IntroductionToday, we'll explore the second-best holding deck in the format: Blue Sentinel Ahri.It might play the same green cards as Vex, but it is fundamentally different.It is more difficult to pilot and not "noob-proof" like Vex is. It also forces you to be more aggressive, or proactive, instead of just responsive like most holding decks. Let's see how it works.Before we begin, however, let me introduce myself. My name is Total, and I used to cast Legends of Runeterra tournaments professionally. I covered all the official tournaments, including Worlds, and I am known for creating deck guides for LoR as well. Now, I am a part of the Riftbound community!Blue Sentinel Ahri - Check-Mate Your Opponent Out of NowhereDeck LinkThe idea behind this deck is to hold a battlefield with Blue Sentinel so that you can double all your holding effects. Like so, you'll score 3 points at the beginning of your turn if Ahri Alluring is also in play.In the list above, you'll find a control kit full of cheap spells that buff your units or nerf enemy units. Stuns and counters also see play.Blue Sentinel might be the card that names this strategy, but it is far from the most important card in it. Sona is your main unit, in fact: she'll help you create an unstoppable snowball every turn.Main StrategyMulligan after any 2-cost unit in your deck.If you already have a 2-cost unit, Mulligan after Sona or Blue Sentinel.The main difference between this deck and Vex is that you don't need to play a 4-cost unit straight away after you first conquer a battlefield.Ideally, you must always pass your turn with a few Runes ready. So, playing Blue Sentinel on turn 2 and passing your turn with all your Runes exhausted is one of the worst plays you can make.Another difference is that this deck is a lot better than Vex when you're second to play. Ahri - Inquisitive, in your champion zone, is great when you want to attack. You must do this on turn 1 whenever you lose on the dice.Though this list can draw lots of cards, "drawing cards" is actually one of its greatest issues. You can fix that with your battlefields, but Vex can draw cards consistently and a lot more efficiently than this Ahri. After all, Ahri needs to play combat tricks to draw cards.Despite this drawback, this list actually performs really well. It is quite prepared to deal with some difficult opponents, like orange decks that play giant units.BattlefieldsIf you're playing blind, start with Startipped Peak. In these situations, you can be more flexible. You can focus on your battlefield or the opponent's if you prefer destroying their strategy. You should do this when their battlefield is critical for their main game plan.If you're first to play, put Grove of the God-Willow in play and focus on it.If you're second to play, play Targon's Peak and try to focus on the opponent's battlefield, particularly if they brick. If they don't, focus on your battlefield.Important NotesThere are 2 flexible card slots in this list.Cloth Armor and Block are great, but they don't make much of a difference against some opponents, like LeBlanc.If your local meta is full of LeBlancs, I recommend you play something other than these cards. Otherwise, that is, if your local meta is full of orange decks, for instance, I recommend you keep them.My suggestions:You can play Downstage Dramatics instead of Cloth Armor. It will fix this deck's card draw problem, and, if you put a Sona in play, it will come out "free" at the end of the turn, particularly if you play it with Repeat.You can play Thwonk instead of Block. It is a strong option that does almost the same thing as Block, but you can't play it Hidden.You can play Zhonya's instead of Block. It is a defensive option that will keep your units alive. You can also play it Hidden and it could save you at specific moments of the game. Nonetheless, it loses a lot of value when you're ahead or have an extensive board with a lot of units.Diana Lunari is a situational unit that can give you cards and improve your top deck. It has a downside, though. You can only activate its effect when a showdown starts where it is. And, as your opponent won't try to attack you early on, it could stay in play, inactive, for a long time. Still, it is quite strong when you activate its effect and makes this deck a lot more consistent.You can play Janna - Savior instead of Cloth Armor. It's another situational card that only works against midrange or aggressive opponents that attack your board. It's quite powerful when you manage to get 100% out of its effect, as then it can win the game on the spot for you.Managing Runes: Always try to keep the same amount of each type of rune on your board when you recycle them. In other words, only recycle the runes you already have a lot of. Example: If you have 4 green runes and 1 blue one, recycle a green one.MatchupsLeBlanc: This is a pretty difficult opponent because many cards you play will just be useless in your hand. LeBlanc rarely attacks your board, so your combat tricks are useless, and your Legend's effect won't make any difference during the game.In game 2, get 2x Disarming Rake and 2x Emperor's Divide and remove 2x Block, 1x Cloth Armor, and 1x Stupefy.Master Yi and Rengar: These opponents are pretty easy to deal with because they won't be able to deal with your board and will lose a lot of resources trying to do it.If you're up against these decks, get a Vilemaw instead of Not So Fast in game 2.Mirror matches: Get a Tianna Crownguard and watch your opponent melt their brains trying to figure out how to win after that.Final WordsIf you read this far, thank you! I hope you had fun and enjoyed reading this article.Don't forget to share.See you next time!
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