One of the biggest challenges in Teamfight Tactics is the transition from early to late game. Sometimes you even need to completely change your team for that. Since that is difficult, we want to help you with this step.
Why is the transition to late game so crucial? In Teamfight Tactics, there are many combos that are particularly strong at the beginning of the game.
Three Nobles, four Knights, or two Wild Champions can grant you early winning streaks. But Noble Champions like Vayne or Fiora are generally not suitable for the late game; they decline too much, even at level 3.
A switch to a strong combo is necessary, but this change is not easy. You are essentially working on two fronts simultaneously, the units on the field and those in the bank.
In this guide, we want to share tips and tricks with you on how to make the transition easier. If you want to get familiar with the game first, you can find an introductory guide on MeinMMO.
Everything starts with a clear plan
Am I planning already in the early game? In the first rounds of the game, it usually doesn’t determine how your team looks in the late game. There you can first choose good champions and try to win the initial rounds.
In the mid game, during stage 3, a plan should gradually crystallize about where to go. Influences on your plans include:
- The champions you have found so far
- The items you have found so far
- The direction of your opponents
How do I build my team? If you’ve already collected Sorcerers, Elemental Mages, Assassins, or Ninjas, then it can certainly be useful to follow that call and build your team in that direction.
More important than the champions, however, are the items you have found. A team of Ice Chosen and Archers makes little sense if you haven’t found a Recursion Bow and Giant Swords to enhance your Archers.
However, if you have found many oversized staffs, it makes sense to switch towards Elemental Mages or Sorcerers. Our tier list explains the composition of all items.
Lastly, you can also look around on the other boards. It is useful to know what other players are building to counter the combos or to know which champions are still abundant in the pool.
How to transition into the late game
How do I start the transition? If you have a strong combo in the early game, then you try to keep it on the field for as long as possible while already working on the late game champions in the background.
The switch should then be made when your late game combo is somewhat survivable. If your goal is to get six Sorcerers on the field but you only have four, it might be smarter to wait and let your previous champions continue fighting.
But once you have all six Sorcerers, they should all get on the field. Your bonus is extremely strong.
What do I do with the bank? If you hold on to the early game combo for too long, you may have a bank – and thus a space problem. It is advisable not to upgrade the 1- and 2-Gold units to level 3 and therefore not to clutter the bank with Garens, Vaynes, or other units.
Instead, focus on collecting your late game champions and upgrade them to level 2 if necessary. Here, however, you should not begin collecting for level 3 yet.
Aren’t level 3 champions stronger? Level 3 units are strong, but especially 1- and 2-Gold champions decline just as strongly. Many 4- and 5-Gold champions are significantly stronger at level 1 or 2 due to their abilities.
Gnar, Cho’Gath, or Yasuo can decide games even without major synergies. A level 2 Draven usually deals significantly more damage than a level 3 Vayne or Tristana. The list can continue indefinitely.
Don’t cling too much to your units at the beginning; instead, focus on the late game from mid game onwards.
Combos for the late game
Which combos are best for the late game? In the late game, various combos have proven to be extremely effective. From the setup, they are:
- 6 Sorcerers and 1 Ninja
- 3 Elemental Mages, 4 Ninjas, and Pyke
- 6 Assassins and 4 Ninjas
- 6 Ice Chosen and 4 Archers
- 4 Wilds, 3 Shapeshifters, and Draven
We will introduce them to you in more detail in a separate post soon. There, we will go into the exact setup, the items, and the strengths and weaknesses of these combos.
