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TFT Patch 18.6 Notes and Meta Report: Best Comps and Tier Changes

By PivotTFT · Updated 6 November 2026 · 8 min read

What Riot changed in Teamfight Tactics patch 18.6, with the numbers, and where it leaves 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 4 November 2026.

What Riot changed in 18.6

Patch 18.6 (4 November 2026) is a small balance patch after 18.5's two mid-patch updates, which had already cut the strongest lines (Kha'Zix and Brambleback). Riot buffs the higher levels of Blossom and Sprykin, two 1-costs that leave boards early (Kobuko and Rek'Sai), Murkwolf and three 4-costs (Malphite, Nidalee and Sentinel), trims Elderwood (9) and Embiggen, and raises the price of two Wisps. The patch also brings TFT's own standalone client, so the download is much bigger than usual and the patch may take longer than normal to reach every region.

Traits

  • Blossom (7) AD and AP: 50% → 55%
  • Blossom (9) AD and AP: 55% → 65%
  • Elderwood (9) bonus Health: 25% → 10%
  • Sprykin (5/7) AD and AP with a ranged Rider: 28/33% → 30/38%

Blossom (3) and (5) and Sprykin (3) are unchanged: Riot aimed at the boards that reach the higher levels with an Emblem, and at Sprykin's backline Rider, which players picked less often than a melee tank or Rengar. Riot says Elderwood (9) still did better than the other big trait boards even though it needs Emblems.

Champions

  • Kobuko ability healing: 285/335/480 AP → 300/350/550 AP
  • Rek'Sai ability healing: 10/14/20 AP → 10/16/24 AP
  • Murkwolf empowered attack: 65/100/160 AD → 65/100/180 AD
  • Malphite shield: 735/885/2000 AP → 750/925/2000 AP
  • Malphite ability damage: 40/60/2000 AP → 100/150/2000 AP
  • Nidalee (AD form) heal: 300/450/2000 AP → 325/550/2000 AP
  • Nidalee (AD form) third cast bonus damage: 125% → 140%
  • Nidalee (AP form) empowered attack: 185/275/2000 AP → 195/295/2000 AP
  • Nidalee (AP form) third attack: 330/500/3000 AP → 350/525/3000 AP
  • Sentinel shield from his Health: 10% → 12%

Riot expects the Kobuko and Rek'Sai buffs to lift the reroll Teemo and Veigar boards a little, as they keep both for longer. Murkwolf gets back some of what Brambleback's nerf took from his boards, and Nidalee's AP form gets the bigger of her two buffs.

The game's data also gives Taric 65 mana instead of 70 and 70 Armor instead of 65, which the notes do not list.

Augments

  • Clockwork Accelerator Attack Speed each time it triggers: 10% → 12%
  • Embiggen bonus AD and AP for your Pixie: 50% → 35%
  • Plot Armor Armor and Magic Resist: 8 → 10
  • Shopping Spree gold up front: 6 → 7
  • Unrivaled: Rengar's share of the healing: 25% → 50%
  • Unrivaled: Kha'Zix's share of the mana: 50% → 70%

Solo Leveling is switched off while Riot fixes a bug. The game's data also takes out Heart of Steel, switched off since 18.4b, which the notes do not mention.

Wisps

  • Curio Cart Emblem price: 15 gold → 17 gold
  • Middle Path: 4 gold → 5 gold
  • Middle Path, upgraded: 3 gold → 4 gold

Bug fixes

  • Blighting Jewel no longer gives more Ability Power than it should, and Gambler's Blade no longer drops gold in PvE rounds.
  • Calculated Loss pays its gold at the start of the next planning phase, Slightly Magic Roll gives its Health and size, and Nesting Anvils gives its anvil and gold even with a full bench.
  • Clear Mind and Cluttered Mind no longer give XP they should not, Hard Commit no longer gives Emblems it should not, Cooking Pot no longer comes up alongside Coronation or Spreading Roots, and Flexible and U.R.F. no longer come up together.
  • The Moonrise and Solar Gift Wisp upgrades no longer show in the shop without an active Blossom.
  • In-game chat shows more lines in a lighter window, and Streamer Mode and the /deafen command are back.

What it means: Blossom Ahri Fast 9 plays Blossom (7) and so gets 5% more AD and AP on its Blossom champions; the Blossom comps that stop at 3 Blossom gain nothing. None of our comps plays Elderwood (9), so its trim leaves our Elderwood boards as they were (Elderwood Aphelios holds 7). Veigar Reroll, Warwick Reroll and Elderwood Teemo Reroll get a little more from their Kobuko and Rek'Sai, Warwick Reroll and the Riftbeast boards from Murkwolf, and the AP Nidalee comps (Nidalee Sivir Amumu, Juggernaut Zyra Nidalee, Primal Nidalee and Nidalee Aphelios) from her buff. Unrivaled's buff is the largest in the patch; Unrivaled Kha'Zix Rengar stays on our list as a Situational line, for the games Unrivaled is offered while you hold Kha'Zix and Rengar. Our comp tiers moved with our own 18.6 numbers from the patch's first day, by stricter rules until it reached 200,000 games on 4 November and by our usual rules since (see the tier changes below).

Source: Teamfight Tactics patch 18.6 notes (Riot Games). This is PivotTFT's summary; the official notes list every change.

Best comps in patch 18.6

  • S 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 Alune Fast 9 Fast 9, Medium, level 9
    Alune, Lux and Morgana cast behind a Vanguard wall that shields itself at combat start and again below half Health.
  • A Ashe Elder Dragon Fast 9 Fast 9, Hard, level 9
    Ashe and Elder Dragon split the damage behind Maokai, Vi, Sentinel and Taric: the Ashe line where the Dragon takes two slots.
  • A Blossom Ahri Fast 9 Fast 9, Medium, level 9
    Ahri and Ashe carry at level 9 behind Sett and Master Yi, on a Blossom board where every Wisp pays 4 gold back.
  • 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 Aphelios Fast 8, Easy, level 8
    Aphelios and Ezreal carry behind Hecarim, Lillia and the Deepwood Protector: the only Aphelios line on Elderwood.
  • 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 Executioner Fast 9 Fast 9, Hard, level 9
    Ezreal crits behind a Defender wall led by Lillia, Rammus and Shen until Kennen joins him as second carry at level 9.
  • 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 Juggernaut Zyra Nidalee Fast 8, Easy, level 8
    Zyra's plants and Nidalee's javelins deal magic damage behind a Juggernaut wall: the Zyra line with two Ability Power carries.
  • A Lunar Aphelios Fast 9 Fast 9, Hard, level 9
    Aphelios and Alune carry on Lunar at level 9 behind Maokai, Taric and Diana: the Aphelios line that waits for 5-costs.
  • 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 Mama Beak Hecarim Reroll Reroll, Medium, level 8
    Three-star Mama Beak carries behind three-star Hecarim and Krug, with Zyra as a second carry on Riftbeast, Elderwood and Summoner.
  • A 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.
  • A Nidalee Sivir Amumu Fast 8, Medium, level 8
    Nidalee and Sivir carry behind Amumu, Sentinel, Rakan, Lillia and Shen: the Nidalee line for when Amumu comes instead of Malphite.
  • A 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 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 up

Moved down

Items

Moved up

  • Defender Emblem A → S
  • Radiant Sterak's Gage A → S
  • Wit's End A → S
  • Radiant Guinsoo's Rageblade B → A
  • Talisman of Ascension B → A
  • Hunter Emblem C → B
  • Radiant Warmog's Armor C → B
  • Titanic Hydra C → B

Moved down

  • Lich Bane S → A
  • Rapidfire Emblem S → A
  • Blighting Jewel A → B
  • Radiant Hand of Justice S → B
  • Fishbones B → C
  • Primal Emblem B → C
  • Radiant Spirit Visage B → C

Every change, by date

6 November

5 November

4 November

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.
  • Defender Emblem: The sixth Defender of Defender Rengar Reroll, and armor and magic resist on any front liner; among the best-placing emblems in 18.6.
  • 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.
  • 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 Rabadon's Deathcap: Raw AP; best on reroll casters.
  • Radiant Sterak's Gage: Strong on bruisers and Elder Dragon; one of the best-placing Radiants in 18.6 games.
  • Radiant Thief's Gloves: Two Radiant-quality random items every round; the best-placing Radiant in 18.6 games.
  • Recurve Bow: Builds Guinsoo's, Kraken's and Giant Slayer: the most valuable component.
  • Silvermere Dawn: Crowd control for bruisers; in 18.6 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.
  • Wit's End: Best on Master Yi and Kayle, and one of the best-placing artifacts in 18.6 games.

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.

The full ranking is on the augment tier list; how to choose them is in the augment guide.

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