The Darkin Saga in Legends of Runeterra is broken into three expansion packs: Awakening, Domination, and World Ender. Awakening adds 65, Domination adds 52, and World Ender contributes 43 cards, respectively, spanning all regions.

RELATED: Every New Champion In Legends Of Runeterra's Awakening Expansion, Ranked

With about 160 cards total, it can be difficult to determine the absolute best of the best. Depending on your needs — which can change from game to game, even — you may find some cards more useful than others. Still, some stand out among the collection and can really benefit your deck overall, and picking what makes the cut should reflect your play style as much as your goals.

10 Hearthblood Mender

Hearthblood Mender Legends of Runeterra Darkin

Hearthblood Mender is a Follower from the Freljord region that brings five Power and five Health to the table. When played, this card will give an ally +1/+1 stats, as well as heal your Nexus by three.

It should go without saying, but any card that will heal your Nexus is a must-have for your deck. You never know when you’ll need to heal, and gaining a slight boost to another card will only make you stronger overall. All this, plus the Hearthblood Mender’s own stats, make it an essential Darkin card for your deck.

9 Noxian Defector

Noxian Defector Legends of Runeterra Darkin

A Follower of the Cultist kind, the Noxian Defector from Noxus starts out with lower stats, especially for the four mana cost, but this card has potential. Not only does Noxian Defector has Quick Attack, but its Power will also rise to match the strongest Equipped ally you have for the round.

The main thing to remember when having this card in your hand is to plan when to play it. Building up your other cards will make using Noxian Defector even stronger, as long as you play it alongside one with Equipped.

8 Norra

Norra Legends of Runeterra Darkin

Norra from the Bandle City region is a Yordle Champion with low stats but a low price to match. She does have Elusive, though, working in her favor, and will level up to her full potential once you’ve summoned six or more allies.

RELATED: Legends Of Runeterra: Norra Guide

The biggest perk with Norra comes after a Nexus Strike. She’ll place a Mysterious Portal somewhere within your deck’s top four cards to activate once that card is played. This will give you another Follower up to three mana cost for extra help against your opponent.

7 Test Of Spirit

Test of Spirit Legends of Runeterra Darkin

A Bilgewater Spell, Test of Spirit only costs you one mana to play and will make a single enemy card Vulnerable for the remainder of the round. If you can kill that card in the same round, your opponent’s Nexus will be hit with one damage.

Since Test of Spirit is so cheap to cast, you’ll be able to use this whenever you want (or need) within the game. That gives you the freedom to use it at will, as well as the ability to hit your opponent’s Nexus with damage as early in the game as you want.

6 Kind-Hearted Recruit

Kind-hearted Recruit Legends of Runeterra Darkin

Kind-Hearted Recruit is a Follower from the Demacia region with stout stats. The Recruit will give any of your Equipped cards Barrier for the round he’s played, so the more you have Equipped, the stronger this card will be on the field.

Aside from keeping other cards safe briefly, Kind-Hearted Recruit has five Power to do his own amount of damage against your opponent’s hand. He does cost you five mana, so he’ll be a later in the gameplay, but that’s when you’ll likely need Barrier on cards the most.

5 The Unforgiving Cold

The Unforgiving Cold Legends of Runeterra Darkin

The Unforgiving Cold is a Freljord Spell in the Cultist category that puts Frostbite on the strongest enemy card, essentially canceling out their Power for the round. This Spell is another card that works best if you have Equipped cards in play because it will create a copy of itself when that’s the case.

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Being able to render your strongest opposition useless - even for a single round - can go a long way toward extending your cards’ lifespan. Frostbite doesn’t hinder other Power-related effects from attaching to the card, either, so you can use this Spell in unison with others.

4 Fracture

Fracture Legends of Runeterra Darkin

Fracture is another Freljord Spell, though this one has a wider scope of damage. For only two mana, this Spell will hit everything on the board with one damage, which means you’re going to want to play this when you have cards to spare or cards with higher Health.

Fracture can also destroy a unit’s equipment, so you do have a little leeway with how you can cast it if you’re not wanting to hurt everything in sight. Still, even if you take on a bit of damage, hurting all enemy cards will outweigh your own.

3 The Zaun Diva

The Zaun Diva Legends of Runeterra Darkin

The Zaun Diva is from the Piltover and Zaun region and is a Follower that costs eight mana to play. Helpfully, though, she has seven Power and five Health to make the expense worth it. Depending on your Spell game, you may find her more useful than at her basic function.

Without casting six Spells, The Zaun Diva will hit all enemies with one damage. If you have cast six Spells throughout the game, however, she’ll do three damage to all enemies. Either way, she’s handing out damage to all of your opponent’s cards, and like Fracture, that’s never a bad thing.

2 Kayle

Kayle Legends of Runeterra Darkin

Kayle comes from the Targon region, a Champion with low stats initially, but the ability to grow stronger based on your attacked cards. He’ll gain an extra one Power anytime one of your cards has been hit with increased Power, so the later in the game you play him, the better off you will be.

RELATED: Legends Of Runeterra: Kayle Champion Guide

He’ll also give all of his ally cards an extra one Power when he’s summoned to help increase your overall stats. This is on top of his Quick Attack ability. If you successfully level Kayle up, he’ll have a Power stat of at least 11 at the start of your next turn.

1 Champions’ Strength

Champions' Strength Legends of Runeterra Darkin

Champions’ Strength is a Demacia Spell with a high-cost value. In exchange for the mana, though, this Spell gives your cards +4/+4 stats for the round it’s cast, and if you hold the Attack Token, those cards also get Scout.

If you don’t have the Token to gain Scout, then this Spell triggers a Rally that will give you an Attack Token moving forward. Since you’ll be casting this Spell towards the end of the game, it could turn the tides in your favor, or make winning a landslide.

NEXT: Legends Of Runeterra: The Best Unit Cards In Domination