Illaoi: Spawn into a repeated tentacle attack

Illaoi builds a large Tentacle and borrows its Power when attacking. This six-star setup adds a temporary second Tentacle and protects the board's investment. Players disagree on the final slot: protection is safer against disruption, while a level-up Rally raises the damage ceiling. The engine does not require the rare random boss summon to work.

Harsh Lesson

When Illaoi is blocked, her strongest Tentacle strikes her blocker. This can remove it before combat or weaken it through her damage-reduction power. The relic grants Regeneration and Spawn two on Play; it does not heal your Nexus on a kill. Choose a manageable blocker rather than expecting any size enemy to die.

Spirit of the Buhru

Gives cheap allies Fury, Quick Attack and Overwhelm. The one-cost Tentacle can use those keywords to survive and push damage through blockers.

Black Shield

Spellshield helps preserve the growing Tentacle and champion against hostile spells. It buys protection against one spell or skill; it does not make the board immune to repeated removal.

Mulligan for inexpensive bodies and Spawn effects. Early attacks establish a Tentacle while other units cover the next defense. At six stars the first Spawn each round summons Nagakabouros' Tentacle, which grows to your strongest Tentacle's stats and keywords. This supplies an Ephemeral attacker or blocker without requiring the random boss summon.

Play Illaoi when she can attack safely. The signature relic's pre-combat Tentacle strike can clear or weaken her chosen blocker, and its damage also contributes toward her level-up requirement. Keep the permanent Tentacle alive for later attacks. With the Vulnerable and Enfeebling Strike upgrades, choosing the weak target helps protect the champion. These upgrades are not implied by merely owning the relic.

Crownguard Inheritance can replace protection when the adventure allows a safe level-up attack. The second attack adds the Tentacle's Power again that round. More ceiling means little if removal destroys the engine first. The Beast Within can supply team Overwhelm before you own the cheap-unit keyword relic.

Low-star players often cut Watchful Idol because it is slow. At six stars its automatic Spawn can produce the extra Tentacle without another action, so reconsider that old advice. Favor affordable Spawn and survival rather than relying on drawing Nagakabouros.

Leap of Faith is the six-star Spawn payoff. Read the guaranteed extra Tentacle separately from the chance-based summon. The three-star Prophet of an Elder God II still supplies Spawn on allied attacks.

• Illaoi Strategy by u/frozentempest14, 2026-06-10, 3 points (observed 14 Oct 2026).
• My Impressions on six-star Illaoi by u/ConlanAG, 2026-06-04, 33 points (observed 14 Oct 2026).
• Player-submitted builds, collected 13 Oct 2026.
• Supporting champion guide, collected 13 Oct 2026.
• Champion mechanics, LoL Wiki, checked 13 Oct 2026.