Sydney Regional Qualifier Breakdown — Hextech Analytics

Sydney did not crown Sivir. It crowned Irelia. EDG Rico1997 won the 1,405-player Regional Qualifier with Calm/Chaos Irelia at 14-1-1, beating TSS SouledOut's Body/Chaos Sivir run to the top of the standings. That correction changes the conclusion: Sydney was not an Aurora takeover. Early pressure backed by low-cost disruption defined the event, with one very loud Aurora finalist.

1,405

Players

14-1-1

Champion's record

4 of 8

Pressure decks in the Top 8

53.1%

Slower unit-focused decks, two Top 8s

The clearest takeaway

The Top 8 split was two Irelia, two Diana, one Sivir, one Vex, one Teemo, and one Leblanc. That is not a solved format, but it is not random either. Four of the eight slots belonged to fast pressure decks with low-cost disruption, including first, third, fifth, and eighth. The best decks were the ones that could develop pressure without letting Aurora, Hook, or slower, unit-focused decks take a free turn.

Sivir still deserves respect. TSS SouledOut finished second at 14-2-0 with a $380.87 Body/Chaos list built around Dazzling Aurora and Catalyst of Aeons. That result keeps Dazzling Aurora in the center of every testing session. It does not prove that Aurora is the whole format. The broadcast desk landed in the same place before the bracket even resolved, with one caster arguing that “Aurora is very, very beatable” because every domain has multiple effective answers to it.

Dazzling Aurora

The second-place run keeps Dazzling Aurora in every serious testing session.

The bigger failure belonged to slower, unit-focused decks. Of the 1,242 decks in the final standings, 660 used that style, or 53.1% of the field, but only two reached the Top 8. Faster pressure decks accounted for 272 decks, or 21.9% of the field, and four Top 8 finishes. That is the part players should not shrug off.

Top 8 decklists

1st · 14-1-1

EDG Rico1997

Irelia, Blade Dancer

CalmChaosPressure + disruption

Won the event with the style Sydney rewarded most: attack early and use low-cost cards to disrupt opposing plays.

1stEDG Rico1997's Irelia, Blade DancerView decklist

1st place · 14-1-1

Main deck (40 incl. chosen champion)

Riftbound Unit: Scuttle Crab. (Units with 0 [S] can conquer and hold.)
When you play me, draw 1.
[Deathknell][>] Choose an opponent. They reveal their hand. You can look at their facedown cards this turn. Gain 1 XP. (When I die, get the effects.) — Scuttle Crab

Riftbound Unit: Tideturner. [Hidden] (Hide now for [A] to react with later for [0].)
When you play me, you may choose a unit you control at another location. Move me to its location and it to my original location. — Tideturner

Riftbound Unit: Fizz, Trickster. When you play me, you may play a spell from your trash with Energy cost no more than [3], ignoring its Energy cost. Recycle that spell after you play it. (You must still pay its Power cost.) — Fizz, Trickster

Riftbound Unit: Adaptatron. When I conquer, you may kill a gear. If you do, buff me. (If I don't have a buff, I get a +1 [S] buff.) — Adaptatron

Riftbound Unit: Stellacorn Herder. When I move, draw 1. — Stellacorn Herder

Riftbound Unit: Irelia, Fervent. [Deflect] (Opponents must pay [A] to choose me with a spell or ability.)
When you choose or ready me, give me +1 [S] this turn. — Irelia, Fervent

Riftbound Gear: Guardian Angel. [Equip] [C] ([C]: Attach this to a unit you control.) — Guardian Angel

Riftbound Gear: Boots of Swiftness. [Equip] [C] ([C]: Attach this to a unit you control.) — Boots of Swiftness

Riftbound Spell: En Garde. [Reaction] (Play any time, even before spells and abilities resolve.)
Give a friendly unit +1 [S] this turn, then an additional +1 [S] this turn if it is the only unit you control there. — En Garde

Riftbound Spell: Gust. [Reaction] (Play any time, even before spells and abilities resolve.)
Return a unit at a battlefield with 3 [S] or less to its owner's hand. — Gust

Riftbound Spell: Stacked Deck. [Action] (Play on your turn or in showdowns.)
Look at the top 3 cards of your Main Deck. Put 1 into your hand and recycle the rest. — Stacked Deck

Riftbound Spell: Charm. Move an enemy unit. — Charm

Riftbound Spell: Defy. [Reaction] (Play any time, even before spells and abilities resolve.)
Counter a spell that costs no more than [4] and no more than [A]. — Defy

Riftbound Spell: Defiant Dance. [Reaction] (Play any time, even before spells and abilities resolve.)
Give a unit +2 [S] this turn and another unit -2 [S] this turn. — Defiant Dance

Riftbound Spell: Discipline. [Reaction] (Play any time, even before spells and abilities resolve.)
Give a unit +2 [S] this turn. Draw 1. — Discipline

Riftbound Spell: Not So Fast. [Reaction] (Play any time, even before spells and abilities resolve.)
Counter an enemy spell or ability that chooses a friendly unit or gear. — Not So Fast

Riftbound Spell: Ride the Wind. [Action] (Play on your turn or in showdowns.)
Move a friendly unit and ready it. — Ride the Wind

Riftbound Spell: Star-Crossed. [Reaction] (Play any time, even before spells and abilities resolve.)
Return a friendly unit and an enemy unit to their owners' hands. — Star-Crossed

Runes (12)

Riftbound Rune: Chaos Rune. — Chaos Rune

Battlefields (3)

Riftbound Battlefield: Abandoned Hall. When a player plays a spell, they may give a unit they control here +1 [S] this turn. — Abandoned Hall

Riftbound Battlefield: Sunken Temple. When you conquer here with one or more [Mighty] units, you may pay [1] to draw 1. (A unit is Mighty while it has 5+ [S].) — Sunken Temple

Riftbound Battlefield: Targon's Peak. When you conquer here, ready up to 2 runes at the end of this turn. — Targon's Peak

Sideboard (8)

Riftbound Unit: Disarming Rake. When you play me, you may kill a gear. — Disarming Rake

Riftbound Unit: Vex, Apathetic. [Deflect] (Opponents must pay [A] to choose me with a spell or ability.)
When an opponent plays a unit while I'm at a battlefield, [Stun] it. They can't move it this turn. (It doesn't deal combat damage this turn.) — Vex, Apathetic

Riftbound Unit: Angler Beast. When you play me, return all units with 2 [S] or less to their owners' hands. — Angler Beast

Riftbound Gear: Zhonya's Hourglass. [Hidden] (Hide now for [A] to react with later for [0].)
If a friendly unit would die, kill this instead. Heal that unit, exhaust it, and recall it. (Send it to base. This isn't a move.) — Zhonya's Hourglass

Open in Deck Builder

2nd · 14-2-0

TSS SouledOut

Sivir, Battle Mistress

BodyChaosAurora

The most expensive finals deck and the loudest Aurora result, but not the champion.

2ndTSS SouledOut's Sivir, Battle MistressView decklist

2nd place · 14-2-0

Main deck (40 incl. chosen champion)

Riftbound Unit: Sivir, Mercenary. [Accelerate] (You may pay [1][C] as an additional cost to have me enter ready.)
If you've spent at least [A][A] this turn, I have +2 [S] and [Ganking]. (I can move from battlefield to battlefield.) — Sivir, Mercenary

Riftbound Unit: Mindsplitter. When you play me, choose an opponent. They reveal their hand. Choose a card from it, and they discard that card. — Mindsplitter

Riftbound Unit: Elder Dragon. Any amount of your damage is enough to kill enemy units.
When you play me, choose up to one enemy unit at each location. Deal 1 to them. — Elder Dragon

Riftbound Gear: Scryer's Bloom. This enters exhausted.
Kill this, [1], [T]: [Predict 2], then draw 1. Gain 1 XP. (To Predict 2, look at the top two cards of your Main Deck. Recycle any of them and put the rest back in any order.) — Scryer's Bloom

Riftbound Gear: Pack of Wonders. [E]: Return another friendly gear, unit, or facedown card to its owner's hand. — Pack of Wonders

Riftbound Gear: Treasure Trove. When this leaves the board, draw 1 and channel 1 rune exhausted.
[C], [T]: Kill this. — Treasure Trove

Riftbound Gear: Last Rites. [Equip] — [C], Recycle 2 cards from your trash (Pay the cost: Attach this to a unit you control.) — Last Rites

Riftbound Spell: Flurry of Blades. [Reaction] (Play any time, even before spells and abilities resolve.)
Deal 1 to all units at battlefields. — Flurry of Blades

Riftbound Spell: Sabotage. Choose an opponent. They reveal their hand. Choose a non-unit card from it, and recycle that card. — Sabotage

Riftbound Spell: Disposal Order. [Reaction] (Play any time, even before spells and abilities resolve.)
Choose one —
- Choose up to 3 cards from opponents' trashes. Their owners recycle them.
- Draw 1. — Disposal Order

Riftbound Spell: Mobilize. Channel 1 rune exhausted. If you can't, draw 1. — Mobilize

Riftbound Spell: Lunar Boon. [Reaction] (Play any time, even before spells and abilities resolve.)
Discard 1, then draw 2. — Lunar Boon

Riftbound Spell: Catalyst of Aeons. Channel 2 runes exhausted. If you couldn't channel 2 runes this way, draw 1. — Catalyst of Aeons

Runes (12)

Battlefields (3)

Riftbound Battlefield: Aspirant's Climb. Increase the points needed to win the game by 1. — Aspirant's Climb

Riftbound Battlefield: Forgotten Monument. Players can't score here until their third turn. — Forgotten Monument

Riftbound Battlefield: Sigil of the Storm. When you conquer here, you must recycle one of your runes. (This doesn’t choose anything.) — Sigil of the Storm

Sideboard (8)

Riftbound Unit: Akshan, Mischievous. [Weaponmaster]
You may pay [C][C] as an additional cost to play me.
When you play me, if you paid the additional cost, move an enemy gear to your base. You control it until I leave the board. If it's an Equipment, attach it to me. — Akshan, Mischievous

Riftbound Spell: Challenge. [Action] (Play on your turn or in showdowns.)
Choose a friendly unit and an enemy unit. They deal damage equal to their Mights to each other. — Challenge

Riftbound Spell: Fading Memories. Give a unit at a battlefield or a gear [Temporary]. (Kill it at the start of its controller's Beginning Phase, before scoring.) — Fading Memories

Open in Deck Builder

3rd · 12-2-1

nice boy

Diana, Scorn of the Moon

MindChaosPressure + disruption

Diana offered a different version of the same plan: less concern about games against Irelia, with the same ability to punish slow setups.

3rdnice boy's Diana, Scorn of the MoonView decklist

3rd place · 12-2-1

Main deck (40 incl. chosen champion)

Riftbound Unit: Ravenbloom Student. When you play a spell, give me +1 [S] this turn. — Ravenbloom Student

Riftbound Unit: Diana, Lunari. When a showdown begins here, you may pay [1]. If you do, [Predict], then reveal the top card of your Main Deck. If it's a spell, draw it. (To Predict, look at the top card of your Main Deck. You may recycle it.) — Diana, Lunari

Riftbound Unit: Hwei, Brooding Painter. When I move, draw 1, then discard 1. Then, do the following based on the discarded card's type:
* Spell — Draw 1.
* Gear — Ready up to 2 runes.
* Unit — Give me +3 [S] this turn. — Hwei, Brooding Painter

Riftbound Unit: Vex, Cheerless. While I'm in combat, friendly spells cost [1][A] less to a minimum of [1], and enemy spells cost [1][A] more. — Vex, Cheerless

Riftbound Gear: Frigid Jewel. When you draw your second card each turn, give a friendly unit +2 [S] this turn. — Frigid Jewel

Riftbound Spell: Stupefy. [Reaction] (Play any time, even before spells and abilities resolve.)
Give a unit -1 [S] this turn, to a minimum of 1 [S]. Draw 1. — Stupefy

Riftbound Spell: Flash. [Reaction] (Play any time, even before spells and abilities resolve.)
Move up to 2 friendly units to base. — Flash

Riftbound Spell: Hard Bargain. [Reaction] (Play any time, even before spells and abilities resolve.)
[Repeat] [2] (You may pay the additional cost to repeat this spell's effect.)
Counter a spell unless its controller pays [2]. — Hard Bargain

Riftbound Spell: Smoke Screen. [Reaction] (Play any time, even before spells and abilities resolve.)
Give a unit -4 [S] this turn, to a minimum of 1 [S]. — Smoke Screen

Riftbound Spell: Moonfall. [Action] (Play on your turn or in showdowns.)
Choose a battlefield where you have units. You may move up to one enemy unit to that battlefield. Then give enemy units there -2 [S] this turn. — Moonfall

Runes (12)

Battlefields (3)

Riftbound Battlefield: Ravenbloom Conservatory. When you defend here, reveal the top card of your Main Deck. If it's a spell, put it in your hand. Otherwise, recycle it. — Ravenbloom Conservatory

Sideboard (8)

Riftbound Unit: Baron Nashor. As you play me, add the Baron Pit battlefield token to the board if it's not there already. If you do, I enter there. (It has "Units can move here from anywhere.")
I can't be chosen by enemy spells and abilities.
Other friendly units have +2 [S]. — Baron Nashor

Riftbound Spell: Turn to Dust. Give a gear [Temporary]. (Kill it at the start of its controller's Beginning Phase, before scoring.) — Turn to Dust

Riftbound Spell: Rebuke. [Action] (Play on your turn or in showdowns.)
Return a unit at a battlefield to its owner's hand. — Rebuke

Riftbound Spell: Singularity. Deal 6 to each of up to two units. — Singularity

Riftbound Spell: Unchecked Power. Exhaust all friendly units, then deal 12 to ALL units at battlefields. — Unchecked Power

Riftbound Spell: Downwell. Return all units and gear to their owners' hands. — Downwell

Open in Deck Builder

4th · 12-2-1

EEP Bonk Repeat

Vex, Gloomist

CalmChaosControl

The real rogue finish. Vex stopped being a novelty once it reached Top 4 in a 1,405-player room.

4thEEP Bonk Repeat's Vex, GloomistView decklist

4th place · 12-2-1

Main deck (40 incl. chosen champion)

Riftbound Unit: Mutated Mouser. [Shield 2] (+2 [S] while I'm a defender.)
[Tank] (I must be assigned combat damage first.) — Mutated Mouser

Riftbound Unit: Evelynn, Entrancing. [Hidden] (Hide now for [A] to react with later for [0].)
[Backline] (I must be assigned combat damage last.)
When you play me from face down on your turn, you may move an enemy unit at a different location to my battlefield. — Evelynn, Entrancing

Riftbound Unit: Teemo, Scout. [Hidden] (Hide now for [A] to react with later for [0].)
When you play me, give me +3 [S] this turn. — Teemo, Scout

Riftbound Unit: Treasure Hunter. When I move, play a Gold gear token exhausted. — Treasure Hunter

Riftbound Unit: Pyke, Returned. [Hidden] (Hide now for [A] to react with later for [0].)
[Backline] (I must be assigned combat damage last.)
Once each turn, when an enemy unit dies while I'm at a battlefield, play a Gold gear token exhausted. (It has "[Reaction][>] Kill this, [T]: [Add] [A].") — Pyke, Returned

Riftbound Unit: Ember Monk. When you play a card from [Hidden], give me +2 [S] this turn. — Ember Monk

Riftbound Unit: Sona, Harmonious. At the end of your turn, if I'm at a battlefield, ready up to 4 friendly runes. — Sona, Harmonious

Riftbound Unit: Kha'Zix, Mutating Horror. [Ambush] (You may play me as a [Reaction] to a battlefield where you have units.)
When I attack or defend, if an enemy unit is alone here, give me +2 [S] this turn and gain 2 XP. — Kha'Zix, Mutating Horror

Riftbound Gear: Edge of Night. [Hidden] (Hide now for [A] to react with later for [0].)
When you play this from face down, attach it to a unit you control (here).
[Equip] [C] ([C]: Attach this to a unit you control.) — Edge of Night

Riftbound Spell: Existential Dread. [Action] (Play on your turn or in showdowns.)
[Repeat] [2] (You may pay the additional cost to repeat this spell's effect.)
[Stun] an attacking enemy unit. If it's already stunned, return it to its owner's hand instead. (A stunned unit doesn't deal combat damage this turn.) — Existential Dread

Riftbound Spell: Emperor's Divide. [Hidden] (Hide now for [A] to react with later for [0].)
[Action] (Play on your turn or in showdowns.)
Move any number of friendly units at a battlefield to their base. — Emperor's Divide

Riftbound Spell: Switcheroo. [Hidden] (Hide now for [A] to react with later for [0].)
[Action] (Play on your turn or in showdowns.)
Swap the Might of two units at the same battlefield this turn. — Switcheroo

Riftbound Spell: Back Off. [Hidden] (Hide now for [A] to react with later for [0].)
[Action] (Play on your turn or in showdowns.)
[Stun] a unit. (It doesn't deal combat damage this turn.)
If you played this from your hand, draw 1. — Back Off

Runes (12)

Battlefields (3)

Riftbound Battlefield: Bandle Tree. You may hide an additional card here. — Bandle Tree

Riftbound Battlefield: Star Spring. The first time a player plays a non-token unit here each turn, they may move another unit they control here to its base. — Star Spring

Riftbound Battlefield: Startipped Peak. When you hold here, you may channel 1 rune exhausted. — Startipped Peak

Sideboard (8)

Riftbound Spell: Abandon. [Reaction] (Play any time, even before spells and abilities resolve.)
Counter a spell. Return it to its owner's hand instead of putting it in their trash.
[Predict]. (Look at the top card of your Main Deck. You may recycle it.) — Abandon

Open in Deck Builder

5th · 11-2-1

Ghosterdriver

Irelia, Blade Dancer

CalmChaosPressure + disruption

Second Irelia in the Top 8. That matters more than the trophy by itself.

5thGhosterdriver's Irelia, Blade DancerView decklist

5th place · 11-2-1

Main deck (40 incl. chosen champion)

Riftbound Unit: Lonely Poro. [Deathknell] — If I died alone, draw 1. (When I die, get the effect. I'm alone if there are no other friendly units here.) — Lonely Poro

Riftbound Unit: Sneaky Deckhand. You may play me to an open battlefield. — Sneaky Deckhand

Runes (12)

Battlefields (3)

Sideboard (8)

Open in Deck Builder

6th · 11-2-1

AshenOCE

Teemo, Swift Scout

MindChaosSlower unit pressure

The table's surprise result. Teemo was not supposed to be the legend punishing this field.

6thAshenOCE's Teemo, Swift ScoutView decklist

6th place · 11-2-1

Main deck (40 incl. chosen champion)

Riftbound Unit: Windsinger. Hidden (Hide now for [A] to react with later for [0].)
When you play me, you may return another unit at a battlefield with 3 [S] or less to its owner's hand. — Windsinger

Riftbound Unit: Teemo, Strategist. [Hidden] (Hide now for [A] to react with later for [0].)
When I defend, choose an enemy unit here and reveal the top 5 cards of your Main Deck. Deal 1 to that unit for each card with [Hidden] revealed this way, then recycle the revealed cards. — Teemo, Strategist

Riftbound Unit: Nocturne, Horrifying. [Ganking] (I can move from battlefield to battlefield.)
As you look at or reveal me from the top of your deck, you may banish me. If you do, you may play me for [A]. — Nocturne, Horrifying

Riftbound Gear: Sprite Fountain. [Temporary] (Kill this at the start of its controller's Beginning Phase, before scoring.)
When you play this, play a ready 3 [S] Sprite unit token with [Temporary] to your base.
[Deathknell][>] Repeat this gear's play effect. (When this dies, get the effect.) — Sprite Fountain

Riftbound Spell: Guerilla Warfare. Return up to two cards with [Hidden] from your trash to your hand. You can hide cards ignoring costs this turn. — Guerilla Warfare

Riftbound Spell: Bone Skewer. [Hidden] (Hide now for [A] to react with later for [0].)
Choose a battlefield. An opponent reveals their hand. You may choose a unit from it. They play that unit to that battlefield, ignoring any and all costs. When they do, [Stun] it. (It doesn't deal combat damage this turn.) — Bone Skewer

Riftbound Spell: Sprite Call. [Hidden] (Hide now for [A] to react with later for [0].)
[Action] (Play on your turn or in showdowns.)
Play a ready 3 [S] Sprite unit token with [Temporary]. (Kill it at the start of its controller's Beginning Phase, before scoring.) — Sprite Call

Riftbound Spell: Consult the Past. [Hidden] (Hide now for [A] to react with later for [0].)
[Reaction] (Play any time, even before spells and abilities resolve.)
Draw 2. — Consult the Past

Runes (12)

Battlefields (3)

Riftbound Battlefield: Grove of the God-Willow. When you hold here, draw 1. — Grove of the God-Willow

Riftbound Battlefield: The Arena's Greatest. At the start of each player's first Beginning Phase, that player gains 1 point. — The Arena's Greatest

Sideboard (8)

Riftbound Unit: Thousand-Tailed Watcher. [Accelerate] (You may pay [1][C] as an additional cost to have me enter ready.)
When you play me, give enemy units -3 [S] this turn, to a minimum of 1 [S]. — Thousand-Tailed Watcher

Open in Deck Builder

7th · 11-3-0

CTCG DZiden

Leblanc, Deceiver

MindOrderHook

Hook stopped being a regional curiosity. Sydney made it a deck players everywhere need to test against.

7thCTCG DZiden's Leblanc, DeceiverView decklist

7th place · 11-3-0

Main deck (40 incl. chosen champion)

Riftbound Unit: Watchful Sentry. [Deathknell] — Draw 1. (When I die, get the effect.) — Watchful Sentry

Riftbound Unit: Soaring Scout. [Deathknell] — Channel 1 rune exhausted. (When I die, get the effect.) — Soaring Scout

Riftbound Unit: Black Rose Dignitary. [Assault] (+1 [S] while I'm an attacker.)
[Deathknell][>] Channel 1 rune exhausted. (When I die, get the effect.) — Black Rose Dignitary

Riftbound Unit: Galio, Indefatigable. [Deflect] (Opponents must pay [A] to choose me with a spell or ability.)
[Tank] (I must be assigned combat damage first.)
I don't deal combat damage. — Galio, Indefatigable

Riftbound Unit: Karthus, Eternal. Your [Deathknell] effects trigger an additional time. — Karthus, Eternal

Riftbound Unit: LeBlanc, Fragmented. [Assault] (+1 [S] while I'm an attacker.)
[Deathknell][>] Draw 1. If it's your Beginning Phase, draw 2 instead. (When I die, get the effect.) — LeBlanc, Fragmented

Riftbound Unit: Glasc Mixologist. [Deathknell] — You may play a unit with cost no more than [3] and no more than [A] from your trash, ignoring its cost. (When I die, get the effect.) — Glasc Mixologist

Riftbound Unit: Vi, Peacekeeper. [Ambush] (You may play me as a [Reaction] to a battlefield where you have units.)
When I attack, [Stun] an enemy unit here. (It doesn't deal combat damage this turn.) — Vi, Peacekeeper

Riftbound Unit: Ruined Rex. [Deathknell][>] Deal 4 to an enemy unit. (When I die, get the effect.) — Ruined Rex

Riftbound Unit: Rift Herald. When I move to a battlefield, look at the top 3 cards of your Main Deck. You may reveal a unit from among them and draw it. Recycle the rest.
[Deathknell][>] Play a unit from your hand to your base, ignoring its Energy cost. (When I die, get the effect. You must still pay its Power cost.) — Rift Herald

Riftbound Unit: Harnessed Dragon. When you play me, kill an enemy unit. — Harnessed Dragon

Riftbound Gear: Baited Hook. [1][C], [E]: Kill a friendly unit. Look at the top 5 cards of your Main Deck. You may banish a unit from among them that has Might up to 1 more than the killed unit and play it, ignoring its cost. Then recycle the rest. — Baited Hook

Riftbound Spell: Sacrifice. [Reaction] (Play any time, even before spells and abilities resolve.)
As an additional cost to play this, kill a friendly [Mighty] unit. (A unit is Mighty while it has 5+ [S].)
Draw 2 and channel 1 rune exhausted. — Sacrifice

Riftbound Spell: Hidden Blade. [Hidden] (Hide now for [A] to react with later for [0].)
[Action] (Play on your turn or in showdowns.)
Kill a unit at a battlefield. Its controller draws 2. — Hidden Blade

Riftbound Spell: Mirror Image. Choose a unit. Play a ready Reflection unit token to your base. It becomes a copy of that unit. Give it [Temporary]. (Kill it at the start of its controller's Beginning Phase, before scoring.) — Mirror Image

Runes (12)

Riftbound Rune: Order Rune. — Order Rune

Battlefields (3)

Riftbound Battlefield: Windswept Hillock. Units here have [Ganking]. (They can move from battlefield to battlefield.) — Windswept Hillock

Sideboard (8)

Riftbound Unit: LeBlanc, Everywhere at Once. [Backline] (I must be assigned combat damage last.)
Your [Temporary] effects at my battlefield don't trigger. — LeBlanc, Everywhere at Once

Riftbound Unit: Ashe, Focused. When you play me, choose an opponent. They reveal their hand. Choose a card revealed this way and banish it. When they hold, return it to their hand (even if I'm no longer on the board). — Ashe, Focused

Riftbound Unit: Atakhan. You may kill a friendly unit as an additional cost to play me. If you do, I cost [1] less for each Energy it costs and [Y] less for each Power it costs.
[Ganking] (I can move from battlefield to battlefield.)
When I attack, the defender must kill one of their units here. — Atakhan

Open in Deck Builder

8th · 11-3-0

CTG Alanzq

Diana, Scorn of the Moon

MindChaosPressure + disruption

A second Diana in the Top 8 showed that early pressure backed by low-cost disruption was not limited to Irelia.

8thCTG Alanzq's Diana, Scorn of the MoonView decklist

8th place · 11-3-0

Main deck (40 incl. chosen champion)

Riftbound Unit: Plundering Poro. When I conquer, play a Gold gear token exhausted. — Plundering Poro

Riftbound Spell: Eclipse. [Reaction] (Play any time, even before spells and abilities resolve.)
Give a unit -4 [S] this turn.
[Predict]. (Look at the top card of your Main Deck. You may recycle it.) — Eclipse

Runes (12)

Battlefields (3)

Sideboard (8)

Open in Deck Builder

Placements and records come from the event's published final standings; the full decklists come from the official Sydney's Top Decks article.

What Sydney actually proved

Irelia is still the deck to beat when players are trying to win an event instead of win a spreadsheet. Its plan is flexible: pressure starts early, and low-cost disruption forces opponents to play honestly. Rico's win and Ghosterdriver's fifth-place finish gave Irelia the tournament results every other legend wanted. Rico told the broadcast as much himself before the finals, saying Irelia felt a bit weak into Aurora but very good against every other deck, and when the desk asked about the Sivir matchup he did not dress it up: “I just hate that matchup.” The finish matched the thesis, as the last game turned on Flurry of Blades. The broadcast desk called the counterspell that stopped it the deciding moment.

I just hate that matchup.
EDG Rico1997, asked about the Sivir matchup before the finals

Diana is the other half of that early-disruption problem. Two Diana players in Top 8 means the plan is not tied to one champion's exact card pool. If your deck is weak to cheap Mind/Chaos pressure, you cannot prepare only for Irelia and call it solved. The bracket underlined the point: NiceBoy told the desk his only Swiss loss had been to Rico and that he would rather dodge that Irelia in the bracket, and the semifinals sent him straight into it.

Every competitive player now needs to test against Leblanc Hook. CTCG DZiden's seventh-place finish put a Mind/Order build centered on Baited Hook, Harnessed Dragon, Mirror Image, and Rift Herald on the map for players who had been ignoring its results in China. You do not have to overreact, but you do need practice. The broadcast followed the list through Sunday as the undefeated Leblanc deck and the best performance by that deck style in the field. Its explanation for why the deck works also explains why it belongs in testing: Baited Hook decks play like normal decks most of the time and simply supercharge when the namesake card arrives.

The cards behind Leblanc Hook

Hook decks play like normal decks most of the time and supercharge when this card arrives.

Harnessed Dragon

Mirror Image

Rift Herald

The next event should be less forgiving. Players will come in knowing Irelia won, knowing Sivir almost did, and knowing Hook can compete. The decks that improve are the ones that can answer all three without weakening their own plan.

What I would test next

Start with games between Irelia decks and games against Diana's early disruption. If your deck cannot beat the decks that made up half the Top 8, it is not a tournament deck yet. After that, test against Sivir's Aurora turns and Leblanc Hook's plan for long games. Sydney showed that all four matchups matter.

I would not spend the week trying to reinvent fast Annie decks because Annie missed the Top 8. The better use of time is finding a deck that attacks first, withstands those early pressure turns, and still has a real answer to Aurora. That is the gap Sydney exposed.

See you on the rift,
Shadow