Best 1.2 meta Legends of Runeterra decks

Sejuani has pushed her way into the top-tier meta decks in Legends of Runeterra while Bannerman has fallen following balance changes made in Patch 1.2. 

Several major changes were made in the recent LoR Patch 1.2, but the meta remains mostly the same. The rise of Sejuani and the fall of Bannerman are exceptions to this, however, while Burn attempts to regain its footing. The Mono-Demacian build took a major hit in Patch 1.2, receiving nerfs to Grizzled Ranger and Loyal Badgerbear. While the deck is still being played on the LoR ladder and in competitive play, it’s not an S-tier build anymore, according to prolific deck builder BBG. 

Burn also received a slight nerf in the form of a reduction in health to Boomcrew Rookie and Legion Rearguard. And while the champ-less build remains strong, it’s no longer an S-tier deck either. 

Hecarim and Vladamir were buffed in LoR Patch 1.2. These changes improved the gameplay of the two champions but aren’t enough to bump them to top-tier status. Mogwai created a powerful Hecarim build in Ionia while Silverfuse featured a fun Demacia take, originally crafted by plzdonhakme. Many attempts were made to pop off on Vladimir, including a build by BBG, but the champion remained a tad too slow in leveling up against the present meta.

Sejuani has taken off since the recent update, however, being featured in a variety of builds. Vi continues to dominate with Heimerdinger, despite a nerf to her health. From mill to plunder, here are the best meta decks following LoR Patch 1.2. 

Vi/Heimerdinger

Known among players as Vimerdinger, the Ionia/Piltover & Zaun build remains strong in the 1.2 meta. The deck ran above a 60-percent win rate for those playing it in Masters, according to Mobalytics, and was used by a number of competitive players who placed in the top-eight in the Duels of Runeterra tournament this past weekend. 

Decks of Runeterra has FreshLobster’s list as the top build. But top-tournament decks aren’t necessarily the best builds to climb the ladder with. Based on statistics provided by Mobalytics, the Vimerdinger version running Claws of the Dragon, Solitary Monk, and Shadow Assasin might be a better option in ranked. 

Deck code: CECACAQEBABAEAQBBECACAQCBQTDSBIBAQIBWJZUHAAQEAICEUYQA

Sejuani/Miss Fortune

Sejuani has been on the radar for weeks but couldn’t break into the top-tier meta. But now that the metagame has become a tad slower thanks to recent changes, she’s beginning to shine. 

Pairing Sejuani with Swain was a popular choice at first and some players even tried to run her with the new Vladimir. But the Sejuani and Miss Fortune build has proven to be the best, according to BBG. Bilgewater provides plenty of opportunities to damage an opponent’s Nexus each turn while also having the added benefit of being able to steal cards. 

Mobalytics shows a decent win rate, above 60 percent, for this deck but not enough games were played to form a solid conclusion. Decks of Runeterra also has the build listed as an S-tier deck, using a creation recently put together by Swim. Popular opinion has the Sejuani and Miss Fortune deck listed as the best but it’s unknown if it’ll remain S-tier as the meta continues to evolve in the coming weeks. 

Deck code: CEBQCAIBCYBQEAICAYDQOAQGAUFRKFRNHI7ACAQCAYKBYAQBAEAQIAQCAYEBC

Sea Monsters

Sea Monsters have been an S-tier build since the release of the Rising Tides expansion. And following the recent nerfs and buffs, it’s popularity has once again surged due to its powerful self-mill structure. Decks of Runeterra has it listed as the second-best deck, but it’s possible that tournament rankings have created a skewed perception. 

Much like the Sejuani/Miss Fortune builds, it’s unknown at this time whether Sea Monsters will remain an S-tier deck. Those playing Sea Monsters at the Master tier level are still winning with it, often able to break into the top 100.

Deck code: CEBQCAIFGYBQEBIHBAFAQAQGC4OSKJZMF42TQAIBAECQ6AQBAIDB4AICAUBQ

Decks on the rise

Given the versatility of decks being played in the LoR meta, several builds are quickly rising up the ranks. These include a Lux/Karma control deck created by BBG and a Teemo Burn deck. Another Teemo deck that shined this past week was a build created by Control featuring a pairing with Sejuani and Teemo. 

Competitive LoR tournaments also showcased a return of Frostbite Control and the new Keg Control build using Twisted Fate and Gangplank. Most of these decks are listed as tier-two builds but could make a move toward S-tier status in the coming weeks.