Origins Deck Upgrades – Spiritforged Meta
Heya everyone! Spiritforged brings 12 new Legends, along with a ton of new cards and equipment designed to support their strategies. That said, many of these new cards aren’t limited to just the new Legends; they also slot perfectly into older Origins and Proving Grounds decks, giving them upgrades, better consistency, and stronger overall game plans.
With Spiritforged already released in China and players around the world testing the set online, a lot of experimentation has been happening. Many players are revisiting older decks, tweaking builds, and swapping in new cards to upgrade their lists and boost performance. We’ve seen Kai’Sa, Annie, and Viktor hold up well in Spiritforged so far, and there’s still room for older archetypes to perform.
So if you’re a fan of your old Legend or just don’t want to spend too much on Spiritforged, this article is for you. I’ll be breaking down the most popular Origins and Proving Grounds Legends and showing how players have been upgrading their decks with the new tools available.
Fury Mind Kai’Sa
Kai'Sa, Daughter of the Void
1
0
Fury Rune
7
0
Mind Rune
5
0
Void Gate
1
0
Zaun Warrens
1
0
Ravenbloom Conservatory
1
0
Blood Rush
2
1
Cleave
1
1
Hextech Ray
3
1
Retreat
1
1
Stupefy
3
1
Falling Star
3
2
Forecaster
3
2
Gem Jammer
2
2
Pouty Poro
3
2
Kai'Sa, Survivor
1
4
Noxus Hopeful
3
4
Production Surge
3
4
Darius, Trifarian
2
5
Brynhir Thundersong
2
6
Ferrous Forerunner
3
6
Icathian Rain
1
7
Thousand-Tailed Watcher
3
7
Time Warp
1
10
Kai’Sa dominated the majority of the Origins meta, and it took players a while to figure out Annie’s strength, giving Kai’Sa a strong rival to go up against. The aggression of Kai’Sa Survivor and Darius Trifarian, alongside low-cost damage spells, has made it difficult for most decks to keep up.
Thousand-Tailed Watcher remains one of the strongest win conditions for this deck. The ability to reduce the Might of all of the opponent’s units and go for an immediate attack is too rewarding.
Players have been including a couple of mech cards like Gem Jammer, Forecaster, and Ferrous Forerunner. They have good stats for their cost, and Gem Jammer, giving the Ganking keyword, can be massively strong in the late-game to conquer two battlefields. The main reason we want Mechs in the list is for Production Surge, reducing its cost by 2 Energy to play a 3 Might Mech unit token and draw a card.
Although it’s not a Spiritforged card, Brynhir Thundersong has been seeing more play early into the expansion. The ability to shut off the opponent’s plays during your turn can swing the turn in your favor, even setting you up to close out the game.
Plundering Poro is a solid early drop to get the Gold token, which lets you dodge recycling 1 rune.
Piercing Light is also seeing play in Kai’Sa, usually 1 or 2 copies. You’re paying 2 Energy and 1 Fury Rune to deal 2 damage to two units, one of which has to be on a battlefield. What makes Piercing Light worth including in the list is the Repeat keyword, as you can activate its ability twice for more value.
Rocket Barrage is a versatile spell, letting you choose between either dealing 4 damage or killing a Gear. You can also repeat this spell’s ability, and although pricey, it can be a massive play in the late game.
Fury Chaos Annie
Annie, Dark Child
1
0
Fury Rune
6
0
Chaos Rune
6
0
The Dreaming Tree
1
0
Zaun Warrens
1
0
Treasure Hoard
1
0
Blood Rush
2
1
Gust
1
1
Stacked Deck
3
1
Fight or Flight
1
2
Flash
3
2
Hard Bargain
2
2
Long Sword
2
2
Pouty Poro
2
2
Rebuke
1
2
Ride the Wind
3
2
Scrapheap
3
2
Switcheroo
1
2
Traveling Merchant
3
2
Vi, Destructive
3
2
Ezreal, Prodigy
1
3
Void Seeker
1
3
Annie, Stubborn
1
4
Kai'Sa, Survivor
3
4
Darius, Trifarian
2
5
Vex, Cheerless
2
5
Piercing Light
1
2
Angle Shot
2
2
Gust
2
1
Rebuke
2
2
Fight or Flight
1
2
Annie plays aggressively, trying to close out games as fast as possible. It took a while for Annie to shine, but at the end of the Origins meta, it rose to the top, rivaling Kai’Sa. The plan with this deck is to score early points and use cards like Fight or Flight, Gust, and Rebuke to weaken the opponent’s presence on the board and make it harder for them to keep up with us in the early to mid-game.
Ride the Wind and Vi combo is how this deck wins games. If you’re at 6 Points, you can go for the combo play to conquer both battlefields and win the game.
Multiple Spiritforged cards can be added to Annie. Long Sword, for example, is a great way to give one of your units +2 Might at Reaction speed. Since your Legend sets 2 Runes Active at the end of your turn, you can easily play Long Sword defensively on units like Kai’Sa or Darius.
I didn’t think Chaos could get any stronger, but with Hard Bargain now in the game, Chaos decks have a way to deny opponents’ spells or at least force them to rest 2 or even 4 Runes to stop the deny ability. Hard Bargain can shut down game-deciding plays or spells that can interact with your Vi + Ride the Win combo.
Vex Cheerless is a consideration to add to your Annie deck, reducing the cost of your spells when she goes in combat, but also increasing the cost of the opponent’s spells as well, making it a challenge for them to win a combat.
These are all other cards that can also fit in an Annie deck. Treasure Hunter gives you a Gold when she moves, which you’ll later kill to dodge a Rune recycle.
Ferrous Forerunner is just too annoying for most decks, as you’re still developing units on the board when he’s killed. As for Draven, he’s a Gold generator and can boost his Might by 2 whenever he defends or attacks.
Mind Order Viktor
Viktor, Herald of the Arcane
1
0
Mind Rune
6
0
Order Rune
6
0
Targon's Peak
1
0
Vilemaw's Lair
1
0
Ravenbloom Conservatory
1
0
Bellows Breath
3
1
Chemtech Cask
1
1
Stupefy
3
1
Blood Money
3
2
Cull the Weak
3
2
Facebreaker
2
2
Hidden Blade
3
2
Wages of Pain
3
3
Xin Zhao, Vigilant
3
3
Consult the Past
2
4
Jayce, Man of Progress
2
4
Viktor, Innovator
1
4
Drag Under
2
5
Imperial Decree
3
5
Singularity
3
6
Vanguard Armory
3
7
A lot of Viktor decks have been cutting out Viktor Leader for Viktor Innovator, running a heavy spell list to play recruits and go wide on the field. Bellows Breath, Blood Money, and Wages of Pain are all low-cost damage spells that can help you control the board, while also activating your Viktor Innovator’s ability. Imperial Decree and Bellows Breath work well together, letting you wipe out, potentially, everything your opponent has.
A new combo play in this deck is Jayce Man of Progress + Vanguard Armory, letting you play the 7-cost Gear for free and getting access to more Recruits and overwhelming the opposing player.
Body Order Sett
Sett, The Boss
1
0
Body Rune
9
0
Order Rune
3
0
Monastery of Hirana
1
0
Seat of Power
1
0
Sunken Temple
1
0
Punch First
3
1
Showstopper
3
1
Warmog's Armor
3
1
Challenge
3
2
Hidden Blade
2
2
Pit Rookie
3
2
Sea Monkey
3
2
Boneshiver
2
3
Call to Glory
2
3
First Mate
3
3
Lucian, Merciless
3
3
Akshan, Mischievous
1
4
Fiora, Victorious
3
4
Sett, Brawler
1
5
Ruin Runner
2
6
Fae Dragon
3
7
Sett The Boss deck wants to buff units and keep protecting key units from getting killed through the Legend ability. We have new cards like Warmog’s Armor, Sea Monkey, and Fae Dragon that can give or gain buffs, making them great additions to the deck.
Since we have multiple cards with Power cost, Boneshiver can be nice for the exhausted Rune it gives when you conquer a battlefield, making sure you can still go for meaningful plays as the game progresses.
A lot of Body decks are playing Ruin Runner. She’s a tough unit to remove since opponents can’t choose her with spells or abilities, and if you boost her Might with a buff or equipment, she becomes a threat on the board.
Calm Body Master Yi
Master Yi, Wuju Bladesman
1
0
Calm Rune
6
0
Body Rune
6
0
Aspirant's Climb
1
0
Obelisk of Power
1
0
The Papertree
1
0
Charm
2
1
Defy
3
1
Punch First
2
1
Discipline
3
2
Doran's Blade
2
2
Guardian Angel
3
2
Thwonk!
2
2
Zhonya's Hourglass
3
2
Find Your Center
3
3
Wind Wall
1
3
Akshan, Mischievous
3
4
Trinity Force
3
4
Jax, Unmatched
3
5
Ruin Runner
3
6
Master Yi, Honed
1
7
Tianna Crownguard
3
7
Master Yi was one of the top performers in the Origins meta, and it remains a solid choice in the Spiritforged meta. We had two popular versions of Master Yi, the first relying on developing early units, conquering a battlefield, and continuing to hold with the help of many low-cost defensive spells. The other version wants to ramp in the early stages and drop Dazzling Aurora to start cheating out high-cost units to carry the game.
This list made 3rd place in the Guangzhou City Challenge, opting for an equipment build to empower units and make them harder for the opponent to deal with. Zhonya Houglass and Guardian Angel ensure your units stay in play even when killed, which means you won’t lose board presence.
Jax Unmatched is perfect for this equipment build, giving the Quick-Draw keyword to all equipment in your hand, making it easier for you to play them at Reaction speed.
Tianna Crownguard can be a massive shutdown if your opponent is trying to closeout the game by holding their last point. She’s buying you more time, and if your opponent can’t deal with her, they can’t win the game.
Chaos Calm Yasuo
Yasuo has access to many Spiritforged cards that synergize with the deck. Hard Bargain and Not So Fast are great for denying spells, helping keep your game plan alive, or preventing your opponent from setting up their win condition.
Overzealous Fan is an early attacker to score you a point and will later serve as a stall option, preventing the opposing player from conquering a battlefield and pushing for a longer game. Thwonk! is another stall option; the stun can win you a combat, preventing the opponent from killing your units and conquering a battlefield.
Treasure Hunter and Stellacorn Herder are value cards. The Gold from Treasure Hunter can help you save runes and make stronger plays in the late game, while the draw from Stellacorn Herder gives you more resources.
As for equipment, multiple lists have been running cards like Guardian Angel and Cull. Guardian Angel is great to keep key champions alive for longer, whereas Cull is generating the Gold, making it easier for you to play cards without worrying about recycling.
Draven Audacious can become a win condition in this deck since we can move him to a battlefield immediately on the turn he’s played using our Legend’s ability. We can score an additional point, potentially a game-winning point!
Closing Words
Spiritforged brings a ton of powerful cards that can upgrade your decks and help you compete at a higher level. The lists shared here aren’t the definitive builds you must play; they’re meant to give you an idea of how players are currently approaching these decks. As the meta continues to evolve, lists will change, and your local meta will play a huge role in how you ultimately choose to build your deck.
teemo pls