Best Vendetta Pre-Rift Legends and Cards for deck building ideas

With the Vendetta Pre-Rifts available for the next week, we thought we’d take a look at the best cards, legends and some deck-building ideas to help you get the most out of your decks in Pre-Rift. Again, with the Sealed format, it offers a very different take on the game, with most cross-set cards not viable. It drastically changes how good certain decks and styles can be, which means knowing what works well standalone certainly matters a lot. So, here’s a look at all legends, deck-building ideas and general strength evaluations heading into the events. 

Note, this guide advises some rules. They are worth knowing, especially when it comes to the bad legends at the bottom of our guide. If you’re not familiar, here’s a quick summary:

You can take 2 rune colors for your deck, with a third one also available to choose for more synergies. You can chose not to run a legend or champion unit, getting an extra draw instead turn 1. That gives you 6 cards in your turn 1 starting hand. You can choose any 3 domains if you don’t run a legend, Best Legend for your Pre-Rifts

In general, some legends and cards synergise most amongst themselves. That sort of reflects the rankings we have for legends on their likelihood of winning a pre-rift event. It’s due to available synergies, and likelihood of packing good things for them through the vendetta card reveals. We have a table of the better choices, and a brief explanation as to why. Further down you can see more deck profiling ideas to use for your legends.

Feel free to look at the quick navigation headers on the right to find the legends and deck ideas if you want to go through this faster.

TiersLegend1Ambessa, Mel, Akali2Shen, Zed, Kennen3Jayce4Renekton, Nasus

Ambessa, Akali, Shen and Mel are likely great legends to find and build around. They’ll have the most synergy with the basic cards they get in the pack, and others you open from spare packs too. The set has a lot of commons with Empower on them, and they directly benefit the top-ranked legends. Or, there’s a loot of toolkit spells to really make the legends work. There’s no defy in sealed, so, expect a lot of counterable spells to be really strong in pre-rifts. There is the Mel signature spell, and if someone packs that. Well… that’s just unlucky for everyone else.

Orange has four Empower commons, there are two in green and purple, at least two in red, and three in yellow and five in blue. The odds are you’ll find something you need for the playstyle or as a third colour option. This is why Ambessa and Mel are favourable going into the Pre-Rifts for the synergies you can establish.

Shen also has synergy with his own units holding battlefield as a duo. There’s many spell tricks to keep them alive that are hard to counter in sealed, making him way more viable to play. Akali is the same, as there’s decent alternative to how you play her in standard within other colors and Sealed options being decent for her.

Kennen and Zed, while decent, don’t have as many tools to start the trash, burn and discard from other sets. So, they take a few extra turns to come online. But make strong mid range assault decks otherwise.

Jayce is an outlier as there’s a lot of options and gears. Just a question if you get enough of them, enough draw, and then support to really bring it all together. Doable, but luck dependent.

Nasus and Renekton also lack strong support in this set, bar a few hard to pack outliers. Given you have 5 packs, odds are slim you get what you want.

Best Cards for Pre-Rift Vendetta and deck building ideas

Below is a table of cards that can give you strong plays regardless of which legend you are playing. Some suit certain legend playstyles better, but if you dip into these colours, these are the cards most likely to be valuable to your combos, synergies and game-closing options. 

ColorsBest cardsBlueMel – Newly Awakened, Shock Blast, Covert Informant, Cloud Drake, Questionable Tome, Dredge, Apprentice Mage, Nasus – Guardian of the SandsGreenNasus – Ascended, Astral Heron, Akali – Silent, Twilight Shroud, Serene Ascentic, Riven, Tomb Raider Barbara, OrangeRenekton – Brute, Cataclysmic Duel, Ambessa – The Wolf, Jayce – Hammer in Hand, Onslaught, Rampage, Hextech Disc, Corrupted Dragon,PurpleKennen – Storm of Shurikens, Kharox,  Ocean Drake, Shadow Ordered Disciple, Tail-Cloaked Matriarch, Wind and Ghosts, Mel – Defiant Soul, Illaoi, Zed – Without a Sound, Up From The DeepRedAkali – Deadly Weapon, Zed – From the Shadows, Endless RIches, Pendulum Blade, Ruthless Strike, Perfect Execution, Twilight Reveler, Renekton – Rage Fueled, Eclipse DragonYellowAmbessa – Respected and Feared, Kayle, Ki Barrier, Kennen – Keeper of Balance, Dragon Form, Lacerate  Ambessa Deck Building Legend, Ambessa, Overnumbered Art. When you empower something else, empowerr me. Disempower me, recycle a power, exhaust, ready a unit. Reveal via Game Informer. Ambessa, Respected and Feared. Champion Unit, cost 5, power 5. Empower 1. Empowered: Assault 2; when Ambessa attacks, kill an enemy unit here with less power. Ambessa, The Wolf. Champion Unit, cost 4, power 4. Empower 3. Empowered: +3 power, can't be dealt damage unless in combat. Kayle, Justified — Champion Unit, Kayle, Mount Targon. Energy cost 3, Might 3, gold power rune. Effects: Empower 3 (3: Empower me). I can be Empowered up to three times. I have +2 Might for each time I'm Empowered. While I'm Empowered three times, I have Deflect 3 and Ganking. Guttural Roar — Spell. Energy cost 2, orange power rune. Effects: Action (play on your turn or in showdowns). Give a unit +2 Might this turn; if it's Empowered, give it +4 Might this turn instead. Flavour text: 'The Butcher of the Sands is not known for his patience. 3 cost spell. As you play this, you may pay one body power as an additional cost. Choose firendly unit and an enemy unit. If you paid the additional cost, give the friendly unit +2 Might this turn. They deal damage equal to their Mights to each other. Reveal via IreneRAWR

Ambessa is a good option, as Yellow has plenty of options. Noxian Emissary is great as fodder for your Escaped Greyback, either by killing it or using its Empowered Deathknell to recruit more units. Legion Marauder is also a strong three-of if you can get them, as they can freely Empower with the new Empowered reduction Battlefield.

You’ll likely get Orange Ambessa in your deck, which pairs well with Guttural Roar and Rampage. If you manage to get Kayle or Aurok General, they are also great as they essentially become unstoppable Might-wise with limited spell or bounce effects in Sealed. Aurok is also incredibly good for making your weaker Empowered units much stronger.

If you need another colour for Empower synergy, consider going Blue. Covert Informant is amazing to Empower, ready with the Ambessa legend, then move for a free draw.

Akali Deck Building Akali, Rogue Assassin — Legend, Akali. Two power icons top left (red and green). Effect: Empower 3 + power icon. Action, ready icon: If it's your turn, move a friendly unit in a showdown to base and if I'm Empowered, ready it. Akali, Deadly Weapon. Champion Unit, cost 3, power 3. Empower 2. When Akali moves: deal 1 damage to a unit at the battlefield moved to or from, or 2 if Empowered. Image via Riot Games Akali, Silent — Champion Unit, Akali, Ionia. Energy cost 4, Might 4, green power rune. Effects: I can't be chosen by enemy spells and abilities unless I'm in combat. When I move to a battlefield, give me +2 power this turn. Flavour text: 'Skill and steel will get the job done.' Twilight Shroud. Spell, cost 1. Give a friendly unit +1 power this turn; it can't be chosen by enemy spells and abilities this turn. Flow 2. Image via Riot Games Perfect Execution. Spell, cost 3. Ready a unit and give it Assault 3 this turn. Flow 3.

Akali being green and red wants to move a lot. She wants to safely destroy things with Red Akali’s damage modifiers. There are gears for that, alongside assault and untargetable effects too, making her similar to an Irelia for Pre-Rift.

You also get decent Flow tricks to keep her alive even with limited raw card options. Consider going Blue if you need more filtering, using your Empowered legend to move Covert Informant to draw, then tapping your legend to move her back to base and ready it, essentially becoming Blue Stellacorn.

For the general playstyle, Red Akali wants to move to a Battlefield, legend exhaust to move her out, then move in again. That’s six Might that only Ki Barrier can really counter, meaning something will likely die very safely.

Mel Deck Building Soul's Reflection, Mel Legend Overnumbered card. When you empower something else: empower Mel. Disempower Mel, exhaust: give a unit at a battlefield -2 power this turn. Reveal via Drew Facett Mel, Defiant Soul (Alt Art). Champion Unit, cost 5, Might 4. Empower: discard a spell. When Mel becomes Empowered: banish an enemy unit at a battlefield with 3 Might or less. Mel, Newly Awakened. Champion Unit, cost 4, power 5. When played: draw a card. Empowered: your spells and abilities can't be countered; if a spell or ability you choose gives -X to a unit, it gives an additional -1. Image via Riot Games Reveal via Garagem do Nerd TV Questionable Tome. Gear, cost 3. Empower: exhaust to pay the cost. Disempower this, pay 1, exhaust: draw 1 Reveal via Housesarebig Cloud Drake. Unit, cost 6, power 5. When played: draw 1.

Mel is similar to Zed and Kennen, as she wants to discard things to Empower her Chaos champion unit. Empowering her Empowers her legend, which then hits something with -2 Might. It’s an early way to kill low-cost units and benefit from Flow or bringing units back with Shadows of the Past. Given Mel banishes units with three Might or less, it’s a quick early board clear against Shen, Akali, Ambessa and other such legends.

After that, you mainly want Empowered cards. Blue has five, so there’s plenty to work with. She has incredible draw power through Covert Informant, Apprentice Mage and Questionable Tome. You’re likely relying on Cloud Drakes and hopefully an Ocean Drake to clutch games later. If not, go Yellow and Orange for their Empowers and stronger late-game units depending on your pulls. Kayle will be great here.

Shen Deck Building Shen, Scourge of Shadows — Champion Unit, Shen, Ionia. Energy cost 5, Might 6, green power rune. Effect: When I hold, if there is exactly one other unit you control here, draw 1. Flavour text: 'You're already dead. You just haven't caught up yet.' Disciple of Shen — Unit, Ionia. Energy cost 2, Might 1, gold power rune. Effects: Hidden (hide now for a power icon to react with later for 0). I have Shield 3 while I'm at a battlefield with exactly one other unit you control (+3 Might while I'm a defender). Flavour text: 'Even twilight itself takes on an apprentice or two.' Shen, Leader of the Kinkou Order. Champion Unit, cost 6, Might 7. Shield: +1 power while defending. When Shen holds: if there is exactly one other unit you control here, score 1 point. Reveal via Katchouze Eye of Twilight, Shen Legend card. Action: exhaust to give a friendly unit Tank this turn. Reveal via Marshall / Riftbound Report Ki Barrier. Spell, cost 2. Reaction: choose a unit, prevent the next 7 damage that would be dealt to it this turn. Dragon Form — Spell. Energy cost 3, gold power rune. Effects: Choose a unit. Its base Might becomes 5 this turn. Flow 3 (you may play this from your trash for its Flow cost, then banish it). Flavour text: 'The Dragon spirit is not magic. It is life, more ancient than ours.' —Lee Sin.

Shen’s core cards will include Green Shen, who wants to hold with one other unit to draw one card per turn. There’s synergy there with making him a tank, running plenty of damage prevention spells, and pairing with Disciple of Shen for a strong shield buff.

There’s also Keeper of Law to ramp your units at base if you can keep them alive, Soul Spinner to surprise opponents and get a unit onto the Battlefield, and Ki Barrier as a great uncommon for preventing seven damage. Green also has Crumbling Sands, the only counterspell in the set.

Dragon Form is also very strong. Use it to surprise a unit up to five base Might, throw that on a weaker shield card and that’s likely five plus shield and tank, easily protecting your Shen for drawing. If you get Yellow Shen, that’s likely a free point to score with too.

Zed and Kennen Heart of the Tempest, Kennen Legend card (overnumber). When you play a card from anywhere other than your hand: empower Kennen. Action: disempower to give a unit Assault 2 this turn. Kennen, Keeper of Balance. Champion Unit, cost 3, Might 2. Hidden. When played or when Kennen attacks: may pay 2 to Stun a unit. While there's a stunned enemy unit here: +2 Might. Kennen, Storm of Shuriken — Champion Unit, Kennen, Ionia, Yordle. Energy cost 3, Might 4, purple power rune. Effects: When you play me, Burn 2. When I conquer, give a spell in your trash Flow equal to its cost this turn. Flavour text: 'Time to strike!' Zed, From the Shadows. Champion Unit, cost 4, Might 4. May discard 1 as an additional cost to play Zed. When played, if the additional cost was paid: play a 0-power Shadow Clone unit token. Overnumbered art for Zed Legend. When you banish a card you own: empower Zed. Action: disempower, exhaust, to discard 1 then draw 1. Reveal via IGN Brazil Zed, Without a Sound. Champion Unit, cost 5, power 5. When Zed conquers: play a 0-power Shadow Clone unit token to your base, with Assault 4 and a banish-from-trash ability. Action: pay 1 and exhaust to move Zed and a Shadow Clone to each other's locations. Reveal by ChaiTeaTCG Shadow Order Disciple. Unit, cost 2, power 2. When Shadow Order Disciple moves: may burn 1 to give it +1 power this turn. Image via Riot Games Gust Monk, 2 cost 2 might unit. You may pay 1 energy as an additional cost to play me. When you play me, if you paid the additional cost, banish a card from any trash to give a unit +2 Assault this turn. Reveal via Alanzq. Up from the Deep — Spell. Energy cost 3, blue power rune. Effects: Play two 1-Might Tentacle unit tokens from Bilgewater. Flow 3 (you may play this from your trash for its Flow cost, then banish it). Flavour text: 'The waves will drag you down, unless you fight to shore.' —Illaoi.

Lumping these two together since they’re both looking for the same setup, albeit in different styles.

Purple gives you Up From the Deep for strong replayability token units. Gust Monk works incredibly well with Zed and Kennen to start your discarding and banishing sequences to get your legends operational. Shadow Order Disciple is a core card for both. Any additional card with Flow is a bonus, and a green third colour gives even more Flow options.

The difference is in aggression. Kennen likely plays with Yellow Kennen, which can be played to stun something. Combo that with his assault legend tap and you’re likely going over the board safely. Zed is more mid-range, swapping with assault shadow clones. He can easily clear boards and tactically switch his defenceless clones with the real champion unit, with more spells to back him up. Going Yellow for Ki Barrier to keep him alive is worth considering. Dragon Form is also very good for shadow clones to make them five Might as a surprise, with cheap Flow for banishing too. You could go Blue for Dredge for a cheap draw and banish combo to get your legend draw engine rolling.

The same rules broadly apply to Kennen. He wants to play things out of his Trash rather than hand. Considering Miracle Nocturne isn’t available, he needs to burn and flow. I’d also run Shadows of the Past in case you need to discard units and pull them back.

Jayce Deck Strategies Jayce, Defender of Tomorrow — Legend, Jayce. Two power icons top left (blue and orange). Effects: Empower 2 + two power icons. 1 + ready icon: Ready a gear. Empowered: 1 + ready icon: Ready 2 gear. Jayce, Hammer in Hand. Champion Unit, cost 4, power 5. When Jayce becomes ready: choose one — Assault 2, Deflect 2, or Ganking. Image via Riot Games Jayce, Brilliant Inventor. Champion Unit, cost 6, power 6. When played, or the first time you play a non-token gear each turn: may ready something besides Jayce that's exhausted Reveal via TheGamer. Patched Porobot. Unit Gear, cost 2, power 2. Enters exhausted. When played: if you control 3 or more other gear, draw 1. Image via Riot Games 4 energy 1 body cost. Gear. Empower by exhausting this card. Disempower this, 1 energy and exhaust. Play a 3 Mech unit token to your base. Reveal via Nacktcg. Hextech Formula. Gear, cost 2. Enters exhausted. Exhaust: empower another gear. Reveal via Housesarebig Plaza Guardian — Unit, Piltover, Mech. Energy cost 10, Might 8. Effects: I cost 1 less for each gear you control. Deflect (opponents must pay a power icon to choose me with a spell or ability). Flavour text: 'There was uproar at first, but the community learned to ignore it soon enough.' Questionable Tome. Gear, cost 3. Empower: exhaust to pay the cost. Disempower this, pay 1, exhaust: draw 1 Reveal via Housesarebig 4 cost equipement. Give a unit +2 Might this turn if you exhaust it. If its empowered (empowered costs 2 energy,) give it +4 Might this turn. Reveal via Shack News

Jayce is largely resigned to his gear deck build. Hextech Disc, Hextech Formulae and Questionable Tome are your best friends, giving you a draw engine, a free mech every turn and with Acceleration Gate, even more value. You’ll likely rely on Apprentice Mage to predict and filter cards.

Patched Porobot is a great card for the deck, usable to filter for Skyship. Consider Purple as a colour for Shadows of the Past to keep Porobots coming back after discarding. If you get Plaza Guardian, that’s your late-game option to close things out. A strong early and mid-range, but needs a little extra push to break through late rounds.

If you are running a lot of Blue Empowered units, Tools of Empire from Orange is also very much worth including as a gear to grant +4 Might with Jayce, and do it again for overwhelming Might additions.

Sad Shurimans Butcher of the Sands, Renekton Overnumbered Legend card. Reaction: pay 2 energy symbols, exhaust, to add 2 energy. Spend this energy only to play units or activated abilities of units. Reveal via OuterHaven Renekton, Rage Fueled. Champion Unit, cost 6, power 6. Accelerate: may pay 1 additional cost to have Renekton enter ready. When Renekton attacks: if you control 4 or fewer runes, deal 2 to all enemy units here. Reveal via Solary Renekton, Brute — Champion Unit, Renekton, Shurima. Energy cost 5, Might 4, gold power rune. Effects: 1: Give me +1 Might this turn. When my Might becomes 10 or more, empower me (I become Empowered if I'm not already). Empowered: I have Deflect and Ganking (opponents must pay to choose me with a spell or ability; I can move from battlefield to battlefield). Curator of the Sands, Nasus Legend card (Overnumbered). When you play a unit, gear, or activated ability with Energy cost 7 or more: may exhaust to ready up to 2 runes Reveal via Good Time Society Nasus, Guardian of Knowledge (alt art). Champion Unit, cost 5, Might 6. Once each turn, when an enemy unit here dies: channel 1 rune exhausted. Reveal via Rapsolo Nasus, Ascended. Champion Unit, cost 8. Deflect 2. Empower 0. Empowered: when Nasus conquers, score 1 point. Image via Riot Games

If you are stuck with Renekton, Oasis Raider is a core card and you need as many as you can get. Baccai Witherclaw is good for keeping up the pace. Otherwise pickings are slim for good synergies. Renekton can take advantage of Pendulum Blade and Ruthless Strike though, which helps provide cleaner early aggro to bridge him to whatever big cards are available in your pulls.

Nasus has no strong direct support outside of Epics like Astral Heron, making them rare to find. There’s only really Sandstone Chimera that synergises with him. Avoid completely for Pre-Rift as your legend choice and opt to draw one extra card instead. If you do pack both of them though, it’s potentially playable.

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