Gaming
esports
5 pro tips to improve your game in TeamFight Tactics
If you’ve been playing TeamFight Tactics for a while and want to rapidly improve your gameplay, check out these tips from pro gamer Adrian Basil.
Red Bull M.E.O. is the largest mobile esports competition in the world. Red Bull M.E.O. Season 4 India will feature a tournament in TeamFight Tactics. To know more and to participate, visit redbull.in/meo
Bengaluru-based gamer Adrian Basil is one of the pros of the TeamFight Tactics (TFT) community in India.
When asked what he thought about the game, he said he finds it to be similar to chess with the major difference being the number of players. Of course, he is speaking about how TeamFight Tactics requires you to place your champions on a grid-based board with a strategy in mind, similar to that of chess; where it differs is that a match-up has eight gamers drawn together, playing one-on-one against each other in individual rounds.
“When I started playing TFT, it was all about having maximum synergy – you needed to have six units (champions) with the same traits. But now as the game has evolved, with newer sets being released, it is about having more units with variety that complement each other,” he explains about his approach and strategy.
The title will feature a tournament as part of Red Bull M.E.O. 2021 India which is open to all mobile gamers. Here are Adrian’s tips on how to up your game in TeamFight Tactics if you are planning on participating in the tournament.
01
Pro Tip 1: Try the one-tricking method
This is a popular strategy adopted by a lot of new players. One-tricking involves constantly playing the same team composition which gets you the highest win rate. The bright side to one-tricking is that if you master a composition, you will know exactly what champions and items to pick. The down side is that if your opponents scout you, they will know your team composition and how to counter you.
Adrian says: “In the last set I was playing, there was a comp called ‘Ninja Keeper’ and I felt it wasn’t a great comp as it just had defensive units with only one unit doing maximum damage. But when I started playing, I realized that it was an easy and good comp once it was set up and mapped.”
Buy the same unit three times to get an upgrade
© Riot Games
02
Pro Tip 2: Have a set of variations ready so you can adapt
One-tricking is great for new players. But to grow quickly, you need to learn how to adapt. Once you start playing ranked games, start focusing on adding variations in your game so you can adapt to different situations.
Adrian says: “Imagine that one of your opponents has only backline units. In such a case, it would be important to have a Volibear to counter the backline and disrupt them from doing a lot of attacks. [This will be possible if you have a variation with Volibear.] Being able to adapt to others’ compositions is a quality that comes through experience.”
Tanks up front, squishies behind
© Riot Games
03
Pro Tip 3: Treat your match-ups as games of two halves
With seven opponents in your match-up, you will play each of them once to have a total of seven rounds. Think of the first few rounds as being early-game and the latter rounds as late-game. If you’re able to get the right items on the carousel in the early-game, it sets you up to win comfortably in the late-game.
Adrian says: “My understanding and personal experience is that the first half is best played defensive. Attacking items are usually required in the second half. And one can therefore itemize accordingly. Also remember to focus once you start the game. Once you’re in, you need to go all in.”
Improve your odds
© Riot Games
04
Pro Tip 4: Focus on getting your itemization correct
There is no right way of doing itemization. It depends on the composition you are going for and how your opponents are playing. Remember to not use all your items in the early-game. You could hold onto items for use in late-game or sell them off to get more gold. Adrian recommends Hand Of Justice and Sunfire Cape as items for attacking gamers.
Adrian says: “If your opponents are running compositions that have a lot of healing, it is important for you to have an item that mitigates healing. That’s when items like Sunfire Cape and Morellonomicon come in handy. A lot of challenger players don’t play the same comp (composition) twice, and that is the highlight of a really good player – to be able to create variations.”
Keep an eye on those important items
© Riot Games
05
Pro Tip 5: Keep analysing and reviewing your own game
It is crucial to document everything you are doing so you know exactly where you need to improve, especially at later stages. In ranked matches, it is extremely difficult to get higher up the ladder – especially once you reach the diamond stage – unless you analyse and improve your gameplay. Make notes of each move you make so you can refer to it later and improve your strategies.
Adrian says: “My personal style is to have a notebook handy where I log in my every move. It may seem difficult to most but if you can manage doing the same then it will be very helpful for you to improve your game. You can also screen record your game, if that works better for you.”
