Meet the Legends of Runeterra champions

Have you met the Legends of Runeterra champions? Similar to legendary minions in Hearthstone, champions create strong foundations for the rest of your build. There's room for six champions per deck, including up to three copies of each. These powerful individuals can also be levelled up to upgrade their abilities, and increase their original power and health stats.  

There are significantly more Legends of Runeterra champions than when the beta launched. So, let's explore how you can use their abilities to take the lead in matches, and seal them with a victory. Building decks around the best cards in LoR will help you to develop your playstyle and encourage you to try out unique builds. Visiting each of Legends of Runeterra's regions, here's every champion.

Demacia

Demacia’s champions hit hard, but they also know when to bide their time. Fiora and Garen level up after they attack enemies to assert their aggressiveness and maintain it for the duration of a game. Quinn relies on an aggressive approach to level up, summoning a helpful Valor to maximise damage. Lucian, despite his Quick and Double Attack abilities, excels in avenging allies, and he must watch them die before levelling up. By contrast, Lux relies on a Barrier for protection and works well in a spell-heavy deck.  

Fiora

• Cost: 3
• Power: 3 [+1]
• Health: 3 [+1]
• Abilities: Challenger
• Level up: After 2 kills.
• Post-level up ability: If Fiora has 4 kills and survives, you win.

Garen

• Cost: 5
• Power: 5 [+1]
• Health: 5 [+1]
• Abilities: Regeneration
• Level up: When Garen strikes twice.
• Post-level up ability: Start of Round: Ready your attack.

Lux

• Cost: 6
• Power: 4 [+1]
• Health: 5 [+1]
• Abilities: Barrier
• Level up: When Lux has seen you cast 6+ mana of spells, you receive a Fleeting Final Spark in hand.
• Post-level up ability: Create a Fleeting Final Spark in hand.

Lucian 

• Cost: 2
• Power: 3 [+1]
• Health: 2 [+1]
• Abilities: Quick Attack
• Level up: When Lucian has seen 4+ allies die, or an allied Senna, Sentinel of Light dies.
• Post-level up ability: Double Attack. The first time an ally dies each round, ready your attack.

Quinn

• Cost: 5
• Power: 3 [+1]
• Health: 4 [+1]
• Abilities: Scout
• Level up: When Quinn has seen you attack 4 times.
• Post-level up ability: Scout. Summon Valor challenging the strongest enemy.

Freljord

The five champions of Freljord are difficult to remove from the board once you summon them, and they do everything in their power to hang around. Killing Anivia sees her transform into an egg, from which she can later revive herself. Ashe and Sejuani harnesses Frostbite to avoid damage. Freljord’s sturdiest champions are Braum and Tryndamere: thriving when they withstand damage, the pair dish out even more pain when they level up.

Anivia 

• Cost: 7
• Power: 2 [+1]
• Health: 4 [+1]
• Abilities: Attack: Deal 1 to all enemies. Last Breath: Revive Anivia transformed into Eggnivia.
• Level up: You're Enlightened.
• Post-level up ability: Attack: Deal 2 to all enemies. Last Breath: Revive Anivia transformed into Eggnivia.

Ashe

• Cost: 4 
• Power: 5 [+1]
• Health: 3 [+1]
• Abilities: Attack: Frostbite the strongest enemy.
• Level up: Frostbite 5+ enemies then create a Crystal Arrow next round. 
• Post-level up ability: Attack: Frostbite the strongest enemy. Enemies with 0 power can’t block.

Braum

• Cost: 3
• Power: 0
• Health: 5 [+2]
• Abilities: Challenger and Regeneration 
• Level up: When Braum has survived 10 total damage.
• Post-level up ability: Challenger and Regeneration. When Braum survives damage, summon Mighty Poro.

Tryndamere

• Cost: 8
• Power: 8 [+1]
• Health: 4 [+5]
• Abilities: Overwhelm
• Level up: If Tryndamere dies, level up instead.
• Post-level up ability: Overwhelm and Fearsome.

Sejuani

• Cost: 6
• Power: 5 [+1]
• Health: 6 [+1]
• Abilities: Give an enemy Frostbite and Vulnerable this round.
• Level up: Damage the enemy Nexus across 5 different rounds.
• Post-level up ability: Frostbite all enemies the first time you damage the enemy Nexus each round.

Ionia

Each of Ionai's esteemed figureheads demonstrate versatility in their range of abilities. Shen dons a robust support role by protecting allies with Barrier. Karma specialises in sorcery and doubles down on her spells after reaching max mana gems. Yasuo is well-versed in stunning enemies and recalling allies to disrupt the balance of the board, whereas Zed prefers to send his shadows to do his bidding. Lee Sin depends on spells to manipulate the Challenger and Barrier keywords in your favour.  

Karma

• Cost: 5
• Power: 4 [+1]
• Health: 3 [+1]
• Abilities: End of Round: Create a random spell in hand.
• Level up: When Karma becomes Enlightened.
• Post-level up ability: When you play a spell, cast it again on the same targets.

Shen 

• Cost: 4
• Power: 2 [+1]
• Health: 5 [+1]
• Abilities: Support: Give Shen’s supported ally Barrier.
• Level up: When Shen has seen allies gain 4+ Barrier.
• Post-level up ability: Support: Give Shen’s supported ally Barrier. When an ally gets Barrier, give it +3/+0 this round.

Yasuo

• Cost: 4
• Power: 4 [+1]
• Health: 3 [+1]
• Abilities: Quick Attack. When you Stun or Recall an enemy, Yasuo deals 2 to it. 
• Level up: When you Stun or Recall 5+ units.
• Post-level up ability: When you Stun or Recall an enemy, Yasuo strikes it.

Zed

• Cost: 3
• Power: 3 [+1]
• Health: 2 [+1]
• Abilities: Quick Attack. Attack: Summon an attacking Living Shadow with Zed’s stats.
• Level up: When Zed and their shadows have struck the enemy Nexus twice.
• Post-level up ability: Quick Attack. Attack: Summon an attacking Living Shadow with Zed’s stats and keywords.

Lee Sin

• Cost: 6
• Power: 3 [+1]
• Health: 6 [+1]
• Abilities: When you cast a spell, give Lee Sin Challenger this round. If you cast another, give Lee Sin Barrier.
• Level up: After 7+ spells have been cast.
• Post-level up ability: When you cast a spell, give Lee Sin Challenger this round. If you cast another, give Lee Sin Barrier. Lee Sin casts Dragon's Rage on challenged enemies. 

Noxus

These Legends of Runeterra champions all begin with 3 power or more and aim to maximise their damage. Attack before regular units with Katarina and Draven’s Quick Attack abilities and continue to generate value from them when they level up. Swain is a Fearsome individual concerned with just one thing: the enemy Nexus. Vladimir is a team player that likes to see others survive: he bases his attacks on the number of friendly attackers on his side of the board and has his eyes set on the enemy Nexus. While Darius’ stats ensure he does just fine on his own, he also relies on a weakened enemy Nexus to realise his full potential. 

Darius

• Cost: 6
• Power: 6 [+4]
• Health: 5 
• Abilities: Overwhelm
• Level up: When the enemy Nexus has 10 or fewer health.
• Post-level up ability: Overwhelm

Draven

• Cost: 3
• Power: 3 [+1]
• Health: 3 [+1]
• Abilities: Quick Attack. Play or Strike: Create a Spinning Axe in hand.
• Level up: When Draven has struck twice with a Spinning Axe.
• Post-level up ability: Quick Attack. Overwhelm. Play or Strike: Create 2 Spinning Axe in hand.

Katarina

• Cost: 3
• Power: 3 [+1]
• Health: 2 [+1]
• Abilities: Quick Attack. Play: Create a Fleeting Blade's Edge in hand.
• Level up: When Katarina has struck, level up and Recall her.
• Post-level up ability: Quick Attack. Play: Ready your attack. Strike: Recall Katarina.

Vladimir 

• Cost: 5
• Power: 5 [+1]
• Health: 5 [+1]
• Abilities: Attack: For each other attacking ally, deal 1 to it and 1 to the enemy Nexus.
• Level up: When you’ve had 6+ allies survive damage.
• Post-level up ability: Regeneration. Attack: For each other attacking ally, deal 1 to it and 1 to the enemy Nexus. 

Swain

• Cost: 5
• Power: 3 [+1]
• Health: 6 [+1]
• Abilities: Fearsome. Nexus Strike: Deal 3 to the enemy Nexus.
• Level up: When you’ve dealt 12 non-combat damage.
• Post-level up ability: Fearsome. When you deal non-combat damage to the enemy Nexus, Stun the strongest back row enemy. Nexus Strike: Deal 3 to all enemies. 

Piltover & Zaun

From shuffling dangerous trap cards into the opponent’s deck to attacking head-on, the Piltover and Zaun champs have their eyes glued on the enemy Nexus. Ezreal directly targets it and is rewarded with fast spells that can inflict damage anywhere. Teemo gradually hacks away at the Nexus by sowing frustrating fungi cards into the enemy deck. VI is all about buffs, and deals Nexus damage after levelling up. Jinx’s Super Mega Death Rockets wreak havoc across the board and Nexus, and Heimerdinger relies on turrets to do the heavy lifting.

Ezreal

• Cost: 3 
• Power: 1 [+1]
• Health: 3 [+1]
• Abilities: Elusive. Nexus Strike: Create a Fleeting Mystic Shot in hand.
• Level up: When you’ve targeted enemy units 8+ times.
• Post-level up ability: Elusive. Nexus Strike: Create a Fleeting Mystic Shot. When you cast a spell, deal 2 to the enemy Nexus.

Heimerdinger 

• Cost: 5 
• Power: 1 [+1]
• Health: 3 [+1]
• Abilities: When you cast a spell, create a Fleeting Turret in hand with equal cost. It costs 0 this round.
• Level up: When Heimerdinger has seen you summon 12+ Power Turrets.
• Post-level up ability: When you cast a spell, create a Fleeting Turret in hand with equal cost. Grant it +1|+1 and it costs 0 this round.

Jinx

• Cost: 4
• Power: 4 [+1]
• Health: 3 [+1]
• Abilities: Quick Attack.
• Level up: When your hand is empty.
• Post-level up ability: Quick Attack. Start of Round: Draw 1. The first time you empty your hand each round, create a Fleeting Super Mega Death Rocket! in hand.

Teemo

• Cost: 1
• Power: 1 [+1]
• Health: 1 [+1]
• Abilities: Elusive. Nexus Strike: Plant 5 Poison Puffcaps on random cards in the enemy deck.
• Level up: When you’ve planted 15+ Poison Puffcaps.
• Post-level up ability: Elusive. Nexus Strike: Double the Poison Puffcaps in the enemy deck.

VI

• Cost: 5
• Power: 2 [+8]
• Health: 5 [+1]
• Abilities: Challenger. Tough. When VI is in play or in hand, grant VI +1/+0 when you play another card (max +8/+0).
• Level up: When VI strikes for 10+ damage.
• Post-level up ability: Challenger. Tough. When VI strikes a unit while attacking, deal 5 to the enemy Nexus.

Shadow Isles

The Shadow Isles headliners may possess impressive abilities on their own, but backup is always appreciated. Elise builds an eight-legged army of arachnids to help her out, while Spectral Riders are Hecarim’s buddies of choice. Kalista forges deep bonds with allies that cannot even be broken by death, in contrast to Thresh who has to see units die before he can call upon the help of an attacking champion. Maokai capitalises on the Toss keyword to thin out decks, while summoning Saplings.  

Elise

• Cost: 2
• Power: 2 [+2]
• Health: 3 
• Abilities: Fearsome. Attack: Summon an attacking Spiderling.
• Level up: Start of Round: You have 3+ other Spiders.
• Post-level up ability: Fearsome. Challenger. Other Spider allies have Challenger and Fearsome.

Hecarim

• Cost: 6
• Power: 4 [+1]
• Health: 5 [+1]
• Abilities: Overwhelm. Attack: Summon 2 attacking Spectral Riders.
• Level Up: When you’ve attacked with 7+ Ephemeral allies.
• Post-level up ability: Overwhelm. Ephemeral allies have +3|+0. Attack: Summon 2 attacking Spectral Riders.

Kalista

• Cost: 3
• Power: 4 [+1]
• Health: 3 [+1]
• Abilities: Fearsome. 
• Level up: When Kalista has seen 3+ allies die.
• Post-level up ability: Fearsome. Each round, the first time Kalista attacks summon an attacking Ephemeral copy of the strongest dead allied follower. This round it takes damage instead of Kalista.

Thresh

• Cost: 5
• Power: 3 [+1]
• Health: 6 [+1]
• Abilities: Challenger. 
• Level up: When Thresh has seen 6+ units die.
• Post-level up ability: Challenger. The first time Thresh attacks this game, summon an attacking champion from your deck or hand.

Maokai

• Cost: 4
• Power: 1 [+1]
• Health: 4 [+1]
• Abilities: The first time you play another ally each round, Toss 2 and summon a Sapling. 
• Level up: When your units have died or your cards have been Tossed 25 times.
• Post-level up ability: Regeneration. When Maokai levels up, Obliterate the enemy deck, leaving 4 non-champions. Round start: Summon a Sapling.

Bilgewater

Bilgewater’s champions take advantage of their varied regional set. Fizz focuses on casting spells, as well as avoiding enemy incantations. Miss Fortune and Gangplank concentrate their efforts on attacking the enemy Nexus. Twisted Fate introduces Destiny Cards, whereas Nautilus encourages you to recruit frightful sea monsters to do your bidding.

Fizz

• Cost: 1
• Power: 2 [+1]
• Health: 1 [+1]
• Abilities: When you cast a spell, give Fizz Elusive and stop all enemy spells and skills targeting Fizz.
• Level up: When you've cast 6+ spells.
• Post-level up ability: When you cast a spell, give Fizz Elusive and stop all enemy spells and skills targeting Fizz. Nexus Strike: Create a Chum the Waters.

Miss Fortune

• Cost: 3
• Power: 3 [+1]
• Health: 3 [+1]
• Abilities: When allies attack, deal 1 to battling enemies and the enemy Nexus.
• Level up: When Miss Fortune has seen you attack 4 times.
• Post-level up ability: Overwhelm. When allies attack, deal 1 three times to battling enemies and the enemy Nexus.

Twisted Fate

• Cost: 4
• Power: 2 [+1]
• Health: 2 [+1]
• Abilities: Quick Attack. Play: Play a Destiny Card.
• Level up: When Twisted Fate has seen you draw 8+ cards.
• Post-level up ability: Quick Attack. The first 3 times Twisted Fate sees you play a card each round, Twisted Fate plays a Destiny Card.

Gangplank

• Cost: 5
• Power: 5 [+1]
• Health: 5 [+1]
• Abilities: Overwhelm. When Gangplank is summoned, summon a Powder Keg.
• Level up: When you've damaged the enemy Nexus in 5 rounds.
• Post-level up ability: Overwhelm. When Gangplank is summoned and Round Start: Summon a Powder Keg. Attack: Deal 1 to all enemies and the enemy Nexus.

Nautilus

• Cost: 7
• Power: 0 [+13]
• Health: 12 [+1]
• Abilities: Tough. Fearsome. When Nautilus levels up, copy Tossed allies that cost 4+ into your deck.
• Level up: When you are Deep.
• Post-level up ability: Tough. Fearsome. Sea Monster allies cost 4 less.