Legends of Runeterra Mulligan Guide: What to Keep

The mulligan is the first decision in every game of Legends of Runeterra. At the start, you see your opening hand and may choose cards to send back and replace with new ones from your deck. A good mulligan gives you a hand that can do something in the first rounds and leads toward your deck's plan. A bad one leaves you with expensive cards you can't play until it is too late.

How the mulligan works

• At the start of the game you see your opening hand.
• You choose which cards to replace. Each chosen card goes back into the deck and you draw a new one.
• You can replace any number of cards, including none or all of them.
• The new cards are random, so you may draw the same card back.

The mulligan happens once, before the first round. After that, the hand you have is the hand you play.

The general rule: keep a curve

A curve means having cards to play at each mana level early in the game. In the first rounds you have little mana, so low-cost cards matter most.

• Keep low-cost units you can play in rounds one to three.
• Send back expensive cards you can't play for many rounds, unless they are central to your plan.
• Keep a balance: a hand with only low-cost cards may run out of steam, but early on that is usually the smaller problem.

Keep what your deck needs

Every deck has a plan, and the mulligan should move toward it:

• Aggressive decks keep low-cost attackers and send back almost everything else. Speed is their plan.
• Control decks keep early answers, cards that can deal with the opponent's first units, and key cards for later.
• Champion-focused decks may keep a champion in the opening hand if the deck is built around levelling it up, especially one that costs little.

If you are not sure, ask: "Can this hand do something in rounds two and three?"

Adjust to your opponent

You often know your opponent's regions at the start of the game. Use it:

• Against aggressive decks, keep low-cost blockers and early removal. Surviving the first rounds is the priority.
• Against slow decks, you can afford to keep a stronger card for later or a champion that grows over time.
• Against spell-heavy decks, think about which of your cards can still do their job if your opponent has an answer.

Common mulligan mistakes

• Keeping a hand of only expensive cards because they are powerful.
• Sending back a good early card looking for a perfect hand.
• Keeping two copies of a situational card that needs a specific board.
• Ignoring the opponent's regions when deciding.

A simple checklist

1. Do I have a card to play in the first two rounds?
2. Does this hand fit my deck's plan?
3. What is my opponent likely to do early, and can I answer it?
4. Is there a card here I can't play for many rounds? Send it back unless it is the heart of my deck.

Practise this checklist for a few games and it becomes automatic. For the basics of the game, see our Legends of Runeterra beginner guide.

Frequent questions

What is a mulligan in Legends of Runeterra?

The start-of-game choice to replace cards in your opening hand with new ones from your deck.

How many cards can I replace?

Any number of cards in your opening hand, from none to all.

Should I keep my champion?

In decks built around levelling it up, often yes, especially if it costs little. Otherwise, early cards come first.

Can I mulligan more than once?

No. It happens once at the start of the game.

Riot Cash codes on Mas4Games

A good mulligan is free. For cosmetics, Mas4Games sells Riot Cash codes for Legends of Runeterra in lira for Riot accounts of the Türkiye region, redeemed in the game's own store. The code is shown on your order's page and sent by e-mail, and the help center has live support.