
Deck of the Day: Akshan Viktor











- Origins
Good evening! I’m IzzetTinkerer – card game nut and all-round deck doctor (please address me as such). My first post here on RuneterraCCG warrants some introduction. I have premier-level play experience in multiple card games, and positive records in the play-offs of multiple Seasonal Tournaments, I enjoy looking at what can be done in a game as diverse as Legends of Runeterra. As my name suggests, I like to tinker.
When Akshan was released, he brought a hoard of potential new ideas to try. He made Lee Sin a real powerhouse with Shurima, he added new synergies to landmarks in Targon, and even enabled a meta pump spell aggro archetype with Riven and Draven.
There’s one thing that Akshan also does that seems to go overlooked in deckbuilding: he is great at creating cards. The powerful Focus spells from Akshan’s landmarks and The Absolver synergize well with the Augment mechanic and Viktor.
There have been versions of Viktor Akshan popularised by creators like Raphterra and faintHD which play similarly to the version I have constructed. I have made my own tweaks to suit how I play. I am a tinkerer after all.
- Gameplan
Viktor Akshan is an aggressive spell combo deck. It efficiently levels up both of its champions and quickly ticks down Warlord’s Palace with multiple buff spells and the Lucky Finds generated by Payday and Inner Sanctum. Lucky Finds are created cards that synergize with Viktor,
The deck generally wins with an overstatted Viktor, Ruin Runner, or Elusive unit after getting in some initial damage in the early game with Akshan, Daring Poros, and Ballistic Bot’s Ignition.
Interaction in the form of Mystic Shot and Death Ray – Mk 1 is used specifically to clear away opposition in the early game. Death Ray may be a strange inclusion, but I find it has targets in many matchups and creates cards for Viktor and the Augment units.
Generally, your gameplan is aggressive, and your starting hand should reflect that after the mulligan phase. Akshan is a keep regardless of matchup. The 2/2 stats means he will die, but that’s okay. You want Warlord’s Palace, as the Relic of Power it generates will grant you a very needed bit of value with a Predict+draw option. In games where you’ve gone wide, the team buff or the 5/2 are also incredibly relevant.
In a matchup when you’re likely to race your opponent, it’s best to keep your Elusives, as well as your Death Ray and Mystic Shot. As for Rite of Negation, the opposite is true. Keep it in matchups where you fear Atrocity, and against anything featuring Karma.
- Verdict
This deck is not for the meek. The reason why Akshan sees the most play with Ionia, and Viktor – with Targon, is because of the protection those regions bring. This deck doesn’t have Twin Disciplines or Bastion. There will be many games where your units will be locked out of attacks or removed.
That said this deck deeply rewards a shifting ‘puzzle box’ style of play. Do I open-attack or play Ignition? Who do I put the Lucky Finds onto? Which option do I choose for Relic of Power?
If you enjoy making intensive decisions throughout all stages of the game, whilst pressuring your opponent with strong units, do please take this for a spin.
Now we want to hear from you. Which cards do you think fit this deck that I missed? Let us know in the comments below.