TFT Patch 18.5b Meta Report: Best Comps and Tier Changes

By PivotTFT · Updated 25 October 2026 · 8 min read

The state of Teamfight Tactics patch 18.5b on PivotTFT's tier lists: the strongest comps, items and augments, and every tier change the editors made since the lists moved to this patch on 25 October 2026.

What Riot changed in 18.5b

Patch 18.5b (22 October 2026) came a day after 18.5: Brambleback, the big winner of 18.5, gives back part of his buff, six Wisps change price, and four bugs are fixed. Riot added it to the top of the 18.5 notes rather than as notes of its own.

Champions

Brambleback healing on hit: 5% → 4%

He keeps the Armor ignore 18.5 gave him, so Riot expects him to stay in the meta.

Wisps

Some upgraded Wisps were offered when they could not be bought, because they cost more than their base version, so these prices now line up:

Die Roll, upgraded: 3 gold → 2 gold
Downpour, upgraded: 3 gold → 2 gold
Hero's Entrance, upgraded: 4 gold → 2 gold
Hireling: 2 gold → 5 gold
Knick-Knack Bag, upgraded: 2 gold → 1 gold
Moonlight Ritual: 2 gold → 3 gold

Bug fixes

Elderwood Emblem's stats carry their 18.4 nerf again; it had been undone for a while.
Luxury Subscription gives 2-star 1-cost champions, as it says.
U.R.F. and Spreading Roots are kept apart as 18.5 intended.
Abandon Ship's Blossom upgrade costs 2 gold, as intended.

What it means: Brambleback heals less while he fights but keeps the damage he gained, which matters most where he holds items (Riftbeast 10 and Rapidfire Aphelios). Hireling at 5 gold is now a real spend for a temporary 5-cost; the other Wisp changes only fix prices that were out of line.

Source: Teamfight Tactics patch 18.5 notes, mid-patch update of 22 October (Riot Games). This is PivotTFT's summary; the official notes list every change.

Best comps in patch 18.5b

S Alune Fast 9 Fast 9, Medium, level 9
Vanguard 4 at level 9: Alune and Morgana cast from behind Sentinel, Taric, Hecarim and Diana, Diana turns on Lunar for Alune, and Lillia and Fiddlesticks add Defender 2. One of the best-placing level 9 boards since 18.4b.
S Elderwood Aphelios Fast 8, Easy, level 8
Six Elderwood units and the Elderwood Emblem most games put on Aphelios make Elderwood 7 at level 8: the plants, Stonebark Trees and a Lifebloom, come with the Deepwood Protector while Aphelios and Ezreal share the damage. One of the best-placing boards since 18.4b.
S Kha'Zix Reroll Reroll, Medium, level 7
Kha'Zix three-star isolates a target and deletes it, behind both Flora Fatalis units and Executioner 2: at high ranks one of the best-placing rerolls, even after 18.5 trimmed his damage.
S Riftbeast Reroll Reroll, Easy, level 5
Riftbeast 7 around two three-star 1-costs: Pebbles with Ability Power items and Cinderling with Attack Damage items carry behind Krug, Scuttlecrab and Sentinel. At level 9, Elder Dragon and Taric come in and Cinderling's items move to the Dragon.
S Veigar Reroll Reroll, Hard, level 5
Veigar three-star with Spellweaver 4 and Elderwood 3: his Ability Power ramps with every kill. It was one of the best-placing boards at high ranks in 18.3b, and 18.4 trimmed his damage a little.
A Coven Morgana Fast 9, Medium, level 9
Morgana and Alune cast behind Vanguard 4, with Coven 3 from Cassiopeia and Elise, and Elder Dragon's two Riftbeasts plus Sentinel for Riftbeast 3. Pushed to level 9 for its 5-costs, it places well at every rank, and best below Diamond.
A Draven Fast 9 Fast 9, Hard, level 9
Draven and Ezreal on an Elderwood frame at level 9: Elderwood 3 with Alistar and Gnar, Executioner 3 with an emblem on Draven, and the late 5-costs in front.
A Elder Dragon Fast 9 Fast 9, Hard, level 9
The most played line at Diamond and above: Draven and Elder Dragon at level 9, with Maokai, Amumu, Sentinel and Taric in front and Kennen and Ivern between. Elder Dragon takes two team slots and counts as two Riftbeasts, so he and Sentinel turn on Riftbeast 3. It places better at high ranks than below them.
A Elderwood Ezreal Fast 8, Medium, level 8
Elderwood with Ezreal carrying: six Elderwood units at level 8 and seven once Gnar arrives, plus Flora Fatalis 2 from Soraka and Fiddlesticks. An Elderwood Emblem, which most games build, reaches Elderwood 7 a level early.
A Elderwood Teemo Reroll Reroll, Medium, level 6
Teemo three-star on Invoker 3 and Sprykin 3, with LeBlanc as a second caster and Elderwood 3 from Alistar, Hecarim and LeBlanc. Cheap to reroll, and at high ranks it places a little better than Invoker Teemo Reroll, the other Teemo line.
A Executioner Ezreal Ahri Fast 8, Medium, level 8
Executioner 4 with both Flora Fatalis units: Ezreal and Ahri deal the damage from behind Sett, Alistar and Ornn, and an Executioner Emblem on Ahri is the fourth Executioner.
A Flora Azir Reroll Reroll, Medium, level 7
Azir three-star with both Flora Fatalis units and Sprykin 3: Rammus holds the front, Fiddlesticks and Soraka turn the fight, and the Summoner soldiers do the rest. Patch 18.5 cut Azir's damage and the Flora Fatalis heal, which took it down a step.
A Invoker Ahri Morgana Fast 8, Medium, level 8
Invoker 4 keeps Ahri and Morgana casting nonstop behind Sett, Sentinel, Krug and Taric. Most games put an Invoker Emblem on Ahri: she is the fourth Invoker.
A Invoker Morgana Fast 8, Easy, level 8
Invoker 4 keeps Morgana casting while Sentinel, Hecarim and Diana hold the front, and Alune adds a second caster. It places well across the whole ladder, but a step lower at Diamond and above.
A Invoker Teemo Reroll Reroll, Medium, level 6
Teemo three-star on Invoker 4, with Sprykin 3 from Rammus and Veigar and Riftbeast 3 from Pebbles, Krug and Sentinel: Invoker keeps Teemo and Morgana casting while Rammus and the Riftbeasts hold. A new line in 18.4b that places better below Master than at the top.
A Lunar Kayle Reroll, Hard, level 6
Kayle three-star on Solar 3 and Rapidfire 3, with Inferno 3 from Varus, Shen and Amumu, and Lunar 2 from Aphelios and Diana: the Lunar units beside Kayle speed her up while Leona, Sejuani, Shen and Amumu hold.
A Master Yi Reroll Reroll, Medium, level 7
Adaptor 3 and Blossom 3 around a three-star Master Yi, with Kog'Maw as the second carry; most games give Yi a Brawler Emblem, and artifacts make him far stronger.
A Nidalee Aphelios Fast 8, Medium, level 8
One of the most played boards at Diamond and above: Nidalee and Aphelios share the damage behind a cheap, sturdy front of Amumu, Vi, Diana and Sentinel, with a pair of every trait they need.
A Rengar Master Yi Reroll Reroll, Medium, level 7
Rengar and Master Yi at three stars carry together behind Vi and Sett; Blossom 3, Adaptor and Primal round out a board built from 3-costs.
A Riftbeast 10 Fast 9, Hard, level 10
Ten Riftbeasts at level 10: Elder Dragon counts as two, and Riftbeast 10 adds two team slots, so Taric and Gnar make a twelve-slot board. Every five seconds of every fight, the Riftbeasts grow.
A Warwick Reroll Reroll, Medium, level 6
Warwick three-star with Blackthorn 4 and Ravager 4: a level 6 reroll that fights through the whole enemy board, with Malphite in front.
A Yunara Reroll Reroll, Hard, level 5
Karma and Yunara three-star on Solar 3 and Blossom 3: Karma carries with the ability power items and Yunara with the attack damage ones, while Solar's shield and magic damage grow with each unique three-star, so Sejuani and Leona three-star join them. Many copies to find.

See every comp, with its board and game plan, on the comp tier list.

Tier changes so far

No tiers have changed yet this patch. Changes the editors make appear here as they happen.

Every change, by date

Nothing has been edited yet this patch. Every change to a comp, item or augment shows here, dated, as it happens.

Strongest items

Brawler Emblem: The third item most Master Yi Reroll games give Yi; one of the best-placing emblems.
Dawncore: Mana engine for Cassiopeia and Veigar.
Elderwood Emblem: Elderwood 7 for the Ezreal and Aphelios comps: 18.4 made that step stronger, and the emblem has placed among the best since.
Gargoyle Stoneplate: The default tank item; slam it early on your main frontliner.
Guinsoo's Rageblade: Core on every attack-speed carry: Draven, Azir, Caitlyn, Master Yi.
Infinity Edge: The crit core for Aphelios, Nidalee and Elder Dragon.
Jeweled Gauntlet: Best AP crit item: Ahri, Veigar, Soraka and Alune all use it.
Lich Bane: Best on Akali reroll.
Luden's Tempest: Splash damage for AP casters, and one of the best-placing artifacts.
Rabadon's Deathcap: Raw AP, and the item the patch's best rerolls share: Kha'Zix, Veigar and Pebbles.
Radiant Adaptive Helm: Flexible Radiant for casters or tanks.
Radiant Blue Buff: Radiant: 20% more AD and AP from every source.
Radiant Giant Slayer: Into tank lobbies on AD carries.
Radiant Hand of Justice: Omnivamp Radiant for divers.
Radiant Rabadon's Deathcap: Raw AP; best on reroll casters.
Radiant Thief's Gloves: Two Radiant-quality random items every round; the best-placing Radiant in 18.3b.
Rapidfire Emblem: On Brambleback it makes Rapidfire 5 for Rapidfire Aphelios; one of the best-placing emblems in 18.4b, before 18.5 trimmed Rapidfire.
Recurve Bow: Builds Guinsoo's, Kraken's and Giant Slayer: the most valuable component.
Silvermere Dawn: Crowd control for bruisers; in 18.4 games it places among the best artifacts.
Spear of Shojin: The best mana item of the set: every caster and Ashe want it first.
Tear of the Goddess: Builds Shojin, Blue Buff, Archangel's and Void Staff; every caster wants it.
Vanguard Emblem: An extra Vanguard for the Aphelios, Morgana and Alune boards; one of the best-placing emblems.
Warmog's Armor: Flat health that pairs with any tank item; great first tank slam, and the tanks of most top comps hold it.

The full ranking is on the item tier list; recipes are in the item guide.

Strongest augments

Baron's Lair: A random tank item, and after 8 seconds of combat your team keeps gaining Attack Damage and Ability Power: for boards that win long fights.
Beast Within: Primal gets a second Blessing, with a Vi now and a Nidalee or a Sivir three rounds later: take it on Primal boards such as Primal Nidalee.
Beast Within+: A second Primal Blessing with a Vi and a Nidalee or a Sivir at once: the stronger Beast Within, for any Primal board.
Booster Pack+: Random champions with a 4-cost among them: instant board strength, and whatever you do not field sells back for gold.
Booster Pack++: A big batch of random champions with a 5-cost in it: strong tempo, and whatever you do not field sells back for gold.
Branching Out: A random emblem: put it where it adds a trait step, or let it point you to a comp. Strong because it fits almost any board.
Branching Out+: A random emblem and a Reforger to turn it into another one if it misses (use it on a unit holding only the emblem).
Epic Rolldown: A big batch of free rerolls when you reach level 8, kept until you use them: the Fast 9 lines such as Ashe Fast 9 take it.
Explosive Growth: XP now and at the start of the next three rounds: an early level spike, best for plans that level fast.
Frontline Foundation: A 2-star 1-cost tank and its class emblem: an early front line and a trait step in one. Juggernaut Zyra boards take it.
Latent Forge: An artifact anvil after eight fights: a strong item for your carry later. Take it when your board can hold until then.
Level Up!: Every XP purchase gives extra XP, plus some now: the best augment for the Fast 9 lines such as Ashe and Draven.
Magic Roll: Three dice decide a pile of loot by their total. Random, but strong on average, and it fits any comp.
Portable Forge: Pick one of four artifacts now: a strong unique item early. Choose it for your carry; Master Yi Reroll loves it.
Rolling For Days: A batch of free rerolls at once: reroll lines spend them on their 3-stars, and Fast 9 lines keep them for the big roll.
Seraphim's Staff: An Archangel's Staff that also speeds up mana once its holder has enough Ability Power: for casters like Ahri, Zyra and Cassiopeia.
Spreading Roots: A random emblem now and another three fights later: more trait steps for flexible boards such as Flora Malphite.
Spreading Roots+: Two random emblems at once and a little gold: big trait steps right away for flexible lines such as Elderwood Aphelios.
Tactician's Kitchen: A random emblem now and a Tactician's Cape three rounds later, which fields one more unit. Strong on any board.
The Trait Tree: Three random emblems and a little gold: several trait steps at once. Build toward the comp they point to.
The Trait Tree+: Three random emblems and a Reforger to change one that misses: the most flexible emblem augment.