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

By PivotTFT · Updated 27 October 2026 · 8 min read

The state of Teamfight Tactics patch 18.5c 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 27 October 2026.

What Riot changed in 18.5c

Patch 18.5c (27 October 2026) is the second mid-patch update to 18.5, aimed at the two lines that pulled ahead in the patch's first week: Kha'Zix, and Brambleback with Riftbeast (7). Both lean on Hand of Justice, which Riot says has beaten the other items for melee carries since its Omnivamp buff in 18.2, so its Omnivamp comes down too. Riot added it to the top of the 18.5 notes, above 18.5b.

Champions

Kha'Zix ability damage: 250/345/500 AP → 230/310/450 AP
Kha'Zix ability damage on an isolated target: 280/390/590 AP → 250/350/530 AP
Brambleback Armor ignore: 25% + 25% AP → 30% + 10% AP

Brambleback's Armor ignore starts higher but grows far less with Ability Power, so he ignores less Armor in a fight, and the gap widens as Riftbeast (7) adds Ability Power.

Items

Hand of Justice Omnivamp: 15% → 12%
Radiant Hand of Justice Omnivamp: 30% → 25%

Hand of Justice is back to the Omnivamp it had before 18.2 and keeps that patch's higher Attack Damage and Ability Power. Both versions still double their Omnivamp below half Health.

What it means: Kha'Zix Reroll, which held our S tier by a small margin, drops to A: both Kha'Zix and the Hand of Justice he and Diana hold got weaker. The Riftbeast boards keep their tiers, Riftbeast Reroll its S, as Brambleback is one of several Riftbeasts there; his trim matters most where he holds items, in Riftbeast 10 and Rapidfire Aphelios. Hand of Justice stays an A item and its Radiant an S.

Source: Teamfight Tactics patch 18.5 notes, mid-patch update of 27 October (Riot Games). This is PivotTFT's summary; the official notes list every change.

Best comps in patch 18.5c

S Elderwood Aphelios Fast 8, Easy, level 8
Aphelios and Ezreal carry behind Hecarim, Lillia and the Deepwood Protector: the only Aphelios line on Elderwood.
S Master Yi Reroll Reroll, Medium, level 7
Three-star Master Yi carries beside Vi, Sett and Krug while three-star Kog'Maw, a fellow Adaptor, fires from the back.
S Riftbeast Reroll Reroll, Easy, level 5
Three-star Pebbles and Cinderling carry behind Krug, Scuttlecrab and Sentinel, and all Riftbeasts grow every five seconds.
S Veigar Reroll Reroll, Hard, level 5
Three-star Veigar's blast gains him Ability Power with every kill, on Spellweaver behind three-star Ornn, Alistar and Rek'Sai.
A Alune Fast 9 Fast 9, Medium, level 9
Alune, Morgana and Lux cast behind a Vanguard wall that shields itself at combat start and again below half Health.
A Coven Morgana Fast 9, Medium, level 9
Morgana and Alune cast behind Elise, Diana, Sentinel and Taric, with Elder Dragon joining for Riftbeast at level 9.
A Draven Fast 9 Fast 9, Hard, level 9
Draven and Ezreal shoot behind Alistar, Maokai, Amumu and two Stonebark Trees, while Kennen and Gnar dive into the fight.
A Elder Dragon Fast 9 Fast 9, Hard, level 9
Draven and Elder Dragon carry at level 9 behind Maokai, Amumu, Taric and Sentinel, winning on 5-costs, not Riftbeast growth.
A Elderwood Ezreal Fast 8, Medium, level 8
Ezreal carries behind Hecarim and the Elderwood front, while Soraka's stars add the board's second damage.
A Elderwood Teemo Reroll Reroll, Medium, level 6
Three-star Teemo and LeBlanc cast behind a three-star Alistar and Elderwood plants, with only 2-costs to three-star.
A Executioner Ezreal Ahri Fast 8, Medium, level 8
Ezreal and Ahri crit and bleed enemies through Executioner while Sett heals up front: the Ezreal line with a Blossom carry.
A Fae Tristana Reroll, Medium, level 7
Tristana three-star carries alone on Fae and Sprykin, with Rammus and Lillia in front and Sivir as a second Hunter.
A Flora Azir Reroll Reroll, Medium, level 7
Azir three-star carries with Zyra behind a three-star Rammus, while Fiddlesticks and Soraka heal through Flora Fatalis.
A Invoker Ahri Morgana Fast 8, Medium, level 8
Ahri and Morgana carry on Invoker Mana Regen behind Sett, Sentinel, Krug and Taric: the Ahri line with two caster carries.
A Invoker Teemo Reroll Reroll, Medium, level 6
Three-star Teemo and an itemised Morgana cast behind three-star Rammus, with Krug, Sentinel and Fiddlesticks beside him.
A Kha'Zix Reroll Reroll, Medium, level 7
Three-star Kha'Zix leaps to the farthest enemy in range as three-star Hecarim anchors Diana, Ornn and Fiddlesticks in front.
A Lunar Kayle Reroll, Hard, level 6
Kayle three-star and Aphelios carry behind three-star Leona, Sejuani and Shen: the Kayle line with Lunar units.
A Nidalee Aphelios Fast 8, Medium, level 8
Nidalee and Aphelios share the damage behind Amumu, Vi, Diana and Sentinel: the Nidalee line with Lunar and Juggernaut.
A Rengar Master Yi Reroll Reroll, Medium, level 7
Rengar and Master Yi, both three-star, carry in melee on a Blossom board beside Vi, Sett and Krug, with no ranged second carry.
A Riftbeast 10 Fast 9, Hard, level 10
Elder Dragon carries a board of Riftbeasts that all grow every 5 seconds of combat, where the Fast 9 line leans on 5-costs.
A Warwick Reroll Reroll, Medium, level 6
Three-star Warwick carries from the front line, healing off every bite, as three-star Murkwolf leaps on the lowest Health enemy.
A Yunara Reroll Reroll, Hard, level 5
Karma and Yunara three-star split the damage, magic and physical, on Solar and Blossom behind Sejuani and Leona.

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

Tier changes so far

Comps

Moved down

Kha'Zix Reroll S → A

Every change, by date

27 October

Unrivaled Kha'Zix Rengar guide updated
Riftbeast 10 guide updated
Riftbeast Reroll guide updated
Warwick Reroll guide updated
Rapidfire Aphelios guide updated
Kha'Zix Reroll S → A; guide updated
Nidalee Aphelios guide updated

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.