In Legends of Runeterra, Tahm Kench / Soraka is an archetype with a focus on self-damage and healing. It has a unique play style compared to most decks, because of its reliance on an alternate win condition in its landmark, Star Spring.
If you’re a pacifist and enjoy winning the game without ever attacking your opponent, or prefer decks with unorthodox game plans in general, Tahm Kench / Soraka may be the deck for you. Here’s a guide to the archetype and how to play it, including key strategies, mulligans, and more.
Just as all legends do, every story has a beginning. No matter your allegiance, take a moment to relive the spread of the Ruination and the start of a new hope.
Let us know which new cards and decks from this expansion are your favorites! pic.twitter.com/fBEZ68IeSH
— Legends of Runeterra (@PlayRuneterra) July 23, 2021
You can find a sample decklist created by swimstrim on Mobalytics here.
The aim of this deck is to control the opponent’s board using Tahm Kench, use Soraka to sustain Tahm Kench’s health and provide card advantage, and win with Star Spring’s alternate win condition. Star Spring is a landmark that heals all your allies one at the end of each round. After doing so, if it has seen you heal a total of 22+ health on allies, it wins the game.
During your mulligan, you’ll always want to look for Star Spring, because it is your main win condition. Soraka and Tahm Kench are your second priority, and you can also keep cards depending on the matchup, such as Broadbacked Protector when facing aggro or Hush when facing Thresh / Nasus.
Use your early units like Boxtopus and a buffed Star Shepherd to control the enemy’s board and get rid of their units. Tahm Kench is another threat once he hits the board, with the ability to remove one enemy unit per turn.
Star Spring’s unique win condition makes Tahm Kench / Soraka play differently compared to the average deck. You’ll want to be reactive, attacking only when you need to, such as to trigger Soraka’s heal. The deck runs lots of Health buffs and heal spells, so save them to make sure your units stay on the board. If you lose your Tahm Kench or Soraka, especially if Tahm Kench is not leveled up yet, it may very well mean a lost game.
Always keep track of the counter on your Star Spring, in case you can use it to win at the end of the round with cards like Astral Protection or Soraka’s Wish. A win with Wish can often come out of nowhere and take your opponent by surprise, so take advantage of it fully.
For more deck guides, feel free to check out our All-In Fiora guide or our Nightfall Aggro guide. There are lots of decks that are viable in Legends of Runeterra right now, and almost every playstyle can find its place in the metagame. Don’t be afraid to try things out!
PlatoAi. Web3 Reimagined. Data Intelligence Amplified.
Click here to access.
