ranked based guide

How does one actually improve at TFT? This is a question that has been asked repeatedly since TFT released, but the default answer almost always seems to be “everything”. While this is very true, I’ve developed simple and digestable game plans for every elo based on my coaching experience.

UNRANKED / IRON / BRONZE

For players in this category, I would recommend just getting more volume in, get familiar with the units and the synergies and then progress to learning the base fundamentals like econ interests, frontline and backline itemization and assembling a team comp that meshes well! One-tricking, which is only playing a singular team composition, is a great way to get more experience with how TFT works without the burden of memorizing everything all at once.

I’d also highly suggest getting acquainted with the different augments in the game and how they synergize and perform in terms of stats.

Economy management (basic)

Itemization (basic)

Augment selection (basic)

SILVER / GOLD

A step above novice players, Silver/Gold playes are often getting their feet wet within the TFT ranked ladder and have vague understanding of popular team compositions. I recommend these players familiarize themselves further with units and comps (especially early game comps). However, fundamentals are becoming more required to push through to higher ranks, so I recommend you check out these basic essentials!

Economy management (basic)

Itemization (basic)

Augment selection (basic)

PLATINUM

Platinum is generally where concepts are being more fine tuned, but the general understanding of the game is still relatively raw. Whether you’ve gotten here through one-tricking or playing flexibly, there’s still much to improve if you want to break into the competitive ranks! What I recommend to most players in this category is prioritizing how to play strongest board, having a game plan based on the meta and being flexible with items/econ/leveling. As always, good augment selection is a must!

Strongest board

Having a game plan

Itemization

Economy management

Augment selection

Meta comp identification

DIAMOND

Diamond is where I’d say TFT starts becoming truly competitive. Most if not all have decent understanding of the fundamentals of the game but often are not as proficient in adaptability in terms of items, leveling and backup team compositions.

While you CAN break into Masters only one-tricking a certain comp (especially if the meta heavily favors a comp), it’s not ideal for long-term growth. You want to start adapting to the meta, flexing between strong comps and learning which augments/situations enable suboptimal comps. A big issue here is players will play an A-/B tier comp without the augments that enable it! Additionally, playing Stage 4 correctly starts becoming far more important as under-greeding or over-greeding can cost you tons of HP and LP in the long run!

Strongest board

Itemization (accounting for utility or leaving potential open, letting your items dictate your direction)

Having a game plan (non ideal comps and what situations to play them, seeing certain lines)

Having Plan B (and even C!)

Stage 4 management

AUGMENT Selection

Meta comp identification

MASTER

Getting Masters, like in any other game, is considered one of the top percentile ranks you can achieve! Congrats on hitting this rank, but if you have aspirations of breaking into GM/Challenger, there’s still work to do. Here’s where fine tuning starts to come into play.

The main issues I see with this elo are:

1) playing too many non S tier comps without BiS augments, “cooking” too much if you will. To get to the top level the majority of your games have to be S/A tier comps. B tier comps and below are often only enabled by specific augments or highroll.

2) Undergreeding/overgreeding Stage 4 (know when playing for 1st/2nd or for 4th-7th)

3) Not knowing how to play lose streak when you don’t have a strong opener

4) Comp discipline + Meta identification

5) Having a game plan (non ideal comps and what situations to play them)

6)Lose streak openers

7) Itemization (accounting for utility or leaving potential open, letting your items dictate your direction)

8) Scouting purposefully

9) Stage 4 Management

10) Planning out transition to save time

GRANDMASTER

Quicker decision making

Planning out transition to save time

Mental

Itemization (accounting for utility or leaving potential open, letting your items dictate your direction)

Stage 4 Management

CHALLENGER

Vod reviewing better/other Challenger players

Really knowing complex stats (metatft/tactics.tools)