Meta Snapshot: Kennen leads our day 0 Radiance tier list

Kennen's Legend empowers itself whenever its player plays a card from somewhere other than the hand, and Radiance hands that engine Trifarian Captain. Captain looks at the top four cards for a cheap unit or gear, which covers many of Kennen's units, and Tail-Cloaked Matriarch can replay Captain from the trash to empower the Legend and dig again. Bedeviling Stranger, a Hidden unit, also empowers the Legend when played from face down. Kennen stays ahead of Riven because its card flow can now feed itself, while Riven's Legend does nothing until its player controls a battlefield.

Riven's Legend makes units played to a battlefield its player controls enter ready, so Bedeviling Stranger can be exhausted right away to pay Blade of the Exile's Equip cost. Riven, Broken Blade rewards becoming exhausted by buffing itself, spending a buff to stun an enemy unit, or spending it to ready itself. Riven shares Irelia's staples like Defy and Tideturner, but its units played to a controlled battlefield enter ready without the Power payment and Legend exhaust that Irelia needs for each ready, which puts it ahead. Kennen stays above because its engine needs no controlled battlefield.

Irelia's Legend can exhaust and pay one Power to ready a chosen friendly unit, which suits Battle Preparations. It is a Reaction that can give a friendly unit +2 Might, which triggers the Legend, and showing off a gear like Boots of Swiftness readies up to two runes. Irelia, Fervent also gains Might whenever its player chooses or readies it. Hunker Down adds another ready that draws a card. Irelia sits behind Riven because each ready from its Legend costs a Power, but it edges Vex because it can press a contested battlefield instead of waiting to hold one.

Vex draws when its player holds a battlefield, and Radiance adds two cards that suit a deck built around controlling battlefields. The Good Stuff deploys to a battlefield to discard one and draw three, then returns to hand whenever Vex's player holds there. Bandle Scouts' Academy makes a Gold for each card hidden there, which suits a deck that already hides Tideturner and can add Bedeviling Stranger. Vex trails Irelia because its rewards begin only after it secures a battlefield, but it sits above LeBlanc because Apathetic and its defenders protect the battlefield that feeds them.

LeBlanc turns deaths into value, with Karthus, Eternal making Deathknells trigger twice and the Legend's temporary copies dying to trigger them again. Trifarian Captain finds the cheap units that engine wants, and because Captain is a cheap unit, Glasc Mixologist's Deathknell can replay it to dig again. Mournful Spirit adds a Deathknell that can kill a unit or gear at its location, twice with Karthus out. LeBlanc trails Vex because its temporary copies don't necessarily leave a battlefield defended, but it moves above Rengar because its new cards add card selection and removal while Rengar's mostly add combat pumps.

Rengar gives a unit +1 Might whenever its player plays a unit, and its Ambush threats can fight at Reaction speed. Hold 'Em costs two less after its player plays a unit to a battlefield that turn, which Ambush units and Thrill of the Hunt do often, and Elnuk Herd can come down from face down to give a friendly unit +3 without spending Energy. Those cards add redundancy rather than a new angle, so Rengar slips behind LeBlanc. It stays above Kha'Zix because every unit it plays also strengthens the fight, while Kha'Zix needs an isolated enemy first.

Kha'Zix thrives on isolating an enemy unit, since Kha'Zix, Mutating Horror gains +2 Might and XP when it attacks or defends where an enemy unit is alone, and the Legend spends XP on a buff or a retreat to base. Radiance offers Siren's Song, which moves an enemy unit that moved this turn and can strand it alone, along with Hold 'Em as another pump. Neither changes the plan, so Kha'Zix stays behind Rengar, whose every unit play adds Might. It stays above Ornn because one favorable fight can snowball through XP, while Ornn spends more turns assembling carriers.

Ornn's Legend adds Power for gear, and its gear engine draws with Patched Porobot and readies Pit Crew. Radiance adds support: Battle Preparations usually has a gear to show off, Command: Attack looks five cards deep for a gear, and Watchful Curator gives Ornn's gear Deflect. Radiance also brings cheap gear removal, which keeps Ornn below the top tier. Ornn sits behind Kha'Zix because its board takes longer to assemble, but ahead of Master Yi because its gear helps on attack as well as defense, while Yi's Legend helps only a lone defender.

Master Yi gives a friendly unit defending alone +2 Might, and Master Yi, Tempered earns its player XP whenever it conquers or holds, gaining Deflect and Ganking at six XP. Radiance adds cheap protection for that lone defender: Consult the Heavens grants Shield 2 at Reaction speed for one Energy, and Staunch Survivor defends with Shield 2 on top of the Legend's bonus. Yi trails Ornn because its plan rewards defending more than attacking, which leaves much of the scoring to Tempered. It stays above Diana because its defense doesn't depend on a showdown starting at the right battlefield.

Diana's Legend adds Energy that can only be spent during showdowns, and Diana, Lunari digs for a spell when a showdown begins at her battlefield. Kai'Sa, Rebel gives spells Reaction while it is in a showdown, which lets more of the deck use that showdown Energy, and Parallel Convergence can return Tideturner as its cost to deal 5. Diana's spells mostly cost little Power, so Hush rarely reaches them. Diana trails Master Yi because its resources appear only inside showdowns, but it edges Azir because its interaction doesn't rely on Equipment that gear removal can pick off.

Azir's Legend can pay one Energy to make a Sand Soldier on any turn its player plays an Equipment, and Battle Preparations fits because the deck usually has Equipment to show off for its rune refund. Trifarian Captain finds Doran's Shield, Eye of the Herald, and the other cheap Equipment that starts production, and Hunting Blind pulls an enemy unit to a battlefield where Azir's units gain Shield 2. Azir sits behind Diana because each Equipment is gear that new removal can answer, but above Jayce because its cheap Equipment is easier to replace than Jayce's ramp pieces.

Jayce readies Platewyrm Egg through its Legend to ramp toward Elder Dragon and Dazzling Aurora. Primordial Roar deals 10 damage to a unit when it shows off Elder Dragon from hand, and The Empyrean can show off the same Dragon to look four cards deep and draw two. The ramp runs through gear, though, which Radiance's cheap gear removal can answer. Jayce falls behind Azir because losing one ramp piece slows it more, but it stays above Draven because its late game can take over a board that Draven's combat draws might not match.

Draven draws a card whenever its player wins a combat, and Draven, Showboat grows with its player's points. Radiance offers attackers that help in those fights, such as Disposal Expert and Siren of the Shallows with Disarm, along with Brawl, which gives Assault equal to a unit's Might. Hush can counter Falling Star, Rebuke, and Switcheroo, though, which may offset much of the gain. Draven sits behind Jayce because its card flow comes one fight at a time, but ahead of Ezreal because each combat it takes also pushes the board toward points.

Ezreal's Legend draws once its player has chosen enemy units or gear twice in a turn, so cheap targeted spells like Stupefy and Gust make that draw easier to reach. Riptide Mage adds a unit that gives an enemy unit -3 Might when played, and An Offer You Can't Refuse gives another cheap way to choose an enemy gear. Ezreal trails Draven because its draws come from interaction rather than fights that also score, but it sits above Viktor because its cheap interaction can draw on many turns, while Viktor's biggest swings rest on expensive spells.

Viktor builds a board of Recruit tokens through its Legend and Viktor, Leader, then uses Cull the Weak and Imperial Decree to trade or clear. Radiance offers more Recruit makers in Seraphine, Not Alone and Rousing Display, which makes four Recruits when it shows off Thousand-Tailed Watcher. Hush can now counter Imperial Decree and Singularity, which may offset those gains. Viktor trails Ezreal because its strongest swings depend on expensive spells, but it sits above Kai'Sa because its tokens can contest battlefields while Kai'Sa waits for its biggest spells.

Kai'Sa pairs cheap interaction with expensive spells, and its Legend adds Power for spells to pay for Falling Star and Time Warp. Bilgewater Tracker deals 1 to up to two units when played, which answers cheap 1-Might units, and Temporal Breach can replay Tracker to do it again. The Empyrean adds a late threat that shows off Time Warp to look four cards deep and draw two. Kai'Sa trails Viktor because its board develops later, but it climbs above Akali because Tracker and The Empyrean give it an early answer and late card flow.

Akali, Deadly Weapon deals damage whenever it moves, and the Legend can move a unit out of a showdown to base on its player's turn, readying it when empowered. Radiance adds Akali, Brash, which adds one Energy and one Power for its player on its first move each turn and lets its player play the banished top card of the deck after its second move. The Legend moving Brash to base counts as one of those moves. Akali sits behind Kai'Sa because its damage comes in small pieces, but it edges Rek'Sai because its units can escape bad fights.

Rek'Sai goes wide with cheap units and plays cards off the top of the deck through its Legend and Void Rush. Trifarian Captain finds several of its cheap units. Rek'Sai slips because its smallest bodies are more fragile now that cheap effects like Bilgewater Tracker can hit two at once, and Hush can counter Falling Star. It sits behind Akali because its units have fewer ways out of bad trades, but ahead of Fiora because its wide board contests both battlefields earlier.

Fiora's Legend can exhaust to channel a rune when one of its player's units becomes Mighty, and Fiora, Victorious gains Deflect, Ganking, and Shield while it has 5 Might or more. Herald of the Emperor sets a friendly unit's base Might to 5 this turn, turning on both effects, and Mordekaiser, Dominating arrives with 8 Might. Fiora trails Rek'Sai because it needs a pump before its engine starts, but it sits ahead of Nasus because Herald of the Emperor can start its engine for five Energy, while Nasus's Legend needs plays that cost seven Energy or more.

Nasus's Legend can exhaust to ready up to two runes when its player plays a unit, gear, or activated ability costing seven or more, and Radiance adds several cards built for that. Heartening Soul costs seven, so it can trigger the Legend and then ready it, while Sanctum Conservator readies whenever its player plays a card costing seven or more. The Empyrean triggers the Legend too and can show off Time Warp to draw two. Nasus sits behind Fiora because its engine needs a seven-cost play, but above Lucian because those big turns now carry more payoff.

Lucian's Legend gives each Equipment Assault, so cheap Equipment like Long Sword adds extra attacking Might. Nazuman Ntofo adds a one-Energy Equipment with Shield 2, and Hold 'Em offers another pump. Lucian slips because every Equipment is gear, which several cheap Radiance spells can now kill, and Hush can counter Punch First and Falling Star. It sits behind Nasus because its plan loses more to that removal, but ahead of Lillia because its attacks can score before Lillia's temporary tokens build a board.

Lillia's Legend makes temporary 3-Might Sprite tokens, and the ability costs one less for each friendly Temporary unit, so Sprite Fountain and Sprite Burst make it cheaper. Heartening Soul readies the Legend for a second Sprite in the same turn, and Battle Preparations can show off Sprite Fountain for its rune refund. Hush adds counter coverage, but opposing copies can also counter Lilting Lullaby and Unchecked Power. Lillia trails Lucian because its tokens disappear each turn and must be rebuilt, but it stays in this tier ahead of Mel because its board presence doesn't depend on chaining empowers first.

Mel's Legend empowers whenever its player empowers something else, then disempowers to give a unit -2 Might, while Rebuttal counters or steals a cheap spell. Riptide Mage fits that plan with another -3 Might effect, and Mel, Newly Awakened adds one more point of reduction once empowered. Radiance offers no new ways to empower in Mind and Chaos, though, so the engine itself doesn't speed up, and Hush can counter Singularity and Time Warp. Mel stays here because it can control a board once set up, but that setup still takes several pieces.

Mordekaiser's Legend banishes a unit or gear from the trash to add one Power for units or gear, which helps pay for big threats like Harnessed Dragon. Realm of Death gives a friendly unit +2 Might and an enemy -2 before they deal damage to each other, and Trifarian Captain and Forbidden Technique add card selection and a cheap ready. The deck can build a strong board once its trash fills, but its Legend gives little early and its most expensive threats arrive late, so it starts in this tier while its early turns remain slow.

Pyke's Legend returns a friendly unit at a battlefield to hand and makes a Gold, which lets the deck replay units with strong play effects. Bilgewater Tracker is an excellent unit to repeat, since it deals 1 to up to two units each time it is played, and Radiance adds other play effects to recast, such as Suave Negotiator, though its draw also goes to an opponent. Every replay still costs the unit's full Energy, however, so Pyke rises only into this tier.

Orianna's Legend can pay one Energy at the start of its player's Main Phase to turn a friendly gear into a unit with Might equal to its Energy cost. The Ball is a likely target, since it becomes a 5-Might unit with Ganking that draws a card or deals 2 to enemy units at its battlefield each time it moves. Orianna can also borrow Ornn's gear package, such as Sterak's Gage, but its Legend spends Energy where Ornn's adds Power, and The Ball dies when an opponent holds its battlefield, so it starts in this tier.

Jax's Legend attaches or moves Equipment cheaply, and Jax, Unmatched gives every Equipment Quick-Draw. Nazuman Ntofo and Battle Preparations fit that plan when the deck has Equipment to show off, but each Equipment is also gear that Radiance's new removal can answer. Hush can counter Punch First as well. Those changes seem to roughly cancel out, so Jax stays in this tier, where its board depends on keeping Equipment in play long enough to matter.

Zed's Legend empowers whenever its player banishes a card it owns, then disempowers to discard and draw. Radiance adds several new ways to banish: Runeblade Anvil banishes the top card of the deck when it enters and again when it leaves, letting its player play that card; Akali, Brash banishes the top card on its second move each turn; and Ekko, Revolutionary banishes itself to return to base. Those cards lift Zed into this tier, though its payoff remains a discard and draw rather than a direct threat.

K'Sante's Legend can pay one Energy and exhaust to give a friendly unit Assault equal to its Shield for the turn, so its defenders hit harder when they attack. K'Sante, Dauntless doubles the Shield of a friendly unit at its battlefield when it attacks or defends, so an Armored Tusker attacking beside it goes from Shield 3 to 6, which the Legend turns into +6 Might. Ntofo Strikes adds Shield 2 and then deals damage equal to the unit's Shield. The plan needs several pieces at one battlefield, though, so K'Sante starts in the lowest tier.

Ahri's Legend gives an enemy unit -1 Might, to a minimum of 1, when it attacks a battlefield Ahri's player controls, and Ahri, Confident gains +1 Might whenever its player reduces an enemy unit's Might at its battlefield. With Confident there, the Legend alone can power it up whenever an enemy with 2 or more Might attacks. Consult the Heavens adds a cheap Shield trick. Ahri still waits for opponents to attack into it rather than forcing fights, which keeps it in the lowest tier despite the new Champion.

Evelynn's Legend draws once each turn when its player plays a card from face down, discarding as well if it is the opponent's turn. The deck fills up on Hidden cards like Gutter Guardian, which adds one Power when it shows off another Hidden card, and Pyke, Returned, alongside pumps like Hold 'Em. That gives Evelynn steady card flow, but its Hidden threats are mostly mid-sized and the Legend adds no direct pressure, so it starts in the lowest tier without a clear way to close games.

Seraphine's Legend lets its player exhaust it and three friendly units to make a spell cost two less, and Seraphine, Inspiring may draw a card once each turn when its player exhausts three or more friendly units at the same time, as the Legend's cost does. Recruit makers like Encore, Rousing Display, and Seraphine, Not Alone supply the bodies, and High Note gives a unit -1 Might for each exhausted friendly unit. That discount ties up three units, and Viktor already builds Recruit boards in the same domains, so Seraphine starts in the lowest tier.

Wuju Master gives all of its player's units +1 Might at six XP and makes them enter ready at eleven, so the deck depends on gaining XP through cards like Master Yi, Tempered. Radiance adds no new XP sources, leaving the plan unchanged, and Hush can counter Punch First. The deck stays in the lowest tier because it needs several turns of conquering or holding before the Legend does anything.

Vi's Legend readies a unit after a conquest with 3 or more excess damage, so the deck wants overwhelming attackers. Brawl gives a unit Assault equal to its Might, which can create that excess, and Banner of Conquest gives Assault to every friendly unit at its battlefield. Vi's Equipment, like Hextech Gauntlets and Long Sword, is now more exposed to gear removal, though, so Vi stays in the lowest tier.

Teemo's Legend lets its player hide a card for one Energy instead of one Power, and Radiance adds several cards that reward hiding. Bandle Scouts' Academy makes a Gold each time a card is hidden there, and The Waters' Wage makes three ready Gold when played from face down on its player's turn, while Gutter Guardian and Bedeviling Stranger add Hidden bodies. That is a real resource boost, but Teemo's threats remain small, so it moves up within the lowest tier rather than out of it.

Jarvan IV's Legend can exhaust and pay one Power when its player plays a gear with Deploy to move a friendly unit to that battlefield. Jarvan IV, Martial Paragon gives those gear Action and channels a rune when it conquers with a Deploy gear there, and Demacian Standard gives one attacker there +2 Might. Every Deploy gear dies when an opponent holds its battlefield, though, and each move needs a gear in hand, so Jarvan IV starts in the lowest tier.

Renekton's Legend turns two Power into two Energy for units, which helps the deck deploy a fast Fury and Body board. Radiance adds Hold 'Em and Elnuk Herd as pumps, the same tools Rengar gains, but they add redundancy rather than a new angle, and Hush can counter Punch First. Renekton stays in the lowest tier because its Legend offers resources rather than an engine that builds on itself.

Leona's Legend buffs a friendly unit whenever its player stuns an enemy unit, and Radiance adds several new stun sources. Ki Burst stuns for one Energy by exhausting a friendly unit, One-Two Punch buffs a unit and stuns another, triggering the Legend to buff another friendly unit, and Storm Raptor draws when a stunned enemy dies at its battlefield. Those tools make the plan more consistent, but the buffs remain small, so Leona moves up only within the lowest tier.

Jhin's Legend banks spells its player spent four or more Energy on, then channels four runes and draws once four are banked. Supernova and Scorched Earth qualify, but Hush can counter Singularity, Time Warp, and Unchecked Power, which are central to the deck. Jhin stays in the lowest tier because its engine needs four expensive spells banked before it pays off.

Annie's Legend readies up to two runes at the end of its player's turn, which keeps Reactions available on the opponent's turn. Radiance adds nothing specific to that plan, so the deck relies on its existing mix of cheap Fury and Chaos units and tempo spells. Annie stays in the lowest tier because the Legend gives flexibility rather than a way to pull ahead.

Yasuo's Legend moves a friendly unit to or from base, and Yasuo, Windrider scores a point on its third move in a turn. Radiance adds Chaos spells that move a friendly unit, such as Demon Shade and Satchel Charge, which can help Windrider reach that third move. Each of them costs a card, though, so Yasuo stays in the lowest tier because its scoring line still needs several moves in one turn.

Sett's Legend can spend a unit's buff to save it from dying, so the deck wants a steady supply of buffs. Pillaged Armory buffs a friendly unit when played and when its player conquers there, and One-Two Punch buffs a unit while stunning an enemy. Those cards help Sett protect its best attackers, but the deck still needs a buffed unit on the board before the Legend does anything, so it stays in the lowest tier.

Ambessa's Legend empowers whenever its player empowers something else, then disempowers to ready a unit. Radiance adds no new empower effects in Body and Order, and Hush can counter Punch First, so the plan is unchanged. Ambessa stays in the lowest tier because its Legend depends on empowering other cards before it can ready anything.

Lee Sin's Legend buffs a friendly unit for one Energy, and Lee Sin, Centered gives other buffed units at its battlefield +2 Might. Iridescent Avian adds a repeatable buff that gives +2 Might instead when the unit is already buffed, and Pillaged Armory adds more buffs. Those cards fit well, but the deck still needs Centered on the board for the buffs to matter much, so Lee Sin stays in the lowest tier.

Darius's Legend adds one Energy once its player has played a card that turn, and Darius, Trifarian readies with +2 Might on the second card each turn. Trifarian Captain is a cheap second card that also finds a unit, and Rally for War adds three Recruits at an enemy battlefield. Those cards suit the deck, but its threats remain modest, so Darius stays in the lowest tier.

Ivern's Legend replaces a battlefield with a Brush token after a conquest or hold, giving Bird, Cat, Dog, and Poro units +1 Might there. Radiance adds new members of those tribes, including Hunting Dog, which leaves a Bird with Deflect when it dies, and Iridescent Avian, a Bird that buffs. The tribe grows deeper, but Ivern still needs to conquer or hold a battlefield before the Legend helps, so it stays in the lowest tier.

Ekko's Legend empowers for one Energy, then disempowers to make the next unit cost two Energy and one Power less, though that unit dies at end of turn. Ekko, Ingenious returns a friendly unit to hand as part of its cost, which lets the deck replay strong play effects, and Chronobreak replays several units at once. The deck has a clever replay plan, but much of its value comes late, so it starts in the lowest tier.

Ziggs's Legend makes Bomb gear tokens that deal 2 to an enemy unit when they die. Detonate turns a friendly Bomb into a card engine, since killing it deals the Bomb's damage and draws its controller two cards, and Ziggs, Explosive makes more Bombs. The plan generates steady value, but each Bomb deals only a small amount of damage, so Ziggs starts in the lowest tier.

Renata's Legend makes a Gold when its player holds and lets Gold add extra Energy near the end of the game. Resource Extractor makes another Gold at the end of each of its player's turns while that player controls its battlefield, and Supernova gives the deck a large removal spell that draws two. Those cards add resources, but Renata still needs to hold battlefields first, so it stays in the lowest tier.

Miss Fortune's Legend gives a unit Ganking so it can move between battlefields. Radiance adds Portable Portal, a Body gear that gives Ganking to friendly units at its battlefield, and Body units that reward moving, such as Raving Witness and Armored Tusker, but little that changes what the Legend's ability does. Miss Fortune stays in the lowest tier because Ganking lets a unit move but adds no Might or cards.

Poppy's Legend gains XP when its player holds and spends it to draw, while the deck ramps with Mobilize and Catalyst of Aeons toward Elder Dragon and Dazzling Aurora. Seraphic Wyvern adds an extra exhausted rune to every channel, but Dazzling Aurora is now exposed to cheap gear removal, and Hush can counter The Ruination. Poppy stays in the lowest tier because the ramp takes many turns before it threatens anything.

Volibear's Legend channels a rune when its player plays a Mighty unit, so the deck ramps through big Dragons. Elnuk Herd can be played from face down without spending Energy as a 5-Might unit, triggering the Legend while giving a friendly unit +3, and Seraphic Wyvern adds an extra rune to every channel. Those cards help the ramp, but the deck still spends its early turns setting up, so Volibear stays in the lowest tier.

Rumble's Legend gives Mechs Shield while Rumble, Hotheaded gives them Assault, and Radiance adds several new Mechs. Antagonistic Apparatus enters ready with a 3-Might Mech token, Industrious Mechsmith makes another Mech token, Incorrigible Construct enters ready when it shows off a Mech, and Clanging Sentry gives Mechs Disarm. That is a meaningful upgrade, but the Mech board still takes several turns to assemble, so Rumble sits in the lowest tier.

Jinx's Legend draws at the start of its player's turn when the hand holds one card or fewer, so the deck empties its hand quickly, with Jinx, Demolitionist discarding two cards when played. Radiance adds aggressive options like Amateur Demolitionist and Siren of the Shallows, but nothing that changes how the deck refills. Jinx stays in the lowest tier because its Legend adds at most one card a turn.

Lux's Legend draws whenever its player plays a spell costing five or more, and Radiance adds Supernova, which deals 10 and draws two on top of the Legend's draw. Hush can counter Singularity, Imperial Decree, and Time Warp, though, so the deck's expensive spells are more exposed. Lux sits in the lowest tier because it needs several turns before it can afford those spells.

Sivir's Legend makes a Gold when its player recycles a rune and readies whenever enemy units die, which supports a ramp plan toward Elder Dragon and Dazzling Aurora. Radiance adds The Waters' Wage for Gold and Seraphic Wyvern for extra runes, but Dazzling Aurora, Platewyrm Egg, and Boots of Swiftness are all gear exposed to the new removal. Sivir stays in the lowest tier because its ramp still takes many turns.

Shen's Legend gives a friendly unit Tank, and Disciple of Shen gains Shield 3 at a battlefield with exactly one other friendly unit. Stoic Ferryman helps manage that count, since it can send another friendly unit at its battlefield back to base when played there, and it defends with Shield 3 itself. Those tools make the defense sturdier, but Shen still has few ways to pressure the opponent, so it sits at the bottom of the lowest tier.