TFT Guide: Breaking Down Set 5’s Shadow Items & How To Use Them

Eclipse Cape

Recipe: Shadow Giant’s Belt + Chain Vest

"Every 2 seconds, a random enemy within 3 hexes is burned for 25% of their maximum Health over 10 seconds. Any healing they receive is reduced by 50%. The wearer is also burned for 4% of their maximum Health every second."

The amount of damage applied is the same, but the damage ticks a new enemy more frequently (2 seconds vs 2.5 seconds) and the range is extended. This is actually now much better on melee units who have some healing/resurrection like Legionnaires or Assassins, since the burn on themselves is for less damage.

Warmog’s Sacrificial Armor

Recipe: Shadow Giant’s Belt + Giant’s Belt

"Grants 1800 bonus Health (including components), but the wearer loses 100 Health each second."

Whenever an item grants more max health, it’s ideal for units that are scaling off health (Nunu) or that get a lot of resistances (Ironscale or Mystic). In this case you’re getting an extra 800 health off the jump, but losing 100 every second. So if you think this unit will last in combat for at least eight seconds, that’s when it starts hurting. In short, put it on your weaker frontliners who don’t have sustain/resurrections who need a boost because it’s probably going to be end up being better than the vanilla version.

Learn how to use TFT Set 5’s new Shadow Items!

Explosive Zephyr

Recipe: Shadow Giant’s Belt + Negatron Cloak

"When combat begins, the wearer summons a whirlwind on the opposite side of the arena that removes the closest enemy from combat for 8 seconds. The wearer also banishes themselves for 3 seconds. Once the champion returns to combat, they gain 30 bonus attack damage and 30 spell power for the rest of combat."

The goal of this item is to remove a key enemy unit to kill the rest of the team before they return to combat with all that extra damage. As a result, it’s actually better to position this to take out a front-line unit. This makes it easier to fight front-to-back and get to the backline units before the banished unit returns, and also a tanky unit won’t be able to take advantage as much of the bonuses.