Your first turns
Your first turns are about using every rune. A rune you don't spend this turn is wasted: it readies again next turn either way.
- Turn 1: 2 runes (3 if you went second). Play a 2-cost unit, or a 3-cost if you have 3.
- Turn 2: 4 runes (5 if you went second). A 4-cost, or two 2-costs.
- Turn 3: 6 runes (7 if you went second). Two 3-costs, or a bigger card like your Chosen Champion.
That's playing on curve: every turn, spend all your runes on cards that cost about what you have.
- Pit Rookie (2): a turn 1 play. When you play it, it buffs another friendly unit — better once you have one.
- Sunlit Guardian (3): a sturdy defender for your first or second turn.
- Take an empty battlefield early. Moving in is a Conquer — a free point — and a Hold next turn if you keep it.
- Don't attack into a bigger defender. Count every bonus first: [Shield], the battlefield, their Legend.
- A unit you just played arrives exhausted, so it can't move this turn anyway.
You go first: turn 1, 2 runes. Your hand has a 2-cost unit and a 5-cost unit. What do you do?
What do you play?
Real early turns with the starter decks. Choose the cards you'd play this turn, then Check.
1. Two runes
Master Yi starter deckYour first turn, going first. You channeled 2 runes. The board is empty.
Runes: Calm, Body — 2 Energy. Picked: 0 Energy.
2. Going second: three runes
Ahri starter deckMaster Yi went first and played Stalwart Poro. Going second, you channeled an extra rune: 3 runes. Both battlefields are empty.
Runes: Calm, Mind, Calm — 3 Energy. Picked: 0 Energy.
3. Turn two: four runes
Master Yi starter deckYour second turn, going first: 4 runes. Your Stalwart Poro is ready in your base; Ahri's Sunlit Guardian just arrived in hers. Both battlefields are empty.
Runes: Calm, Body, Calm, Body — 4 Energy. Picked: 0 Energy.
4. The lone defender
Ahri starter deckYour second turn, going second: 5 runes. Yi took Trifarian War Camp ("units here have +1 Might" — attackers too) with his Stalwart Poro (2 Might, [Shield]), alone there. His Legend, Wuju Bladesman: "While a friendly unit defends alone, it gets +2 Might." Altar to Unity is empty. Your Sunlit Guardian (3 Might) is ready.
Runes: Calm, Mind, Calm, Mind, Calm — 5 Energy. Picked: 0 Energy.
0 of 4 answered.
Words from this lesson
- On curve
- Spending all your runes on cards every turn: a 2-cost with 2 runes, a 4-cost with 4.
From the Core Rules (2026-10-09): ~315 — the Channel Phase: 2 runes each turn · 487.4 — the second player's extra rune · 469–474 — Scoring: Conquer and Hold