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Before we dive into our pre-patch predictions, let’s take a look at the current state of the meta, before the patch. Check out the patch notes, if you haven’t already.

Current Situation

S TIER

Mech Infiltrators

A TIER

Cybernetic

Chrono Kayle

Star Guardian Sorcerers

Dark Star Snipers

B TIER

Void Brawlers

Brawler Blasters

Protector Mystics

3 Rebel / Blademasters / Bang Bros

Vanguard Snipers

C TIER

6 Rebels

Now, let’s take a look at our predictions for the upcoming 10.8 patch.

Dark Star Sorcerers *NEW*

Prediction

NEW > B

What changed?

Xerath got added.

What does this mean?

Adding another Dark Star sorcerer unit allows Dark Stars to double-dip into the Sorcerer synergy (with Lux and Xerath) which results in a very efficient 6 Dark Star, 4 Sorcerer composition.

Summary

This should be a decent comp once it gets tested and refined properly.

Mech Infiltrators

Prediction

S > B

What changed?

Player damage changes mean that it is much less viable to play weak boards early. Additionally, loss streaks also give less gold than before.

Mech-Pilot trait got nerfed significantly.

Shaco got nerfed.

Annie got buffed.

Fizz got adjusted.

What does this mean?

The player damage changes mean it’s going to be a lot harder for mech players to stay alive early, in the current patch you see mech players dropping to 30-40 HP before they hit their spike. The new player damage numbers might mean outright death for this type of strategy.

Loss streaks giving less gold just adds to the fact that mech players cannot play weak boards early to farm gold.

The Super-Mech lost a ton of HP at higher star levels in exchange for more HP at lower star levels. I don’t think this is a fair exchange at all as Mech Infiltrators currently spike really hard when they get their higher star level mech. The splash damage from the Super-Mech ult also got cut in half which is a big nerf to the damage potential of the comp if you don’t get good Infiltrator items.

The Shaco nerf is the cherry on top to the fall of Mech Infiltrators effectiveness, he lost a significant amount of damage that Mech Infiltrators will really need with the Super-Mech nerf.

Annie’s tankiness being buffed means very little for Mech Infiltrators as very little fights are won after the Super-Mech dies anyway.

Fizz gained some attack speed in exchange for HP, which makes the mech even squishier.

Summary

Mech Infiltrators should drop a lot in popularity and effectiveness this patch, mostly due to the early game being more important and the Super-Mech nerfs.

Cybernetic

Prediction

A > A-

What changed?

(6) Cybernetic trait has been nerfed, losing 50HP and 5AD.

Win streaks give less gold than before.

Lucian received a small AD nerf.

Adding Xerath diluted the 5-cost champion pool, making Ekko harder to find.

What does this mean?

The amount of free stats you get for getting (6) Cybernetic is the main reason people run the comp and nerfing this is going to make the comp significantly weaker (even though the nerf isn’t that big).

Cybernetic openers are typically extremely strong, especially if you can get a Red Buff or Infinity Edge on Lucian. A strong Cybernetic opener pretty much ensures an early win streak, providing you also level aggressively.

The streak changes mean Cybernetic players will be left with less gold in the early-mid game which will make it harder to level to 8 and find Ekko.

Lucian losing a bit of damage makes Cybernetics’ early game a bit worse.

With the addition of Xerath, finding Ekko will be that much harder and might delay your spike.

Summary

Cybernetics will remain a very effective and reliable comp but it definitely loses some effectiveness with this patch with it being harder to get to late-game and then the late-game of the comp being slightly weaker.

Prediction

A > A

What changed?

Xayah got buffed.

Wukong and Shen got buffed.

What does this mean?

Xayah is used as an item carrier for Kayle in the early game so the buff should help the comp slightly in the early game.

The small Wukong and Shen buffs mean this comp will have a stronger frontline.

Summary

Not much has changed with the comp which is why it retains its placement. Read our detailed guide on Chrono Kayle for more information about the comp.

Star Guardian Sorcerers

Prediction

A > A+

What changed?

Player damage changes mean that it is much less viable to play weak boards early. Additionally, loss streaks also give less gold than before.

Tear of the Goddess got nerfed.

Zoe, Syndra and Soraka got buffed.

(4) Sorcerer got buffed.

Chalice of Favor got buffed.

Xerath got added.

What does this mean?

When you don’t get a significant amount of tears early game it is sometimes necessary to lose streak to gain carousel priority as the comp does not function properly without at least one Seraphs. This will result in more damage taken and less gold earned than the previous patch, although this comp won’t be as badly affected as Mech Infiltrators was because you still have early game options you can preserve HP with.

Tear of the Goddess lost 5 mana which is quite significant as one Seraph’s Embrace on Syndra will put her Mana to 30/50 instead of 40/50 which means she will need an additional auto-attack before she ults, slowing her and the whole comp’s casting down.

Three out of the seven units that form the core of the Star Guardian comp have received buffs, which makes the comp a lot stronger at a base level.

(4) Sorcerer gained 5% more damage, a very nice bonus for the comp.

Chalice of Favor now also gives Mana to the caster which makes it a viable item for Syndra to hold if you can’t find a lot of tears.

Xerath, being a Sorcerer, can be added into the comp if a Star Guardian spatula item is obtained, you can also then add (3) Dark Star and (2) Mystics with Karma which should be a very strong late-game option if you can hit it.

Summary

The buffs to the comp should outweigh the nerfs and Star Guardians were already a very effective composition, thus the changes this patch should place them extremely close to S tier. The 3* Syndra buffs that got pulled before the patch hit made me decrease their rating from S to A+.

Dark Star Snipers

Prediction

A > A+

What changed?

Shaco got nerfed.

Xerath got added.

What does this mean?

The nerf to Shaco is only to 3* Shaco which doesn’t affect Dark Stars that much as they don’t typically need it to top four, it will hurt the win rate of the comp a bit though.

Xerath is a strong 5 cost Dark Star unit which also gives Sorcerer buff along with Lux and can be a very strong carry for the comp along with Jhin or Shaco. It also adds flexibility to the comp because Xerath can hold AP/Mana items that aren’t typically good on either Shaco or Jhin.

Summary

Dark Stars gaining a new unit adds a ton of flexibility to the comp and brings them very close to S tier.

Brawler Blasters

Prediction

B > B

What changed?

Jinx got buffed.

Lucian got nerfed.

What does this mean?

The composition loses some early-game strength in the form of a small Lucian nerf in exchange for late-game power in a Jinx buff.

Summary

I don’t see Brawler Blasters being any more effective than they were last patch, their ranking stays the same.

Protector Mystics

Prediction

B > B+

What changed?

Player damage changes means that it is much less viable to play weak boards early. Additionally, loss streaks also give less gold than before.

Xayah buffed.

Rakan reworked.

Celestial buffed.

(6) Protector introduced.

What does this mean?

As protectors are a slow roll comp, the player damage and streak changes affect them too, although since they prefer to roll at lvl 5 or 6 it doesn’t have that much of an effect.

Xayah can be a more effective early game carry to help this comp through the early game.

The Rakan rework is a bit of a strange one, he now offers back-line CC at the cost of a reduced area. His ult mana cost has also gone down slightly so I think this is actually an overall buff.

(4) Celestial now gives 10% more healing which is an option this comp sometimes goes for if you can get your hands on a Celestial or Protector spatula item.

Summary

The small but significant changes result in a slightly more effective comp.

Void Brawlers

Prediction

B > B

What changed?

Vel’Koz has been adjusted.

What does this mean?

The main carry in this comp, Vel’Koz, lost some spell duration in exchange for improved targeting logic. It should be an overall buff but the effectiveness will have to be judged when the patch drops.

Summary

Very little has changed, the ranking stays the same.

3 Rebel Blademasters

Prediction

B > B-

What changed?

Player damage changes mean that it is much less viable to play weak boards early. Additionally, loss streaks also give less gold than before.

Shen got buffed.

What does this mean?

This comp requires the most set-up out of any slow roll comp so the nerf to slow roll comps in general will hurt this comp a lot. The comp also requires perfect items to function and it is less viable to lose streak for items early game now.

Shen buff results in a slightly stronger frontline.

Summary

The economy changes will make it much harder for this already inconsistent composition to come online which results in a slight drop of ranking for 3 rebel blademasters.

Vanguard Sniper

Prediction

B > B

What changed?

Nothing changed.

Summary

Not much to say, comp retains its ranking.

6 Rebel

Prediction

C > C

What changed?

Aurelion Sol got buffed.

Jinx got buffed.

Adding Xerath diluted the 5-cost champion pool, making the champs for this comp (GP, ASol) harder to find.

What does this mean?

Two slight buffs for two rebel champions, I do not think it will make enough of a difference to save Rebels from their low ranking, especially with the dilution of the 5-cost pool.

Summary

The changes are not enough to improve the comps ranking.

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Tiaan Tiaan has been playing TFT since its inception. He finished Challenger in S1, got Challenger in S2 (then decayed after), and has even achieved Rank 1 in Set 3. He enjoys sharing his passion for the game with our readers and helping them climb! LolChess Get coached by Tiaan!