Teamfight Tactics Classes Patch 9.17 Tier List - All TFT Classes Ranked, Champion Priority

We all know who the best of the best Champions are in Teamfight Tactics, Riot’s auto chess title, but we also know that in most cases, one unit isn’t going to win the match. Team composition is important, and units get buffs depending on their Class and Origin, and how many units they synergize with on the field.

So, if you’re building a team, it’s important to know how well they work together. How do you know which synergies to go for, and which aren’t worth the trouble? Our Teamfight Tactics Class Tier List will arm you with the knowledge to build the best teams that you can.

This guide will not only show you the best classes, however, it’ll also rank the champions within them so you know how to upgrade your team comp later in the game! What should you replace Elise with? Lissandra? Our guide will help!

Note: This is a long guide. We highly recommend using CTRL + F to jump to the class you’re looking for! Last updated on August 28 for TFT Patch 9.17.

You May Also Like:

• The Best Items for Each Champion in TFT Patch 9.16b – Teamfight Tactics Guide
• Teamfight Tactics Comps Guide – 5 of the Best TFT Builds for Patch 9.16b
• Teamfight Tactics Patch 9.16b TFT Patch Notes – Draven & Jinx Nerfs

S Tier TFT Classes

Nobles – S Tier

Nobles are straight up the best early game and late game class buff. Three of them can carry you early on and if you manage to pick up the final trio, you they will do really well.

How many champions should I run? As many as possible, honestly. Three or six Nobles are both great.

Champions Ranked by Priority

If your main synergy is Nobles, this is the order in which you should prioritize the Noble champions. Obviously, you’ll have other synergies that you need to account for, but if you need to transition up, this is the order in which you should do so.

1. Kayle: Kayle is super, super good and she can outright win games by herself.
2. Lucian: Lucian is a common pick in general in the current meta, and for good reason. He only costs 2 coins a unit, and you’ll roll him a lot, making him very easy to level up. He’s viable in teams throughout the entire game, and his ability lets him dash away from danger. Even beyond a Gunslinger team comp, he’s a strong and useful unit.
3. Leona: Leona has a higher armor rating than Braum and a more damaging ability. Her Noble synergy can also stack even more armor, making teams able to tank attacks better. Again, it’s best to use both Guardians when you’re able, though, and Leona and Braum are both great additions to the team.
4. Garen: Garen is really good at spinning and damaging multiple enemies. When combined with Morellonomicon he’s one of the best early game units available. That can transition into the mid game if your team comp supports it.
5. Vayne: Even with the recent buffs, you’re better off selling a two star Vayne for any of the above damage dealers and using them as a carry instead.
6. Fiora: Fiora is just not good, plain and simple. While you can use her to complete some class synergies, you should ultimately replace her as soon as possible.

Blademasters – S Tier

Blademasters are high DPS melee units, which will always have a place in a decent team composition. Their synergy gives a 35% chance of an additional attack with just two units as well, which makes sure you can take advantage of other synergies and keep your team balanced.

How many champions should I run? Two to four! Two is nice and easy, especially with the addition of Camille. Later in the game you can combine her, Gangplank, Draven, and another Blademaster for the four buff.

Champions Ranked by Priority

If your main synergy is Blademasters, this is the order in which you should prioritize the Blademaster champions. Obviously, you’ll have other synergies that you need to account for, but if you need to transition up, this is the order in which you should do so.

1. Draven: Draven is one of the best single-target damage carries in the game. If you get a solid team comp in front of him with good protection he can easily take down the entire enemy team himself. Combined with the Imperial and Blademaster class synergies, he can take down even the largest of tanks.
2. Yasuo: The one, the only, the powerful. If you roll Yasuo during your Teamfight Tactics game, you need to pick him up. He has impressive DPS, and the Blademaster synergy can have him doing even more damage while opponents try to chip away at that shield.
3. Aatrox: Aatrox has an amazing ability that hits all the enemies in front of him, and coupled with the Demon synergy he has a chance of doing a lot of damage in a short time. On top of that, he has a 25% chance of a critical hit, and you have a unit that can make short work of entire teams.
4. Gangplank: Gangplank was incredibly strong in Patch 9.16b, but he’s been toned down a bit for 9.17. We still think he’s one of the better Blademasters available.
5. Camille: Camille is primarily used to activate the Hextech buff. She’s not incredibly powerful, however.
6. Shen: When pitted against Draven, Yasuo, and Aatrox, it’s hard to recommend Shen. His ability is neat, but as a melee attacker with low armor, he might get knocked out before even getting to use his skill. It’s hard to recommend him over the others unless the luck of the roll just isn’t on your side.
7. Fiora: Fiora is just not good, plain and simple. While you can use her to complete some class synergies, you should ultimately replace her as soon as possible.

Imperials – S Tier

Dealing double damage is a pretty solid, no-frills synergy for the Imperials. A number of powerful champions are also Imperials, but you’ll want to build your team around Imperials if you want to get the full effect of its bonuses.

How many champions should I run? If you’re going to go Imperials, go for four champions. That double damage for all Imperials is fantastic. You can also splash just two for one of them to randomly get double damage, but that’s more of a small bonus than a focus of the team.

Champions Ranked by Priority

If your main synergy is Imperials, this is the order in which you should prioritize the Imperial champions. Obviously, you’ll have other synergies that you need to account for, but if you need to transition up, this is the order in which you should do so.

1. Draven: Draven is one of the best single-target damage carries in the game. If you get a solid team comp in front of him with good protection he can easily take down the entire enemy team himself. Combined with the Imperial and Blademaster class synergies, he can take down even the largest of tanks.
2. Swain: A 5-cost hero, Swain is worth the purchase. He can synergize with Demons, Imperials, and Shapeshifters, and his ability drains the opponent’s health; very helpful if you’re also burning their mana and champions can’t get their own abilities off. Swain’s cost and general rarity will normally restrict him to a late-game, tier 1 unit, but it’s worth building a party around him.
3. Darius: Darius is particularly good in the early game, especially so when combined with Garen. Outside of that, however, he’s just average.
4. Katarina: Katarina is a 3-cost unit, and the Imperial synergy just isn’t that great. With the number of Assassins currently available, Katarina is not the best choice by most standards.

Exiles – S Tier

The Exile synergy is by far the most powerful in Teamfight Tactics. If an Exile doesn’t have any adjacent allies, they gain a shield that effectively doubles the unit’s health! So why aren’t Exiles at the top of this list? Well, there’s only one Exile at the moment, and he’s a late-game grab. You can’t really build a team around Exiles at this time, and this is more of a lucky pull than anything else.

How many champions should I run? There is only one Exile at this time, and Exiles are essentially lone wolves, so… one.

Champions Ranked by Priority

If your main synergy is Exiles, this is the order in which you should prioritize the Exile champions. Obviously, you’ll have other synergies that you need to account for, but if you need to transition up, this is the order in which you should do so.

1. Yasuo: The one, the only, the powerful. If you roll Yasuo during your Teamfight Tactics game, you need to pick him up. He has impressive DPS, and the Blademaster synergy can have him doing even more damage while opponents try to chip away at that shield.

Hextech – S Tier

Good itemization has a big effect on who ends up winning TFT matches. The new Hextech class has a trait that can win you matches outright. The bonus which disables all items for eight seconds within the bombed tile radius kicks in once you’ve deployed two Hextechs and becomes stronger once you’ve deployed all four.

How many champions should I run? Two! The four Hextech units are so different that it isn’t really possible to run all four at once.

Champions Ranked by Priority

If your main synergy is Hextech, this is the order in which you should prioritize the champions. Obviously, you’ll have other synergies that you need to account for, but if you need to transition up, this is the order in which you should do so.

This is just a current estimation. We’ll be updating the list once the Hextech class is live tomorrow!

1. Jinx – Jinx is built to be a hypercarry like Draven. This means she will likely succeed even without a bunch of Gunslingers. Just one should do to get the basic buff. With the right front line she should be free to go off.
2. Vi – Vi’s ability to function as a front line early on before charging in and helping eliminate a carry is very useful!
3. Camille – Camille is interesting in that she has the same target mechanic as Blitzcrank. The champion she ults will cause all nearby units to also target them, giving you a way to burn down front line units.
4. Jayce – Shapeshifters have been lackluster so adding Jayce seems appropriate. He’s got a good knockback mechanic to eject tanks and let your units get to the back.

Knights – S Tier

Knights as a whole aren’t super powerful so you usually just run whatever two that work. While the class has some great units there’s no way you’ll make a four or six Knight team work, so they’re a compliment to other builds.

How many champions should I run? Two. Again, you just want the base class buff here. Knights can’t carry an entire team so you’re limited to just a few.

Champions Ranked by Priority

If your main synergy is Knights, this is the order in which you should prioritize the Knight champions. Obviously, you’ll have other synergies that you need to account for, but if you need to transition up, this is the order in which you should do so.

1. Sejuani: Sejuani is great because of her incredibly large AOE ultimate which freezes the enemy team.
2. Kayle: Kayle is super, super good and she can outright win games by herself. Buy her if you can splash Knights.
3. Garen: Garen is really good at spinning and damaging multiple enemies. When combined with Morellonomicon he’s one of the best early game units available. That can transition into the mid game if your team comp supports it.
4. Darius: Darius is particularly good in the early game, especially so when combined with Garen. Outside of that, however, you’ll usually want to replace him.
5. Poppy: Poppy is a decent Knight. Her ultimate can be a pain, but outside of that she’s just outclassed by the others.
6. Mordekaiser: Mordekaiser is oddly tempting. Since you can get him two star relatively early on it may be tempting to keep him, but ultimately you should replace him as soon as possible.

A Tier TFT Classes

Assassins – A Tier

Assassins still aren’t super great. However, an itemized Evelynn with the proper items can wreck entire teams by herself. For that alone, Assassins have climbed up to the A Tier.

How many champions should I run? One! Eve! The sad thing is we’re only partially kidding. You can still run three, but you’ll pretty much never want to run six.

Champions Ranked by Priority

If your main synergy is Assassins, this is the order in which you should prioritize the Assassin champions. Obviously, you’ll have other synergies that you need to account for, but if you need to transition up, this is the order in which you should do so.

1. Evelynn: Evelynn is an Assassin, which is good, and a Demon, which is great. Evelynn’s ability does damage to three opponents and has her teleporting away, which helps her survivability. Also, since Demon synergy is so powerful in the current meta, she can be a great addition to a Demon or Assassin build comp.
2. Rengar: Rengar isn’t a particularly great unit by himself, but with items he can carry entire matches. Savagery has him jumping to the weakest opponent and stabbing them, which can get Rengar out of the line of fire and finishing off opponents at the same time.
3. Akali: Statistically, Akali is still one of the better Assassin choices, though, as the Ninja synergy gives her extra attack power and or skill have the potential to hit a lot of opponents.
4. Pyke: Pyke has a lot going for him. He’s only 2-cost, making him viable even in the early game, he’s an assassin so he gets right to striking back-row units, and he helps the Pirate synergy to get you extra gold early on. With the right items and leveling up, Pyke can be a great unit for most of the match.
5. Zed: Costing 2 coins, Zed is easier to utilize in the early and mid-game, and also easier to level up. His ability can cut through front line enemies and hit units behind them, which can also help to get rid of pesky ranged units. Finally, you only need one Ninja in order to proc the Ninja synergy and get extra damage, and that extra attack damage can be helpful when opponents are still trying to build their teams early on.
6. Kha’Zix: Kha’Zix has a lot of utility with his ability and synergies and is also a good unit choice, it’s just that the Void Assassin has a lot of competition in an Assassin build. Kha’Zix also only costs 1 coin, so he’s a good choice for the early game, though you’ll want to look into someone a bit better as the match progresses.
7. Katarina: Katarina is a 3-cost unit, and the Imperial synergy just isn’t that great. With the number of Assassins currently available, Katarina is not the best choice by most standards.

Glacials – A Tier

The Glacial synergy is pretty solid, with a chance of stunning an enemy for two seconds. In a game all about defeating your foes before they defeat you, those two seconds can mean the difference between a win and a loss.

How many champions should I run? Right now there are few Glacial primary team comps. Most players seem to just be splashing two champions to get the base effect. That said, if you find yourself going for Glacial Rangers, you can justify hitting four.

Champions Ranked by Priority

If your main synergy is Glacials, this is the order in which you should prioritize the Glacial champions. Obviously, you’ll have other synergies that you need to account for, but if you need to transition up, this is the order in which you should do so.

1. Sejuani: Sejuani is great because of her incredibly large AOE ultimate which freezes the enemy team.
2. Ashe: Ashe is really good with the proper support and with most folks splashing a two Rangers, having her freeze enemies is super useful.
3. Anivia: Anivia, a 5-cost Glacial Elementalist, is the type of unit to build a team around. The Glacial Storm ability has a large range of effect and slows down the attack speed enemy caught within… which is one of the most important stats in Teamfight Tactics.
4. Braum: Both of the Guardians are good and worth using, and who is better comes down to the smaller details. Braum is a 2-cost unit, making him cheaper to level and more common to pull in general. His ability to reduce incoming damage helps him to tank damage and let your higher DPS units defeat your opponents. He also has Glacial synergy, if you’re running Volibear.
5. Volibear: With the right items Volibear used to be one of the strongest champions in the game though he’s noticeably less useful these days.
6. Lissandra: Lissandra isn’t the first pick for a good Glacial comp, but she can be helpful in the early game while waiting on other champions. She’s only a 2-cost unit, so you’ll see her in the earliest parts of the game, and her ability to freeze an enemy can help a lot when opponents are working on their own comps and don’t have a good counter. But it’s important to note that when Lissandra takes enough damage she’ll freeze herself, which isn’t ideal.

Robots – A Tier

Robots, like Exiles, only have one unit available in Teamfight Tactics. It promises an ability activation at the start of the match and in the case of Blitzcrank it’s incredibly good.

How many champions should I run? You run one (1) Blitzcrank, that’s about all you can do at the moment.

Champions Ranked by Priority

If your main synergy is Robots, this is the order in which you should prioritize the Robot champions. Obviously, you’ll have other synergies that you need to account for, but if you need to transition up, this is the order in which you should do so.

1. Blitzcrank: The only Robot at the moment, Blitzcrank thankfully uses his Robot synergy well, which is to pull the furthest enemy to him (usually a weaker opponent kept in the back). Also, as a 2-cost unit, it’s possible to build a team around Blitzcrank, unlike the Exile Yasuo.

Brawlers – A Tier

The Brawler class has a great synergy–600 bonus health for 4 Brawlers, and 300 bonus health for 2 of them! On top of that, some of the most popular units, such as Cho’Gath and Volibear, are Brawlers, making this an easy and worthwhile comp to go for.

How many champions should I run? Two or four!

Champions Ranked by Priority

If your main synergy is Brawlers, this is the order in which you should prioritize the Brawler champions. Obviously, you’ll have other synergies that you need to account for, but if you need to transition up, this is the order in which you should do so.

1. Blitzcrank: The only Robot at the moment, Blitzcrank thankfully uses his Robot synergy well, which is to pull the furthest enemy to him (usually a weaker opponent kept in the back). Also, as a 2-cost unit, it’s possible to build a team around Blitzcrank, unlike the Exile Yasuo.
2. Vi: Vi’s ability to function as a front line early on before charging in and helping eliminate a carry is very useful!
3. Cho’Gath: Cho’Gath is a four-cost unit that you can build a team around. They’re a Brawler with high DPS, and combined with the right item set-up Cho’Gath can be hard to take down. Their ability is also an AoE attack that stuns, and coupled with the Void synergy is a very powerful move.
4. Volibear: With the right items Volibear used to be one of the strongest champions in the game though he’s noticeably less useful these days.
5. Rek’Sai: Rek’Sai is a Void Brawler like Cho’Gath, so she can be useful in getting the Brawler synergy to get extra health while working towards a stronger comp. However, she’s overall a rather unremarkable unit, and with better Brawlers and Void champions to choose from, she’s only worth fielding in the early-game.
6. Warwick: Warwick is a solid early to mid game unit. He’s got pretty good health, can deal out some damage, and has a crowd control ultimate. That said, you he’s one of the first units you want to switch out as he can’t compare to the better Brawlers.

Rangers – A Tier

Rangers, along with Gunslingers, are ranged physical fighters. Their synergy can more than double their attack speed for three seconds, but it’s not guaranteed and given that Rangers can’t take many hits, it can be hard to build a team around them, but it’s possible with the right rolls.

How many champions should I run? Four if you’re going for a Rangers team comp. Otherwise you should stick with just a splash of two. No need to run Vayne if you don’t have to.

Champions Ranked by Priority

If your main synergy is Rangers, this is the order in which you should prioritize the Ranger champions. Obviously, you’ll have other synergies that you need to account for, but if you need to transition up, this is the order in which you should do so.

1. Varus: Varus is a 2 cost unit that’s easy to build up tier wise and also easy to build team comps around. His ability isn’t the most spectacular, but his Ranger synergy is easy to get, with only two units giving you a 25% chance of doubling attack speed which means more chances to activate that Demon synergy.
2. Ashe: Ashe is really good with the proper support and with most folks splashing a two Rangers, having her freeze enemies is super useful.
3. Kindred: Kindred is primarily useful for activating the Phantom buff.
4. Vayne: Even with the recent buffs, you’re better off selling a two star Vayne for any of the above units and using them as a carry instead.

Elementalists – A Tier

Elementalists are interesting. The class’ synergy has two benefits. First, the class gains double mana from attacks. Then, if you can get three of them on the board, a Golem is summoned at the beginning of the match, effectively giving you an extra unit. However, Elementalists are mostly high-cost units that can be hard to roll and build up.

How many champions should I run? You’ll need three on the board to summon a Golem, but the effect of double mana from attacks is available for all Elementalists at any time.

Champions Ranked by Priority

If your main synergy is Elementalists, this is the order in which you should prioritize the Elementalist champions. Obviously, you’ll have other synergies that you need to account for, but if you need to transition up, this is the order in which you should do so.

1. Kennen: In the current meta, there are a lot of team comps that feature Kennen in some form, and for good reason. At 3-cost, he’s easy to obtain and build-up, and his Ninja synergy allows him to get extra attack power even if he’s the only Ninja on the field. Finally, Kennen’s skill (which he’ll be able to pull off often) stuns nearby enemies.
2. Brand: Brand is back in style after spending some time below Anivia.
3. Anivia: Anivia, a 5-cost Glacial Elementalist, is the type of unit to build a team around. The Glacial Storm ability has a large range of effect and slows down the attack speed enemy caught within which is one of the most important stats in Teamfight Tactics. Anivia is also a Glacial type, which means it’ll synergize with popular pick Volibear as well.
4. Lissandra: Lissandra isn’t the first pick for an Elementalist comp, but she can be helpful in the early game while waiting on Kennen and Anivia. She’s only a 2-cost unit, so you’ll see her in the earliest parts of the game, and her ability to freeze an enemy can help a lot when opponents are working on their own comps and don’t have a good counter. But it’s important to note that when Lissandra takes enough damage she’ll freeze herself, which isn’t ideal.

Gunslingers – A Tier

Gunslingers are ranged physical attackers, which is great to help round out a party. They are high DPS units, albeit a little squishy, but the best Gunslingers have abilities to counteract that. The Gunslinger synergy also allows them to stack additional attacks and do even more damage while your melee units are taking the blows.

How many champions should I run? Running two Gunslingers gives you a 50% chance of proccing an extra attack on a random enemy. Running four allows you to get that attack on two random enemies, that’s ideal if you’re building a Gunslingers comp. Otherwise, stick with two.

Champions Ranked by Priority

If your main synergy is Gunslingers, this is the order in which you should prioritize the Gunslinger champions. Obviously, you’ll have other synergies that you need to account for, but if you need to transition up, this is the order in which you should do so.

1. Jinx: If Jinx ends up anything like Draven, she’s easily the best Gunslinger. Most of these champions are only good because of the number of champions they can attack with the buff, but Jinx can hyper carry matches.
2. Lucian: Lucian is a common pick in general in the current meta, and for good reason. He only costs 2 coins a unit, and you’ll roll him a lot, making him very easy to level up. He’s viable in teams throughout the entire game, and his ability lets him dash away from danger. Even beyond a Gunslinger team comp, he’s a strong and useful unit.
3. Gangplank: Gangplank has a lower DPS than most of his Gunslinger allies, and his ability can whiff if he isn’t placed correctly on the field, so he’s a bit higher maintenance than other Gunslingers. However, he also has a Blademaster synergy, and if you’re running both, you can rectify his DPS in short order and a bit of luck.
4. Tristana: Tristana is a 1 cost unit, so she’s really easy to build up and have handy in the early and mid-game. Additionally, Tristana’s ability is great for tankier units that are protecting weaker allies, as when her bomb explodes it has an area of effect.
5. Miss Fortune: As a 5 cost unit, Miss Fortune can be hard to pull and will only be available in the late game, but she’s the unit you can build an entire team around. Miss Fortune has high DPS and an ability that can hit a lot of enemies, and she can decimate opponents with the right items.
6. Graves: Graves is a Gunslinger Pirate, much like Miss Fortune and Gangplank, so if you’re trying to run both synergies at once Graves can be useful. However, the Pirate synergy of “more money” isn’t the most useful beyond the early game, and Tristana is the better 1-cost Gunslinger of the bunch.

B Tier TFT Classes

Yordles – B Tier

Yordles are small, cute, and tough to hit! The Yordle synergy makes it harder to hit any Yordles on the board, an effect that can ruin even the most solid opponent team comps. However, getting the best out of the Yordle synergy requires filled your team with them, which may be hard to justify given other synergies and match-ups out there.

How many champions should I run? Three! There are plenty of team comps that can effectively utilize three Yordles and still be great. Six Yordles means running Tristana and she just doesn’t fit into a primarily Yordle team comp.

Champions Ranked by Priority

If your main synergy is Yordles, this is the order in which you should prioritize the Yordle champions. Obviously, you’ll have other synergies that you need to account for, but if you need to transition up, this is the order in which you should do so.

1. Kennen: It’s our boy Kennen again, here to help you take your team to victory with any and all synergies he’s a part of. Kennen is fine without his Elementalist synergy, and being the sole Yordle Ninja works very much to his advantage. A Yordle team comp without Kennen is a wasted opportunity.
2. Gnar: Gnar is a great unit, and a 4-cost champion that entire teams are built around. However, in a Yordle team comp, you’ll have to take in consideration that you’re not going to be able to get the Shapeshifter synergy for extra health. However, Gnar is a powerful unit without any synergies, with a powerful ability and a large health pool. If you’re making a Yordle comp, Gnar will be the backbone of it.
3. Poppy: When working with a team comp that requires almost all of your team to have a specific synergy, you have to think about how well the units would work together in a comp, not individually. Poppy can take the heat off Gnar and protect Kennen while they dispatch your opponent’s units, so Poppy is helpful to a balanced Yordle party.
4. Lulu: Sorcerers aren’t the best in the current meta, but Lulu is the better pic out of the two Yordle Sorcerers currently available. Lulu’s ability gives extra health to a friendly unit and knocks the enemies around said ally in the air, which throws off their attack for a second or two. Coupled with the Yordle synergy, that’s bound to frustrate opponents trying to hit someone like Poppy or Gnar.
5. Veigar: Veigar’s skill is good on paper. With an instant kill on any enemy with a star rating below Veigar, it seems like a good idea to pump Veigar up to 3 stars and have him decimate foes. However, getting Veigar to 3 stars and ignoring other units in favor of him will make your overall team weaker as a result, and Veigar’s skill isn’t so great if your opponent kills him before he can cast it enough times to thin the crowd out.
6. Tristana: Tristana only costs one coin, making her a solid early-game pick and an easy unit to level up. That said, she just doesn’t fit in a big Yordle composition.

Sorcerers – B Tier

Sorcerers help themselves–their synergy gives them additional spell damage.

How many champions should I run? Three! While you can run six Sorcerers, you’re probably better off with three.

Champions Ranked by Priority

If your main synergy is Sorcerers, this is the order in which you should prioritize the Sorcerer champions. Obviously, you’ll have other synergies that you need to account for, but if you need to transition up, this is the order in which you should do so.

1. Karthus: We suspect Karthus will still be very good, but do wonder if he’ll fall just a little bit.
2. Aurelion Sol: Our boy Sol isn’t as awful as he was after the first balance patch. He’s relevant once again, particularly if you get the right items and have a team comp that can protect him.
3. Ahri: Ahri is a good pick because she isn’t incredibly popular. That makes her easy to two and three star.
4. Morgana: Morgana has an ability that can stun enemies, and her Sorcerer class Synergy is easy to match with others for additional spell damage. Also, if you can get some Lockets on her, Morgana is a prime unit to help share the defensive boosts the Locket of the Iron Solari gives.
5. Twisted Fate: Twisted Fate is a 2-cost unit, so you can get him quickly to round out the three Pirates you need to start earning extra gold. His ability is RNG-based, which is never fun to deal with on top of all of TFT’s other variables, and Sorcerers aren’t particularly strong in the current meta. He’s alright, but there are better Sorcerers to pick as the game progresses.
6. Lulu: Sorcerers aren’t the best in the current meta, but Lulu is the better pick out of the two Yordle Sorcerers currently available. Lulu’s ability gives extra health to a friendly unit and knocks the enemies around said ally in the air, which throws off their attack for a second or two. Coupled with the Yordle synergy, that’s bound to frustrate opponents trying to hit someone like Poppy or Gnar.
7. Veigar: Viegar’s skill is good on paper. With an instant kill on any enemy with a star rating below Veigar, it seems like a good idea to pump Veigar up to 3 stars and have him decimate foes. However, getting Veigar to 3 stars and ignoring other units in favor of him will make your overall team weaker as a result, and Veigar’s skill isn’t so great if your opponent kills him before he can cast it enough times to thin the crowd out.
8. Kassadin: Kassadin is a one-cost unit, making it easy to build up tier wise. They’re also the only magic-based Void champion at the time, which gives them a bit of usefulness in the current meta. Kassadin can also drain mana from enemies with their ability, though using it to create a shield when they shouldn’t be getting attacked isn’t ideal. Overall, Kassadin is a great unit to utilize if you can get him two two stars, even if you aren’t going Sorcerers or Void.

Demons – B Tier

Demons have been reworked! Their basic attacks have a 40% chance to burn 20 mana from their target and return 15/30/45 mana to the attacker. The former isn’t bad, but the later is exceptionally good. More mana means more ability activations which leads to more damage output than your opponent.

How many champions should I run? You probably only want to splash a few Demons into whatever comp your running these days. They higher tiers aren’t good enough to justify.

Champions Ranked by Priority

If your main synergy is Demons, this is the order in which you should prioritize the Demon champions. Obviously, you’ll have other synergies that you need to account for, but if you need to transition up, this is the order in which you should do so.

1. Evelynn: Evelynn is an Assassin, which is good, and a Demon, which is great. Evelynn’s ability does damage to three opponents and has her teleporting away, which helps her survivability. Also, since Demon synergy is so powerful in the current meta, she can be a great addition to a Demon or Assassin build comp.
2. Swain: A 5-cost hero, Swain is worth the purchase. He can synergize with Demons, Imperials, and Shapeshifters, and his ability drains the opponent’s health; very helpful if you’re also burning their mana and champions can’t get their own abilities off. Swain’s cost and general rarity will normally restrict him to a late-game, tier 1 unit, but it’s worth building a party around him.
3. Brand: Brand is back in style after spending some time in the lower ranks.
4. Aatrox: Aatrox has an amazing ability that hits all the enemies in front of him, and coupled with the Demon synergy he has a chance of doing a lot of damage in a short time. On top of that, he has a 25% chance of a critical hit, and you have a unit that can make short work of entire teams.
5. Varus: Varus is a 2 cost unit that’s easy to build up tier wise and also easy to build team comps around. His ability isn’t the most spectacular, but his Ranger synergy is easy to get, with only two units giving you a 25% chance of doubling attack speed… which means more chances to activate that Demon synergy.
6. Morgana: Morgana has an ability that can stun enemies, and her Sorcerer class Synergy is easy to match with others for additional spell damage. Also, if you can get some Lockets on her, Morgana is a prime unit to help share the defensive boosts the Locket of the Iron Solari gives.
7. Elise: Elise may share class synergy with Swain as a Shapeshifter, but that’s about the extent of Elise’s usefulness as a unit beyond the early game. Her ability isn’t that great, and her overall DPS is low, making her the worst of the Demons available.

Guardians – B Tier

Guardians are tanks. There’s only two of them available in Teamfight Tactics right now, but both are useful in a number of team comps and combined the Guardian synergy ups the survivability of your team. Having units that can soak up damage is infinitely useful, and the synergy only requires two units to activate, making it easy to combine with other synergies.

Right now our biggest worry with Guardians is the new Hextech class. Its ability may very well cause a meta where champions need to be spread out and that would stifle Guardians.

How many champions should I run? There are only three Guardians in the game, and the synergy requires two units, so there’s no need to run all three.

Champions Ranked by Priority

If your main synergy is Guardians, this is the order in which you should prioritize the Guardian champions. Obviously, you’ll have other synergies that you need to account for, but if you need to transition up, this is the order in which you should do so.

1. Leona: Leona has a higher armor rating than Braum and a more damaging ability. Her Noble synergy can also stack even more armor, making teams able to tank attacks better. Again, it’s best to use both Guardians when you’re able, though, and Leona and Braum are both great additions to the team.
2. Pantheon: Pantheon is a damage dealing Guardian. We imagine he’ll slot in between Leona and Braum.
3. Braum: Both of the Guardians are good and worth using, and who is better comes down to the smaller details. Braum is a 2-cost unit, making him cheaper to level and more common to pull in general. His ability to reduce incoming damage helps him to tank damage and let your higher DPS units defeat your opponents. He also has Glacial synergy, if you’re running Volibear.

Wild – B Tier

The Wild origin synergy allows you to stack Fury, which raises attack speed. Each stack gives 12% extra attack speed, and you can stack up to five of them for a 60% boost! Attack speed is one of the most important stats in Teamfight Tactics, so having two Wild champions on the field can make quick work of your foe.

How many champions should I run? The most powerful builds are currently running two Wild at most, though you can still pull off four Wild if the game dictates it.

Champions Ranked by Priority

If your main synergy is the Wild, this is the order in which you should prioritize the Wild champions. Obviously, you’ll have other synergies that you need to account for, but if you need to transition up, this is the order in which you should do so.

1. Gnar: Gnar is a great unit, and a 4-cost champion that entire teams are built around. However, in a Yordle team comp, you’ll have to take in consideration that you’re not going to be able to get the Shapeshifter synergy for extra health. However, Gnar is a powerful unit without any synergies, with a powerful ability and a large health pool. If you’re making a Yordle comp, Gnar will be the backbone of it.
2. Ahri: Ahri is a good pick because she isn’t incredibly popular. That makes her easy to two and three star.
3. Rengar: Rengar isn’t a particularly great unit by himself, but with items he can carry entire matches. Savagery has him jumping to the weakest opponent and stabbing them, which can get Rengar out of the line of fire and finishing off opponents at the same time.
4. Nidalee: While she might not be the strongest Shapeshifter, Nidalee is one of the better Wild units out there.
5. Warwick: Warwick is a solid early to mid-game unit. He’s got pretty good health, can deal out some damage, and has a crowd control ultimate. That said, he’s one of the first units you want to switch out as he just can’t compare to the better Wild champions.

Phantoms – B Tier

Phantoms have a killer synergy, cutting one opponent’s health to just 100. However, without knowing which opponent it’ll hit and the high cost of two of the three Phantoms currently available, it’s hard to recommend over other builds.

How many champions should I run? Only two since that’s what the buff demands.

Champions Ranked by Priority

If your main synergy is Phantoms, this is the order in which you should prioritize the Phantom champions. Obviously, you’ll have other synergies that you need to account for, but if you need to transition up, this is the order in which you should do so.

1. Karthus: With a small buff to the number of units he damages, Karthus is top tier right now.
2. Kindred: Kindred is primarily useful for their ability which protects allied units inside the zone from dying. You generally don’t want to build them as a carry.
3. Mordekaiser: Mordekaiser is oddly tempting. Since you can get him two-star relatively early on it may be tempting to keep him, but ultimately you should replace him as soon as possible.

Dragons – B Tier

If you can proc it, the Dragon synergy is great, making Dragon resistant to 83% of magic damage. Imagine a Shyvana with both her Shapeshifter and Dragon synergies! However, there’s only two Dragons available right now, and you can’t exactly build around a team around the synergy.

With the release of Pantheon, this class has gotten a bit easier to complete so we think they’ll be significantly stronger than before.

How many champions should I run? Two! Obviously, you don’t need to, but if you can work in the opposing Dragon it does do wonders for their survivability.

Champions Ranked by Priority

If your main synergy is Dragons, this is the order in which you should prioritize the Dragon champions. Obviously, you’ll have other synergies that you need to account for, but if you need to transition up, this is the order in which you should do so.

1. Aurelion Sol: Our boy Sol isn’t as awful as he was after the first balance patch. He’s relevant once again, particularly if you get the right items and have a team comp that can protect him.
2. Pantheon: Again, we think Pantheon is a great complimentary unit to either a comp with Sol or Shyvana. As such, we’re placing him between these two.
3. Shyvana: Shyvana is a fantastic pickup if you get any tanky items whatsoever. In Dragon form she can dole out damage easily while remaining a pain to kill.

C Tier TFT Classes

Void – C Tier

While it’s not too hard to get the Void class trait live, unfortunately it requires running some less than optimal champions. Right now that isn’t really worth the hassle.

How many champions should I run? Void activates at three champions and doesn’t get stronger with more units, so three will do!

Champions Ranked by Priority

If your main synergy are Void champions, this is the order in which you should prioritize them. Obviously, you’ll have other synergies that you need to account for, but if you need to transition up, this is the order in which you should do so.

Keep in mind that it may be correct to run Rek’Sai if the rest of your team comp needs the Brawler.

1. Cho’Gath: Cho’Gath is a four-cost unit that you can build a team around. They’re a Brawler with high DPS, and combined with the right item set-up Cho’Gath can be hard to take down. Their ability is also an AoE attack that stuns, and coupled with the Void synergy is a very powerful move.
2. Kassadin: Kassadin is a one-cost unit, making it easy to build up tier wise. They’re also the only magic-based Void champion at the time, which gives them a bit of usefulness in the current meta. Kassadin can also drain mana from enemies with their ability, though using it to create a shield when they shouldn’t be getting attacked isn’t ideal.
3. Rek’Sai: Rek’Sai is a Void Brawler like Cho’Gath, so she can be useful in getting the Brawler synergy to get extra health while working towards a stronger comp.
4. Kha’Zix: Kha’Zix uses both their Void and Assassin synergies well, allowing them to quickly dispatch a pesky ranged attacker. His ability does extra damage if the enemy is alone, and it’s common for only one or two ranged units to be alone in the back, where assassins jump in to strike.

Ninjas – C Tier

Ninjas have a good synergy going for them, with only one Ninja needed to get a 50% attack boost. If you get four on your team, all Ninjas receive a 70% attack boost. It’s up to you to decide if you want to go a full Ninja team comp, or just use one to round out your team. Right now the main problem is that Assassins are weak and Ninjas rely on Zed and Akali.

How many champions should I run? Either one if your comp isn’t entirely based on Ninjas, or four if you’re going for the bonus. Running two or three Ninjas can even be detrimental to your build, as until you hit the four Ninja bonus, you won’t get any buff from the class!

Champions Ranked by Priority

If your main synergy is Ninjas, this is the order in which you should prioritize the Ninja champions. Obviously, you’ll have other synergies that you need to account for, but if you need to transition up, this is the order in which you should do so.

1. Kennen: Kennen works well alone or in a team of Ninjas, he has a great ability that’ll activate often thanks to his Elementalist class, and he’s a 3-cost unit, making him viable throughout most of the match. There’s a reason he’s featured in so many team comps!
2. Zed: A 2-cost unit and also an Assassin, Zed is helpful during the early and mid-game to jump over and knock out pesky ranged attackers. He is also helpful in a 4 Ninja team comp, though if you’re planning on only one Ninja you’ll want to switch Zed out for Kennen when you can.
3. Akali: Akali is the highest cost Ninja at 4 coins, and sometimes that can get in the way of her viability. But, she’s still a good Assassin, and overall is a powerful unit. If you’re looking for a Ninja unit that needs no fuss or leveling to be useful, Akali can round out a team.
4. Shen: When pitted against Kennen and Zed, it’s hard to recommend Shen. He has no range attacks like Kennen, and doesn’t jump to the back like Zed and Akali. His ability is neat, but as a melee attacker with low armor, he might get knocked out before even getting to use his skill. It’s hard to recommend him over the others unless the luck of the roll just isn’t on your side.

D Tier TFT Classes

Shapeshifters – D Tier

If you’re running a Shapeshifter team, the bonus health synergy can turn your Shapeshiters into absolute tanks. Not only do you need good champion pulls, you’ll need good item pulls as well in order to really build up a Shapeshifter team.

With the changes to Morellonomicon and Red Buff now lasting ten seconds, completely eliminating any healing for the duration, Shapeshifters are hard countered right now.

How many champions should I run? Three! If you’re going to go for any build that focuses on Shyvana, you’ll want at least three.

Champions Ranked by Priority

If your main synergy is Shapeshifters, this is the order in which you should prioritize the Shapeshifter champions. Obviously, you’ll have other synergies that you need to account for, but if you need to transition up, this is the order in which you should do so.

1. Swain: A 5-cost hero, Swain is worth the purchase. He can synergize with Demons, Imperials, and Shapeshifters, and his ability drains the opponent’s health; very helpful if you’re also burning their mana and champions can’t get their own abilities off. Swain’s cost and general rarity will normally restrict him to a late-game, tier 1 unit, but it’s worth building a party around him.
2. Gnar: Gnar is a great unit, and a 4-cost champion that entire teams are built around. However, in a Yordle team comp, you’ll have to take in consideration that you’re not going to be able to get the Shapeshifter synergy for extra health. However, Gnar is a powerful unit without any synergies, with a powerful ability and a large health pool. If you’re making a Yordle comp, Gnar will be the backbone of it.
3. Shyvana: Shyvana is a fantastic pickup if you get any tanky items whatsoever. In Dragon form she can dole out damage easily while remaining a pain to kill.
4. Jayce: Jayce is a cool champion, but he’s not too strong or to weak.
5. Nidalee: Nidalee isn’t quite the late game carry that she used to be. Now she’s better off helping in the early game before being sold for the trio of units above.
6. Elise: Elise may be a Shapeshifter, but that’s about the extent of Elise’s usefulness as a unit beyond the early game. Her ability isn’t that great, and her overall DPS is low, making her the worst of the Shapeshifters available.

Pirates – D Tier

Need some extra money to build the team you want? Pirates can help you with that! Having three Pirates out on the field lets you earn up to four additional gold per PVP round. This is a purely utility-based synergy that may not seem too great, but the Pirates themselves are mostly good units that can be mixed into another team comp (like Gunslingers).

As a whole Pirates are a class buff of convenience. They aren’t good for a late game composition.

How many champions should I run? Three is the ideal number here. That’s the minimum number of units needed to start earning extra gold, and more units do not provide any additional benefits.

Champions Ranked by Priority

If your main synergy is Pirates, this is the order in which you should prioritize the Pirate champions. Obviously, you’ll have other synergies that you need to account for, but if you need to transition up, this is the order in which you should do so.

1. Pyke: Pyke has a lot going for him. He’s only 2-cost, making him viable even in the early game, he’s an assassin so he gets right to striking back-row units, and he helps the Pirate synergy to get you extra gold early on. With the right items and leveling up, Pyke can be a great unit for most of the match.
2. Twisted Fate: Twisted Fate is a 2-cost unit, so you can get him quickly to round out the three Pirates you need to start earning extra gold. His ability is RNG-based, which is never fun to deal with on top of all of TFT’s other variables, and Sorcerers aren’t particularly strong in the current meta. He’s alright, but there are better Pirates to pick as the game progresses.
3. Gangplank: When Miss Fortune isn’t available, Gangplank can be a decent replacement. His ability isn’t the best, but he has both the Gunslinger and Blademaster abilities, making him a versatile unit in the mid-game, and getting you that extra gold when you need it.
4. Miss Fortune: As a 5 cost unit, Miss Fortune can be hard to pull and will only be available in the late game, but she’s the unit you can build an entire team around. Miss Fortune has high DPS and an ability that can hit a lot of enemies, and she can decimate opponents with the right items.
5. Graves: Poor Graves. As one of three Pirate Gunslingers, the extent of his usefulness starts and stops at getting those synergies in the early game. He’s not a good unit, easily outshined by the other units in his class and origin, and is not one that’s worth keeping in your party once you roll someone better.