Hey guys! Ready to smash your opponents in Legends of Runeterra with a ridiculously powerful Illaoi deck? You've come to the right place. This guide is packed with everything you need to pilot Illaoi to victory, from decklists and mulligan strategies to gameplay tips and matchup advice. So, let's dive in and unleash the Kraken Priestess!

Why Play Illaoi?

Illaoi, the Kraken Priestess, is a formidable champion in Legends of Runeterra, known for her unique gameplay style centered around summoning and buffing Tentacles. She excels at overwhelming opponents with massive, growing threats that can quickly take over the board. Playing an Illaoi deck offers several key advantages:

• Overwhelming Power: Illaoi's ability to create and buff Tentacles leads to explosive turns where you can swing for massive damage. Your opponents will struggle to keep up with the sheer size of your units.
• Midrange Dominance: Illaoi decks thrive in the mid-game, applying consistent pressure that control decks can't handle and outscaling aggro decks in the long run. You're the bully on the playground, dictating the pace of the game.
• Unique and Engaging Gameplay: Forget about playing the same old boring decks. Illaoi offers a fresh and exciting playstyle that rewards strategic thinking and smart unit placement. You'll be constantly adapting to the board state and finding new ways to maximize your Tentacles' potential.
• Strong Matchups: Illaoi decks perform well against a variety of popular archetypes, including control decks that struggle to remove your persistent threats and midrange decks that can't match your raw power. You'll be well-equipped to handle a diverse meta.

The Core of the Deck

At the heart of any good Illaoi deck lies a few essential cards. These are the cards you'll be looking for in your opening hand and building your strategy around:

• Illaoi: Obviously! She's the star of the show. Her level-up condition is relatively easy to achieve, and once she's leveled up, she becomes an absolute monster. Her ability to share her stats with Tentacles makes them even more threatening.
• Nagakabouros: This is Illaoi's champion spell, and it's incredibly versatile. It can be used to summon a Tentacle, buff an existing Tentacle, or even as a last-ditch removal spell in a pinch. Knowing when to use Nagakabouros effectively is key to mastering the deck.
• Tentacle Smash: A cheap and efficient removal spell that also buffs a Tentacle. This card is essential for controlling the board in the early game and setting up your later power plays. Don't underestimate the power of a well-timed Tentacle Smash!
• Eye of God: This landmark is the engine that drives your Tentacle growth. Each turn, it buffs your strongest Tentacle, turning it into an absolute behemoth. Protecting Eye of God is crucial for maintaining your board presence and overwhelming your opponent.
• Vessel of Nagakabouros: This unit summons a Tentacle when it's summoned and when it dies, providing you with consistent board presence. It's a great way to get Tentacles on the board early and start applying pressure.

Sample Decklist

Here's a sample decklist to get you started. Feel free to tweak it to your liking and adapt it to the current meta:

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This decklist focuses on maximizing Tentacle growth and overwhelming your opponent with massive damage. It includes a mix of early-game units to control the board, mid-game threats to apply pressure, and late-game finishers to seal the deal.

Mulligan Guide

Knowing what to keep in your opening hand is crucial for success. Here's a general guideline for mulliganing with Illaoi:

• Always Keep: Illaoi, Eye of God, Vessel of Nagakabouros
• Situational Keeps: Tentacle Smash (against aggressive decks), Buhru Lookout (if you have a good curve)
• Always Toss: High-cost cards without early-game presence

The goal is to have a solid curve that allows you to play units and develop your board presence from the very beginning. Don't be afraid to toss back good cards if you already have enough early-game options.

Gameplay Tips and Tricks

Mastering Illaoi requires more than just knowing the cards in your deck. Here are some tips and tricks to help you pilot the deck to victory:

• Prioritize Tentacle Growth: Your primary goal is to get Tentacles on the board and buff them as quickly as possible. Focus on playing units and spells that summon Tentacles or increase their stats.
• Protect Eye of God: This landmark is essential for your long-term success. Do everything you can to protect it from removal spells. Consider using cards like Bastion to give it spellshield.
• Use Nagakabouros Wisely: This versatile spell can be used in a variety of ways. Use it to summon Tentacles, buff existing ones, or remove enemy threats. Knowing when to use it effectively is key to winning games.
• Be Aggressive: Illaoi decks are best played proactively. Don't be afraid to attack and apply pressure to your opponent. Force them to react to your plays.
• Level Up Illaoi: Leveling up Illaoi is a game-changer. Her leveled-up ability to share her stats with Tentacles makes them even more threatening. Focus on completing her level-up condition as quickly as possible.
• Know Your Matchups: Understanding how your deck performs against different archetypes is crucial for making informed decisions. Practice against a variety of decks to learn the ins and outs of each matchup.

Common Matchups

Let's break down how Illaoi generally fares against some common archetypes you'll encounter on the ladder:

• Aggro (e.g., Miss Fortune Aggro, Pirates): This matchup can be tricky. You need to stabilize early by using Tentacle Smash and cheap units to control the board. Once you get Eye of God down and start growing your Tentacles, you can usually outscale them. Keeping Tentacle Smash in your opening hand is often a good idea.
• Midrange (e.g., Garen/Jarvan, Scouts): This is where Illaoi shines. Your Tentacles will quickly outgrow their units, and you can overwhelm them with massive damage. Focus on developing your board and applying pressure. Be mindful of their combat tricks, but generally, you should be able to dominate this matchup.
• Control (e.g., Feel The Rush, Anivia): Control decks will try to remove your Tentacles and stall the game until they can play their big finishers. Protect Eye of God with spellshield if possible, and try to pressure them before they can stabilize. This matchup can be challenging, but it's definitely winnable.
• Combo (e.g., Lee Sin, Azir/Irelia): These matchups are all about racing. You need to apply as much pressure as possible and try to close out the game before they can assemble their combo. Be mindful of their disruption tools, but don't be afraid to go all-in if you see an opportunity to win.

Card Substitutions

Don't have all the cards in the sample decklist? No problem! Here are some potential substitutions:

• If you're missing Illaoi: While she's the star of the deck, you could try running a more generic Tentacle-focused deck with cards like The Sea's Voice and more copies of Vessel of Nagakabouros. However, Illaoi's presence is hard to replicate.
• If you're missing Eye of God: This landmark is pretty crucial, but you could try running more copies of cards that buff Tentacles directly, like Overgrown Snapvine or even a cheeky copy of The Grand Plaza (though it's not ideal).
• If you're missing other rares/epics: Focus on including more cheap units and removal spells to help you control the board in the early game. Cards like Vile Feast and Bone Skewer can be good budget options.

Remember, the best deck is the one you're most comfortable with, so don't be afraid to experiment and find what works best for you.

Conclusion

Illaoi is a powerful and rewarding champion in Legends of Runeterra. With the right deck and a little bit of practice, you can dominate the ladder and crush your opponents with massive Tentacles. So, what are you waiting for? Build your Illaoi deck today and unleash the Kraken Priestess! Good luck, and have fun!