Meta Snapshot: Kennen and Master Yi set the early Vendetta pace

Kennen, Heart of the Tempest

Kennen has the strongest early Vendetta case. It won the Runes League Invitational Qualifier, finished third at NovaRiftbound, and placed four decks across the two Top 8s. Five Kennen decks also reached NovaRiftbound's Top 32, so the result is supported by both a win and field depth.

Master Yi, Wuju Bladesman

Master Yi put two decks into the Runes League Top 8 and another into NovaRiftbound's Top 8. It also added ninth- and eighteenth-place finishes at NovaRiftbound, giving Yi the most convincing repeat performance behind Kennen.

Ezreal, Prodigal Explorer

Ezreal reached both Top 8s, finishing fourth at NovaRiftbound and eighth at Runes League. Tenth and twenty-ninth at NovaRiftbound add depth, but Kennen and Master Yi placed more decks at the very top.

Irelia, Blade Dancer

Irelia placed sixth, thirteenth, seventeenth, and twentieth at NovaRiftbound. That is the deepest cluster near the top of the larger published field, although Irelia did not reach the Runes League Top 8.

Rengar, Pridestalker

Rengar finished sixth at Runes League and added twenty-fourth and thirty-first at NovaRiftbound. The repeated results support an A-tier position, even without a final-table finish.

Azir, Emperor of the Sands

Azir won NovaRiftbound's TCGArena Online $2K Showdown #3. That win establishes a high ceiling, but Azir's early Vendetta results come mostly from that one finish, and it did not reach the Runes League Top 8.

Kai'Sa, Daughter of the Void

Kai'Sa finished second at NovaRiftbound. The final is strong enough for A tier, but Kai'Sa did not repeat the finish in the Runes League Top 8 and has less supporting depth than the decks above it.

Nasus, Curator of the Sands

Nasus finished second at the Runes League Invitational Qualifier. It stays at the bottom of A tier because it did not reach NovaRiftbound's Top 32, so the current case rests mostly on one excellent run.

Rek'Sai, Void Burrower

Rek'Sai finished seventh at NovaRiftbound, proving it can reach a Top 8 in Vendetta. It did not add a second high finish at Runes League, which keeps it below the A-tier decks with stronger repeat results.

Viktor, Herald of the Arcane

Viktor finished eighth at NovaRiftbound. That Top 8 earns a competitive B-tier position, but there are not yet enough repeated strong finishes to move it higher.

Lillia, Bashful Bloom

Lillia placed fourteenth, twenty-first, and twenty-eighth at NovaRiftbound. Three Top 32 finishes show more depth than most of B tier, but none reached either event's Top 8.

Pyke, Bloodharbor Ripper

Pyke finished twelfth at NovaRiftbound. The result shows that the deck can compete near the top.

Akali, Rogue Assassin

Akali finished fifteenth at NovaRiftbound. That puts the Legend in the competitive middle of the early field.

Annie, Dark Child

Annie finished sixteenth at NovaRiftbound. The result supports B tier, but Annie did not place another deck in the published upper field or the Runes League Top 8.

Jayce, Defender of Tomorrow

Jayce's best NovaRiftbound finish was twenty-third, and it did not reach the Runes League Top 8. The archetype remains relevant.

Shen, Eye of Twilight

Shen finished twenty-sixth and thirtieth at NovaRiftbound. Two Top 32 decks show a playable foundation, but neither converted into a Top 16 or appeared in the Runes League Top 8.

Draven, Glorious Executioner

Draven's best finish across these two events was twenty-seventh at NovaRiftbound. Other local results remain useful context, but the results from these two events put Draven in C tier for now.

Sett, The Boss

Sett took the final Top 32 position at NovaRiftbound and did not reach the Runes League Top 8. That is enough to stay above the long-shot group, but not enough for B tier.

Kha'Zix, Voidreaver

Kha'Zix did not reach the published Top 32 at NovaRiftbound or the Runes League Top 8.

Ornn, Fire Below the Mountain

Ornn did not reach the published Top 32 at NovaRiftbound or the Runes League Top 8. The deck needs a stronger tournament result before moving out of D tier.

Miss Fortune, Bounty Hunter

Miss Fortune did not reach the published Top 32 at NovaRiftbound or the Runes League Top 8. Current Aurora experimentation has not yet translated into a finish at either event.

Diana, Scorn of the Moon

Diana entered Vendetta with a strong Unleashed record, but did not reach the published Top 32 at NovaRiftbound or the Runes League Top 8. This tier reflects early Vendetta results rather than Diana's previous-set results.

Mel, Soul's Reflection

Mel did not reach the published Top 32 at NovaRiftbound or the Runes League Top 8. The available lists are still developing without a high finish to anchor them.

Zed, Master of Shadows

Zed did not reach the published Top 32 at NovaRiftbound or the Runes League Top 8. Promising individual lists have not yet produced the tournament results needed for a higher tier.

Fiora, Grand Duelist

Fiora did not reach the published Top 32 at NovaRiftbound or the Runes League Top 8. The current Vendetta builds need a stronger tournament finish before the Legend can move higher.

Lux, Lady of Luminosity

Lux did not reach the published Top 32 at NovaRiftbound or the Runes League Top 8. The early Vendetta results have not reproduced Lux's stronger finishes from the previous format.

Sivir, Battle Mistress

Sivir did not reach the published Top 32 at NovaRiftbound or the Runes League Top 8. Aurora remains a live strategy.

Vex, Gloomist

Vex did not reach the published Top 32 at NovaRiftbound or the Runes League Top 8. Control builds need more time and stronger results in the Vendetta field.

Ivern, Green Father

Ivern did not reach the published Top 32 at NovaRiftbound or the Runes League Top 8.