Here are the best LoR follower cards in the Rising Tides expansion

The Season of Plunder is underway in Legends of Runeterra with the game’s official launch and the addition of the Rising Tides expansion. 

The Rising Tides set in LoR contains over 120 cards and introduces the Bilgewater region. Every existing region received several new units that are playing a large role in the meta shift in conjunction with the 60 new cards added through Bilgewater.

We’ve ranked these new cards, determining a top 10 list of the best followers from Rising Tides in descending order. 

10) Citybreaker

From Swain to Sejuani, dealing damage to an enemy’s Nexus per round is a big deal. Citybreaker is similar to Ember Maiden but slightly better under most circumstances. Instead of dealing one-damage to all, Citybreaker directly hits an opponent’s Nexus at the start of each round. In combination with a leveled up Swain, the damage at the start of each round triggers the Noxian Grand General and an opponent can’t react to it. 

9) Jaull Hunters

The Nautilus and Maokai deck might just be one of the best Deep archetypes to emerge and Jaull Hunters plays a major role within it. He summons a sea monster when summoned onto the battlefield and is a 4/1 unit with Challenger. Jaull Hunters only has a casting cost of three, making him an ideal follower to mulligan for when facing Aggro opponents. 

8) Blighted Caretaker

Shadow Isles decks using the “kill your own unit” theme were already popular and powerful. Blighted Caretaker takes these builds to another level by killing a unit when played and then summoning two saplings. The saplings are most troublesome because they have Challenger and are Ephemeral. The number of potential janky combos players can achieve with Blighted Caretaker is borderline broken. 

7) Imperial Demolitionist

Imperial Demolitionist is an extremely versatile unit who fits into just about every Aggro and Midrange build. She’s a must-include card with Swain and pairs well in Gangplank decks, too. Imperial Demolitionist also slides nicely into original Burn builds and even Vlad decks. If your opponent is playing Noxus, expect to see Imperial Demolitionist as a two-drop.

6) Zap Sprayfin

Ranked second in our best Bilgewater followers list, Zap Sprayfin is finding her way into a number of various LoR archetypes. Similar to Shadow Assassin, she’s an Elusive who draws cards. Spell-heavy decks should consider Zap Sprayfin an auto-include, especially when combining Twisted Fate with the Bilgewater region or even Heimerdinger and Fizz.

5) Eye of the Dragon

Eye of the Dragon is another cheap, early-game unit that’s making its rounds in a number of LoR archetypes. With Attune to provide additional spell mana upon being played, she produces a 2/1 Dragonling with Lifesteal at the start of each round if two or more spells were played in the previous round. In a majority of builds, casting two spells per turn isn’t too far-fetched. And the board state she creates makes her an ideal two-drop when playing Ionia.

4) Ursine Spiritwalker

It’s still too early to determine where Ursine Spritwalker will find a home, but rest assured, he will. If played on the same turn when damage was dealt to an enemy’s Nexus, Ursine Spritwalker transforms into Stormclaw Ursine, one of the most powerful Freljord units in LoR. Even without the transformation, Ursine Spiritwalker is still a 4/6.

3) Citrus Courier 

Ranking in the top five of our Bilgewater follower list, Citrus Courier is a sleeper that has huge potential in the upcoming LoR meta. Equipped with the Plunder keyword, he can heal all allies and your Nexus for three while also forcing Rally. He may be a tad high on the mana cost side but his abilities more than make up for it. 

2) Claws of the Dragon

In conjunction with spell-heavy decks, Claws of the Dragon is a must-include card. She summons at Instant speed anytime two or more spells have been cast during that turn. Claws of the Dragon is a 3/2, able to inflict a decent amount of damage or chump block a large number of attacking units. 

1) Loyal Badgerbear

Summoned by Grizzled Ranger as a Last Breath effect or placed into a deck build on its own, Loyal Badgerbear is the Elnuk of the Rising Tides expansion. As a 4/4 unit that can be played on turn three, Loyal Badgerbear fits into any LoR archetype playing the Demacian region.