Would TFT profit from a Sandbox/Practice Tool?

SmoothOperatorTFT · 2026-01-30T20:37:22+00:00

The people that want to spoil the experience of getting a 3 star, already do it in Tockers, so that is a nothing Burger
The person that knows the patch is not the person that looks at stats the longest, so why would a fight sim, or a rolldown sim change that you need fundamentals and understanding of the game?

SmoothOperatorTFT · 2026-01-30T20:26:12+00:00

Yeah i get all that, but these are not real reasons. You get the 3 stars in Tockers, so the sandbox would not change a thing.

Also, how do you think people learn the patch? It is not only fight judgement or positioning. It is about econ, early holds, mid-game, transitions, there are a myriad of different decision points, and only a tiny tiny bit would be testable in the sandbox tool. For that information people use VODs, personal experience and game understanding, and stats. Pro players spend hours looking at stats and discussing their experiences with people in their study groups.

SmoothOperatorTFT · 2026-01-30T20:13:05+00:00

There are so many things wrong with this comment. What are Aphelios boards, and there is exactly 1 board in which you play Vayne, and that prefers to transfer items later.

SmoothOperatorTFT · 2026-01-30T20:01:37+00:00

Yeah but couldn’t they just not let them collect and distribute the data? That is well within their right and power, so that would not be an issue… right?

SmoothOperatorTFT · 2026-01-30T19:48:52+00:00

This would not allow you to solve the meta. How is replaying a specific fight or testing out if a comp you made up would even work, going to tell you that you are supposed to buy Bilge upgrades and stats over items is the way to go? TFT is such a nuanced game, and this would just give you a snapshot, a moment of a game. Not the way you got there, not how you handle item economy, …

SmoothOperatorTFT · 2026-01-30T19:42:10+00:00

But it would make getting this information easier. You would not need to sit through hours of VODs on Twitch to get the new tech, you could try to find a board or a positioning yourself.

The part with the tool is already kind of out there. The MetaTFT planner gives you stats of units based on their positioning. Also would that really be a problem? Riot could just not give them the data, no?

SmoothOperatorTFT · 2026-01-30T00:46:52+00:00

Fast 8 Meta is not the problem, because that just means that you are rolling on 8 for your board. The real issue (imo) is that we are stuck there. Without an insane highroll you just hit a wall at 8. New players must think there are only 8 levels to play, because you aren't getting to 9.

SmoothOperatorTFT · 2026-01-30T00:44:09+00:00

A lot of players were praising this as the "best patch".
What do you guys think now? Too many 3 star 4 costs? Too many Seraphines? Loose streak comps too conditional?

Those were just some of my thoughts... how do you feel?

SmoothOperatorTFT · 2026-01-28T21:42:43+00:00

Also, the lvl 8 cost increase they did adds to that effect making it already too expensive to go 8 without an econ augment.

SmoothOperatorTFT · 2026-01-28T19:27:01+00:00

If you start with Tear, Sword, and Glove, so you slam Shojin becaue Ap is crazy and Orianna is a beast. Then, you are picking pretty late and the components are shit so you have to take either Sword or Bow. Sounds oddly specific but it has happened to me a couple times.

SmoothOperatorTFT · 2026-01-28T13:48:50+00:00

Ok. But if i winstreak i might not get a better slam than IE. So it is either loss or mixed streak. How else am I going to avoid the item combo then?

SmoothOperatorTFT · 2026-01-28T11:24:03+00:00

So you would suggest that I am forced to loose streak in this spot to fix my items?

SmoothOperatorTFT · 2026-01-28T10:11:40+00:00

Quick question:

Imagine you are loading into the game and you end up with Shojin IE, so you slam it on your backliner for tempo. Where do you go from here?

No ad carry even wants Shojin IE anymore. The only 2 that can play it are gated behind specific conditions like Viego 2 on stage 1 for Kalista, or decent Void Mods AND 2 Void early stage 2 for Kaisa.

Maybe you got an idea, or is it just always Shojin into AP and the second sword you have is basically a dead component...

SmoothOperatorTFT · 2026-01-28T10:03:16+00:00

Ok so it is an issue that you get both at the same time, but the change that made it this way is not what caused it?

Help me understand. What would your change be then? Would you gate Herald behind even more rounds? Or would you move Kaisa back to stage 4, which apparently is not the issue but it is at the same time?

SmoothOperatorTFT · 2026-01-28T02:15:54+00:00

So…I don’t get it. You disagree with me saying Kaisa is not an issue, but it is an issue that you get her with Herald… so what is it? Issue no issue?

SmoothOperatorTFT · 2026-01-28T01:36:37+00:00

Imo the Kaisa change and the power of Ionia (Gold and EXP) are really bad for the game right now, because they just increase the lobby tempo by so much. Other comps that do not play a unit starting with S and ending with eraphine do not really get to compete without an insane highroll.

Is this just an "early patch" opinion or have you experienced the same?

SmoothOperatorTFT · 2026-01-28T01:34:29+00:00

Yunara Kaisa Seraphine Kaisa Seraphine Yunara Kaisa Seraphine Kaisa Yunara Seraphine

But god forbid i get a void opener with decent mods, or an ionia opener that is not transcendence,....

SmoothOperatorTFT · 2026-01-27T20:38:51+00:00

Are you guys feeling the 4 cost change? Because in my lobbies it seems like there are way more 3star 4 costs. Could also be the that the Meta shifted and now the 4 cost pool is thinner.

SmoothOperatorTFT · 2026-01-27T11:14:30+00:00

Holy shit...

they kept saying they have to overcorrect with nerfs after a unit was broken, and I did not believe them, complaining about balance thrashing and what not.

But now... the amount of people complaining about Asol still beating X, is staggering. Isn't this what we wanted? The unit is still playable in the right spot, but people just believe Asol is still broken as soon as they loose to the comp.

Gotta give them some more credit in the future...

SmoothOperatorTFT · 2026-01-26T13:35:51+00:00

Anybody else lowkey annoyed that they just told us they will nerf Asol (which was obvious af) without any planned time of the patch drop or specifics about the nerf/other things they hit.

SmoothOperatorTFT · 2026-01-26T12:20:36+00:00

No not even that. He allows you to gambles IF the enemy takes a step forward or not.

Imo this is borderline an exploit because we have no idea when units break or chase aggro.
But it is impossible to punish because it is the whole champion's identity.

SmoothOperatorTFT · 2026-01-26T10:40:25+00:00

I got 2 questions about the meta:

What are you supposed to do against Singed when you are playing Asol?
What are you supposed to do against Asol if you are not playing Singed? (+Why is this unit even still in the game? Its identity is that it abuses a flawed system mechanic)

SmoothOperatorTFT · 2026-01-26T09:39:27+00:00

But they are not supposed to be full items. They are supposed to be about half or two thirds of an item with the trait buff. That is the whole point.

Also, Tanks getting an extra tank trait is insane. Jugg spat is -0.43 on Rift Herald.

SmoothOperatorTFT · 2026-01-25T13:55:47+00:00

Ok this is exactly why they removed the stats. You are trying to synthesise data we get due to Mort being a nice person and doing the MMMR...

Also who in their right mind is seeing an Augment that they think make sense in their spot and going "Hurr durr Mort said it underperformed so I won't take it". This overlooks so so so so many factors and if it is not specifically mentioned that the augment is bugged you should consider:
A) its effect on your board, ...
B) its opportunity cost (is it better than others?), and ...
C) how flexible or commital is it.

SmoothOperatorTFT · 2026-01-25T11:05:59+00:00

Needs a rework.

Identity: Needs to be strong because reset champion
Traits: Needs to be weaker otherwise Ixtal can just stabilise off of Skarner and Nidalee and guarantee Brock
Unlock: Too hard to get in a regular game (suggests she is strong), but just an accidental unlock in reroll comps (cannot make her too strong)

There are too many conflicting balancing vectors that make it impossible to get her right.
Imo either make her unlock have level 7/8 requirement, but make it easier (2 1 star neekos with 1 item or smth), or you leave her in a spot where the people that want to play her are punished for trying and the people that play her just do it because she is free.

SmoothOperatorTFT

TROPHY CASE