Two weeks have passed, which means we have yet another set of balance changes to go over — this time it’s Teamfight Tactics patch 9.18! This time around Riot is focused on adjusting TFT’s core systems, so they’re altering the way in-game item distribution works (in an attempt to increase the variety from game to game), but also XP breakpoints, champion pool amounts, drop rates, and so on.

These are important changes and they will surely affect your Teamfight Tactics expeditions — hopefully for the better.

With that out of the way, let’s take a closer look at what’s in store!

New Additions

• Common boxes will now contain one of the following: gold, champions, or Neeko’s Help (more on that below).
• Uncommon boxes will contain gold, champions, Neeko’s Help or item components.
• Rare boxes will contain Spatulas, full items, champions, Neeko’s Help or gold.
• Every player should get the same number of boxes during a single game. “Should” is the key word here.
• Every player should get the same number of item components.

Neeko’s Help — you will now be able to place this item on a champion in order to create a one-star copy of your target and add it to you bench.<

Systems

Riot is adjusting XP thresholds in conjunction the new loot system.

Level 5 — from 10 XP to 12 XP

Level 6 — from 18 XP to 20 XP

Level 7 — from 30 XP to 32 XP

Level 8 — from 46 XP to 50 XP

Level 9 — from 64 XP to 70 XP

In Teamfight Tactics patch 9.18 they’re also adjusting the drop rates of certain champion tiers in an attempt to make every game phase (early, mid and late) a bit clearer. You can look at the drop rates below:

Furthermore, Riot is shrinking the Tier 3 champion pool size from 21 to 18 because getting two of those isn’t nearly as hard as it should be. They have also changed the way items stack. Going forward, you will not be able to add copies of unstackable items, such as the following:

• Youmuu’s Ghostblade
• Knight’s Vow
• Frozen Mallet
• Yuumi
• Blade of the Ruined King
• Darkin
• Phantom Dancer
• Morellonomicon
• Red Buff

Trait Changes

Riot is adding new nine piece chase options for a couple of traits that can be completed with Spatula items.

Going forward, both Assassins and Sorcerers will have a nine piece trait bonus. The former will gain 225% critical damage along with 40% critical chance, whereas the latter a whopping 175% bonus spell power.

They’re also adding a benefit to having four Wild champions — all of your allies will now gain bonus 12% attack speed per stack (up to a maximum of 5 stacks), and their basic attacks will always land. In other words, they cannot be dodged.

There are also three general trait adjustments shipping with the patch — Elementalist Golem’s armor is going up from 20 to 40, Knights’ damage reduction is going down from 15/30/55 to 15/35/65, and Assassin’s jumps will have a longer delay (from 0.325 seconds to 0.395 seconds).

Champion Changes

Tier 1

• Camille’s attack damage is going up from 50 to 55.
• Elise’s Spiderling will now have more attack damage — from 50 to 60.
• Graves’ armor is going up by 50% — from 20 to 30.
• Kassadin’s attack damage is going down from 55 to 50.
• Kha’Zix’s starting/total mana is going up from 0/50 to 0/65.

Tier 2

• Pyke’s starting mana is going down from 75 to 50.
• Twisted Fate’s health is going up from 450 to 500, and his Blue Card will now require more mana — from 20/35/50 to 30/50/70.

Tier 3

• Evelynn will now have a lower execute threshold (from 65% to 50%) along with a lower execute multiplier (from 3/5/7 to 3/4/5).
• Katarina’s starting/total mana is going down from 0/100 to 0/85.

Tier 4

• Akali’s ability damage is going up from 150/275/400 to 200/350/500.

Tier 5

• Anivia’s ability will now deal 800 damage over a six-second duration instead of an eight-second one.
• Pantheon’s health is going down from 1000 to 850 along with his attack damage (from 80 to 75).

Item Changes

• BF Sword will provide less attack damage — from 20 to 15.
• Frozen Heart’s debuff will last for 4 seconds instead of 2.875.
• Locket of the Iron Solari will now provide a 300 HP shield for 7 seconds instead of 250 HP for 6 seconds.
• Swordbreaker’s chance to disarm is going up to 33% for 3 seconds, up from 25% for 4 seconds.
• Zephyr’s banish duration is going up from 5 seconds to 6 seconds.

Soundtrack

There’s a fantastic new soundtrack that will accompany your Teamfight Tactics adventures! Perhaps most interestingly, the music will change depending on the state of the game. Are you shopping? Expect calm and soothing background music. Entering a fight? Expect the melody to pick up the pace as well.

That’s it for our Teamfight Tactics patch 9.18 breakdown! If you want to go over the patch in a more official manner, you can click here and go to Riot’s official website.