TFT Set 13: How to Play Vander Hero Augment – Gloves Off

In TFT Set 13, Vander’s Gloves Off Hero Augment transforms him into a powerful disruptor, amplifying his damage while giving him a unique new ability that shifts his role from a tank to a high-damage crowd controller. Here’s a guide on optimizing Vander’s potential with the Gloves Off augment to create a frontline powerhouse.

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The Gloves Off augment modifies Vander’s ability as follows:

• Gain a Vander: Automatically adds a Vander to your team.
• New Ability: Vander’s original ability, Hound of the Underground, is replaced with an empowered version that no longer grants resistances but instead deals 100% increased damage and punches the target backwards, dealing 25% of that damage to all enemies hit along the way.

This new ability enables Vander to dish out high physical damage while disrupting enemy formations by knocking back his target. With this augment, Vander becomes a highly effective crowd controller who can create openings for your team.

1. Positioning Vander for Maximum Effect

Since Vander’s new ability pushes his target backward and deals splash damage, it’s essential to place him where he can aim for key enemy units. Position him close to enemy carries or midline units that he can knock into other high-priority targets. This way, Vander’s punch can maximize the damage and disruption by scattering enemy formations.

2. Best Items for Vander

With Gloves Off, Vander’s focus shifts to dealing damage and disrupting the enemy team rather than purely tanking. Equipping him with items that enhance his damage output and survivability can make him even more effective.

• Titan’s Resolve: This item gives Vander extra Attack Damage and Ability Power for each stack, further increasing his damage output.
• Bloodthirster: Provides him with lifesteal, which is crucial since his ability no longer grants resistances. The sustain from lifesteal allows Vander to keep punching while regaining health.
• Sunfire Cape: As a frontline unit, Vander can apply burn to nearby enemies, adding extra damage over time and reducing enemy healing. This item helps him add constant pressure to enemy frontliners and makes him a more threatening presence in the fight.

3. Utilizing Vander’s Traits: Family and Watcher

Vander’s traits, Family and Watcher, offer durability and synergy benefits that complement his playstyle with Gloves Off.

• Family: The Family trait provides mana reduction and additional bonuses when enough Family members are on the team. At (3) Family units, team members get a 25% max mana reduction and 12% damage reduction, while at (5) Family, surviving members contribute to the Heist mechanic, granting unique bonuses after combat.

Pairing Vander with other Family units like Powder and Violet allows you to reduce the mana costs for all Family members, letting them cast abilities more frequently. This synergy keeps your team’s abilities active and supports Vander’s role as a disruptor.

• Watcher: Watchers gain damage reduction, increasing further while they’re above 50% health. At (2) Watchers, Vander gains 10% damage reduction, which increases to 25% while above 50% health, providing a solid defensive boost that allows him to stay in the fight longer.

Combine Vander with other Watchers like Darius, Vladimir, or Garen to gain these durability bonuses, reinforcing him as a frontline threat. This trait setup makes Vander harder to kill and ensures he can continually apply crowd control and damage to the enemy team.

4. Maximizing Vander’s Impact with Gloves Off

The Gloves Off augment is designed to make Vander a disruptive frontline force. By utilizing his high damage and knockback effect, Vander can split enemy formations, interrupting enemy strategies and opening them up for your backline units to target high-value enemies. Equip Vander with items and position him where he can land his empowered punch on critical targets to maximize his utility.

1. Family & Watcher Composition

• Core: Vander, Powder, Violet, Darius, Vladimir, Scar
• Strategy: This team uses both the Family and Watcher traits to create a durable frontline with damage reduction and frequent ability casts. Powder and Violet support Vander with Family bonuses, while Darius, Vladimir, and Scar provide the Watcher durability boost, enhancing the team’s resilience. This combination ensures that Vander can stay alive and keep knocking back enemies, allowing your other units to deal damage in the chaos he creates.

2. Family & Scrap Composition

• Core: Vander, Powder, Violet, Ziggs, Ekko, Trundle
• Strategy: By pairing Family with Scrap units, you can gain shields and temporary items from Scrap bonuses, adding survivability and flexibility. Ziggs, Ekko, and Trundle provide supplementary crowd control and shield effects, keeping Vander protected while he disrupts the enemy team. This composition emphasizes sustained frontline pressure with support from the Scrap items and shields, giving Vander the ability to punch through key enemy targets while his teammates keep the enemy’s attention.

3. Watcher & Bruiser Composition

• Core: Vander, Darius, Garen, Sett, Nunu, Renni
• Strategy: This composition leverages the durability of both Watchers and Bruisers, allowing Vander to act as a tanky disruptor while his teammates soak up damage. Bruisers boost the max health of the team, while Watchers grant damage reduction, providing a resilient front line that lets Vander stay in the fight longer. This composition excels in prolonged fights, where Vander’s consistent knockback and splash damage can dismantle enemy teams over time.

The Gloves Off augment redefines Vander’s role in TFT Set 13, turning him into a high-damage disruptor capable of displacing enemies and breaking formations. By equipping him with the right items and pairing him with synergy-based team compositions, you can make Vander an essential part of your frontline.

Positioning and team composition are key to maximizing the benefits of Gloves Off. Keep Vander positioned to punch through critical enemy targets and take advantage of his knockback effect to scatter enemy lines. With the right setup, Vander’s Gloves Off augment can lead your team to victory, giving you an edge over opponents and controlling the battlefield.

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Good luck to you! – Cheng