Vendetta Legends Guide: Deckbuilding Plans for All Nine Rivals
Compare Akali, Kennen, Zed, Shen, Mel, Jayce, Ambessa, Renekton, and Nasus through Pre-Rift kits, constructed plans, and early results.
Vendetta's nine enemy-domain Legends arrived with unusually explicit synergies. That made the first deckbuilding step easy to see—and made it tempting to assume every printed package was already complete. Pre-Rift kits and the first three competitive weeks showed a wider gap between clear identity and reliable results.
The nine rivals at a glance
| Legend | Early plan | Riftarc's practical read |
|---|---|---|
| Akali | Fury-leaning Ionian midrange | Two viable directions, but larger events had not confirmed a breakout |
| Kennen | Miracle or Baited Hook tempo | The most flexible new Legend and the strongest early result profile |
| Zed | Fast, fragile pressure | Needs booster help and disciplined protection |
| Shen | Structured defensive kit | One of the strongest Pre-Rift packages out of the box |
| Mel | Mind value and Might manipulation | High-tempo decisions with removal tied to stat management |
| Jayce | Efficient kit with clear roles | Strong in Pre-Rift before extensive upgrades |
| Ambessa | Proactive combat package | Promising identity, limited large-event proof in the audited window |
| Renekton | Rival pressure and combat | Encouraging tools, still searching for a stable shell |
| Nasus | Ramp to seven runes and cheat energy | The slowest plan, but one of the few new Legends with serious early results |
Kennen, Mel, Akali, and Nasus in constructed play
Kennen supported proactive Rhasa Miracle and Baited Hook builds. His popularity initially outpaced results at the 240-player Sideways Showdown, but later events made him the clearest Vendetta contender. Flexibility is the advantage; mixing both shells without a reason is the danger.
Mel manipulates Might to turn value cards into removal and tempo. Her signature spell and support package reward planning around the opponent's likely stat line. She recorded early Top 8s but had less evidence than Kennen or Nasus.
Akali was expected to resemble Irelia, yet leaned much harder on Fury and proactive pressure. A win in a 36-player Chinese event and several Top Cuts showed possibility, while larger online events kept the ceiling uncertain.
Nasus ramps toward seven runes, then cheats two energy per turn into a powerful late game. Early units must do enough to preserve points until the engine turns on. The deck is slow, not passive: every early card should buy the time the seven-rune plan requires.
What Pre-Rift taught
Shen, Jayce, and Nasus had the most convincing seeded kits. Zed, Kennen, and Akali needed more booster support. Ambessa and Renekton occupied the middle, while Mel's value depended on how well the pool supported her manipulation plan.
In Sealed, upgrade the weakest functional turn before the strongest payoff. A kit that already curves and contests two locations should receive flexible interaction; a kit missing early units should not spend its best pulls on another expensive finisher.
How to choose
Choose Kennen for flexibility, Akali for Fury midrange, Zed for speed, Shen for defense, Mel for intricate tempo, Jayce for a clean prebuild, Ambessa or Renekton for proactive refinement, and Nasus for ramp.
The Vendetta set guide explains products and mechanics. The first-three-weeks report contains the dated tournament evidence behind these assessments.
Final recommendation
Start with the Legend whose ordinary turn you enjoy, not the one with the loudest payoff. Vendetta's rival packages are strong signposts; the successful decks are the ones that still function when the signature card never appears.
Vendetta Legends and their key support cards
Explore the verified catalogue cards referenced by the source articles and analysis above.
Cleave
OGN-004 · Spell
Noxus Hopeful
OGN-012 · Unit
Brynhir Thundersong
OGN-026 · Unit
Darius - Trifarian
OGN-027 · Unit
Falling Star
OGN-029 · Spell
Kai'Sa - Survivor
OGN-039 · Unit
Defy
OGN-045 · Spell
En Garde
OGN-046 · Spell
Find Your Center
OGN-047 · Spell
Discipline
OGN-058 · Spell
Mask of Foresight
OGN-060 · Gear
Pit Crew
OGN-091 · Unit
Stupefy
OGN-095 · Spell
Ravenbloom Student
OGN-103 · Unit
Retreat
OGN-104 · Spell
Thousand-Tailed Watcher
OGN-116 · Unit
Pit Rookie
OGN-136 · Unit
Qiyana - Victorious
OGN-155 · Unit
Dazzling Aurora
OGN-160 · Gear
Fading Memories
OGN-180 · Spell
Stacked Deck
OGN-183 · Spell
Traveling Merchant
OGN-185 · Unit
Kog'Maw - Caustic
OGN-190 · Unit
Nocturne - Horrifying
OGN-194 · Unit
Rhasa the Sunderer
OGN-195 · Unit
Hidden Blade
OGN-213 · Spell
Harnessed Dragon
OGN-234 · Unit
Baited Hook
OGN-242 · Gear
Targon's Peak
OGN-289 · Battlefield
Stellacorn Herder
SFD-048 · Unit
Irelia - Fervent
SFD-057 · Unit
Premonition
SFD-087 · Spell
Fizz - Trickster
SFD-140 · Unit
Jhin - Murderous Artist
UNL-022 · Unit
Scuttle Crab
UNL-053 · Unit
Deadly Flourish
UNL-073 · Spell
Hwei - Brooding Painter
UNL-080 · Unit
Sprite Queen
UNL-084 · Unit
Star-Crossed
UNL-128 · Spell
Vi - Peacekeeper
UNL-176 · Unit
The Ruination
UNL-180 · Spell
Affectionate Poro
VEN-024 · Unit
Mournful Witness
VEN-028 · Unit
Akali - Silent
VEN-038 · Unit
Steel Paws
VEN-043 · Unit
Astral Heron
VEN-044 · Unit
Nasus - Ascended
VEN-046 · Unit
Dredge Up
VEN-049 · Spell
Otterpus
VEN-053 · Unit
Applied Researchers
VEN-055 · Unit
Covert Informant
VEN-057 · Unit
Patched Porobot
VEN-058 · Unit
Shock Blast
VEN-059 · Spell
Nasus - Guardian of Knowledge
VEN-063 · Unit
Mel - Newly Awakened
VEN-069 · Unit
Platewyrm Egg
VEN-075 · Gear
Gangplank - Naval
VEN-086 · Unit
Jayce - Hammer in Hand
VEN-088 · Unit
Up from the Deep
VEN-100 · Spell
Zed - Without a Sound
VEN-112 · Unit
Kennen - Storm of Shuriken
VEN-113 · Unit
Escaped Grayback
VEN-124 · Unit
Aurok General
VEN-130 · Unit
Kennen - Keeper of Balance
VEN-135 · Unit
Shuriken Flip
VEN-140 · Spell
Acceleration Gate
VEN-150 · Spell
Rebuttal
VEN-152 · Spell
Kennen - Heart of the Tempest
VEN-155 · Legend