Regional Qualifier Bologna Tournament Meta Report
Heya everyone! The West kicked off its first Riftbound Regional in the Spiritforged meta, and it all went down in Bologna, Italy. Spiritforged introduced a wave of new cards and mechanics, most notably Equipment, and it’s already reshaping how the game is played.
The Chinese Regionals gave us an early look at how the Spiritforged meta develops, but things are far from solved. Western players have continued to experiment, refine their lists, and push their own takes on what the best tournament builds should look like.
The Bologna Regional drew over 1,700 players, all battling for first place and for some, the Metal version of their Legend.
In this article, we’re breaking down both Day 1 and Day 2 of the Regional Qualifier, how Day 1 played out, what rose to the top, and the standout decklists that made deep runs in the event.
Prizes
Day 1 Meta Distribution
- Unsurprisingly, Draven Glorious Executioner takes first place in the day 1 meta representation with 219 players, a 15% meta share. We’ve seen Draven dominate the Chinese meta, so we expected him to have a high representation in Bologna. However, being on top of the meta means players are focused on beating that matchup and will build their deck to increase their odds of beating it. Although Draven had the most meta representation in Bologna, 15% share isn’t too bad and much less compared to the Chinese meta, showcasing that players believe they have a shot at going far in the tournament playing other Legends. We currently have two popular Draven versions: the mid-range version that relies on Darius and Spinning Axes, and the “Miracle” version, having access to Called Shot, Ezreal, and the Rhasa.
- Kai'Sa Daughter of the Void comes in second place, with an 11% meta share! Kai’Sa was the dominant deck in the Origin meta, but with the Spiritforged release, she has a lot more competition, and we can see a more balanced meta around Kai’Sa. We’re seeing different versions of Kai’Sa, some opting for the Darius Trifarian, while others going for a more spell-heavy list in an attempt to combat Draven decks.
- In third place is none other than Irelia Blade Dancer, with a 9% meta share. Irelia can be a tough deck to master, but it’s been seeing strong success in the Chinese meta, leading many Western players to practice her nonstop, trying to improve the Draven matchup. The deck is already known to be a good choice against Kai’Sa, thanks to the Counter spells and Irelia’s Deflect keyword, so having a solid shot against Draven would be the best-case scenario for Irelia players.
- Ezreal and Annie were close in overall meta share, coming in 4th and 5th place, respectively. I expected to see more Ezreal players in the Western meta compared to China, and that expectation is clearly reflected in Bologna. Ezreal remains one of the strongest decks in the meta, thanks to his powerful value engine Legend ability and guaranteed access to the 3-cost Ezreal Prodigy, which provides extra draws and cost reduction for many cards in your deck. The deck excels at controlling the board, aiming for the late game where it can outvalue opponents over time. However, the main reason we don’t see even more Ezreal players is the deck’s slow pace and high skill requirement. It demands strong matchup knowledge, as preventing the opponent from taking over the board is critical to Ezreal’s game plan.
- As for the Annie deck, we saw it pop off at the end of the Origins meta, with part of the community calling her a tier 0 deck. In Spiritforged meta, she definitely lost some steam, but remains a strong choice, especially since she won a Regional in China. This deck wants to score early points and keep the opponent from taking back the battlefield thanks to the many control cards Chaos provides, alongside your Legend’s ability to Ready 2 of your Runes at the end of your turn.
- Ahri Nine-Tailed Fox, Viktor Herald of the Arcane, Sivir Battle Mistress, and Rek'Sai Void Burrower all sit at similar representation. These are off-meta choices, but they still have the potential to perform well in the current environment, especially Sivir and Viktor, as both have already proven they can make deep runs in Regional tournaments. Sivir can play the Ezreal Prodigy, Seal of Discord, and Rhasa the Sunderer package. As for Viktor, there are the Yellow and Blue versions. The blue version is the newest one, which goes for the heavy control build to keep opponents from taking over the board.
- Despite Fiora’s strong performance early in the Chinese meta, her popularity has dropped significantly in Bologna. The deck tends to play slower and more “fair,” which makes it harder to keep up with Purple decks that can return Fiora’s win condition to her hand. There are currently two main Fiora builds: one that leans into Lucian for a more aggressive playstyle, and another built around Baited Hook as its win condition, sacrificing its own units to pull stronger ones from the deck.
- Leona, Lee Sin, and Garen are at the bottom of the list. These decks struggle against most of the meta decks, but I expect players are bringing these decks mainly aiming for the Metal best-of-card.
Day 2 Conversion
- Draven Glorious Executionerplayers had an outstanding Day 1 performance, with a 38% Day 2 conversion. Draven once again proved why it’s considered the best in the current meta; it has a consistent strategy and can be tough for most decks to beat.
- Although Kai'Sa Daughter of the Void had more meta representation than Irelia Blade Dancer, Irelia came out ahead, with more players pushing to day 2 compared to Kai’Sa.
- Ezreal Prodigal Explorer, Annie Dark Child, Sivir Battle Mistress, and Jinx Loose Cannon had a solid day 1 performance. As for Fiora Grand Duelist and Azir Emperor of the Sands, we didn’t see as much consistency compared to the other decks.
- Not a single Ornn Fire Below the Mountain, Leona Radiant Dawn, and Garen Might of Demacia player managed to make it to day 2.
Top 8
- 3 Draven Glorious Executioner, 2 Ezreal Prodigal Explorer, 1 Irelia Blade Dancer, Miss Fortune Bounty Hunter, and 1 Viktor Herald of the Arcane made it all the way to top 8 after 13 Swiss rounds!
- Although Draven has a great conversion rate going into day 2, the Draven players were all eliminated by Top 8, leaving us with a Top 4 completely free of Draven—a rare sight after seeing him dominate the top cut at Chinese Regionals. Viktor and Miss Fortune, both considered underdogs, managed to push their way into the Top 4, only to face each other for a spot in the finals. On the other side, Ezreal and Irelia clashed, but Ezreal’s running three copies of Vex made it an especially difficult matchup for Irelia to overcome.
- All Kai'Sa Daughter of the Void were kicked out in Swiss, despite it being the second most brought deck; none of the players managed to make it into the top 8.
- Extremely close matchup between Viktor and Miss Fortune. However, with Mindsplitter played through Aurora, the MF player got to discard Salvage from Viktor’s hand, removing the only answer in their hand for the Dazzling Aurora. Miss Fortune then got to play two other Mindsplitter to discard unit removal cards from Viktor’s hand, completely shutting down their counter plays.
- The finals came down to Ezreal vs Miss Fortune, with both decks aiming to drag the game into the late game, where they perform best. The Ezreal ended up having too much resource value, to the point that Miss Fortune couldn’t keep up with it. Additionally, Factory Recall along with Fizz Trickster slowed down MF’s pace, leading to a 2-0 win for Alanzq’s Ezreal deck.
Top 8 Decks
Ezreal – Alanzq
Ezreal, Prodigal Explorer
1
0
Mind Rune
5
0
Chaos Rune
7
0
Obelisk of Power
1
0
Sigil of the Storm
1
0
Void Gate
1
0
Ezreal, Prodigy
1
3
Called Shot
3
0
Seal of Discord
3
0
Bellows Breath
2
1
Retreat
1
1
Stacked Deck
3
1
Stupefy
3
1
Frigid Touch
1
2
Hard Bargain
1
2
Morbid Return
1
2
Ravenbloom Student
3
2
Rebuke
2
2
Smoke Screen
1
2
Arcane Shift
2
3
Fizz, Trickster
2
3
Wages of Pain
3
3
Vex, Cheerless
3
5
Singularity
1
6
Mindsplitter
1
7
Thousand-Tailed Watcher
1
7
Rhasa the Sunderer
2
10
Dr. Mundo, Expert
1
8
Rebuke
1
2
Pickpocket
3
3
Rocket Barrage
1
4
Factory Recall
1
1
Downwell
1
8
Alan piloted Ezreal splendidly throughout the tournament, showcasing high-level Riftbound gameplay. Interestingly, Alan opted for 3 copies of Vex Cheerless, which can be a nightmare when she enters combat, making it harder for opposing players to play their spells. It’s a good choice against decks like Irelia that heavily rely on low-cost spells to win combats, but it also finds value against Draven decks, making it a challenge for them to play cards like Fight or Flight.
The Ezreal deck is all about outvaluing the opponent in the late-game, having a built-in draw mechanic in your Legend whenever you choose two of the opponent’s units or gear, perfect for keeping the resource engine running and having different lines to take throughout the game.
You’re mostly trying to control the board with the multiple removal plays you have at your disposal, trying to slow down the opponent until you get to a point where they can’t keep up with you anymore. Ezreal Prodigy + Called Shot can be insane value and a great way to find the cards you need to start setting up your strategy. Arcane Shift gives you 3 damage but can be a strong combo with cards like Ezreal Prodigy, Fizz Trickster, Thousand-Tailed Watcher, and Mindsplitter to reactivate their On Play abilities.
Miss Fortune – Sebiqqqqqqqqqq
Miss Fortune, Bounty Hunter
1
0
Body Rune
6
0
Chaos Rune
6
0
Aspirant's Climb
1
0
Obelisk of Power
1
0
Sigil of the Storm
1
0
Miss Fortune, Captain
1
5
Called Shot
3
0
Bullet Time
2
1
Gust
2
1
Punch First
2
1
Sabotage
2
1
Stacked Deck
3
1
Challenge
3
2
Fight or Flight
3
2
Hard Bargain
2
2
Mobilize
3
2
Invert Timelines
1
3
Last Rites
2
3
Catalyst of Aeons
3
4
Mindsplitter
3
7
Dazzling Aurora
3
9
Volibear, Imposing
2
12
Unyielding Spirit
2
1
Gust
1
1
Miss Fortune, Buccaneer
1
4
Fading Memories
1
4
Invert Timelines
1
3
Factory Recall
2
1
With the many Gear removal cards in Spiritforged, most didn’t expect to see Dazzling Aurora in the meta anymore. However, we saw Miss Fortune Bounty Hunter going up against some of the top-performing decks in the meta and managing to push through all the way to the top 8!
This is a ramp deck, wanting to gain additional runes in the early game to play Dazzling Aurora a turn or two earlier than usual. Once Dazzling Aurora is in play, you can start looking for your high-cost units like Mindsplitter or Volibear Imposing to start taking over the game. We’re used to seeing Deadbloom Predator in the Aurora list, but Sebiq cuts it out entirely, wanting to increase his odds of getting access to the Mindsplitters to discard cards from the opponent’s hand, and having Volibear, Imposing as an extremely tanky unit that can be almost impossible to break through.
Top 4 Vikor – Ghosterdriver
Viktor, Herald of the Arcane
1
0
Mind Rune
6
0
Order Rune
6
0
Void Gate
1
0
Ravenbloom Conservatory
1
0
Treasure Hoard
1
0
Viktor, Leader
1
4
Bellows Breath
3
1
Stupefy
3
1
Cull the Weak
3
2
Hidden Blade
3
2
Honest Broker
3
2
Plundering Poro
1
2
Salvage
1
2
Faithful Manufactor
2
3
Pickpocket
3
3
Wages of Pain
3
3
Xin Zhao, Vigilant
3
3
Vengeance
1
4
Glasc Mixologist
1
5
Imperial Decree
2
5
Riptide Rex
1
6
Singularity
2
6
Thousand-Tailed Watcher
3
7
Time Warp
1
10
Riptide Rex
1
6
Card Sharp
1
3
Faithful Manufactor
1
3
Salvage
2
2
Imperial Decree
1
5
Glasc Mixologist
2
5
The old school Yellow Viktor had an amazing run in Bologna, adding a couple of Spiritforged additions to its arsenal! Bellows Breath has been a popular inclusion in this list since it combos well with Imperial Decree, giving you the ability to clear the opponent’s units, even those in the base.
Pickpocket is there to kill 1-cost or less gears, so usually you’re targeting seals to slow down the opposing player.
Xin Zhao Vigilant can be a massive aggressor, and since you can play Recruits through your Legend’s ability, you can easily go for a Ready Xin Zhao to attack with him immediately.
Viktor has an extremely close matchup against Miss Fortune, but unfortunately, it couldn’t deal with the high-cost units in the 3rd game and ended up losing the board despite Viktor having the early Point lead.
Top 4 Irelia – Krowz
Irelia, Blade Dancer
1
0
Calm Rune
6
0
Chaos Rune
6
0
Obelisk of Power
1
0
The Dreaming Tree
1
0
Sunken Temple
1
0
Irelia, Fervent
1
5
Charm
3
1
Defiant Dance
3
1
Defy
2
1
En Garde
3
1
Discipline
3
2
Fight or Flight
3
2
Guardian Angel
3
2
Lonely Poro
2
2
Not So Fast
3
2
Ride the Wind
2
2
Zhonya's Hourglass
1
2
Boots of Swiftness
3
3
Sneaky Deckhand
3
3
Stellacorn Herder
3
4
Draven, Audacious
2
6
Defy
1
1
Zhonya's Hourglass
1
2
Flash
1
2
Adaptatron
2
4
Rebuke
2
2
Hard Bargain
1
2
A lot of expectations from players for Irelia to perform in this tournament, and many expected her to have the second-highest meta share in this tournament. The deck had an overall solid performance in Bologna and managed to push to the top 4, only to fall against Alanzq’s Ezreal with a 1-2 score.
This deck heavily relies on Irelia Fervent as the main win condition, using its many low-cost protection spells to keep her alive and capable of conquering battlefields. The Deflect keyword can make it even harder for the opposing player to deal with her, and with Guardian Angel and Zhonya Hourglass in the list, it’s quite a challenge to deal with that win condition.
Draven Audacious can be a secondary win condition. Getting a point from winning a combat can get you faster to 8 Points, and you can even dodge the need conquer two battlefields in one turn.
Interestingly, this list runs three copies of Boots of Swiftness, showing that Krowz is committed to maximizing the battlefield-jump strategy, which allows him to move between battlefields to score two points per turn.
Top 8 Ezreal – TheManLandRft
Ezreal, Prodigal Explorer
1
0
Mind Rune
2
0
Chaos Rune
10
0
Aspirant's Climb
1
0
The Dreaming Tree
1
0
Void Gate
1
0
Ezreal, Prodigy
3
3
Called Shot
3
0
Seal of Discord
3
0
Gust
1
1
Retreat
2
1
Stacked Deck
3
1
Stupefy
3
1
Fight or Flight
3
2
Ravenbloom Student
3
2
Rebuke
1
2
Ride the Wind
1
2
Arcane Shift
3
3
Fizz, Trickster
3
3
Last Rites
1
3
Wages of Pain
3
3
Downwell
1
8
Rhasa the Sunderer
3
10
Rebuke
1
2
Pickpocket
3
3
Hard Bargain
2
2
Rocket Barrage
1
4
Last Rites
1
3
TheManLandRft’s Ezreal list includes more copies of and opts for Gust, a card that can be used to return an opponent’s 3-cost or less unit to their hand or can be played on your own unit to save it from removal and even reactivate its On Play ability. They do cut out the Watcher and Below Breath, a popular combo play we usually see almost all Ezreal players include.
In the sideboard, we have Pickpocket for the mirror matchup or any other decks that heavily rely on low-cost gears like Seals.
Top 8 Draven – M4rcus99
Draven, Glorious Executioner
1
0
Fury Rune
6
0
Chaos Rune
6
0
Obelisk of Power
1
0
Reaver's Row
1
0
Targon's Peak
1
0
Draven, Vanquisher
1
4
Stacked Deck
3
1
Falling Star
2
2
Fight or Flight
3
2
Hard Bargain
1
2
Overzealous Fan
3
2
Rebuke
2
2
Spinning Axe
3
2
Switcheroo
1
2
Tideturner
3
2
Treasure Hunter
3
2
Edge of Night
1
3
Kai'Sa, Survivor
3
4
Noxus Hopeful
3
4
Darius, Trifarian
3
5
Brynhir Thundersong
2
6
Ferrous Forerunner
2
6
Mindsplitter
1
7
Mindsplitter
2
7
Against the Odds
2
2
Ferrous Forerunner
1
6
Hard Bargain
1
2
Switcheroo
1
2
Last Rites
1
3
Other Decklist Performers
10th Sivir – Xtacio
Sivir, Battle Mistress
1
0
Body Rune
6
0
Chaos Rune
6
0
Aspirant's Climb
1
0
Obelisk of Power
1
0
Vilemaw's Lair
1
0
Sivir, Mercenary
1
4
Called Shot
3
0
Gust
3
1
Punch First
3
1
Sabotage
3
1
Stacked Deck
3
1
Challenge
3
2
Fight or Flight
2
2
Ride the Wind
2
2
Treasure Trove
3
2
Last Rites
2
3
Catalyst of Aeons
3
4
Mindsplitter
3
7
Deadbloom Predator
2
8
Dazzling Aurora
3
9
Volibear, Imposing
1
12
Cannon Barrage
2
2
Rebuke
1
2
Temptation
1
2
Boots of Swiftness
1
3
Akshan, Mischievous
1
4
Yone Blademaster
1
5
Anivia, Primal
1
7
Top 32 Annie – COPE Anarchy
Annie, Dark Child
1
0
Fury Rune
5
0
Chaos Rune
7
0
The Arena's Greatest
1
0
The Dreaming Tree
1
0
Zaun Warrens
1
0
Annie, Stubborn
1
4
Cleave
3
1
Stacked Deck
3
1
Fight or Flight
3
2
Flash
2
2
Long Sword
1
2
Pouty Poro
3
2
Rebuke
2
2
Ride the Wind
2
2
Scrapheap
3
2
Tideturner
2
2
Traveling Merchant
3
2
Fizz, Trickster
2
3
Rengar, Pouncing
1
3
Sneaky Deckhand
3
3
Kai'Sa, Survivor
3
4
Darius, Trifarian
3
5
Vi, Destructive
3
2
Brynhir Thundersong
2
6
Hard Bargain
2
2
Rebuke
1
2
