League of Legends Champion Profile: Tristana, the Yordle Gunner
Game Stage Power
Strength in Early Game/Laning – Medium
Despite her main strengths being in the late game and around 3 items, Tristana is surprisingly strong during the laning phase. This is because of her ability to dive on enemy players with her W – Rocket Jump, slowing them, and enabling stacks of her E – Explosive Charge to be applied.
Nonetheless, the primary goal for Tristana players in the first 10-15 minutes of the game is to stay alive, farm, and come out of the laning phase either even or ahead. This is especially important when facing early game focused bottom lanes, like a Draven-Leona.
Ultimately a lot of onus is put on the ally jungler to guide Tristana safely into the mid game, ensuring she’s not being constantly dived or at risk of falling behind. While her escape is undoubtedly an effective tool to avoid enemy ganks, it doesn’t make her invulnerable, and the Yordle Gunner should still take caution in the early stages of the game.
Strength in Mid Game/Skirmishes – Low
Nowadays, the mid game consists of 1 or 2 item power spikes around key objectives like outer towers, dragons, or Rift Herald. During this time Tristana is amongst the least useful members of her team, sitting on only an Infinity Edge and possibly a Rapid Firecannon. While she can output damage in mid game fights, and maybe even pop off with a few Rocket Jump resets, she’s unlikely to set the game alight with her mid game power.
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Once again, the focus of the team should be to maintain a lead and keep Trist well farmed, getting her to three items as quickly as possible. An inventory of Infinity Edge, Rapid Firecannon, and Statikk Shiv is when the AD Carry comes online and can begin to carry the game.
Strength in Late Game/Team Fights – Very High
You’re 30 minutes into the game, crafting your 4th item, and sitting at 600+ attack range. You are now in prime position to take over the game and single-handedly carry your team to victory. But it’s important to remember how to close out games as a scaling ADC.
First of all, your team should set up around Baron Nashor, or inner towers, and create opportunities to start fights. Then, in the team fight, Tristana should be utilised to output high DPS on priority targets with peel from her support. Cleaning up teamfights is a unique aspect of Trist’s kit as she can use her W – Rocket Jump to chase escaping enemy players.
Overall, Tristana thrives in the late game and is the perfect ADC to have on your team at 30+ minutes. Her extremely high attack range combined with a built-in escape in her kit makes her ideal for late game teamfights and skirmishes around key objectives.