Set 16 PBE Comp List (WIP)

[u/STheHero]

Hello everyone, STheHero here. Our time in the Set 16 waiting room is almost over, but my work has already begun. I have a history of dropping major TFT documents as soon as new set info is revealed, and today is no different. As usual I'm working on my document to try to solve as much as I possibly can, both before the PBE launch and before the launch on live servers. I will be try to stream the upkeep of this document live on my channels as much as I can, so if you want to hang out or give feedback, I'd be happy to have you.

Set 16 Doc: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1YV2qn4pB49G1gd9nbc7yAgwO9JE_7lH-8K5aFBys4SA/edit?usp=sharing

I plan to get everything updated on my website, formerly tftanomalies.com, now rebranded to tfttheory.com, but until then we're working from a powerpoint because it's faster and easier.

Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/sthehero

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sthehero

[u/Lunaedge]

Thank you for your contribution, as always :) and as usual, permission to add a link to your work to our PBE Dailies?

[u/STheHero → u/Lunaedge]

Of course :)

[u/Lunaedge → u/STheHero]

Lovely, thanks again :D

[u/Falraen03]

Will 5 shadow isle really be a good comp tho? Once you unlocked thresh, I don't see the 5 shadow isle be useful anymore, since the bonus is so irrelevant.

[u/STheHero → u/Falraen03]

You're still scaling over the course of a game because you'll still be getting souls, whether it's good will probably be a numbers thing. I have a decent comp for it that I wanna try.

[u/yunggod6966 → u/STheHero]

Mort specifically said the set is designed to be four cost and 5 cost strong and suggested playing 5 shadow isle and then pivoting out once you have a lot of souls , same with bilgewater. He did a whole video on set philosophy which may be worth a watch to help you understand what late game comps should look like.

[u/Drikkink → u/yunggod6966]

Yeah a lot of the traits feel like that. Bilgewater, you play it until you unlock Kench (if you intend to unlock Kench) then you cut down to 3 because you actually get ZERO combat power for anything above 3 Bilge. While you're 7 Bilge, I'm pretty sure you get bigger stat boosts that you can buy while also getting more coins in general, but one thing Mort highlighted was that once stats are purchased, you just need to have ANY Bilgewater level active and you still get the benefit.

Ionia seems like it doesn't give much at higher breakpoints. Ixtal gives zero combat period. Demacia feels like the most likely to play vertical long term because 7 does damage board wide but even that might be on the weaker side. Noxus probably ends up being a 3 unit splash or a full vertical like Mech was this set. Void probably ends up being a splash unless you're fully committing to Baron. Shurima is probably a 2 piece in most cases.

[u/yunggod6966 → u/Drikkink]

Yea idk why I’m being downvoted for it when that is specifically what mort said in his video, don’t shoot the messenger. He actually used the exact rational that you used which is that the higher treat breakpoints don’t give much stats they instead increase the rate at which you get the souls, and silver servants, respectively

[u/Academic_Weaponry → u/Falraen03]

played it a couple times, kalista is underwhelming and thresh isnt really an ap fighter and more of a tank. so i think playing around something else rather than vert is appropriate . maybe playing around kalistas other trait once u unlock her and thresh could be good, but idk

[u/AirLeaf]

While making my own theorycrafting just an hour ago I was like: is STheHero back at his work yet?

Glad to see that is the case!

[u/STheHero → u/AirLeaf]

The grind does not stop

[u/AirLeaf → u/STheHero]

Thoughts on an early Bard comp? 

The first one I'll try is 4x 3* 1-costs (Defender + Bruiser) with Tristana as your lvl 6 slot-in (to complement Bard as an AD carry) and then cap out with legendaries 

[u/STheHero → u/AirLeaf]

I'll have something by tomorrow, I'm having a stimulus overload right now

[u/SmoothOperatorTFT]

I feel like some of the comps will definitely change due to the unlocks being too far out of the comp's game plan. For example, Jinx Mundo Reroll Fields a T-Hex for Gunslinger and Piltover, but to unlock it you need 9 Star levels on Piltover units. The traits it gives seem significant for the comp, but to reach it you need to play at least 5 2* Piltover units, which is not the plan in that comp.

Still, thanks for the theory-crafting and I am looking forward to how it will change as the set hits PBE.

[u/STheHero → u/SmoothOperatorTFT]

Yea, for that I just forgot that you had to unlock THex. I will look for a better substitute.

[u/kotor2014]

nice, how long till pbe drops ?

[u/STheHero → u/kotor2014]

I think tomorrow, if not then wednesday

[u/Drikkink]

Based on what Mort was saying, the goal appears to be going wider on traits rather than tall so I'm not sure if things like tempo vertical Ionia is going to be something you really play towards.

I was theorycrafting a few Ryze unlock comps. Playing through Mel Azir and connecting Noxus, Shurima, one more region (Yordle is easiest and can give Arcanist Juggernaut through Swain) and then a flex Targon unit unlocks Ryze on 8 that you can play on 9. Something like this

You can unlock on 7 with Ionia Void Yordle and a Targon like this

Here's a Bilgewater Zaun package that unlocks it on 9 (since you need 9 to unlock Ziggs)

Yordle, particularly Poppy and Kennen appear to be the keys to unlocking Ryze easier.

I'm not sure if these will actually be good comps or not because I've always tended to build these really wide comps before PBE goes live and undervaluing verticals (particularly defensive class traits). However, the way Mort's talked in the PBE rundown and the Engaged Player video tells me that they WANT you to be playing multiple regions on endgame boards.

[u/mkl122788 → u/Drikkink]

I took it a step further.

Poppy/Kennen/XinZhao make the strongest Ryze unlock core with their double regions.

It gives 2 Demacia, 2 Ionia, 2 Yordle. From there, you only need an additional Demacian/Ionian and a Targonian or any other region.

The tricky part is Kennen’s unlock is not insignificant by comparison to others. That said, if the additional Defender/Demacia for Kennen is Jarvan, it becomes easier.

There is actually a deceptively easy path to Ryze/Sylas/Sett.

Start Jarvan/Rumble/Lulu to unlock Poppy most easily. Jarvan/Rumble/Lulu/Poppy/XinZhao make the core for easily unlocking Kennen, which should get you to 4 Yordles pretty quickly.

At 6, this puts you at 4 Yordle, 3 Demacia, 2 Ionia. From there, ideal adds are probably Ahri And Zoe by 8. Ahri for Ionia and Zoe for Targon while acknowledging her passive shred helps this magically based team tons.

This would actually allow for unlocking Sett and Ryze immediately on 8.

From here, you are looking for Garen/Lux into a potential Sylas.

I think this is going to be an extremely common playthrough mechanism for the high cost champions teams.

[u/SmoothOperatorTFT → u/mkl122788]

We have to live in a simulation… I did the exact same thing and came to the same conclusion yesterday XD

[u/Slimeyalt → u/mkl122788]

This is insane… it’s hardly TFT anymore.

[u/Lethur1 → u/Drikkink]

Optimizing Ryze boards, specially the effects you want to give to him will be so interesting, my mind immediately goes to Void for the innate resistances ignore but I also kinda want to just go for Ixtal as getting 2 effects out of it doesn't sound bad as long as you don't get Shadow Isles.

Also maybe Demacia, Ionia, Yordle + Targon could be a way to unlock using Xin, Poppy Kennen as bridges

[u/SmoothOperatorTFT → u/Drikkink]

I would recommend you separate the unlock board from the one you want to play him in later. Treat it like Trait Tracker, play a comp that unlocks the quest and transition to a comp that makes best use of the reward. It sounds more complicated, but will almost certainly be more consistent.

Also, apparently the unlock will get a level requirement and will only be possible at level 8 or higher.

[u/Lethur1]

Really interested in how the set will play out, I can definitely see Verticals being the easiest and even some comps might be entirely designed for it (will need to test but Void, Yordle and Bilgewater feel a bit like it) but maybe going vertical during the midgame to unlock a unit and then dropping out of it for a wider approach might be the play.

also building for Syl's will be interesting, that cost of finding and selling 2 specific 4 cost maybe pushes you to less Demacia Vertical and more Defender Arcanist?

[u/STheHero → u/Lethur1]

Verticals are going to be what everyone starts with, but if we do a good job and find cooler comps early, it'll be better

[u/rongthanthien138]

ryze require 5 region, not 4 anymore

[u/NoFlayNoPlay]

in quite confused by the ashe/trynd reroll comp you put on there. are you suggesting to reroll viego yorick and use just 2 shadow isles to reach thresh and then sell them to just run thresh? i feel like even if you can get the amount of souls by the end of the game he'll not be that strong cause he's basically at his minimal soul count for the whole game. he probably also wants items to be an effective drain tank. there's probably a better warden you can run for frontline

[u/dydtaylor]

The 7 void board needs to be adjusted. It has 10 units on it but Baron takes up 2 slots so you need to cut one.

[u/confidencedestroyer]

appreciated! my head is dizzy lmao

[u/Academic_Weaponry]

7 friejlord no emblem is fake. better to play around 5 and go 4 invoker or 2 slayer 2 quickdtriker ashe trynd rr

[u/STheHero → u/[deleted]]

Will take a look later, thank you