League of Legendshas been around for a long time now, long enough to have become a household name amongst both gamers and people who’ve never picked up a gamepad in their life. After so long with just the original 5v5 lane-based game mode,Teamfight Tacticswas introduced as a take on the auto chess genre with aLeague of Legendsflair.
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The game is one of those easy to pick up but difficult to master strategy games, where a player’steam comp and positioning matterjust as much as in the regular MOBA. There are a lot of factors to consider for someone new to the genre, though, but even beginners will find the game intuitive, for the most part.
Updated July 24, 2025 by Erik Petrovich:Teamfight Tactics has been out for a little while now, enough time for players to really get a feel for its unique gameplay mechanics and develop strategies accordingly. One thing hasn’t changed since the game’s launch, though; players who have a basic idea of what they are doing fare better than players who wing it every match. When it comes to Teamfight Tactics tips, there are some basic things to keep in mind (like Champion abilities and positioning) and there are some more advanced concepts (like picking on the Carousel to counter opponents). These TFT tips are sure to give a player the upper edge in their next matchup.
12Know Champions' Abilities Off-Hand
When starting off a game inTeamfight Tacticsplayers enter the Crousel, which allows players to choose their Champions and load-outs in rotating order. While some information about each Champion is displayed, like their type and appearance, little other information is given on this screen.
It’s important to go intoTeamfight Tacticswith a basic understanding of most available Champion’s abilities and strengths as you want to make the most informed choices possible on this screen. If you get to choose first but don’t have a plan in mind, you’ll do far worse than the person picking last who knows how to adapt their strategies to the strengths of the available Champions.
11Losing Gives A Higher Placement In The Carousel
There are a number of “benefits” to losing inTeamfight Tactics, which helps balance out the playing field for players who fall behind. One of the ways thatTeamfight Tacticsdoes this is by giving lower-ranking players in the round the chance to pick before higher-ranking players. The last-ranked player in the lobby will choose first, while the top-ranked player chooses last.
Having a high placement in the Carousel is a big boon as it lets players have first dibs on particular heroes. It’s not a good idea to lose intentionally to go earlier, as there’s no guarantee that you will pick first, but it’s a nice thing to keep in mind if the game isn’t exactly going your way.
10Play The Tutorial in the Mobile Version
The best thing a new player can do for themself when starting out inTeamfight Tacticsis to play the tutorial. The game is available on mobile devices, and the tutorial is available on both PC and mobile platforms.
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Players can read about the game online, look up strategies, and prepare as much as they wantbefore launching the game, but the best way to learn the game is to just jump in and learn the ropes. Even if you understand auto chess, play the tutorial before moving on to real-life opponents
9Positioning Matters A Lot
Teamfight Tacticsuses several concepts to reinforce the strategic components of gameplay, such as emphasis on having a front and back line and emphasis on having champions stay alive long enough to meaningfully contribute.
Keep bruisers and defensive champions up front, and weaker ranged characters in the back, to maximize the output of the entire team. If champions are quickly dying without doing anything for the team, players mightwant to move things around.
8Pay Attention To Your Opponent
One of the best ways to gain information inTeamfight Tacticsis to spy on opponents as often as possible. Players can look at other player’s boards and benches by clicking on their icon in the tournament bracket on the right-hand side of the screen.
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Additionally, environmental details can clue players in to their opponent’s skill level, too. There are five markers on each side of the playing field – the left side contains the players'. Each spot represents a single win for that player, so those up against somebody with all five filled, it can be assumed they know what they’re doing.
7Aim For A Win Steak For Extra Gold…
On the sides of the playing field, there are two rows of five empty spots. As players win games, the spots on the left will fill up. These represent a win streak, which opponents can see, and also represents the interest players will receive upon finishing a match.
Ifplayers lose a match, though, they will restart from the beginning of the win streak counter. Winning two or three times in a row will net players one extra gold, four wins in a row net players two extra gold, and five or more wins in a row give three gold per round.
6…But Losing Streaks Give A Consolation Prize
While the game rewards players who are doing well, players who arelosing multiple times in a rowalso get a little bit of a boost, not as a reward, but as a consolation prize.
The rate is the same, at one gold per round for losing two or three in a row, an extra two gold for losing four in a row, and an extra three gold for losing five or more. It’s not much, but it’s better than a stick in the eye to complement a losing streak.
5Don’t Think Of The Game As Random
A lot ofTeamfight Tacticsis left up to RNG, to chance mechanics that determine damage outputs and other factors in combat. Some fans guess that the game is 20 to 40 percent random, with no ability for the player to control what happens, but that’s a bit of a pessimistic way to look at it.
Instead, think of the game as being 60 to 80 percent controllable strategy. It’s much like the board gameRisk, where combat itself is determined by dice, but a player’s decisions and strategies leading into a fight canswing things in their favor. It does no good to think of the game as a dice roll, focus on what can be controled instead.
4Learn Everything About In-Game Items
The complexity of items inTeamfight Tacticsis, in a word, immense. It’s just about as complex as the baseLeague of Legendsgame’s item totals, but some have new effects or change the way a fight goes in a different manner.
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The best thing players can do to prepare for the buy phases ofTeamfight Tacticsis to spend some time and come to a basic understanding of good builds and must-have items, as well as items players should always avoid. It depends on individual playstyles ultimately, but there are lots of guides for optimal setups for each champion.
3Study Champions And Placements
Studying the game’s immense catalog of items is no easy task, but there’s more homework to do to improve skills inTeamfight Tactics. Take some time to look over the stats and strengths of each champion inTeamfight Tacticsto make a more informed decision come the initial draft.
Additionally, spend some time to understand optimal placements for each champion and where each champion’s strengths lie on the battlefield. It does no good to have a Mordekaiser in the back line, now.
