Top 6 Lineups for the World Qualifier Open – Patch 4.4

The World Qualifier Open is this weekend, and it is time to strategize for the event. Typically, it is straightforward to predict which lineups will be popular and which decks to watch out for. However, recently, Nasus SI and Fizz Samira have gained considerable popularity over Tristana Swarm, shifting the playing field.

As this tournament will feature players from various ranks, it is crucial to be prepared for a wide range of lineups. It’s important to choose a lineup you’re comfortable with and to ensure that the matchup table of each deck in the lineup complements each other.

One deck that has garnered a lot of success in the past week is Fizz Samira, becoming the second most-played deck on the ranked ladder with a high win rate. Therefore, we should anticipate a lot of Samira Fizz in the World Qualifier and adjust our lineups accordingly to either beat it, have a fighting chance against it, or ban Fizz Samira and focus on beating other decks.

Here are six lineups to consider bringing to the World Qualifier Open.

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The Successful Lineup

Gnar Tristana BW

Pantheon Samira

Garen Kai’Sa J4

• Good against: Tristana Swarm
• Ban recommendation: Fizz Samira, Shen Jarvan IV
• Other fitting decks: Fizz Samira

This was the winning lineup that Bajatakk piloted in the recent MasteringRuneterra tournament. This lineup focuses on beating all Tristana swarm decks as they can match the early aggression.

Although the Tristana Demacia version was initially brought to counter the Bilgewater version, it seems players have adapted to its play style. The Bilgewater version is now holding its own against the Demacia version, further solidifying this lineup to beat the Tristana swarm.

With Nasus becoming a top-tier pick, the Tristana Gnar BW and Samira Pantheon decks offer a significant advantage in the matchup. Consequently, opponents often opt to ban one of these two decks. As for Garen Kai’sa J4, the midrange deck will be the weak link into Nasus SI, as a slow early game means Nasus will take over the game.

It is important to note that this lineup fares poorly against Fizz Samira and Shen Jarvan IV decks. The Shen Jarvan IV ban is important to protect Garen Kai’Sa and Samira Pantheon. Whereas the Samira Fizz matchup can beat all three of your decks, so it’s best to always ban it.

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The Safe Lineup

Gnar Tristana BW

Ekko Jinx

Fizz Samira

• Good against: Tristana Swarm, Fizz Samira
• Ban recommendation: Jinx Samira, Aatrox Vayne Quinn, Nasus SI.
• Other fitting decks: Vayne Aatrox Quinn, Gnar Tristana BW, Miss Fortune Quinn

This lineup has proven to be a formidable force in various tournaments. Notably, SaltySimon made top 4 in the MR tournament with it. I’ve made a couple of adjustments to the lineup, replacing the Tristana Demacia with the Bilgewater version and updating the Fizz Samira list. The Bilgewater version fairs better against Fizz Samira, hence why I decided to make the change.

This is a high-skill-intensive lineup that excels in adapting to any challenge it may face. With Fizz Samira and Gnar Tristana BW in its arsenal, this lineup boasts exceptional matchup tables. Additionally, Ekko Jinx has a nearly even matchup with many popular decks, making it a versatile and effective choice against a wide range of opponents.

The lineup’s strength lies in its ability to hold its own against the Tristana Swarm and Fizz Samira decks. You’re capable of keeping up with their aggression and will have a close matchup where skill impression will affect the course of the games.

However, it’s important to note that Jinx Samira poses a significant threat to all three of your decks. Therefore, it’s wise to prioritize banning this deck. When it comes to the Nasus SI matchup, Fizz Samira crushes the matchup, while Ekko Jinx and Gnar Tristana BW will struggle to beat it.

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Beat Fizz Samira Lineup

Aatrox Vayne Quinn

Shen Jarvan IV

Jinx Samira

• Good against: Fizz Samira, Karma Sett PZ.
• Ban recommendation: Nasus SI, Tristana Gnar BW
• Other fitting decks: Karma Sett PZ

Given the increasing popularity of the Samira Fizz deck, it’s likely to become a common addition to many lineups.

The Vayne Aatrox and Shen Jarvan IV decks are well positioned to counter Samira Fizz, thanks to their challenger units that can selectively remove key threats like Samira and Elusives. Aatrox’s healing ability also provides crucial survivability against Powder Pandemonium. In the case of Jinx Samira, the focus is on overwhelming the opponent with a swarm of units and putting pressure on them to block, while relying on Jinx’s burn damage from Super Mega Death Rocket! for the finishing blow.

This lineup also proves effective against Karma Sett PZ, another deck that has seen a surge in popularity recently and is considered a strong counter to Samira Fizz.

Nasus SI crushes the Shen Jarvan IV and Aatrox Vayne matchups, so you’ll want to protect your midrange decks and ban the Nasus deck. Vayne Aatrox and Jinx Samira are solid against Tristana Gnar BW, however, Shen Jarvan IV is the weak link here. If your lineup is solid against the other two decks, it’s best to ban Tristana Gnar BW.

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Ban Samira Lineup

Nasus SI

Illaoi Swain

Pantheon Samira

• Good against: Tristana Swarm, Vayne Aatrox, Heimerdinger Jayce
• Ban recommendation: Fizz Samira, Karma Sett PZ
• Other fitting decks: Ekko Jinx, Vayne Aatrox

This a powerful lineup against a variety of decks you’ll probably match against in the World Qualifier Open. Your strategy prioritizes banning Fizz Samira, as it poses a significant threat. You’ll instead focus on besting the other two decks in your opponent’s lineup.

With Nasus SI having gained popularity in the ranked ladder, it is expected to be a strong contender in the tournament as well. While both your decks, Nasus SI and Pantheon Samira, can hold their own against this deck, Swain Illaoi will struggle to beat it.

Moreover, Tristana Swarm decks and Aatrox Vayne are expected to be popular, but all three of your decks perform well against the different variants, giving you an edge against your opponents.

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Triple Aggro Lineup

Fizz Samira

Teemo Tristana NX

Annie Jhin

• Good against: Nasus SI, Karma Sett, Deep, Pyke Rek’Sai, Ashe LeBlanc, Fizz Samira
• Ban recommendation: Aatrox Vayne, Gnar Tristana BW
• Other fitting decks: Jinx Samira, Miss Fortune Quinn

This is an aggressive lineup that wants to close out games quickly. You’re solid against a wide range of decks that operate on somewhat slower gameplay. Nasus SI and Karma Sett might be popular choices in the tournament, so having a solid game plan against them might give you an edge against your opponent.

Keep in mind that Fizz Samira will most likely struggle against Karma Sett, so substituting it for Jinx Samira, will give you a slight advantage against that matchup and increase your chances of beating Fizz Samira as well.

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Control Lineup

Karma Sett PZ

Veigar Norra

Heimerdinger Jayce

• Good against: Fizz Samira, Ekko Jinx
• Ban recommendation: Karma Sett, Tristana Gnar BW
• Other fitting decks: Veigar Senna, Gnar Norra, Fizz Samira

This is a difficult lineup to pilot with minimum mistakes, so only take this if you’re comfortable playing the three decks into different matchups.

You’ll find success against Fizz Samira and Ekko Jinx, which are popular choices in the current meta. However, watch out for Tristana decks as they can specifically target your Karma Sett. It may be worth considering banning them to avoid the risk.

Additionally, Heimerdinger Jayce and Veigar Norra won’t have a fun time going up against Karma Sett. The control deck is capable of prolonging the game against you quite easily and once turn 10 hits, you’ll be in a lot of trouble.

You could replace Veigar Norra with Fizz Samira to improve your chances against Nasus decks, although it comes at the cost of potentially struggling against Jinx Samira and Ekko Jinx.

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Closing Words

When preparing for open rounds, it’s essential to choose decks that you have confidence in. You will be competing against a wide range of players, and minimizing mistakes is crucial for success. Best of luck to you tomorrow!