Teamfight Tactics patch 13.21 notes
13.21 is our set Championship patch, meaning we’re making smaller changes, mostly aimed at the units and traits that need a bit of a nudge to shine in the current meta.
Welcome championship competitors, spectators, and friends of the Fluft!
Patch 13.21 is the patch our set championship will be played on, so mark your calendars for the first weekend of November, cause we also have a very special announcement to make on the final day of the competition! Here we’re focused on making sure each playstyle is as competitive as possible ahead of our championship.
Oh, and what’s this I see? A Runeterra Reforged Learnings article where we open up about our successes and failures, and even more spoilers for our next set!?!?!
![](https://cmsassets.rgpub.io/sanity/images/dsfx7636/news/324f7ff1edf0e0864b56f4068281aafdbb9af5f8-300x300.png)
Mid-Patch Updates
OCTOBER 25TH
BUG FIXES
When we fixed a bug with Aatrox in 13.21, it ended up causing a new and worse bug with Demacian Elites.
- Player damage is no longer higher than intended when losing by 4 or more champions
- An issue with Demacian Elites and Radiant Items has been resolved
- Bug returned: Aatrox will no longer keep his Radiant item when respawning. We fixed this bug in 13.21 but needed to revert the fix.
PATCH HIGHLIGHTS
LARGE CHANGES
Large, like the pile of Poros chilling in my lobbies.
PORTALS
- Scuttle Puddle has been temporarily disabled as we work on resolving a game breaking bug with the Region Portal. This also impacts Beats by Scuttle.
TRAITS
Challenjour ⇒ Challenger
The jump from Multicaster 3 to 4 is too large compared to other traits. Multicasters have the issue of bursting boards too quickly AND they're able to do so even faster with the bonus on-attack Mana at MC 4. By nerfing the trait slightly at 3, and more significantly at 4, we’re able to slow down the pace of combat, while also making the power jump a bit less sharp. MC 3 will now be your core damage bump, while MC 4 is for allowing your other Multicasters to cast more.
- Challenger Attack Speed: 30/60/95/140 ⇒ 30/65/105/150
- Multicaster Multicaster Bonus Cast Reduced Effectiveness: 55/30/25% ⇒ 55/35/35%
UNITS: TIER 2
Twisted Fate is the only unit we’re shipping a nerf to, and it’s pretty big. Even after nerfs in our 13.20 mid-patch update, TF continues to have the deck stacked in his favor. It’s time to reshuffle the cards. TF will also be impacted by our nerfs to Multicaster (above section), and Blue Buff (see items). Additionally, TF’s best friends are also getting lighter nerfs.
The amount of nerfs and severity of the Twisted Fate-specific nerf below may seem extreme, but so is Twisted Fate’s performance, who at two-stars on Stage 3 outplaces most comps with a two-star 4-cost.
- Twisted Fate Stacked Deck AoE Delayed Damage: 185/275/435% AP ⇒ 155/235/380% AP
UNITS: TIER 3
Our AD ratio buff for Darius failed to cement him as a viable reroll carry. We’re adjusting his damage dropoff on resets to bring dunking back in style like it’s 1996 (the release of the original Space Jam film).
Miss Fortune is another reroll carry that has just missed the spot (despite marking it). We planned on buffing her already, but with our nerf to her core item (Blue Buff), we’re giving her an even buffer buff.
Even after our Nautilus buff in 13.20 to his bonus Armor and MR, players still aren’t giving him their Chain Vests and Negatron Cloaks. Instead of letting him sink to the bottom of the Guardian’s Sea, we’re increasing both his base defensive stats and his passive amplification. So go ahead and give him that tank item—he really wants it, and I’m getting a bit worried about him.
Sona and Vel’Koz are receiving smaller nerfs to account for the power they received with our Multicaster rework last patch. For more context on their nerfs, you can scroll up to the above section (TIER 2).
- Darius Noxian Guillotine Recast Effectiveness: 82/85/90% ⇒ 90/95/100%
- Miss Fortune X Marks the Spot damage: 225/340/550% AP ⇒ 240/360/580% AP
- Miss Fortune max Mana buff: 10/60 ⇒ 0/50
- Nautilus Armor/MR: 35 ⇒ 40
- Nautilus bonus Resistance Amplification: 35% ⇒ 40%
- Sona Crescendo damage: 180/270/440% AP ⇒ 170/255/420% AP
- Taric Mana nerf: 0/65 >>> 15/85
- Vel’Koz Plasma Fission damage: 245/365/600% AP ⇒ 220/330/550% AP
UNITS: TIER 4
Ensuring all 4-costs have viable carry lines to make each playstyle competitive as we approach the set championship.
Like Miss Fortune above, Silco is getting a slightly larger buff to offset the nerf of his go-to Blue Buff. Reducing his max Mana by 5 also makes Spear of Shojin closer in power to Blue Buff for him in situations where you can only manage 1 Tear.
- Fiora Health: 850 ⇒ 950
- Kai’Sa Icathian Rain damage: 75/111/240% AP ⇒ 80/120/240% AP
- Nasus Armor/MR: 50 ⇒ 55
- Sejuani Fury of the North Passive on attack True Damage Health ratio: 1.5/1.5/10% HP ⇒ 1/1/10% HP
- Silco Undercity Tactics damage: 75/115/425% AP ⇒ 85/125/425% AP
- Silco Mana: 0/50 ⇒ 0/45
UNITS: TIER 5
Econ, fast 8/9 strategies are just slightly weaker than where we’d like them to be, and that weakness mostly lies in a few of our 4 and 5-costs being a tad weak.
- Ahri Essence Thief steal Damage: 90/135/1000% AP ⇒ 105/150/1000% AP
- Bel’Veth Royal Maelstrom lash damage: 70% AD ⇒ 85% AD
- Bel’Veth Armor/MR: 50 ⇒ 60
- Ryze Bilgewater Mana buff: 30/100 ⇒ 30/90
- Ryze Piltover Mana buff: 30/100 ⇒ 30/90
AUGMENTS
We’re taking away the awkward Built Different offerings on 3-2 when you likely already have a few traits active while also giving the Augment a bit more Health to feel truly built up.
Stellacorn’s Blessing has felt far from blessed for a while now, but we’re going lighter on the buff to ensure Targon/Gunner comps don’t have a Mount Targon-sized power ceiling.
The best parts of TFT are synergizing items/champions/traits and making a few champions the star of the show. Unburdened is the antithesis to that statement, and we’ve seen both player data and vocal feedback validating that. Instead of buffing or reworking an Augment that players just aren't excited about, we’re pulling it entirely and saving you the Augment reroll.
While we discussed nerfing the TF Legend Augment package (notably Pandora's) we saw that the success of the Legend was tied to the success of other balance outliers that we've nerfed in various ways, so we leaving the Augment in tact as we await the impact of our changes here.
- Binary Airdrop no longer appears on 2-1
- Built Different II Health 225-475 ⇒ 250-500
- Built Different II no longer appears on 3-2
- Built Different III Health 300-550 ⇒ 300-600
- Built Different III no longer appears on 3-2
- Cybernetic Leech III Health 225 ⇒ 250
- Endless Hordes + Gold 12 ⇒ 14
- Golden Ticket chance for a free refresh 50% ⇒ 45%
- Parting Gifts max Health shield 40% ⇒ 50%
- Riftwalk AP 35 ⇒ 38
- Stationary Support I: Now delays all rewards (Training Dummy and Support Item) until after 8 player combats
- Stellacorn’s Blessing (Targon) Attack speed 35% ⇒ 40%
- Unburdened I and Unburdened II have been disabled
- Wandering Trainer Gold 4 ⇒ 6
ITEMS
We’re taking a light pass on Mana items since they disproportionately lead to faster combat states. Blue Buff and Protector’s Vow are meant to stand out and provide an early cast, but we're making that early cast later by lowering the starting Mana to 30 (Blue Buff is 30 since you get 10 reduction). As a final note, Blue Buff and Protector's Vow have been too strong for a while now, which means champions who use them well benefit far more than champions who have strong synergies with other items. Our rebalance here is part of a minor champion rebalancing for champions dependent on these items.
Blue Buff and Spear of Shojin are actually too far apart in power for most champions once you do the math. We’re bringing them closer together with our Blue Buff nerf, but also giving Spear of Shojin a bit more SPEAR for AD casters.
- Crownguard AP upon shield expiration: 40 ⇒ 35
- Gargoyle Stoneplate Base Armor & MR: 25 ⇒ 30
- Gargoyle Stoneplate Armor & MR Per Enemy: 15 ⇒ 10
- Spear of Shojin AD: 15% ⇒ 25%
- Blue Buff starting Mana: 40 ⇒ 20
- Protector’s Vow starting Mana: 45 ⇒ 30
SMALL CHANGES
Small, like this reminder that Fluft of Poros is only available for the rest of this patch. Starting in 13.22 Chibi DRX Aatrox will replace Fluft’s banner!
TRAITS
Ionia 9 often leads to weaker Ionians receiving the enlightenment bonus which can be a bummer for your itemized Xayah or Ahri. By significantly raising the enlightenment bonus we can ensure that even your lowly 1-costs can become a threat when enlightened—that’s just the power of education!
- Ionia, Ionian Bonus: 100/200/380% ⇒ 100/200/425%
AUGMENTS
Infamous, unshackled, and all too comfortable.
- Petricite Shackles now only gives 2 Demacia units
- Rising Infamy now only gives 2 Bilgewater units
- Well Earned Comforts I Health per component 80 ⇒ 70
RADIANT ITEMS
- Blue Blessing starting Mana: 40 ⇒ 20
- Bulwark’s Oath Mana: 60 ⇒ 30
- Bulwark’s Oath Armor: 20 ⇒ 40
- Dvarapala Stoneplate Base Armor & MR: 25 ⇒ 30
- Dvarapala Stoneplate Armor & MR Per Enemy: 25 ⇒ 20
- Rapid Lightcannon base AS: 70% ⇒ 50%
- Spear of Hirana AD: 30% ⇒ 45%
TOOLTIPS
- Tiniest Titan: Updated tooltip to clarify that both the heal and gold are only triggered after PVP rounds
- Caretaker’s Ally: Tooltip now states that you gain one copy of the Tier 2 champion immediately.
BUG FIXES
- It’s so coarse: Battle of the Sands can no longer be offered alongside Shifting Sands or Fleshing Arena.
- Units spawned in overtime now receive overtime buffs.
- Valar’s Hollow now has its proper tooltip back.
- If Aatrox has a Demacian Radiant item, he now properly keeps it when he respawns.
- Aatrox can no longer pass the Darkin Blade to an ally marked for revival by Shadow Isles Ryze.
- Fiora now always jumps to the nearest target when her spell kills someone.
- Fiora’s target is no longer prevented from attacking during the spell.
- Fixed a bug where Joke (Ctrl+1) and Taunt (Ctrl+2) animations stop working after player spams the emote during a Hyper Roll match
- Umbra (All Tiers All Variants) Health Bar no longer blocks the Joke (Ctrl + 1) animation
- Fixed a bug where the Reckoner Arena Flames wouldn't shoot out sometimes despite hearing the SFX when a player would tap on this interaction of the Reckoner Arena
- I can’t see without my glasses: Cloud Catcher Hushtail tier 1 now has their glasses back on the model to match their splash
- PROJECT: Abyssia no longer has a brief delay for their taunt animation (ctrl+2)
- The Darkin Blade (Chibi Aatrox Boom) Health loss no longer triggers before The Darkin Blade boom hits the opponent