Teamfight Tactics Patch 14.9 Limits 3-Star 4-Costs, Adds New Items

Patch 14.9 of Teamfight Tactics is now live. After the buffs to four-cost champions in patch 14.8, things got out of hand. Thus, a large part of patch 14.9 is working to bring the meta back in line. One of these changes is increased player damage in stages four, five, and six. Another change is reduced odds of finding four-cost champions at levels eight and nine. In addition, it now takes more experience to get to level nine. However, it takes less experience to get to level ten. Finally, certain encounters helping players three-star four-cost champions have been removed. Patch 14.9 also brings many new support and artifact items. These are the biggest changes brought by patch 14.9 of Teamfight Tactics.

Reduced Frequency of Three-Star Four-Cost Champions

A big change on patch 14.9 of Teamfight Tactics is to four-cost champions’ place in the meta. According to Mortdog in his patch rundown, three-starring four-cost champions was too common. The issue was bad enough that patch 14.8 got a b-patch. In order to help combat this, patch 14.9 introduces a variety of changes.

Increased Player Damage

The first change is that player damage on stages four, five, and six is increasing by one each. Because this applies more pressure to players, it makes it harder to hold onto money for as long. This forces the decision on whether to roll or level to come faster. Since both options can hurt econ, it becomes harder to hit three-star four-cost champions.

Decreased Four-Cost Champion Shop Odds

Another change combatting four-cost three-star champions is a change to shop odds. More specifically, the odds of finding a four-cost champion at level eight have dropped from 22% to 20%. In addition, the odds at level nine have dropped from 35% to 30%. The drop to odds at level eight helps force players to push level nine faster for four-cost champions. The drop in odds at level nine makes it harder to hit three-star four-cost champions when the player gets there.

Changed Level Experience Costs

Patch 14.9 of Teamfight Tactics also changes the experience needed to hit levels nine and ten. Getting to level nine now takes 80 experience, up from 72. Meanwhile, getting to level 10 now also takes 80 experience, down from 84. This makes it more expensive to push level nine. That means players will generally have less money to roll when they get there. Players having less money to roll for and buy four-cost champions will help reduce the frequency of three-starring them.

Removed Encounters

Finally, encounters that made three-starring four-cost champions easier have been removed. The Cho’Gath choice of two lesser duplicators or one greater duplicator has been removed. In addition, the Neeko duplicator carousel has been removed. As duplicators allow the player to create a copy of a champion, they greatly increase the odds of three-starring a champion. Thus, decreasing access to duplicators makes three-starring four-cost champions less frequent. The Syndra two-star four-cost carousel has also been removed. Hitting the right two-star four-cost champion on a carousel could greatly increase the chances of three-starring that champion. Thus, the removal of these encounters reduces the frequency of hitting three-star four-cost champions.

Recap

These changes work together to make it harder to hit three-star four-cost champions. Increased player damage on stages four, five, and six forces faster decisions. If players roll to stabilize, they delay their push to levels eight and nine. It also drains some of their econ, leaving them less gold to roll later on. If players level, they are now less likely to hit four-cost champions at level eight. Pushing level nine to improve those odds now costs more money. The odds at level nine are also not as good as they were previously. Several encounters that increased the frequency of three-starring four-cost champions have been removed from the game. With level ten now cheaper to reach, players might be tempted to give up on a three-star four-cost champion, and push level 10 instead. Thus, patch 14.9 of Teamfight Tactics should make three-star four-cost champions less frequent.

New Support and Artifact Items

Patch 14.9 of Teamfight Tactics also adds new support items and artifacts. These items would highlight the patch, if not for the needed changes outlined above. There are five new support items, and twenty new artifacts. Many of these new items have new, unique abilities. If used correctly, they could impact the game in ways previously impossible. As usual, support and artifact items cannot be crafted normally. They are obtained through avenues such as encounters and augments. Thus, not every game will feature one of these items. Even when they do appear, players will have a limited selection to choose from. Picking the best item for the situation could be vital to a player’s success.

Summary

Patch 14.9 of Teamfight Tactics has the potential to greatly alter the meta. Three-star four-cost champions, which appeared too frequently, are now harder to hit. This should help comps not revolving around three-star four-cost champions get more play. In addition, there are many new support and artifact items to discover. These items could make some champions or comps much more interesting if used correctly. While these are the biggest changes on the patch, there are others worth noting. The full patch notes can be found here, and will be summarized below:

Systems

Changed

• Stage player damage increased from 0/2/5/7/9/11/17/150 to 0/2/5/8/10/12/17/150.
• Experience cost for level 9 increased from 72 gold to 80 gold.
• Experience cost for level 10 decreased from 84 gold to 80 gold.
• Level 8 shop odds changed from 18/25/32/22/3 to 18/27/32/20/3.
• Level 9 shop odds changed from 10/20/25/35/10 to 15/20/25/30/10.
• Artifact anvils are now pick 1 of 4 instead of 1 of 3.

Encounters

Nerfed

• Ahri’s player health decreased from 15 to 10 health.

Changed

• Kayn’s 5-4 death game appears more frequently.
• Ornn’s choose an artifact appears more frequently.
• Cho’Gath’s slots for items appears less frequently.
• Diana’s salvage bin appears less frequently.
• Irelia’s free move carousel appears less frequently.
• Neeko’s lesser duplicator carousel appears less frequently.
• Teemo’s spatula carousel appears less frequently.
• Wukong’s radiant carousel appears less frequently.
  • This carousel can no longer appear during the stage 2 carousel.
• Kha’Zix’s lower cost experience for 3 turns has been removed.
• Cho’Gath’s duplicator choice has been removed.
• Neeko’s duplicator carousel has been removed.
• Syndra’s two-star four-cost champion carousel has been removed.

Traits

Buffed

• Arcanist’s bonus ability power (AP) to arcanists increased from 20/50/85/125 to 20/50/90/135.
• Arcanist’s team AP increased from 20/20/40/125 to 20/20/50/135.
• Duelist’s attack speed (AS) per stack increased from 5/9/13/18% to 5/10/14/18%.
• Storyweaver’s Kayle’s on-hit damage increased from 15/30/40/90% AP to 15/35/45/90% AP.
• Storyweaver’s Kayle’s Scroll of Haste’s AS per stack increased from 5% to 6%.
• Umbral’s execute threshold increased from 10/18/20/45% hit points (HP) to 10/18/25/60% HP.

Nerfed

• Dryad’s health per stack decreased from 3/7/11 to 3/7/10.
• Dryad’s AP decreased from 15/30/65 to 15/30/55.
• Fortune 7’s flat bonus decreased from 25 to 12.
  • Average orb value decreased from 16 to 8.

Changed

• Fated Sett’s omnivamp bonus no longer applies before resistances and only applies to damage from attacks and abilities.
  • This is a bug fix that makes Fated Sett’s bonus much weaker.
  • As a result, Fated Sett’s omnivamp bonus increased from 12% to 15%.
• Several Fortune cashout options are adjusted.
• Heavenly no longer scales with champion star levels.
  • Bonus stats to Heavenly champions increased by 70%.
  • Bonus stats decreased from 100/115/135/165/200/225% to 100/110/125/145/175/200%.
  • Heavenly omnivamp bonus decreased from 6% to 5%.

Champions

Buffed

• Kog’Maw’s ability’s damage increased from 160/225/315% AP to 160/240/335% AP.
• Riven’s ability’s damage increased from 150/150/155% attack damage (AD) to 190/190/200% AD.
• Alune’s AS increased from 0.7 to 0.75.
• Bard’s AD increased from 50 to 55.
• Tristana’s AD increased from 55 to 60.
• Volibear’s ability’s healing increased from 140/170/210% AP to 150/180/240% AP.
• Zoe’s ability’s damage increased from 275/415/640% AP to 290/435/695% AP.
  • The ability’s ricochet damage is also increased from 90/135/215% AP to 95/140/225% AP.
• Lillia’s ability’s small orb damage increased from 120/180/400% AP to 120/180/600% AP.
• Morgana’s ability’s damage increased from 265/400/1600% AP to 265/400/2000% AP.
  • The ability is more likely to target clumps of enemies.
• Sylas’s ability damage increased from 200/300/1000% AP to 200/300/1200% AP.
  • The ability’s swipe damage is also increased from 90/135/450% AP to 90/135/550% AP.
  • The ability’s heal is also increased from 120/140/500% AP to 120/140/600% AP.
• Syndra’s ability’s starting butterflies increased from 7/7/10 to 8/8/10.

Nerfed

• Darius’s ability’s on-hit damage decreased from 90/135/200% AP to 80/120/200% AP.
• Tristana’s ability’s AD% buff decreased from 50/50/60% to 40/40/50%.
• Kayn’s armor and magic resist (MR) decreased from 70 to 60.
• Lissandra’s HP decreased from 1200 to 1100.
• Lissandra’s ability’s loot chance decreased from 50% to 40%.

Changed

• Tristana’s ability’s AD damage increased from 265/265/270% AD to 300/300/305% AD.
• Tristana’s ability’s AP damage decreased from 75/115/185% AP to 50/75/115% AP.
• Three-star Ornn’s number of forged items decreased from 8 to 6.
  • Three-star Ornn now forges radiant items.

Augments

Buffed

• Triforce I’s HP increased from 100 to 150.
• Big Gains’ base HP increased from 80 to 100.
• Call to Adventure’s stats per 2 takedowns increased from 12 HP & 2 AP to 18 HP & 3 AP.
• Dragon’s Spirit’s healing per component decreased from 8000 to 7000.
• Dynamic Duo’s gold increased from 15 to 20.
• Learning to Spell’s base AP increased from 10 to 18.
• Build a Bud’s gold increased from 8 to 10.
• Call to Chaos’s three star 3 cost’s gold increased from 10 to 20.
• Going Long’s gold increased from 8 to 10.
• Behemoth Crest now grants a Shen in addition to a Thresh.
• Dragonlord Crest now grants a Janna in addition to a Diana.
• Grim Harvest now grants a Kha’Zix in addition to a Kindred.
• Sage crest now grants a Zyra in addition to a Diana.
• Storyweaver Crest now also grants a Garen.
• Warden Crest now grants a Jax in addition to an Amumu.
• Sage Crown now grands a Zyra in addition to a Diana.

Nerfed

• Over Encumbered’s bench slots decreased from 2 to 1.
• Pumping Up I’s base AS decreased from 8% to 6%.
• Built Different’s HP decreased from 220/300/380/480 to 220/280/340/400.
• Built Different’s AS decreased from 40/45/50/55% to 35/40/45/50%.
• Raining Gold’s base gold decreased from 9 to 8.
• Slammin+’s base experience gain decreased from 12 to 10.
• Accomplice’s gold decreased from 4 to 2.
• Call to Chaos’s gold decreased from 66 to 58.
• Call to Chaos’s experience decreased from 70 to 64.

Changed

• Pandora’s Items II now gives 2 random components instead of 1 random completed item.
• Infernal Contract is disabled.
• Trash to Treasure is disabled.
• Portable forged changed to pick 1 of 4 artifacts.
  • It is also now available at all stages.
• Portable Forge+ and Portable Forge++ have been removed.
• Behemoth Crown now grants a Thresh in addition to a Yorick.
  • The augment now grants a Sunfire Cape instead of a Warmog’s armor.

Artifacts

Changed

• Blacksmith’s Gloves now grant 300 HP & 30% crit.
• Goldmancer’s Staff is disabled.
• Mogul’s Mail is disabled.

Added

• Talisman of Ascension:
  • Gives 400 HP, 20% AD, and 20 AP.
  • After 18 seconds, gain 100% max HP and 150% increased damage for the rest of combat.
• Corrupt Vampiric Scepter:
  • Gives 50% AS.
  • Attacks deal 50% AD additional physical damage and also heal the holder for the damage dealt.
  • However, the item’s holder cannot cast their ability or gain mana.
• Fishbones:
  • Gives 30% AD and 30% AS.
  • Additionally doubles the holder’s attack range.
  • Attacks target a random enemy.
• Suspicious Trench Coat:
  • Gives 250 HP and 25% AS.
  • Once per combat, at 50% health, the holder splits into three copies of themselves.
  • Each copy has 33% of max HP.
• Horizon Focus:
  • Gives 250 HP, 15 mana, and 20 armor and MR.
  • Stunning an enemy deals 30% of their max HP as magic damage.
• Mittens:
  • Gives 60% AS.
  • The holder shrinks, gaining movement speed, 20% damage reduction, and chill immunity.
• Unending Despair:
  • Gives 400 HP and 40 armor.
  • Whenever the holder’s shield breaks, that shield’s initial value is dealt to the nearest enemy as magic damage.
• Rapid Firecannon:
  • Gives 50% AS.
  • The holder gains 1 attack range, increased by 1 for each kill.
• Innervating Locket:
  • Gives 150 HP and 15 mana.
  • The holder gains 2% of their mana when hit by an attack.
  • Every ability cast also restores 20% of the holder’s max HP over 3 seconds.
• Luden’s Tempest:
  • Gives 30% AD and 30 AP.
  • Overkill damage plus 100 is now also dealt as magic damage to the three enemies closest to the target.
• Silvermere Dawn:
  • Gives 165% AD and 50 armor and MR.
  • The holder is now immune to stuns.
  • The holder’s attacks also stun the target for 0.8 seconds.
  • However, the holder’s AS is now capped at 0.5.
• Prowler’s Claw:
  • Gives 25% AD and critical strike chance.
  • After killing a target, the holder removes negative effects and then dashes to the farthest target within 4 hexes. The next two critical attacks deal 60% bonus critical strike damage.
• Cursed Blade:
  • Gives 15% AS and 20 MR.
  • The holder’s attacks reduce the target’s max HP by 3%.
  • 13 attacks on the same target will also reduce their star level by 1.
• Spectral Cutlass:
  • Gives 40% AD and 20% critical strike chance.
  • On combat start, the holder teleports to the mirrored hex on the enemy’s side of the board.
  • After 8 seconds, the holder then returns to their original location.
• Blighting Jewel:
  • Gives 40 AP.
  • The holder’s magic damage reduces the target’s MR by 3.
  • If the target’s MR is 0, the holder gains 5 mana instead.
• Wit’s End:
  • Gives 30% AS and 30 MR.
  • The holder’s attacks deal an additional 42-100 bonus magic damage, scaling with stage.
  • The holder also heals for 35% of all magic damage they deal.
• Forbidden Idol:
  • Gives 200 HP and 25 armor and MR.
  • Shields on the holder now convert 50% of their value to max HP instead.
• Lich Bane:
  • Gives 30 AP and 15 mana.
  • The holder’s first attack after each ability cast now also deals 180-380 bonus magic damage, scaling with stage.
• Lightshield Crest:
  • Gives 50 armor and MR.
  • Every 3 seconds, shield the lowest percent HP ally for 50% of the holder’s combined armor and MR.
  • On death, this shield is then granted to all allies.
• Seeker’s Armguard:
  • Gives 25 AP, armor and MR.
  • Takedowns increase the holder’s armor, MR, and AP by 10.
  • Kills grant 15 armor, MR, and AP instead.

Support Items

Buffed

• Virtue of the Martyr’s base heal increased from 6.5% max HP to 7% max HP.
  • The empowered heal is also increased from 13% max HP to 14 HP.

Changed

• Virtue of the Martyr now gives 2 empowered heals after death instead of empowered heals for 10 seconds.

Added

• Eternal Flame:
  • Gives 250 HP.
  • While the holder is alive, all enemies are 33% wounded, and all allies deal 7% increased damage.
  • This effect then refreshes every 5 seconds.
• Knight’s Vow:
  • Gives 50 HP.
  • On combat start, grant 200 HP and 12% omnivamp to the holder.
  • Also grant this bonus to allies within 1 hex in the same row.
• Moonstone Renewer:
  • Gives 250 HP.
  • Every 4 seconds, shield the 2 lowest percent HP allies for 100 to 400 HP, scaling with stage, for 4 seconds.
• Spite:
  • Gives 250 HP.
  • When this champion dies, reduce the AD and AP of all enemies within 2 hexes by 40%.
  • Allies in this area instead gain 30% AD and AP.
• Unstable Treasure Chest:
  • Gives 250 HP.
  • When the holder dies, the 3 closest allies gain a temporary completed item.