22 March 2026, the grand final showdown of Riftbound Season 2 National Open has come to an end.From the fierce 16-player competition, two devoted Irelia players — A Men and Xiao Le Se — fought their way out with absolute dominance.
In the semifinals, they both shattered the relentless onslaught of Draven decks, filling the final stage with the glory of the Blade Dancer.In the end, player A Men swept his opponent 2:0 and declared with sharp blades:The era of flying axes has fallen, and the Irelia dynasty has risen!
The semifinal battlefield was a declaration of faith against the meta.Once ruling the arena, the Draven deck struck fear into all opponents with its aggro pressure of spinning axes and overwhelming tempo.Yet against the precise strategy of the two Irelia mains, every brutal attack ended in vain.
Using her core mechanics — agile board control, dormant evasion, and continuous growth — Irelia dismantled every wave of Draven’s assault and completely collapsed both Draven decks.It proved with pure strength that brutal aggro has its limits, and will and skill are the ultimate answer in Riftbound.
Both decks run a Purple-Green color combination and share a core game plan of control + sustain, but their color ratios lead to distinct playstyles:
Xiao Le Se’s build: 7 Purple, 5 Green With a heavier focus on Purple, this deck emphasizes aggressive control and disruption. It packs more Purple faction removal, tempo plays, and board control effects to shut down the opponent’s game plan early. Green is used mainly for basic stability and utility, making this build more proactive and control-focused.
A Men’s build: 6 Purple, 6 Green This version uses a balanced 6-6 color split. It keeps the core Purple control tools while adding more Green faction cards for enhanced sustain, board presence, and durability. The extra Green improves long-term resource retention, survivability, and late-game consistency. This build is more well-rounded, resilient, and geared towards attrition and counterattacks.
Game 1 A Men started with Charm to clear the board and gain board control, though slightly behind in mana. Both players played Stellacorn Herder in succession, and the resource gap remained narrow.In the mid-game, A Men pulled ahead in points thanks to his board dominance, and retreated all his units when Xiao Le Se reached 5 points. Although Xiao Le Se used Purple Draven to seize 7 points back, he was still at a board disadvantage. After A Men’s attack, he achieved double conquer and took Game 1.
Game 2 Xiao Le Se played Stellacorn Herder first, while A Men deployed Blade Dancer. Both sides developed steadily.A Men claimed 2 points early with Sneaky Deckhand. After an exchange, Xiao Le Se’s Stellacorn Herder gained significant card resources, but at a key turn A Men reserved enough mana to successfully hold and score.On the following turn, A Men used Sneaky Deckhand again to rush 5 points, then played Purple Draven at his base.Xiao Le Se could not find backline removal and was forced to hold only one battlefield.On A Men’s turn, he conquered first to gain 6 points, then used Ride the Wind on Blade Dancer to trade, leaving only one enemy unit alive. Purple Draven pushed the battlefield and instantly countered Fight or Flight with a face-down card. A Men finally closed out the match.
The final, an epic Irelia mirror match, showcased the elegance and power of the Blade Dancer to perfection.Player A Men mastered Irelia’s mechanics to perfection, seizing the initiative in every critical turn, with every blade dance striking straight at the core.
Though Xiao Le Se fought with all his might, he could not resist A Men’s flawless tempo.In the end, A Men lifted the championship trophy undefeated, raising Irelia’s flag high above the national stage.
This is not just a tournament victory — it is the coronation of an archetype.For far too long, Draven decks ruled the meta with aggro, turning the arena into a stage for flying axes.
But today, two Irelia players broke the shackles of the meta with perseverance and strength, proving that Irelia’s agility and tenacity can crush all brute force.From silent devotion to the peak of glory, from an underrated faith to the ruler of the arena, Irelia players have announced with a thrilling victory:the age of the Blade Dancer has officially arrived!
Where blades reach, runes bow; where the dancer is crowned, the dynasty stands forever.Congratulations to champion A Men, congratulations to outstanding finalist Xiao Le Se, and congratulations to all Irelia mains — our faith has finally become legend!A new chapter of Riftbound is written by blades; the future arena will be ruled by the Blade Dancer!
World Championship winner JackeyLove (Yu Wenbo) made a blockbuster entrance as the Official Chief Experience Officer of Riftbound, and officially unveiled the game’s brand-new epic card — Baron Nashor · Abyss Overlord — in front of a nationwide audience of players, adding another iconic highlight to this top-tier trading card tournament.
JackeyLove’s appearance instantly ignited the atmosphere across the venue. As an iconic AD Carry in the LPL (League of Legends Pro League), he is renowned for his elite in-game plays and unmatched precision in controlling match tempo. He is also a long-time veteran player of Riftbound, and his deep understanding of competitive strategy aligns perfectly with the core ethos of the game — the key reason he was appointed to the role of Riftbound’s Chief Experience Officer.
This new Baron Nashor card is first Uitimate Rarity Card. It is rendered in a contemporary Chinese ink wash painting style: the artist uses bold, heavy dry ink strokes to outline Baron Nashor’s sharp bone blades, menacing fangs, and powerful tentacles, with every line carrying the signature sharpness and raw power unique to Eastern ink wash art. A backdrop of deep, ink-washed abyssal shadows sets the scene, with natural gradations of ink tone laid out seamlessly. It balances the iconic minimalist, evocative artistry of ink wash painting with the unwavering intimidation of Baron Nashor, the ultimate boss of Summoner’s Rift.
More than just a game-deciding hyper-OP card that can swing the outcome of any match, this card is also a one-of-a-kind, tournament-exclusive collectible with official commemorative value.
All in all, we are all eagerly awaiting Unleashed official release on April 10th.
We’ll keep bringing you all things Riftbound. For more updates, follow our website. Thanks!
