The best TFT comps on the current patch are Riftbeast Pebbles, Elderwood Aphelios and fast-9 Vanguard Morgana. All three average a placement better than 4.25 at Diamond+ with a top 4 rate of 52% or more, on our read of MetaTFT data, last checked October 2026. That is Set 18, Enchanted Wilds, on patch 18.5. Below is the full tier list from S to D with the numbers next to each comp, a breakdown of every S-tier comp (core units, carry items, augments, when to play it and how to pivot out), what 18.5 changed, and when forcing a comp is a bad idea.
Tier lists only help if you know how placements turn into LP, so if you are still fuzzy on that, our guide on how TFT ranked and LP work this set is worth five minutes first. A top 4 never loses LP, so a comp that top 4s often beats one that wins big once in a while.
Patch 18.5 context
Patch 18.5 went live on October 21 as a follow-up to 18.4, with smaller and more targeted changes than the last few patches. The TFT patch 18.5 notes trim the strongest traits (Riftbeast at 7, Elderwood at 9, Blackthorn at 6, Flora Fatalis, Rapidfire) and push several weaker AP lines up, with buffs to Morgana, Taric, Alune, Soraka and a large one to Tristana. Kha’Zix and Azir took direct nerfs.
How to read the numbers: placements come from MetaTFT’s comp stats at Diamond and above, roughly 24,000 boards from October 14 to 21. That window is mostly patch 18.4 plus the first hours of 18.5, so where an 18.5 change clearly moves a comp, we placed it on judgment and say so. Riot’s schedule has 18.6 on November 4 and 18.6B on November 11, and Set 19 arrives with patch 19.1 on December 1, so this is the late-set meta Set 18 will finish on. Last checked October 2026.
TFT comp tier list for patch 18.5
Three comps are clearly ahead, a deep A tier is almost as good, and the most played comp in the game is a B. Average placement and top 4 rate drive the tiers; play rate tells you how contested a comp will be.
| Tier | Comp | Avg place | Top 4 | Win | Play rate | Style |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | Riftbeast Pebbles | 4.18 | 56% | 13% | 6.8% | Level 7 reroll |
| S | Elderwood Aphelios | 4.24 | 57% | 14% | 2.6% | Fast 8 |
| S | Vanguard Morgana | 4.23 | 52% | 20% | 2.0% | Fast 9 |
| A | Elderwood Kha’Zix | 4.15 | 57% | 15% | 2.7% | Level 7 reroll |
| A | Sprykin Teemo | 4.21 | 56% | 8% | 1.0% | Level 6 reroll |
| A | Elderwood Ezreal Alistar | 4.28 | 53% | 16% | 1.7% | Fast 8 |
| A | Spellweaver Veigar | 4.30 | 53% | 13% | 4.6% | Level 5 reroll |
| A | Vanguard Alune | 4.35 | 52% | 18% | 1.6% | Fast 9 |
| B | Invoker Ahri | 4.39 | 53% | 11% | 6.8% | Fast 8 |
| B | Sprykin Azir | 4.40 | 52% | 11% | 4.2% | Level 7 reroll |
| B | Blossom Rengar | 4.40 | 52% | 11% | 2.1% | Level 7 reroll |
| B | Blossom Yunara | 4.41 | 54% | 14% | 5.2% | Level 5 reroll |
| B | Elderwood Draven | 4.42 | 48% | 19% | 3.6% | Fast 9 |
| B | Juggernaut Amumu | 4.44 | 50% | 20% | 12.3% | Fast 9 |
| C | Lunar Aphelios | 4.50 | 52% | 6% | 6.4% | Fast 8 |
| C | Hunter Malphite | 4.52 | 53% | 5% | 1.0% | Fast 8 |
| C | Juggernaut Sivir | 4.55 | 48% | 12% | 2.1% | Fast 8 |
| C | Fae Tristana | 4.70 | 46% | 12% | 1.4% | Reroll (rising) |
| D | Defender Cassiopeia | 4.66 | 47% | 5% | 1.0% | Reroll |
| D | Executioner Malphite | 4.70 | 47% | 9% | 4.3% | Fast 8 |
| D | Elderwood Kayle | 4.78 | 46% | 12% | 1.5% | Reroll |
Source: our read of MetaTFT data at Diamond+ (Diamond, Master, Grandmaster, Challenger), about 24,000 boards, October 14-21, last checked October 2026. Riot does not publish official comp stats.
Where we deviate from the raw numbers: Elderwood Kha’Zix has the best average placement in the sample, but 18.5 nerfed Kha’Zix’s damage and the Flora Fatalis healing his board leans on, so it drops to A. Sprykin Azir sits B for the same reason (Azir’s ability damage went down). Vanguard Morgana jumps into S on a 4.23 average and a 20% win rate because Morgana, Taric and Alune all got buffed, and the only nerf on the board is a mixed Sentinel change. Fae Tristana is a C on these numbers, but Tristana’s buff was the biggest single change in the patch, so expect it to climb.
S tier: Riftbeast Pebbles
Riftbeast Pebbles is the most consistent comp in the game and the one we would teach a new climber first. It sat at 4.18 with a 56% top 4 rate while being played on 6.8% of Diamond+ boards. Popular comps usually get dragged down by contested lobbies, so holding that average at that play rate is the most impressive line in the table.
- Core units: Pebbles, Krug, Murkwolf, Brambleback, Sentinel, Elder Dragon, Gnar, Taric
- Traits: Riftbeast 7, with Vanguard and Brawler splashes
- Carry items: Pebbles with Blue Buff, Jeweled Gauntlet, Rabadon’s Deathcap; Krug tanks with Gargoyle Stoneplate, Spirit Visage, Warmog’s Armor; Elder Dragon takes Infinity Edge, Last Whisper, Striker’s Flail late
- Augments: Omega Riftbeast and Coronation are the comp-specific S picks on MetaTFT’s augment tiers; Component Buffet and Latent Forge are fine generic takes
When to play it: early Riftbeast units and AP items (Tear, Rod) in your first few rounds. Roll at level 7 for 3-star Pebbles and Krug, then level to 8 and 9 for Elder Dragon and Taric. How to pivot: if Pebbles is contested by two or more players at 3-2, keep the Riftbeast frontline and slide into Invoker Ahri, which shares Sentinel, Krug and Taric. Who should not play it: anyone who hates slow-rolling. You need patience at 7, and leveling early to chase 5-costs is the usual way people bottom with it. Counters: magic resist-stacked frontlines and boards that burst Pebbles down before it casts. 18.5 trimmed Riftbeast 7 from 6% to 5% bonus AD/AP and nerfed Omega Riftbeast, so expect it to lose a little, not fall out of S.
If you would rather skip learning three reroll lines just to climb out of Platinum, our TFT rank boost team plays these comps every day and handles the climb on your account. It is the shortcut for players who want the badge before the set ends on December 1.
S tier: Elderwood Aphelios
Elderwood Aphelios is the best fast-8 comp on the patch and barely touched by 18.5. It averaged 4.24 with a 57% top 4 rate, tied for the best top 4 rate in the sample, and only 2.6% of Diamond+ players are on it.
- Core units: Aphelios, Ezreal, Xayah, Alistar, Hecarim, LeBlanc, Ornn, Gnar, Lillia
- Traits: Elderwood 7, with Aphelios usually holding the Elderwood Emblem
- Carry items: Aphelios with Elderwood Emblem, Guinsoo’s Rageblade, Kraken’s Fury; Ezreal with Infinity Edge, Spear of Shojin, Striker’s Flail; Lillia or Hecarim with Evenshroud and Sunfire Cape
- Augments: MetaTFT has no comp-specific tier for this exact board, but its close cousin (Elderwood Ezreal Alistar) rates The Trait Tree very highly, and an emblem or Spatula augment is the dream
When to play it: a Spatula or Elderwood Emblem early, or AD items (Bow, Sword) with several Elderwood units by stage 3. Level to 8 on 4-1 and roll for Aphelios and Ezreal. How to pivot: if Aphelios does not show, Ezreal can carry the same frontline into Elderwood Ezreal Alistar, an A-tier board. Who should not play it: players who cannot hold an economy through stage 3, because the comp needs a strong level 8 roll. Counters: fast-9 boards that reach 5-costs before you stabilize. 18.5 nerfed Elderwood only at 9 and Rapidfire only at 4 and up, so the standard board is untouched.
S tier: Vanguard Morgana (fast 9)
Vanguard Morgana is the high-ceiling pick: a 20% win rate, the joint highest in the sample, and three of its carries got buffed in 18.5. It averaged 4.23 at Diamond+ on 2% play, so it is mostly uncontested.
- Core units: Morgana, Alune, Taric, Ivern, Diana, Hecarim, Sentinel, Lillia, Fiddlesticks
- Traits: Vanguard 4 with Lunar, Spellweaver and Invoker splashes
- Carry items: Morgana with Hextech Gunblade, Morellonomicon, Void Staff; Alune with Archangel’s Staff or Spear of Shojin; Sentinel with Gargoyle Stoneplate, Protector’s Vow, Warmog’s Armor
- Augments: MetaTFT’s comp feed has no specific tier for this board yet; take econ and item augments early (avoiding the gold augments 18.5 cut, such as Investment Strategy) since the whole comp is a level 9 plan
When to play it: a strong item opener and a healthy HP bar going into stage 4, since you will spend gold on levels, not rolls. Hit 8 around 4-2 and 9 by 5-1. How to pivot: if you miss Alune and Taric, a level 8 Morgana with the Vanguard frontline still top 4s, or shift the frontline into Juggernaut Amumu. Who should not play it: anyone who is already low HP at 3-5, because fast 9 needs time. Counters: early reroll boards that kill you before you reach your 5-costs. Morgana, Taric and Alune were all buffed in 18.5, and Sentinel’s stun dropped from 1 second to 0.5 with a bigger shield, so the net move is up.
Rising and falling after 18.5
- Rising: Vanguard Morgana and Vanguard Alune (Morgana, Taric, Alune buffs), Fae Tristana (large Tristana buff plus Fae healing up), Adaptor Master Yi (both Yi forms buffed), Ashe lines (damage over time up)
- Falling: Elderwood Kha’Zix (Kha’Zix and Flora Fatalis nerfs), Sprykin Azir (Azir ability damage down), Riftbeast Pebbles slightly (Riftbeast 7 and Omega Riftbeast nerfs), Rapidfire-heavy boards at 4 and 5
- Steady: Elderwood Aphelios, Spellweaver Veigar, Juggernaut Amumu
Juggernaut Amumu deserves a line of its own. It is on more than 12% of Diamond+ boards, wins 20% of its games, and still averages only 4.44, because it is the default fast-9 that every lobby fights over. In a lobby where two other players are on it, treat it as a C. When it is open, it is a fine B with real first-place upside. For a before-and-after on how far the meta has moved since launch, compare this table with the Set 18 comp list thread on r/CompetitiveTFT from the PBE.
How to pick your comp in a real game
A tier list sets your targets for the set. In our own climbs, the comp you actually play comes from three inputs in this order: your items after the first two carousels and PvE rounds, your HP, and what the lobby is contesting.
| Your situation at stage 3 | Lean toward | Why |
|---|---|---|
| AP items, early Riftbeast or Sprykin pairs | Riftbeast Pebbles, Spellweaver Veigar, Sprykin Teemo | Rerolls stabilize early with AP components |
| AD items (Bow, Sword), Elderwood units | Elderwood Aphelios, Elderwood Ezreal Alistar | Fast 8 with an AD carry and a deep frontline |
| Strong items, high HP, good economy | Vanguard Morgana, Juggernaut Amumu | Fast 9 needs time and gold more than early units |
| Low HP, nothing connected | Cheapest reroll you hold pairs for | A top 4 at level 7 beats an 8th at level 9 |
The cleanest climb we tracked this set was a Diamond 2 to Master run in 41 games where the player only ever played four of the boards above. He never forced a comp, and he never played anything outside those four either.
Where this tier list falls short
Four caveats apply. The data window is mostly 18.4, so 18.5 placements are our judgment until the new numbers settle. Diamond+ stats come from good players playing these comps well, and a comp like fast-9 Morgana loses more from bad levelling at Gold than Pebbles does, so lower-elo results will look different. Average placement hides contest: Riftbeast Pebbles’ number is excellent partly because good players leave it when it is contested. And small samples swing: Sprykin Teemo and Vanguard Alune each have only a few hundred boards behind them, so treat their A tier as provisional.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best comp in TFT right now?
Riftbeast Pebbles is the most reliable at Diamond+ on patch 18.5, with a 4.18 average placement and a 56% top 4 rate on 6.8% of boards. Elderwood Aphelios and fast-9 Vanguard Morgana join it in S tier.
What is the most played comp in TFT?
Juggernaut Amumu, on about 12% of Diamond+ boards in MetaTFT’s sample. It wins often but averages only 4.44 because so many players contest it.
Should you force a comp in TFT?
Below Platinum, forcing one reliable comp is a decent way to learn. Above that, keep a short list of two to four comps and pick the one your items and shop point to, and drop any comp two other players are already on.
Is reroll good on patch 18.5?
Yes. Riftbeast Pebbles, Spellweaver Veigar and Sprykin Teemo all rank S or A, and 18.5 raised Patience Is A Virtue’s starting rerolls from 4 to 5. Kha’Zix and Azir rerolls got weaker.
When does the next TFT set come out?
Riot’s patch schedule lists Set 19 with patch 19.1 on December 1, 2026. Before that come patches 18.6 on November 4 and 18.6B on November 11.
Recap: Riftbeast Pebbles for consistency, Elderwood Aphelios for the strongest fast 8, Vanguard Morgana for first-place upside, and Juggernaut Amumu only when nobody else is on it. Set 18 runs until Set 19 lands on December 1, so this is close to the meta you will finish the set on. If you would rather lock in your end-of-set rank now, our team runs TFT climbs that climb to Diamond, Master and above on your account, on your schedule.