Items in Teamfight Tactics are essential to finding your way to victory. Ever since they came out with League of Legends in 2009, items were an integral part of the game. Many of these items made their return 10 years later when TFT released in 2019.
In this guide, we will explain everything you need to know about items in Teamfight Tactics. We’ll cover what kinds of items you should build on certain kinds of units, as well as how you obtain items and which items stack their effects.
What are items in TFT?
Items are bonuses you can equip on champions for additional effects and stat enhancements in the game. Champions that are obtained through the carousel start with an item. Additional items can also be obtained by dropping on PvE rounds or through Augments.
Items are kept on the bench until they are equipped to champions, but there’s a limit to how many you can keep on there without equipping them. Selling champions will also move any items that they have to the bench.
Champions can only have 3 fully completed items. Advanced items can be created by combining Basic items, often called “Components”. Players must plan how they will equip items in order to avoid unwanted combinations.
It is impossible to separate an Advanced item into its components unless you have Augments to do so. This means once you combine two components into an item, you are making a commitment for said item.
Basic items in Teamfight Tactics
When you’re on the carousel and have to choose a champion with a particular item, you should choose the best item for you! There isn’t really a simple tier list of basic items, because every one of them has a different use depending on what kind of board you’re building.
For example, if you have a lot of ranged carries in the back, you’ll prioritise bows, swords or rods to build items like Guinsoo’s Rageblade. If you need tank items, you should prioritise vests, cloaks, or belts.
Nevertheless, the current list of basic items in Teamfight Tactics are as follows:
B.F. Sword
B.F Sword can be described as a great all-around item for attack damage units. This sword is essential for items like Infinity Edge, Bloodthirster or Edge of Night, all popular choices.
Chain Vest
Armor is a stat that provides defense and utility, and the Chain Vest can be built into a variety of helpful tank items like Bramble Vest or Gargoyle’s Stoneplate.
Giant’s Belt
Giant’s Belt can also be used to make a number of S-tier items. Zeke’s Herald can be used on many team comps which benefit from increased attack speed, or you can use it for your frontline by building Warmog’s Armor or Sunfire Cape.
Needlessly Large Rod
The Needlessly Large Rod can be built into powerful items for your Ability Power units. It is highly sought-after because it’s used for almost all AP items in the game.
It also builds into Rageblade which is essential for many ranged AD carries.
Negatron Cloak
Negatron is great for various utility items. Although it is often not as heavily prioritised, it can be essential for certain units that require items like Bloodthirster, Runaan’s Hurricane or Gargoyle’s Stoneplate.
Recurve Bow
The Recurve Bow can be used to create a lot of powerful damage items. If you’re going with a ranged carry, it’s usually essential, but it can also be turned into Titan’s Resolve for a bruiser or Giant Slayer if you have an AP carry.
Tear of the Goddess
Tear of the Goddess is great for units that require more mana to be effective. If you have a strong carry with a low mana cost for their ability, Blue Buff will help them cast it over and over again. Spear of Shojin is great for units with much larger mana costs. It can also be built into tank items or damage items.
Sparring Gloves
Sparring Gloves has become a valuable item in the game since it can be used to create some of the most helpful items in the game – including Thief’s Gloves, Infinity Edge or Jeweled Gauntlet.
Spatula
Spatula is a great but rare item. It opens the door to team comps that might not have been possible before by allowing you to build emblems that add additional traits to your team.
Completed items tier list in Teamfight Tactics
Here’s our tier list for completed Items in Teamfight Tactics. While many items are consistently effective, some lower tiers items may still be essential for certain champions or team compositions.
S-tier Items are typically used in a lot of different comps, while lower-tier items might only be situationally useful.
- Optimal (S-tier): Tactician’s Crown, Edge of Night, Giant Slayer, Blue Buff, Spear of Shojin, Guinsoo’s Rageblade, Zeke’s Herald, Warmog’s Armor, Gargoyle’s Stoneplate, Locket of the Iron Solari, Jeweled Gauntlet, Infinity Edge, Shroud of Stillness, Dragon’s Claw, Bramble Vest, Titan’s Resolve
- Great (A-tier): Morellonomicon, Sunfire Cape, Runaan’s Hurricane, ZZ’Rot Portal, Statikk Shiv, Thief’s Gloves, Bloodthirster, Hand of Justice, Archangel’s Staff, Last Whisper, Guardbreaker, Ionic Spark, Redemption, Hextech Gunblade, Rabadon’s Deathcap, Protector’s Vow
- Good (B-tier): Deathblade, Quicksilver, Chalice of Power, Rapid Firecannon, Zephyr
- Here’s our guide to the different modes in TFT.
Do items stack in TFT?
Like in the normal League of Legends game modes, some of the items do not stack since this would lead to some problems. However, there are some exceptions. These are the items that can stack in TFT.
- Archangel’s Staff
- Bloodthirster
- Bramble Vest
- Chalice of Power
- Deathblade
- Dragon’s Claw
- Gargoyle Stoneplate
- Giant Slayer
- Guinsoo’s Rageblade
- Hextech Gunblade
- Ionic Spark
- Jeweled Gauntlet
- Locket of the Iron Solari
- Rabadon’s Deathcap
- Rapid Firecannon
- Runaan’s Hurricane
- Spear of Shojin
- Statikk Shiv
- Tactician’s Crown
- Titan’s Resolve
- Zeke’s Herald
- Zz’Rot Portal
Now you know all the basics about items in Teamfight Tactics. We recommend experimenting with different team compositions and item combinations to see which ones work best for you.
There’s a lot to learn in this game, but it can be very rewarding when you figure out something that works!
For even more TFT guides, you can keep reading them here at The Games Cabin.