The Top Decks for Each Landmark (Legends of Runeterra)
The second expansion of Legends of Runeterra’s Call of the Mountain set, Monuments of Power, introduced Landmarks as its signature new mechanic.
Landmarks are a new card type (not counted as spells or units), that stay on the board (taking a unit’s spot) and have repeated effects each round.
The Landmarks were spread across the different regions with all but Ionia and Demacia receiving one.
In this article, our Glimpse Beyond experts, NicMakesPlays and Rattlingbones, cover the best decks for each of the Landmarks thus far.
Star Spring (Targon): Tahm Soraka
Deck code: CEBQIAYGAQDQQDYGAMESGLJTGQ3TYAICAYCQCAQDBEJVKAYBAMDASAIDBECQCAQGDM
[See Tahm Raka deck details]
Star Spring actually makes or breaks this deck. It essentially grants insane value for its 2 mana cost by healing units turn after turn. Not only are we healing our units and trading up every turn, but we also have an insane alternate win condition.
Not only does it help work towards having a leveled up Soraka, but we’re also guaranteed draws every turn so long as leveled Soraka stays on the board.
As for Tahm Kench, we’re taking damage every time we eat up a unit. Healing 1 every turn gives him endless sustain and consistent board removals.
For an in-depth look at how to play this deck, check out Kuvira’s Tahm Raka guide.
Vaults of Helia (Shadow Isles): Tryndamere Anivia
Deck code: CEBAOAIBAMDQWGBHFEZAGAIFCQOSQAQDAECRSIJLAEBQKCIBAIAQKAIP
[See Vaults of Helia Trynamdere/Anivia deck details]
Vaults of Helia is an interesting card with many different deckbuilding options. A clear synergy it has is the combo of Anivia → Rekindler → Tryndamere → Ledros.
This combo is extremely powerful because when Anivia is destroyed by Vaults of Helia to summon Rekindler, she becomes an Egg (a potential blocker) and can revive later.
Rekindler will then summon another Anivia to hold down the fort (which if destroyed, gets us another Egg). Once we’re able to utilize Vaults of Helia to get this combo going, we’ll be in a favorable position. After all, Anivia’s are always painful to deal with.
It doesn’t even end there, however. We’re able to always destroy our Rekindler to then summon a Tryndamere (another annoying unit to deal with) and finally ending with Ledros. We all know how easy it is for a Ledros to steal a game.
The Howling Abyss (Freljord): SI Freljord
Deck code: CEBQIAIFAEOSQKYFAEAQCAYLCQZAGAYBAIDASAQBAMCQQAIBAUHQA
[See SI Freljord Howling Abyss deck details]
Trundle SI decks have been strong for quite some time so it has become a good home for The Howling Abyss. It really comes down to this:
- Shadow Isles has the best late game removals
- Shadow Isles has the best late game unit in the game (Commander Ledros)
- Shadow Isles has the best finishers in the game (Atrocity)
- Frejlord has the best tools for ramping up (Warding Stones, Catalyst of Aeons, etc.)
- Frejlord also has the best tools for slowing games down (Harsh Winds, Flash Freeze, Avalanche, etc.)
- Frejlord also has the best mid game stabilizing champion in the game (Trundle)
Given the control tools alongside the inevitability of late game cards in SI, decks like Trundle Ledros Control and Warmother had become increasingly popular. Then, of course, we got The Howling Abyss.
Howling Abyss allows us to remove some of the suboptimal cards in Trundle Ledros Control & Warmother for essentially more control tools while still generating threats.
You don’t have to play multiple copies of Ledros, Alpha Wild Claw, Hearthguard, Revitalizing Roar, and suboptimal removals. Instead, we can play cards like Troll Chants, Crumble, Kindly Tavern Keeper, etc.
University of Piltover (Piltover and Zaun): Jinx Draven
Deck code: CEBQEAYEAEJAKAIDA4KCGJZXAUAQIDA4E4UC2AQBAECACAIBAMEQA
[See University of Piltover Jinx Draven]
The University of Piltover allows Jinx to have her level 2 effect go off every turn for a guaranteed rocket while also adding 3 random Fleeting cards to your hand.
Since Round Start is before you draw, University of Piltover discards your hand and you get a Rocket, then you get three random fleeting cards to your hand and draw a card.
This adds an extra element to the Draven Jinx deck because you have access to cards that aren’t normally in your deck or regions that your opponent has to deal with each turn.
Noxykrayan Arena (Noxus): Frostbite Ashe Sej
Deck code: CEBQMAIBBMLB4JRJGABQCAYED4QQCAYDAQBAGAIBAEDREAIBAM2QEAIBAEVACAQBAI
[See Noxykrayan Frostbite Arena deck details]
Noxkraya Arena has good synergy with the already solid Ashe Sej deck. In combination with Frostbite from spells and Ashe attack turns, Noxkraya Arena becomes free removal.
Once you get field control with Noxkraya Arena it gives a lot of tempo because all of your opponent’s cards are being removed at Round End when they are trying to come back into the game.
Some Ashe Sej decks also run Troll Chant to manipulate the unit that gets targeted by Noxykraya Arena to start putting the game in your favor.
The Slaughter Docks (Bilgewater): Deep
Deck code: CECAKAQGE4WC6NJYAMBAKBYIBIBACBI5FAAQGBQBAEBQEBQFDUSQCAICAYPA
[See Slaughter Docks Deep deck details]
Slaughter Docks is an amazing new addition to the Deep archetype and makes the deck much stronger overall. Slaughter Docks lets the deck go Deep early on more consistently, and also summons Sea Creature for 3 mana when you have gone Deep (in exchange for its destruction).
One perk of this card is that it allows you to run extra “copies” of cards like Terror of the Tides and Shipwreck Hoarder without having to main deck them (since you can get them off of The Slaughter Docks).
Traditionally, Deep doesn’t main deck Terror of the Tides but it is a powerful Sea Monster that can be summoned for 3 mana off of Slaughter Docks instead of being stuck in your hand because of its high cost. Overall, The Slaughter Docks really rounds out and revitalizes the Deep deck that debuted in the Rising Tides.
If you want to try out this deck, check out Siverfuse’s in-depth Slaughter Docks Deep guide.
Thanks for reading! If you have any questions, feel free to ask NicMakesPlays during his streams (usually 6PM-1230AM EST).
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