Guide: How to Play Tempo in TFT

Tempo is one of the advanced concepts TFT players. It is so important but can be quite confusing. I dive into detail on what this concept is and how we can apply it along with when to.

The best players in TFT understand tempo and how intense the game can get, but what does that mean? TFT is an auto battler where you sit there and watch, how does that make sense? Is it ever intense like League of Legends where you have massive team fights or seeing insane Solo-lanes in LOL? Exciting plays also happen in TFT, and I want to explain in depth what goes into those decisions along with how you can incorporate it into your gameplay for more exciting plays.

See more: Common Misconceptions of Tempo vs. Loss Streak Comps

Explore all of the TFT Set 13 Blog here!

When we talk about tempo, we’re generally either referring to win streaking and putting continuous pressure on the lobby, like League where while you’re ahead you just keep forcing the enemy team to react to you. This can also be true in reverse, where you lose streak on purpose to maximize gold value and then put pressure later in the game. Tempo is in the now generally, and value is long term. But how do we take advantage of this ebb and flow? Let’s go over two examples.

1. What is Maximum Value?

In this picture we see the poster child of a playstyle that gives maximum value: Chem-Barons. With this origin in Set 13, the longer you lost or gave up tempo, the greater the reward was. This is the extreme example of creating tempo after you cash out, It means you need to reach milestones (100, 200, 300,...800 Shimmer) to collect all the loot in the Black Market Chem-Baron, such as items, champions, and gold. Generally, to maximize value, we trade HP, which is just another resource, and in turn we gain better items with carousel priority and a strong economy.

See more: Chem-Baron Rewards

2. When to Win Streak

On the other hand, playing more aggressively allows you to put pressure on the lobby and is generally a more consistent playstyle. You can’t win as often due to not having carousel priority and lower value, but this is where situational awareness is key. If your lobby has multiple Chem-Baron players or just weaker boards trying to lose streak, you can easily win streak and generate strong economy while saving HP, whereas if you also try to lose streak, you need to manage losing to several other weak boards which is much less viable.

This is where formatting of a tournament comes into play as not only the scoring system decides what playstyle will generally work better, but also your score dictates how you should play. For example, the final day for Worlds is Checkmate Format, which means you must win a game after reaching a certain point threshold. This format rewards the 1st or 8th playstyle (higher variance) once you hit the threshold, which means we want to maximize value to hit best in slot items for our units and roll at higher levels as the average gold value of our shops will be increased. On the other hand, when there are point thresholds to move on to a certain day, this generally rewards consistency, especially if the point spread is 1-8 (1 point for last, 8 for first), some formats give bonuses to top 4 or take away points for going 8th. What this means to us is that tournament tempo and playstyle can vary drastically.

But what if you just want to climb the ladder? Does this matter then? Well as previously stated, situational awareness in a lobby is key. However, you can generally be greedier on the ladder and maximize value to win more often as you won’t be punished due to the varying levels of skill in a lobby, along with the more casual environment.

So, let’s look at the opposite scenario, win streaking and maximizing our pressure on the lobby. Another definition for tempo that will help explain this concept is sacrificing gold for the strongest board. This means holding more pairs of units to upgrade units, slamming items instead of holding out for best in slot, leveling off curve, and rolling down further instead of staying at the higher interest intervals. So, if any of these concepts were foreign to you, let me explain.

If I sell bench units here, I could reach a higher amount of interest gold, as every 10 gold grants me an additional one, stopping at 50. It is very common for people at lower elos to always stay above the 50-gold threshold no matter what. However, If I hit these upgraded units, I can start win streaking and saving hp while increasing my economy.

We also can slam items which means combining two components to create an item. A big part of improving is learning when to balance creating items and waiting for better ones. People will go for the best items which can cost you health and gold, and while that is fine sometimes, each instance is a calculation. Is the value of making a suboptimal item now better than making a better item later? We have to ask ourselves this every time.

For example, let’s say we are playing a team composition based on Ability Power (AP) or Attack Damage (AD). At the start of the game, we have a lineup consisting of Darius, Draven, Violet, Powder, and Vander. All units are 2-star, and we are on a long win streak, at least through stage 2. This is a strong and highly flexible early-game team. Powder can hold AP items, while Draven can carry AD items effectively.

The last fundamental I will cover with tempo is leveling intervals. We generally want to level on specific stages that are on curve, which means when we level our XP bar is 0/x, x being the experience needed for the next level. This is the most efficient way of leveling so that more XP isn’t just left over and gold is wasted. The correct tempo play sometimes however is to level on stage 3-1 for example instead of 3-2. While this play is slightly less efficient, it gives us a solid power spike to continue our win streak, especially if there are stronger boards. In the above picture, we can level next turn if we think our board will start win streaking and the unit on level 6 is a big spike, which could also be strong enough to stop other people’s win streaks. Since we lost the previous round however, it is also fine to wait a round, especially if the unit we would put in doesn’t add much value.

Tempo in TFT refers to the pace at which you manage your resources, board strength, and progression throughout the game. Mastering tempo is crucial for maintaining a competitive advantage, ensuring you can adapt to changes in the game while optimizing your gold, levels, and itemization. Here’s a complete guide to help you master tempo:

1. Understanding Tempo in TFT

Tempo is about balancing your economy, board strength, and leveling to hit key milestones without falling behind. It involves making decisions that allow you to power up efficiently while maximizing your chance to win or stabilize at critical moments.

2. Key Milestones

• Early Game (Stage 1-3): Focus on building a solid board with synergies and stabilizing your economy. At this stage, it’s important to not overspend and manage your gold for future rounds.
• Mid Game (Stage 3-4): This is when you start pushing for upgrades, whether it’s level-ups or 2-star champions. Your board should be strong enough to win streak or lose streak, depending on your strategy.
• Late Game (Stage 5-6): This is where you need to focus on positioning, item optimizations, and hitting your power spikes. You should also have your core champions upgraded to 3 stars and full items.

3. When to Level Up and Roll

• Leveling Up: Typically, you want to level up early to access a wider pool of champions, but don’t overcommit until it’s necessary. Make sure your economy allows for it, and aim to hit important levels like 5 and 7 for better odds at key units.
• Rolling for Units: Don’t roll too early, as it can drain your economy. Instead, roll when you need specific units to upgrade or strengthen your board. Usually, rolling after reaching level 5 or 7 is ideal.

4. Adapting to Opponents

• Adjust Based on Opponents: Tempo can be influenced by the lobby. If you’re winning, you might want to save and push for stronger units later, but if you’re losing, consider adjusting your strategy by rolling more or focusing on surviving until you hit your late-game comp.
• Using Losses Strategically: In some cases, losing early or mid-game can set you up for a stronger late-game if you’re able to manage your gold properly and get the right units.

5. Examples of Tempo Playstyles

• Win Streak Tempo: Focus on upgrading champions quickly and optimizing synergies to secure wins and stabilize your economy for the mid and late game.
• Lose Streak Tempo: Use the lose streak to generate more income and then invest heavily to upgrade and transition into a stronger mid-game comp.

So in conclusion, tempo is an important factor in your games, and incorporating this can really elevate you above the competition as the majority of the player base doesn’t even consider this. Make sure to not only consider your long-term game plan but think about what helps you the most in the present and try to calculate what gives you the best average placement.

Mastering tempo in TFT requires careful attention to your gold, leveling, rolling, and adapting to the pace of the game. By understanding key milestones and knowing when to adjust your strategy, you can maintain a strong position throughout all stages of the game and increase your chances of victory.

Thanks for Reading! If you want to gain more in-depth knowledge about TFT, check out many helpful articles here!

Good luck to you! – Cheng