League of Legends TFT: how to get the most out of an item cheat sheet

League of Legends. Photo courtesy of Riot Games. /

Finding a good cheat sheet for the best items to build in TFT is harder than winning a League of Legends game with Yasuo in it. Here are some of the best cheat sheets and how to maximize the value they give!

League of Legends and Teamfight Tactics produce a ton of content in the form of guides, tips and tricks, and cheat sheets. Everyone wants to have that extra advantage in their next ranked game to play the best pick, build the best comp, and make the best items. There are plenty of great cheat sheets for TFT items out there (this one from Progameguide is one that I use) but knowing what item combinations exist is only part of the benefit these guides can provide.

Just knowing item combinations is useless if you don’t know what the combined items do or – more importantly – how certain classes of champions use their bonuses to the best of their abilities. Veteran League of Legends players may very well not know that crit damage is a better stat to build on Assassins, since they’d typically build more lethality items on Summoners Rift. Today, we’re going to provide a few basic questions players need to keep in mind when looking at a cheat sheet to get the most out of that information.

What items can you build now and later?

A lot of lower-ranked players in TFT tend to combine their items as soon as possible and get them on their strongest unit. That is very rarely a good idea.

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When looking at the item cheat sheet, you should, of course, look to see if you can build any impactful items with the components you have now. However, you should also be aware that you may be able to build a stronger item later.

Be aware of what good items you could build down the line so you can keep an eye out for them on the Carousel round. For instance, if you have a Chain Vest, you should be on the lookout for a BF Sword so you can make a Guardian Angel.

In some cases, you’ll have a really good item available like a Guinsoo’s Rageblade, a Phantom Dancer, a Dragon’s Claw, or a Luden’s Echo. If you have that item available and it works on a champion that you have on your board (and especially if it’s an item you intend to hold onto for a while) you should go ahead and build that item immediately.

Should you hold onto items?

Whether you hold items or not will largely depend on the state of the game (it’s better to hold items for an advantage later if you’re doing well, but if you’re on a huge losing streak you may need to just cut your losses) and the time in-game (it’s always more advantageous to hold in the first two or three rounds, after that you probably need to be a bit more aggressive in combining). The decision of whether to hold your items for a better combination isn’t a hard and fast rule, but generally if you have two of the same component (e.g. two Recurve Bows) you should be looking to see if you can combine them sooner rather than later.

Remember, during the course of a TFT match you’re probably only going to get five or six completed items that you will pick (the Dragon and later Carousel rounds will be giving you some completed items, but you’ll be at the mercy of RNG). If you have enough components for three combined items, you really shouldn’t be looking to hold onto them much longer because you’re only going to get two or three more components. Remember, having the items in your inventory doesn’t save you any life points when you lose a round.

How will they fit your comp?

The general rule is that you should always build your comp around your items. If you have a lot of AP items, you build Mages, a lot of AD is good for Assassins, and so on. But what do you do when you have a lot of Giant’s Belts, Chain Vests, and Brawler’s Gloves?

The answer is that you should usually build a comp around your strongest units and best maximize the items that you do have. For instance, if you get a bunch of early Malzahars but all defensive items, build a Shadow comp with a bulked-up Sion on the front line.

Item cheat sheets are fantastic in this instance, as they can show you what kinds of items that you can cobble together items that will fit your comp either when you don’t have one or when you have a few leftover components. Try to look at the different combined items you can get and figure out how they might fit onto your strongest units on the board. Again, this is especially important in instances where you’re losing a ton and need to do something to stop the bleeding.

How do I use this Spatula?

The Spatula can be the most powerful item in TFT if you use it properly. Getting two and making a Force of Nature can be game-changing. Rounding out your comp with that one extra Glacial or Berserker can send your team into the stratosphere.

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If you manage to get a Spatula early, the item cheat sheet will be a godsend for showing you what synergies it can help you complete. This is an item you should be sure not to use too early, nor should you waste any components that you might want to combine with a Spatula later. Make sure to take note of the Spatula items when you’ve got one.

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