Riftbound: The League of Legends Trading Card Game is set to introduce Illaoi, Prophet of the Great Kraken, a champion with roots stretching back to 2015 within League of Legends lore. This marks her debut in the trading card game, and she will be featured in the forthcoming fourth set, Riftbound: Vendetta, scheduled for release on July 31.
Illaoi is presented as a Champion unit card with Chaos (Purple) colors and a cost of six runes. She possesses an activated ability that, when played or when she scores, generates a 1 Might Tentacle unit token. Furthermore, her passive ability grants her +1 Might for each token unit the player controls. This focus on token generation positions Illaoi as a unique addition to strategies within the Chaos color, which has historically not emphasized token mechanics as heavily as other factions.
While Legends like Viktor (Mind/Order) and Azir (Calm/Order) are known for token-based decks, they do not utilize the Chaos color. The introduction of Illaoi suggests a potential shift or expansion of token strategies within the Chaos archetype. Her capabilities could synergize with other cards in the Vendetta set, such as the previously revealed Chaos Legends Zed and Kennen. The new Empower mechanic, which grants cards additional abilities when certain conditions are met, may allow for interesting plays. For instance, a Tentacle token could be used to empower Zed, with Illaoi capable of generating another token to compensate. Similarly, Kennen could potentially empower a Tentacle to secure a zone before Illaoi scores and generates a new token. The full extent of Illaoi's strategic potential will become clearer as more cards from the Riftbound: Vendetta set are revealed, potentially including other Chaos Legends that further support token-focused play.