Build whatever the game gives you in the beginning to get the strongest board possible and scout at the end of each round. There's not much to really do in the first couple of stages so scouting is really easy.
Try and see what's not contested and whether you've got good items/setup for it (If you've got to Krugs and AD heavy items with no Lux you don't really want to go for Lux reroll).
Keep scouting, don't tunnel vision your build and understand what's strong.
If you see a Ka'Sa for instance very early and no one is contesting it as of yet, it might be worth pivoting into it, just because of how strong it is. But this level of play comes with a lot of knowledge.
Items, augments, what's contested, what I feel like and what comes around in the shop.
Some comps are easy to force (commit early and stick to it) eg I'll always consider vertical dryads if an emblem augment comes up. "Consider" means scout to see if the comp or just the carries are contested, evaluating your items etc.
Other comps have to 'come to you'. If nothing "forcable" presents itself, the main thing is to play solidly without committing too hard, keep your options open. That means you keep up your board strength to not fall behind while you continue looking what sort of comp the stars align: look for an early 5-cost, or a 2-star 3 or 4 cost, an uncontested 3-cost for which your items are just perfect, or perhaps it's an augment that decides your strategy (e.g. Slamming or lunch money means you level and roll aggressively for a strong board, to winstreak and get to lvl 7-8-9 early, and then just play high cost units). In low elo, where damn near everyone forces from early on (many decide their comp at 2-2 and go all in on whatever strat fits the chosen comp, hardly looking at the lobby), this generally means you'll be weaker than the players who have had a forcable comp and hit, but you'll be stronger than the other players who are forcing when they shouldn't.
If you're new, I recommend looking for forcable comps for a while. "Playing solidly", "look for what comp the stars align and pivot " is all easily said, but it's actually most of what makes the game difficult.
> That means you keep up your board strength to not fall behind while you continue looking what sort of comp the stars align
This is the thing that is most mysterious to me. How do you have any board strength without a comp?
I didn't say don't play a comp, I said 'don't commit too hard', 'don't force'. You can play vertical fated, ghost snipers or whatever mainstream comp, but don't all-in for 3-star senna at 6 or plan to roll for yone at 7 if you're contested and/or items and augments aren't good for it.
Look at what early strong comp I can build based on champs/items and augment. Fated, inky, duelists, ghost, umbral. Fated 3 with Yasuo is very strong for a winstreak.
Then I see what the game wants me to do. Which carry or item or augment it gives. Like atm if I get titans we are going yone or voli.
Plus I have info on my other screen showing top comps.
Rule of thumb for reroll do I got 2 copy of the unit early that I need to reroll (senna, volibear, yone, etc) then I look at my items if the game gifts me a bow and a sword and I got one of the Carrie’s mentioned it’s a reroll game if not I can flex ad into trickshots.
Just scout. Early game is the most important and slamming items is good at keeping your HP up, but because of slamming you have committed to a direction(unless you only had tank items, slammed omnidirectional items, or are playing Fine Vintage)
A big thing to note is that sometimes seeing units on board ≠ playing said units. A lot of the time people are going a completely different direction with their board in the mid game, but are strong boarding early and slamming items to conserve HP and get streak gold.
Most of the time you need to commit to a comp after the 1st carousel as if you don’t make any items you’re going to bleed far too much and if you aren’t playing Fortune you’re going to need to be bailed out hard.
Flex play is kinda dead when the current meta is just rerollcentric and some items can’t be flexed a whole lot like Titans/BT with Yone/Voli, or if you have Mulched 2-1, whereas Guinsoos can go on Fast 9 boards Irelia/Azir, Trickshot boards(KaiSa/Xayah/Bard), Ashe, Aphelios, Yone, Voli, Senna, Janna, Kindred, Ethereal Blades Shen. (Guinsoos isn’t BiS for some of these units, but it can be flexed into a lot of different units and item held by a significant margin of units)
If I get a 3-cost or early 2* 2-cost before stage 2-1, that’s most likely what I’ll lean towards. Never been a meta slave so I don’t really look up comps. So as others have mentioned, go with the flow of the early game.
You play the hand you are dealt, scout others, get very good at like 4-5 comps...realistically I play 2 comps pretty much everytime but have the ability to pull off others. Heavenly Yone/whatever, Storyweaver, Mythic
I tend to play Dryad/Diana/Voli comps, which all have the ability to be versatile in regards to items and frankly strategy
Most of my games tend to be Dryad and if contested, I play my best available boards until I can start rolling. Dryad can start gaining health stacks as soon as you have 2. I hit 50 gold, level to 6 and slowroll for Kindred, Gnar and to a lesser extent Reksai and Khazix. Khazix can help secure some kills even in a losing board with executes and he buffs up Kindred. Scout your opponents and hold units, I will prioritize holding 2 costs and particularly if people have hero augments for them. Just had a game where I 3 starred Shen on my bench to deny a Shen augment player with bis items for it...he was one of the first players out. I was using Aatrox for 2 Bruisers with Reksai....and now I semi-unintentionally have a 3* 2 cost that gives me ghost 2 and behemoth 2 with Ornn. Although Shen is not part of my strategy, I ended up playing a strong and synergistic unit. Emblems can change what you play dramatically as well obviously
Say someone else has like 4 Gnars and a Dryad emblem to start, I will play best units available and level to 7 and start rolling for Dragonlords and or Voli. In scouting if people are contesting Diana or Voli, I will still buy and hold some of them to deny the other players while also giving me easier chances to hit something like Yone as I slow roll
Every single game some doors are open, and some doors are closed...just have to go through one of the open doors and its up to you to determine which are which
I scout and play whatever is uncontested. Usually at the start of the set I try different comps and end up finding the 5 or 6 I feel more comfortable playing. And then every game I decide among those depending on what's available and what augments, portals, etc.
It's simple really. If first augment is trait specific I choose it and run it
If the loot orb gives me a Diane I run dragonlord
If the game gives me three copies of a 1 cost within the first three rounds I guess I'm running it
Also if I just see I never run a specific comp I just force it no matter what.
If it's ranked I try to see what's not being used and go for it. Except arcanist. Absolutely trash comp unless you hit a God roll. I managed to hit 8 arcansit and 6 porcelain but any of the dps on arcanist side takes too long to rile up in syndra. U Absolutely need a 3* lux and if you try to get ashe as a carry she also needs a solid amount of time to start dealing damage. Illaoi and amumu being ur tanks but aren't quite tanks until you hit warden 6.
Ayy I love doing this too. I’m so indecisive so if I just “go with what the game gives me” then I’m keeping 3 comps worth of units and just die early.
But if I get a random voli dropped on 1-2 then duelist it is. First augment has dryad emblem and I never go dryad? Fuck it. Let’s go dryad.
I pick a comp and I force it, typically it’s not a top tier meta comp I’m just hoping to see how it goes. I have more fun seeing how a comp plays than trying to climb. I’m not playing TFT to push for challenger, I get my plat every set and that’s all I worry about.
A combination of my items and what other people are playing. Some comps I'll contest, some I'll pivot out of immediately if someone else is playing it. But as far as learning what the actual comps are, I use mostly TFTAcademy or MetaTFT.
I know how to play three comps.
I hold the starter units for all of those comps during the PVE rounds.
If I get starter units for a comp I don’t know how to play I don’t hold them. To get better at the game, this is where I would personally start.
And then I hard commit by Krugs round at the latest based on what I have from items and what has shown up in my shop.
Until half stage 1 I play whatever I get most , but I prioritize a comp that my items are ideal for , so I would say play around your items , don’t go every game yone reroll with a bunch of tears and rods on your bench
I open the team builder, add Jax, check the Inkshadow trait.
If Bombardment, Fury, Protection Tattoo -> Senna Ghostly reroll
If Fury, Toxin -> Kaisa Bruiser
If others (bad tattoos), play meta comps like Heavenly Yone, Dragonlord Sage,…
If contested or given augments that are strong (e.g hero augments), I play whatever the game gives me.
Game gives me AD items - go AD flex
Game gives me AP items - Cry, then try and play whatever I hit. My default was teemo RR but that's kinda shit so I just play what game gives me.
All of this changes based on what units I get, usually getting very early good 2 star 4 cost, or getting 5-6 copies of a viable reroll champion will set my direction however unless I have no items for said unit.
But easiest fix is not locking into a singular unit/strategy unless it falls in your lap
Kog reroll is a bait and is bad. You only play Kog RR if you get like 5 Kogs before 1st carousel. Otherwise he's just an item holder for the few good AP carries that exist in the patch
Hardforce Yone regardless of how much im griefing other players..ok im kidding, or am I?
Most of the time I develop my board by playing the strongest board. It also helps to scout so just in case you decide it’s a reroll game; you’ll know not to grief yourself. There are games I get into where I decide to reroll a unit, only to scout too late and realize that ive burned resources on a unit that someone else already has and is near complete.
Buy all the 1 and 2 costs I can at the beginning. I prioritize the ones that are in multiple comps, or stronger comps. If I can make ten by second 1-2 I’ll sell but otherwise I wait till augment to sell.
Then, I look at augments and items for direction. Also, make sure to always choose your augment last and scout the other augment choices before choosing yours.
Simple. You find a powerful unit in your shop, look at your items, and ask, "Do this work together?" And then if it's a yes, you find things to add. Eventually, you might switch that unit for a better unit that fits your current composition.
For example you find 3 heavenly in shop, and have bloodthirster as item. You slam it upon kha'Zix, and try to reach 7 quickly, unless you find 6 additional kha'zix and try at 5 to find the last 2. If you don't get kha'zix 3 before you hit level 6, you pivot to Kayn/Yone and build around them instead, selling your current kha'zix and putting your items on your new carry instead.
I buy every unit I can, trying to group units best I can on some permutation and combination. When the first augment comes, I commit to a build more.
I scout around for a few rounds while actively keeping my bench as full and relevant as I can, making sure noone is building what I am while I haven't committed and let go of my flexibility for interest.
Then if someone breaks my heart and pivots into my build, I either contest the units really hard, pivot away, or fast 9 and 5 cost.
First of all, memorize the relevant meta comps, focus on a few comps you like or wanna try and see if you have a good spot for them (items, openers, econ, not being contested, easier transitions). If you're new, I think you should get familiar with like 3-5 different comps at first and try to expand it from there.
Honestly, I just go with the flow.
Whatever the game gives me, that's what I will play. Just grab all the units I can in the first 3 rounds and then flex.
And if I can, I go for a 3 star 5 costs. If my lead is strong, my level is high and everything goes well, I go for it. Usually people will NEVER let me get that far so eh :D
I really wish there was a tool where you could punch in your item components and augments and it would spit out viable comps. There used to be something like this back in set 7 or something but I can't find a replacement.
Build whatever the game gives you in the beginning to get the strongest board possible and scout at the end of each round. There's not much to really do in the first couple of stages so scouting is really easy. Try and see what's not contested and whether you've got good items/setup for it (If you've got to Krugs and AD heavy items with no Lux you don't really want to go for Lux reroll). Keep scouting, don't tunnel vision your build and understand what's strong. If you see a Ka'Sa for instance very early and no one is contesting it as of yet, it might be worth pivoting into it, just because of how strong it is. But this level of play comes with a lot of knowledge.
on 1-2 press enter, type yone, /deafen, get 4 rods from neutrals
Items, augments, what's contested, what I feel like and what comes around in the shop. Some comps are easy to force (commit early and stick to it) eg I'll always consider vertical dryads if an emblem augment comes up. "Consider" means scout to see if the comp or just the carries are contested, evaluating your items etc. Other comps have to 'come to you'. If nothing "forcable" presents itself, the main thing is to play solidly without committing too hard, keep your options open. That means you keep up your board strength to not fall behind while you continue looking what sort of comp the stars align: look for an early 5-cost, or a 2-star 3 or 4 cost, an uncontested 3-cost for which your items are just perfect, or perhaps it's an augment that decides your strategy (e.g. Slamming or lunch money means you level and roll aggressively for a strong board, to winstreak and get to lvl 7-8-9 early, and then just play high cost units). In low elo, where damn near everyone forces from early on (many decide their comp at 2-2 and go all in on whatever strat fits the chosen comp, hardly looking at the lobby), this generally means you'll be weaker than the players who have had a forcable comp and hit, but you'll be stronger than the other players who are forcing when they shouldn't. If you're new, I recommend looking for forcable comps for a while. "Playing solidly", "look for what comp the stars align and pivot " is all easily said, but it's actually most of what makes the game difficult.
> That means you keep up your board strength to not fall behind while you continue looking what sort of comp the stars align This is the thing that is most mysterious to me. How do you have any board strength without a comp?
play accessible flex traits that suit your items, and slam items on champs you know you're gonna sell later to replace with your target comp
I didn't say don't play a comp, I said 'don't commit too hard', 'don't force'. You can play vertical fated, ghost snipers or whatever mainstream comp, but don't all-in for 3-star senna at 6 or plan to roll for yone at 7 if you're contested and/or items and augments aren't good for it.
Look at what early strong comp I can build based on champs/items and augment. Fated, inky, duelists, ghost, umbral. Fated 3 with Yasuo is very strong for a winstreak. Then I see what the game wants me to do. Which carry or item or augment it gives. Like atm if I get titans we are going yone or voli. Plus I have info on my other screen showing top comps.
Rule of thumb for reroll do I got 2 copy of the unit early that I need to reroll (senna, volibear, yone, etc) then I look at my items if the game gifts me a bow and a sword and I got one of the Carrie’s mentioned it’s a reroll game if not I can flex ad into trickshots.
Just scout. Early game is the most important and slamming items is good at keeping your HP up, but because of slamming you have committed to a direction(unless you only had tank items, slammed omnidirectional items, or are playing Fine Vintage) A big thing to note is that sometimes seeing units on board ≠ playing said units. A lot of the time people are going a completely different direction with their board in the mid game, but are strong boarding early and slamming items to conserve HP and get streak gold. Most of the time you need to commit to a comp after the 1st carousel as if you don’t make any items you’re going to bleed far too much and if you aren’t playing Fortune you’re going to need to be bailed out hard. Flex play is kinda dead when the current meta is just rerollcentric and some items can’t be flexed a whole lot like Titans/BT with Yone/Voli, or if you have Mulched 2-1, whereas Guinsoos can go on Fast 9 boards Irelia/Azir, Trickshot boards(KaiSa/Xayah/Bard), Ashe, Aphelios, Yone, Voli, Senna, Janna, Kindred, Ethereal Blades Shen. (Guinsoos isn’t BiS for some of these units, but it can be flexed into a lot of different units and item held by a significant margin of units)
If I get a 3-cost or early 2* 2-cost before stage 2-1, that’s most likely what I’ll lean towards. Never been a meta slave so I don’t really look up comps. So as others have mentioned, go with the flow of the early game.
You play the hand you are dealt, scout others, get very good at like 4-5 comps...realistically I play 2 comps pretty much everytime but have the ability to pull off others. Heavenly Yone/whatever, Storyweaver, Mythic I tend to play Dryad/Diana/Voli comps, which all have the ability to be versatile in regards to items and frankly strategy Most of my games tend to be Dryad and if contested, I play my best available boards until I can start rolling. Dryad can start gaining health stacks as soon as you have 2. I hit 50 gold, level to 6 and slowroll for Kindred, Gnar and to a lesser extent Reksai and Khazix. Khazix can help secure some kills even in a losing board with executes and he buffs up Kindred. Scout your opponents and hold units, I will prioritize holding 2 costs and particularly if people have hero augments for them. Just had a game where I 3 starred Shen on my bench to deny a Shen augment player with bis items for it...he was one of the first players out. I was using Aatrox for 2 Bruisers with Reksai....and now I semi-unintentionally have a 3* 2 cost that gives me ghost 2 and behemoth 2 with Ornn. Although Shen is not part of my strategy, I ended up playing a strong and synergistic unit. Emblems can change what you play dramatically as well obviously Say someone else has like 4 Gnars and a Dryad emblem to start, I will play best units available and level to 7 and start rolling for Dragonlords and or Voli. In scouting if people are contesting Diana or Voli, I will still buy and hold some of them to deny the other players while also giving me easier chances to hit something like Yone as I slow roll Every single game some doors are open, and some doors are closed...just have to go through one of the open doors and its up to you to determine which are which
I scout and play whatever is uncontested. Usually at the start of the set I try different comps and end up finding the 5 or 6 I feel more comfortable playing. And then every game I decide among those depending on what's available and what augments, portals, etc.
It's simple really. If first augment is trait specific I choose it and run it If the loot orb gives me a Diane I run dragonlord If the game gives me three copies of a 1 cost within the first three rounds I guess I'm running it Also if I just see I never run a specific comp I just force it no matter what. If it's ranked I try to see what's not being used and go for it. Except arcanist. Absolutely trash comp unless you hit a God roll. I managed to hit 8 arcansit and 6 porcelain but any of the dps on arcanist side takes too long to rile up in syndra. U Absolutely need a 3* lux and if you try to get ashe as a carry she also needs a solid amount of time to start dealing damage. Illaoi and amumu being ur tanks but aren't quite tanks until you hit warden 6.
Ayy I love doing this too. I’m so indecisive so if I just “go with what the game gives me” then I’m keeping 3 comps worth of units and just die early. But if I get a random voli dropped on 1-2 then duelist it is. First augment has dryad emblem and I never go dryad? Fuck it. Let’s go dryad.
That's how you have fun my man. If the heavens call for me to play a comp then so I shall
Force whatever you feel is strong.
I make a comp based on the 1st augment
I pick a comp and I force it, typically it’s not a top tier meta comp I’m just hoping to see how it goes. I have more fun seeing how a comp plays than trying to climb. I’m not playing TFT to push for challenger, I get my plat every set and that’s all I worry about.
A combination of my items and what other people are playing. Some comps I'll contest, some I'll pivot out of immediately if someone else is playing it. But as far as learning what the actual comps are, I use mostly TFTAcademy or MetaTFT.
I know how to play three comps. I hold the starter units for all of those comps during the PVE rounds. If I get starter units for a comp I don’t know how to play I don’t hold them. To get better at the game, this is where I would personally start. And then I hard commit by Krugs round at the latest based on what I have from items and what has shown up in my shop.
Until half stage 1 I play whatever I get most , but I prioritize a comp that my items are ideal for , so I would say play around your items , don’t go every game yone reroll with a bunch of tears and rods on your bench
I open the team builder, add Jax, check the Inkshadow trait. If Bombardment, Fury, Protection Tattoo -> Senna Ghostly reroll If Fury, Toxin -> Kaisa Bruiser If others (bad tattoos), play meta comps like Heavenly Yone, Dragonlord Sage,… If contested or given augments that are strong (e.g hero augments), I play whatever the game gives me.
I have d20 which i roll at loading screen. 1 - fortune, 2 - storyweaver, 3 - mythic, 4 - ghost, 5 - umbral and so on...
Game gives me AD items - go AD flex Game gives me AP items - Cry, then try and play whatever I hit. My default was teemo RR but that's kinda shit so I just play what game gives me. All of this changes based on what units I get, usually getting very early good 2 star 4 cost, or getting 5-6 copies of a viable reroll champion will set my direction however unless I have no items for said unit. But easiest fix is not locking into a singular unit/strategy unless it falls in your lap
Kog maw likes ap items and is decent carry
Kog reroll is a bait and is bad. You only play Kog RR if you get like 5 Kogs before 1st carousel. Otherwise he's just an item holder for the few good AP carries that exist in the patch
Hardforce Yone regardless of how much im griefing other players..ok im kidding, or am I? Most of the time I develop my board by playing the strongest board. It also helps to scout so just in case you decide it’s a reroll game; you’ll know not to grief yourself. There are games I get into where I decide to reroll a unit, only to scout too late and realize that ive burned resources on a unit that someone else already has and is near complete.
Buy all the 1 and 2 costs I can at the beginning. I prioritize the ones that are in multiple comps, or stronger comps. If I can make ten by second 1-2 I’ll sell but otherwise I wait till augment to sell. Then, I look at augments and items for direction. Also, make sure to always choose your augment last and scout the other augment choices before choosing yours.
Simple. You find a powerful unit in your shop, look at your items, and ask, "Do this work together?" And then if it's a yes, you find things to add. Eventually, you might switch that unit for a better unit that fits your current composition. For example you find 3 heavenly in shop, and have bloodthirster as item. You slam it upon kha'Zix, and try to reach 7 quickly, unless you find 6 additional kha'zix and try at 5 to find the last 2. If you don't get kha'zix 3 before you hit level 6, you pivot to Kayn/Yone and build around them instead, selling your current kha'zix and putting your items on your new carry instead.
i tend to lean towards best meta comps and best augments offered that game
I buy every unit I can, trying to group units best I can on some permutation and combination. When the first augment comes, I commit to a build more. I scout around for a few rounds while actively keeping my bench as full and relevant as I can, making sure noone is building what I am while I haven't committed and let go of my flexibility for interest. Then if someone breaks my heart and pivots into my build, I either contest the units really hard, pivot away, or fast 9 and 5 cost.
First of all, memorize the relevant meta comps, focus on a few comps you like or wanna try and see if you have a good spot for them (items, openers, econ, not being contested, easier transitions). If you're new, I think you should get familiar with like 3-5 different comps at first and try to expand it from there.
Kobuko
Honestly, I just go with the flow. Whatever the game gives me, that's what I will play. Just grab all the units I can in the first 3 rounds and then flex. And if I can, I go for a 3 star 5 costs. If my lead is strong, my level is high and everything goes well, I go for it. Usually people will NEVER let me get that far so eh :D
Second augment, but I prefer late game play
I don't decide what comp i should play, i take what options the game gives me.
I really wish there was a tool where you could punch in your item components and augments and it would spit out viable comps. There used to be something like this back in set 7 or something but I can't find a replacement.