[Part 2] Mastering True Damage Emblem

This is the second part of True Damage emblem series, please check out first part here for better understanding this concept.

https://www.tacter.com/tft/guides/1325-mastering-true-damage-emblem-strategy-for-top-1-with-any-headliner-e634acc6

Hello guys I'm Khym

Have you ever feel pain when copy a "meta comp" then get a bottom half just because you can't find a specific headliner? Unlike many guides that show a level 8, 9 board with a specific headliner that makes you spend lots of gold to find, I will guide you to play from early board to final board with many headliner options, which is an easier way to play TFT. Also every 5 cost I put always have a lower cost same trait unit so feel free to play.

For easy visualize, I'll put champion into group instead of positioning, if any thing need to be noticed I'll mention.

The first part already talk about, Akali with Ahri and Karthus, now it's Ezreal and Cait turn. You choose with one to go depend on your items, in short:

• Blue buff + AP -> Ahri
• Red Buff/Shojin + AP -> Karthus
• Blue buff + AD -> Ezreal
• Any AD item -> Caitlyn (Shojin is not her BiS lmao)

So let's cook!

Both strong opener in first part included (Corki and Heartsteel), that was a solid board to play immediately. In case it not happen just play Corki & Garen with Sentinel for stacking 8-Bit

After 3-2 its time to make a decision. When to play Cait or Ezreal?

Firstly, AD items of course, then (order by priority):

1. Blue Buff -> Ezreal
2. 8-Bit early stack -> Cait
3. Non of them above play with any headliner you got first

Flex around any headliner, the target here is getting a good headliner ASAP then lv 9 to find 5 cost, not finding the best headliner then stay at lv 8. You have an impactful benefit from True Dmg emblem and looking for a top 1.

High HP: can slow roll to stablize your board (especially your frontline), get another 2 star carry if there is no one contesting, otherwise just lv 9

Low HP: slow roll to stablize your board and find another 2 star carry, stay in top 4 first then think about finish the game

Remember these 5 core units on the left then play round them, keep Kennen and Yasuo on bench for backup plan

Normally both Cait and Akali deal significant damage, you want to put 2 extra Sentinel unit to save HP, if not Kennen + Guardian (2* Thresh) is still decent

At lv9 you can remove 2 Sentinel with any 5 cost, prefer Yorick Shred (Kennen still on bench?)

If you got IE prefer give it to Akali, I will explain why later

Place Akali between 2 Guardians

You may suprised but there is no BiS for Caitlyn, its long to explain so I will put a link here for who interested, basically her kit is poorly synergized. That's why putting BiS on Akali then redundant AD items on Cait is suggested.

https://www.reddit.com/r/CompetitiveTFT/comments/18jjera/tft_calculatorthe_ultimate_cheat_sheet_of_s10/

Also statistic from tactic.tools proved this, filter with Cait items and you will see every items have nearly the same avg placement.

https://tactics.tools/explorer

Last thing, Shojin got a huge nerf, put it on her just make your comp weaker, Shojin is not an universal item to slam in early game anymore.

Its good to have an opener with K'Sante (If K'Sante is not a headliner don't itemize him, when not getting True Dmg emblem you may want to go fast 8 Hearthsteel and still keep K'Sante, you don't want to sell him then find again).

Frontline is weak, if you re in low HP Aphe + Sett can be replaced by 2 Sentinel (Morde + Blitz).

BB is his BiS but Red Buff can be good alternative.

Thanks for reading this far. I have to admit this due to the game balancing problem: this guide best to follow when everything is well balanced (which may happend after 2, 3 patches). Personally I would recommend put True Dmg emblem on Ahri, Cait and Ezreal, Karthus is currently bad. I will give you a 13.25 statistics for better decide which one to play.