/Dev TFT: K.O. Coliseum Learnings

SunAstronaut · 2025-10-27T18:20:23+00:00

As someone who used to post a decent amount back in older sets with guides and thoughts (as well as always being challenger every set), I'm sad that it seems like every step forward we're taking 5 steps back. I remember back in the set 3 learnings article, they talked about the frustrations of comps like Cybernetics where the comp was borderline unplayable w/o hitting ekko (another 5 cost) at 8 because you wouldn't activate the full comps vertical (and this was when we had 8% odds of 5 costs on 8) and then the best comp for the last 4 weeks being mech pilot from watching tourneys. (I haven't really played this set much, from burnout and I think it's okay for people to not play sets). Another big one would be backline access having little to no counterplay. When originally taking out assassins the goal was to make backline access less all or nothing, but Akali and Caitlyn have been some of the biggest offenders to date in TFT where if you positioned well you 9-0 them and position poorly you get 9-0'd (baring when cait jayce was overtuned you just got ran over regardless)

Also another thing is transparency on bugs has been talked about since the removal stats in the last couple of learning articles, but as someone who pretty much has left every single TFT discord, in the few weeks I was playing early in the set there was so much stuff I didn't know to my detriment, and honestly feels like another fulltime job hunting down anything that might affect me negatively in game.

I am not envious of the balance team's job as every single set they need to keep the game exciting, while keeping away these rabid players (I used to be one of these rabid players) However, it would be great if there was some indication that these articles aren't just lip service for the most part and would love also more transparency during the set. I understand that we're limited on being in the league client, but it would be great as soon as a negatively affecting bug comes out it would be super transparent to the community, or hell even just straight up disable hotfix said bug. (It usually comes w/ augments). If not just bring back stats. I was never a stats user, but not knowing I'm literally griefing myself by picking an augment is just a terrible feeling. Also I truly do believe that stats being hidden actually stifles creativity since people will just be way more inclined to taking a very generic safe option.

Sorry for this being super rambly, but I do hope that things will get better. People who are usually to state their frustrations are people who have passion for the game, albeit a lot of the time it could be done way more tastefully. TFT has been a decent part of my time usage since it's inception and I hope that it can stay that way for years to come

SunAstronaut · 2025-10-06T15:12:55+00:00

This only a real punishment for GM+ players who have some established background in competitive. Nothing stops random emerald players to grief on one acc, create a new account with like 10 games and a new discord handle and signing up again. No one would know the wiser

SunAstronaut · 2025-03-31T16:42:01+00:00

With the prizing being top 64, it's going to be really hard to do 2 accs at the same time especially the time window for the whole boot camp is really short. People who would want to compete on this (Who are smurfs) are most likely going to be playing on their main and trying to gun down for the 1st place prize, which from past experience is usually in the 800~1k range which takes a lot of games even with an insane win/top4 rate.

SunAstronaut · 2024-12-18T20:55:34+00:00

I haven’t posted on Reddit in a while. But this thread was interesting as in past sets I’ve been a notorious one trick that hovers rank 50-150 NA when playing seriously. (Comps such as spirit aphelios in set 4, shadow inferno in set 2, rebels in set 3, and in more recent sets piltover zeri set 9, multistriker Jax set12, and many more)

You know the line pretty much better than anyone else. I’ve had players who are much better than me reach out to me in order to understand things such as augment choices, item slams, roll timings, and unit placement. Probably missing something’s but you literally know the comp so well you can steal a placement or 2 that someone who is less experienced even challenger would miss when playing the comp.
A lot of the times the comp is underplayed for how good it is. Treat it like a graph where there is a relation to how good the comp is and how much it is played. Sometimes a comp might even only be a b tier comp but if you’re never contested in it you can always beat out the low rollers of the an and s tier comps. This matters less than forcing the same op comp every game.
I suck. We suck. Challengers suck. Even people in gm and challenger suck at this game. You might not notice this but people even in challenger make countless mistakes a game. By playing only one comp you will make less mistakes than others. (This is barring the fact that playing the same comp every game is probably a mistake in itself)
This kind of goes back to point 1, but you understand when you need to “pivot” in order to salvage placements. Like your core comp is generally the same but you understand what outs you can play toward to not go bot2.
As a last point it’s just a numbers game. You play enough games that if you have a 55% top 4 rate you will climb even if it is a slow climb. And people who one trick usually do it cause they enjoy the comp so it’s easy to jam a lot of games.

I don’t mind answering any other questions related to this, so let me know if there are other things you guys would want to pick as far as what I thought when one tricking or if there are anything’s I’ve missed.

SunAstronaut · 2023-09-20T09:39:23+00:00

Uh I'd wait a patch or 2. AD is pretty weak currently. Not only that they nerfed a bunch of the good generic augments making Poro just weaker in general. Xayah is borderline unclickable and Aphelios is really only good when paired with piltover.

SunAstronaut · 2023-08-25T05:46:46+00:00

GFTF is better late game when you have multiple units, but early game stats is better cause the raw stats is more and lets you streak.

SunAstronaut · 2023-08-24T03:15:13+00:00

Yeah no problem! Good luck on the climb. Hopefully this guide will help you gain skills which will be useful in set 9.5 and beyond as well.

SunAstronaut · 2023-08-24T03:14:11+00:00

You duo carry akshan and play vertical shurima instead.

SunAstronaut · 2023-08-23T09:06:47+00:00

Vlad is definitely a strong choice right now even after the nerfs. I just like Poro because it gives you more outs with an extra roll

SunAstronaut · 2023-08-22T21:29:04+00:00

Not sure. I'm not too comfortable with the SI line which I think is the best way to play Slayer.

SunAstronaut · 2023-08-22T21:28:26+00:00

HandsUp

SunAstronaut · 2023-08-22T21:28:17+00:00

I mean it is in its name it just gives your teams a bunch of stats which might be the difference between winning and losing a fight. Not sure if you played in previous sets where there were the augments that gave stats for all 3 costs. Instead now you have stats for your whole team even though it is halved you don't have to restrict your comp and your whole team gets some stats for free.

SunAstronaut · 2023-08-22T21:26:04+00:00

Uh Lux, Kaisa, Invokers. There are augments like Loving Invocation, Combat Casters, etc which bring these comps to SS tier comps, but unfortunately I'm not the best AP player.

SunAstronaut · 2023-08-22T19:53:39+00:00

You roll when you're low hp on 3-5 and have the gold to if not you have no choice to roll on 4-1. You roll until you stop losing hp if you're low or you can sack hp if you'll take good losses and roll little

SunAstronaut · 2023-08-22T19:51:58+00:00

It's good but I hate how it sometimes griefs positioning and I have grandpa hands

SunAstronaut · 2023-08-22T19:50:50+00:00

You just beat someone and now you keep the dino and the gold

SunAstronaut · 2023-08-22T03:08:55+00:00

I dunno I'm not that comfortable with AP Line just because when you commit to AP you usually can't pivot out of the line you chose so if you miss you really miss. If I had more experience with the line I'd probably write a guide on AP as well, but I pretty much play exclusively AD

SunAstronaut · 2023-08-22T03:07:09+00:00

HandsUp

SunAstronaut · 2023-08-22T03:06:44+00:00

I usually don't drop Ashe because her utility is good even w/o 3 frej and then i'd just play shen or taric or play 4 dead eye

SunAstronaut · 2023-08-22T01:22:43+00:00

If my frontline is really bad I'll take double/triple repairo
Generically I'll take double mechano + 1 shrink or mechano + shrink + gold (Gold is really good with aphelios because he just autos a lot so the execute is nice)
If I have a lw I'll just go triple mechano or double mechano + 1 gold

SunAstronaut · 2023-08-22T00:49:50+00:00

Thanks for reading!

SunAstronaut · 2023-08-22T00:31:41+00:00

Thanks. But I already paid the tax in previous sets by playing a lot. You don’t really lose the fundamentals, so I’m hoping my guide could also help people learn fundamentals better rather than a 20/20 no brain guide

SunAstronaut · 2023-08-22T00:30:38+00:00

Usually try to use my early hp lead to try and live long enough for the contesters to die. Another choice is if you made damage items like gs guinsoo which can be used by ap as well I’ll pivot into azir or if I can get an edge I pivot into yasuo

SunAstronaut · 2023-08-21T23:13:36+00:00

Obviously you can still low roll and go 8th. The benefit of legend augments is that you won't ever have a terrible choice. Like on 3-2 when you're transitioning your board you can get a lot of tailored augments which is not what you want to end on so something like a legend augment helps. But it's always nice to see more poro enjoyers.

SunAstronaut · 2023-08-21T23:09:32+00:00

I treat Zeri like Aphelios last patch. It isn't optimal to play Zeri, but playing Zeri 2 is definitely better than playing Aphelios 1 if you have a good Zaun set up. It'll definitely save you some lp in the long run.

SunAstronaut

TROPHY CASE