The 12 Most Popular Runeterra Decks Before Patch 2.5

Along with the balance changes and new cosmetics, today's patch notes included a very interesting snapshot of Runeterra's meta.

Quote From Patch Notes

We first explored the idea back in Patch 1.14, to provide context for larger batches of card updates. Check it out for full context on our analysis methodology. The most important things to keep in mind are:

• Snapshot data looks at decks used in Platinum, Diamond, and Masters, across all four of LoR’s regional shards.
• Only “meta-decks” (defined as 3%+ play rate or 50%+ win rate) are represented in the play rates below, but win rates are based on all games played during the time period analyzed.
  • The meta-decks shown below are based off of the 3%+ play rate definition since they’re the decks you’re most likely to encounter, but there are a number of high win rate, low play rate decks that inform our balance decisions as well.
• As a rule of thumb, 55%+ win rate and 15%+ play rate are our normal benchmarks for corrective balance, but we do make adjustments outside of those numbers.

Meta Snapshot for March 10-17, 2021

Interestingly, despite the perception that TF + Fizz was the #1 deck in Runeterra, it was only a little under 11% of Platinum + Diamond + Masters ladder matches for the 2nd week of March. It actually wasn't even the most popular deck -- that accolade went to Trundle Lissandra Control. Another misconception is Shurima's "failure to launch": the new region is represented in 3 out of the 12 meta decks with a 14.6% representation before including off-meta decks, a very respectable result. Meanwhile, Targon was actually tied with Ionia for last place in terms of meta representation, claiming only a single deck with a 4.7% playrate.

Note that 4 of these 12 decks -- TF + Fizz, Fiora + Shen, Zoe + Aphelios, and Solo Fiora -- are being directly nerfed by tomorrow's balance patch. Many of the other decks, such as Lissandra + Trundle Spectral Matron and Renekton + Sejuani Overwhelm, seem like they also owed much of their success to their ability to target many of the aforementioned decks so they may wane in popularity as well. On the other hand, a few of these decks such as Ashe + Sejuani Noxus and Nasus + Kindred Slay seem to have positive winrates despite being generally unfavorable against TF Fizz, so it is possible that that these decks will quickly become oppressive in the upcoming meta.

How does this snapshot compare with your remembrance of the ladder from 2 weeks ago? Were there any decks from this snapshot that you're anxious to try out for yourself? Share with us below!