7 Off-Meta Standard Decks to Play In Ranked – Patch 4.3

It’s common for players to tire of popular meta decks and seek out new and unique archetypes that offer distinct win conditions. However, introducing off-meta decks into ranked play can be daunting, as established meta decks often dominate the competition. Nonetheless, a well-constructed off-meta deck can provide an enjoyable and competitive experience.

In this article, I’ll share seven off-meta decks for Patch 4.3.

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Ahri Kennen

Ahri Kennen has been out of the meta for a while after multiple cards were hit with nerfs. It has recently resurfaced but with a couple of adjustments. The deck features Bilgewater cards like Coral Creatures, Fleet Admiral Shelly, and Wiggly Burblefish.

The Ahri Kennen deck relies on the recall mechanism as its core game plan. Early recalls from Ahri, Vastayan Disciple, and Navori Conspirator help level up Ahri, while also working on Kennen’s level-up as those units are replayed.

Moreover, Fleet Admiral Shelly can empower your whole board, providing buffs to your elusive units and turning them into a threat capable of closing out the game.

Kennen can be a nuisance on the board with his Quick Attack keyword and Mark of the Storm. The ability to pick off pesky units with Mark of the Storm will slow down the opponent’s game plan. Once Ahri is leveled up, her elusive keyword and ability to swap multiple times allow for a powerful elusive attack capable of ending the game.

The Ionia region offers recall cards that can be used as protection. Recall and Tag Out! are important tools to keep key units alive and accelerate your champions’ level-up process.

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Samira Sejuani Gnar

This Overwhelm deck by RickoRex has been crushing the ladder, and he even managed to hit rank 3 on the EMEA server.

Samira Sejuani Gnar puts early board pressure with Samira, Ruthless Raider, Tusk Speaker, and Iron Balista. Your early Overwhelm units might not seem like much of a threat, but if not dealt with immediately, they can be equipped with Bone Club, turning them into an immediate win condition, capable of slamming the Nexus for a lot of damage.

Sejuani can hit the board on your attack turn, giving you the ability to Frostbite a unit and challenge it strategically to push more Overwhelm damage. The deck can level Sejuani up, which ends up being a nightmare for the opponent as she starts freezing the whole board.

Your strongest card is Mammoth Shaman. If you mage to transform it into Mammoth Ranger, it’ll create a powerful unit that’ll gain more stats the longer it remains alive.

Finally, an Overwhelm deck doesn’t have RickoRex‘s stamp of approval if it’s not running Battle Fury. It’s a powerful finisher when played on an Overwhelm unit.

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Teemo Tristana Noxus

If you are looking for an aggressive deck to play, Teemo Tristana Noxus may be a suitable choice.

This is an aggressive deck that aims to swarm the board with low-cost units and start chipping away at the Nexus. Most of your units are multi-region, meaning they’ll advance Tristana’s level-up and turn her into a threat. A leveled Tristana will buff up your newly played multi-region units, giving them additional power and the Impact keyword.

Bandle City Mayor and Bandle Commando can create more units to play, ensuring you don’t run out of value.

As you develop more units, Tristana will gain more power, forcing the opponent to block her. The impact damage will still connect with the opponent’s Nexus, slowly destroying it.

Additionally, a wide board means a more powerful Sneezy Biggledust!. The buffs on all your units will squeeze out more Nexus damage and might be too overwhelming for the opponent to deal with.

The list runs through Might and Noxian Fervor to sneak in more damage. Ideally, you want to play Might on Tristana, as she’ll have the most power and can destroy the Nexus on the spot.

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Samira Viego

Viego Noxus dominated the ranked ladder for a short period before it was hit with the Nerf hammer. The archetype remained in the shadows, waiting for the right time to make its comeback.

Players have been testing Samira along with Viego to support the archetype’s early game and use Flair to its advantage. This deck wants to buff up three units: Encroaching Mist, Viego, and Legion Deserter.

The more Encroaching Mists that are summoned, the stronger Viego and Legion Deserter become. Both units have the Fearsome keyword, making it difficult for the opponent to block them, which can lead to a powerful hit on the Nexus. Legion Deserter used to have the Overwhelm keyword but was changed to Fearsome to balance its power. The list runs Might to take advantage of the Overwhelm keyword and deal heavy Nexus damage.

While you’re constantly threatening to destroy the opponent’s Nexus, Viego’s level-up condition will advance. A leveled Viego can dominate the board; taking control of your opponent’s followers or killing their champions will ensure you have full control of the board.

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Lucian Senna

Lucian Senna utilizes The Undying as the centerpiece of its game plan. Killing The Undying will make them stronger, eventually becoming a significant threat. Forcing the opponent to block The Undying will weaken their board and create a stronger The Undying that’ll be ready for more attacks.

Lucian levels up faster as he witnesses more deaths. A leveled Lucian means you’ll be able to activate Rally, allowing you to go for a second attack that could prove too much for the opponent to handle.

Removal cards like Crumble, Eradication, and The Ruination work well with your The Undying, as they’ll revive on the upcoming turn, stronger than before.

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Azir Renekton Nasus

With Xerath rotated out, the Mono Shurima was hit hard as it lost a powerful key champion in its game plan. A newer version of Mono Shurima emerged, featuring Azir, Renekton, and Nasus.

This Mono Shurima list adds Ascended’s Rise, which levels all champions and accelerates the Buried Sun Disc‘s progression.

fulfilling the Buried Sun Disc ascends all champions, turning Azir, Renekton, and Nasus into significant threats. Azir creates the Emperor’s deck, making future plays challenging for the opponent to deal with. As for Nasus and Renekton, they can deal significant Nexus damage with their unique abilities.

Please note that the Mono Shurima archetype is currently underperforming on the ranked ladder. Therefore, it is recommended to only consider playing this deck if you are genuinely interested in experiencing its unique playstyle.

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Teemo Caitlyn SI

Teemo Caitlyn SI is a deck that Alanzq has taken to the ranked ladder.

This deck’s objective is to plant Poison Puffcaps in the opponent’s deck using Teemo and Puffcap Peddler, which will gradually damage the opponent’s Nexus. Corina, Mastermind accelerates Nexus damage by activating those Puffcaps.

The Shadow Isles region provides the necessary tools to keep the board in check. Cards like Soul Harvest, Piercing Darkness, and Vengeance can kill units and help prolong the game.

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Closing Words

Playing off-meta decks can be challenging, but they can catch opponents off guard. The unique game plan provides a slight advantage over the opponent if they’re not familiar with the deck.