden of the Tribes archetype, and created an entirely new list.

After all, the Emperor's deck has never been that strong, and doesn't need to be your main win condition. We only realized this after Sun Disc was changed.

This list takes advantage of the extensive number of creature types we have in Freljord and Shurima, which rapidly stack stats for Warden of the Tribes, which will later on share them to your board. And, if everything goes wrong somehow, the Emperor's Deck can help you finish games.

Tristana Teemo Elder Dragon - This deck is all about Xolaani the Bloodweaver, which is my favorite card in the entire game.

Tristana has always been a forgotten champion in Standard, save for a few times when she was strong, but, recently, we explored a funny version of a deck with her using Elder Dragon's origin. This allowed us to place cards like Bandle Gunners on the board with more stats and keywords, which increases the damage your deck can deal.

Not to mention, the entire Bandle City package needs cards like Sai'nen Thousand-Tailed, which, despite nerfed, is still a great option to draw cards.

Xolaani the Bloodweaver herself can go on the board, gain more stats, and transform into Xolaani, Aspect's Bane if you need her to, which really improves this deck's curve.

Therefore, it is a list that, just like Poros, can catch your opponent off guard as it is extremely fast, full of big units, and an explosive end game.

If you read this far, thank you! Now, you're prepared to play the last Runeterra Open!

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