TFT Set 13: How to Play Black Rose

Black Rose is a well known part of Noxus lore and with Ambessa joining the fight it makes sense that the Black Rose led by Noxian aristocracy would be part of Set 13. Being a secretive group, it is not always known who is part of it but for this set we have 5 champions who will represent the Black Rose!

In this set, sticking to the lore, the Black Rose are the summoners of the set who create a Sion who later becomes unchained in order to protect members of Black Rose.

Explore all of the TFT Set 13 Blog here!

1. Black Rose Trait Bonus

• (3) Summon a chained Sion. He is freed after 5 casts from Black Rose units or when he drops below 65% health.
• (4) Sion grows stronger and his enemies take more damage from Black Rose units.
• (5) Sion unleashes dark magic and heals to full Health when freed.
• (7) When Sion dies, he restores to life with power beyond death!

Each Black Rose champion's star level increases Sion's power.

Champions:

• Morgana 1g
• Vladimir 2g
• Cassiopeia 3g
• Elise 4g
• Leblanc 5g

2. Black Rose Synergy

The Black Rose is made of 5 units which have these additional traits that offer opportunities for trait webs:

• Morgana (1G) – Visionary
• Vladimir (2G) – Watcher + Sorcerer
• Cassiopeia (3G) – Dominator
• Elise (4G) – Form Swapper + Bruiser
• LeBlanc (5G) – Sorcerer

3. The Black Rose Trait

The Black Rose has increments of 3,4, and 5 which are all attainable by playing the natural champions. However, it also has a reach trait at 7 which requires 2 Spatulas to reach this trait which likely makes Sion close to invincible and incredibly strong.

1. Morgana (1G) – Black Rose + Visionary

Morgana curse’s the nearest non-cursed enemy, dealing (AP) magic damage over 10 seconds and reducing the effectiveness of shields on them.

This makes Morgana a premiere utility unit and makes her feel not dead in the 5 Black Rose trait. Her ability to curse multiple enemies makes her a solid anti-heal item holder such as Morello. She also has anti shield and multiple traits and units rely on shielding as a large part of their kit in order to be tanky. This will also make her playable on Visionary boards as well. Overall, her kit makes her a quality unit that offers high flexibility.

2. Vladimir (2G) – Black Rose + Watcher + Sorcerer

Vladimir heals (based on AP) as well as deals (AP) magic damage. In the past, units with similar kits don’t do much. They are really strong early game, where healing thrives. However, in the late game the healing doesn’t do much against so many units and the single target damage also falls off. This makes him one of the weaker units in the Black Rose for late game but one of the stronger ones for the early game.

3. Cassiopeia (3G) – Black Rose + Dominator

Cassiopeia blasts a target for (AP) magic damage. Every third cast, she splashes miasma to 2 enemies within 3 hexes, dealing (AP) magic damage to each. Cassiopeia is an AP carry that hits multiple targets on her third cast – giving her some flexibility away from her past of single target damage. Her secondary trait, Dominator does give her some Ability Power but overall won’t be very helpful for her in the Black Rose trait although Blitzcrank (Dominator 3g tank) and Cassio likely becomes a reroll trait.

4. Elise (4G) – Black Rose + Form Swapper + Bruiser

Elise jumps to a nearby hex and webs (stuns) all enemies within 2 hexes and deals damage while healing. The stunning along with bruiser traits in Form Swapper and Bruiser will make her a premium tank of the set and one that the Black Rose will benefit from as most of the trait is AP damage dealers. Elise is what will keep Sion from being killed too quickly while stalling enemies with her stun and heal.

5. LeBlanc (5G) – Black Rose + Sorcerer

LeBlanc chains the nearest 4 enemies to deal (AP) magic damage split between the enemies. When one takes damage, a small percent of bonus true damage also spreads to the other chained units. She then has bonus damage in her next 3 attacks which is increased by the number of enemies that are killed by the initial damage. LeBlanc has been well known as a single target damage dealer, but this version of 5 cost LeBlanc turns that on its head allowing her to help out the whole board and not accidentally targeting a weak unit and wasting her ult.

The Sorcerer trait is also easily splashable to give her some additional AP that can also help her scale her bonus damage.

In general, Augments like Crest and Crown will always be good, but there are definitely more notable ones to explore and discover. As we make our way to the PBE, we’ll be sure to test a variety of combinations and update this article with what we find.

1. Black Rose Crest

• Gain a Black Rose Emblem.

2. Black Rose Crown

• Gain a Black Rose Emblem, a Morellonomicon, and a Cassiopeia.

3. Forbidden Magic

• Every 3 takedowns by Black Rose champions or Sion grant Sion permanent 1.50% Attack Damage and 10 Max Health. Gain 3 Black Rose champions.

4. Crimson Pact

• Gain a Vladimir. Your strongest Vladimir gains +3 Range and gains 5 bonus Mana each attack. His Ability no longer heals but grants 6% Damage Amp, deals 80% bonus damage, and spreads additional damage to the 2 nearest enemies.

• 5 Black Rose Cassiopeia
• 7 Black Rose Silco
• 5 Black Rose 4 Visionary Heimerdinger

The Black Rose trait in TFT Set 13 brings a unique, thematic twist to the game, offering players an epic challenge and high rewards for those who invest in it. At its core, Black Rose centers around summoning and empowering Sion, a chained colossus who can turn the tide of battle once freed. At (3) Black Rose, players get access to Sion’s power, strategically managing his chains through casts or health thresholds. With (4), Sion becomes even more deadly, and enemies suffer increased damage from Black Rose units, making each round more punishing for opponents.

From (5) Black Rose onward, Sion’s potential peaks, as he heals to full health upon release, allowing him to continue as a front-line menace with endless persistence. Finally, at (7), Sion transcends to “power beyond death,” resurrecting with increased strength after falling, cementing Black Rose as an exceptional late-game powerhouse trait. Additionally, the star levels of each Black Rose champion strengthen Sion, further encouraging players to stack high-star units for maximum impact.

Overall, Black Rose is a high-risk, high-reward trait ideal for players who enjoy strategically building around one game-changing champion. Sion’s progression adds a satisfying layer of anticipation to each fight, and investing in Black Rose champions is well worth it for those seeking a dominant, devastating team composition. With careful planning, Black Rose can be one of the most rewarding and exhilarating traits in TFT Set 13.

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