Overview
Set 16 is winding down with just about a month left in its cycle but that's still plenty of time to enjoy the latest overhaul to the set, which is a major rework of unlocks. The short of it is a lot of champions will be much easier to unlock now, which means it's way easier to play flexibly! Here's the TLDR:
Unlocks significantly easier across the board
This is the main thing this patch. Everything else is secondary to how this will affect the game, but it may be too early to tell! Check our conclusions below for an early read on how it will shake out.
As always, be sure to check out our TFT hub for the latest data and comps!
System
Huge unlock changes
Bard: 4 rerolls -> 3 rerolls before Stage 2 Carousel
Graves: Twisted Fate with 2 items Equipped -> Any Bilgewater champion with 2 items equipped
Yorick: 2-star Viego -> 1-star Viego with 1 item equipped
Darius: Have Draven drop 1 gold -> 1 item equipped to Draven + Level 5
Gwen: 20 souls -> 10 souls & Level 5
Kennen: 7 star levels of Ionia/Yordle/Defender -> 5 star levels of Ionia/Yordle/Defender & Level 5
Kobuko & Yuumi: 6 star levels of Bruiser/Invoker/Yordle & Level 7 ->
6 star levels of Bruiser/Invoker/Yordle & Level 6
Diana: 2-star Leona & Level 6 -> 1-star Leona with 3 items & Level 7
Kai’Sa: 3 items equipped on a Longshot -> 2 items equipped to a Longshot
Kalista: 70 souls -> 30 souls & Level 7
Nidalee: 2x 2 star Neeko -> 2-star Neeko with 3 items & Level 7
Rift Herald: Field Void for 8 combats -> Field Void for 2 combats + Level 7
Skarner: Non-tank with a Gargoyle’s Stoneplate -> Caster or Marksman with 1 Chain Vest item
Veigar: Champion with 2x Deathcap -> Yordle with 1x Deathcap
Yone: 3-star Yasuo -> 2-star Yasuo with 3 items & Level 7
Aatrox: 40% Omnivamp -> 30% Omnivamp
Galio: 12 star levels of Demacia -> 8 star levels & Level 8
Mel: 2-star Ambessa with 1 item dies -> Ambessa with 1 item dies & Level 8
Ryze: 4 Region Traits + Level 9 -> 3 Region Traits + Level 9
Sylas: Sell 2-star Jarvan & Garen + Level 9 -> Sell 2-star Garen + Level 9
Tahm Kench: 450 Silver Serpents -> 350 Silver Serpents + Level 8
T-Hex: 9 star levels of Piltover -> 7 star levels of Piltover + Level 8
Thresh: 175 souls -> 5 Shadow Isles star levels + Level 8
Volibear: 3800 HP -> 3400 HP + Level 8
Ziggs: 3 items on a Zaun/Yordle -> 2 items on a Zaun/Yordle
Buffs
Traits
Demacia Resists increased at (5) and (7)
Ionia
Transcendence 3-star bonus increased
Path of Blades no longer grants bonus damage on-hit; now gives bonus AP
Void
Adrenaline Modules amp increased from 15% to 18%
Champions
1-costs
Lulu
Damage increased
2-costs
Ashe
Base AD and AS increased
Ekko
Spell damage increased
3-costs (all buffed at 3-stars)
Ahri
Draven
Also buffed at 2-star
Gangplank
Also buffed at 1-star and 2-star
Leona
Vayne
Also buffed at 1-star and 2-star
Zoe
4-costs
Diana
Damage increased
Lissandra
Mana cost decreased
Singed
Bonus reists increased
Warwick
Mana decreased
Spell damage increased
5-costs
Annie
AS increased
Tibbers shield increased
Azir
Damage increased
Soldiers less HP
Might actually be a nerf
Ryze
Base damage increased
Nerfs
Traits
Bruiser (4) and (6)
HP bonus decreased
Ionia
Path of Generosity grants gold on 4 kills instead of 3
Ixtal
Many quest reward shards reduced
Piltover
Mining Drill gold chance reduced
Slayer
Bonus AD decreased
Void
Leeching Nucleus 15 stacks -> 10 stacks
Yordle (8)
6 gold -> 5 gold
2 2-cost Yordles added as a potential reward
Average value of loot slightly lowered
Champions
2-costs
Yorick
Heal decreased
4-costs
Kalista
Damage decreased
Initial spears increased but less spears per soul
Nidalee
HP increased
AS and damage decreased
Veigar
Damage decreased
Yone
Damage decreased
5-costs
Mel
Radiant item threshhold increased to 235
Sett
Damage decreased
Sylas
HP decreased
Damage decreased
Tahm Kench
HP decreased
Glutton nerfed
T-Hex
HP decreased
Damage decreased
Thresh
Resists decreased
Scaling worsened
Xerath
Golem charms nerfed
Notable Augment Changes
Econ augments nerfed across the board
Max Build disabled
Conclusion
This patch will shake up this set quite a bit as you will now be able to force basically any carry in the game. The most notable examples are Nidalee, Veigar, and Yone -- premier 4-cost units that you can easily roll for on level 8 now.
5-cost units such as Mel and T-Hex will be easier to hit than ever as well. And with econ nerfed, this means it will be harder than ever to push for level 9 this set. This means you'll need to formulate a plan around becoming strong at Level 8, and it means you'll be more reliant on having a strong opener to save HP. That said, the flexibility of this set means you can easily play towards an uncontested carry from any spot now!
