Best TFT Support Units in Set 9

Here are the best TFT support units to play on your board if you are looking to add more utility to your team.

Due to the nature of a game like TFT where players mostly try to itemize their main carries and tanks, the value supporting units bring to the table might not be obvious at first glance—especially for newer players. But if you spend some time watching high elo player VODs or streams, it quickly becomes apparent how much the best players in the world value some of these utility champions over a second or third carry.

Before we talk about which supportive units are performing the best in TFT Set 9, and which one of these effects and champions are a must-play most of the time, here are the main utility effects in the game’s current state:

• Stun: Warwick, Lissandra, Jarvan IV, Frejlord/Ionia Ryze, Heimerdinger
• Knock up: Poppy, Taliyah, Sett, Yasuo, K'Sante, Sion, Shurima/Targon Ryze
• Healing and Shielding
• Chill (Attack Speed reduction): Orianna, Ashe, Sejuani, Frejlord Ryze
• Wound (Grevious wounds effect): Cassiopeia, Teemo, Katarina, Zaun Ryze, Heimerdinger with Upgrade
• Sunder (Armor reduction): Samira, Vi, Nasus, Zaun Ryze, Heimerdinger with Upgrade
• Shred (Magic Resist reduction): Kayle, Lux, Nasus, Zaun Ryze, Heimer with Upgrade

Some of these effects, mainly crowd control ones, are only available to players via the champions they put their boards, while resistance shreds or Grievous Wounds are available via items like Last Whisper or Morellonomicon. But to win TFT games or consistently place top four, having access to most of these effects in your team is a must. You can make some choices like building Shred items instead of running a champion with the effect, but in the end, if your comp is AP you will need magic shred.

TFT support units you should add to your board in Set 9

Jarvan IV (Stun)

Jarvan’s ultimate is probably the best crowd control ability in the game thanks to its great targeting, big AoE range (2 hexes) and stun duration (2 seconds at 1 star). Since it’s a contested 4-cost champion, it isn’t the easiest to reliably roll for Jarvan, but most of the time you won’t necessarily need him upgraded as even one cast can change the fight for your team. Plus, he doesn’t particularly need his traits so it is easy to splash him into most comps, or just play another strategist.

Ryze

Ryze in Set 9 has 10 different versions depending on the portal chosen at the start of the game, and not all versions of him bring utility to the table—nor do all of them have similar levels of win rates. The best portals to play splash Ryze onto your end game board:

• Frejlord: Chills and stuns enemy champions.
• Demacia: AoE heals and shields for your low-health champions.
• Ionia: Attack Speed buff plus healing for allies while stunning enemy champions.

Heimerdinger (Shred, Wound)

Not every Heimer turret upgrade will give you more damage, and quite frankly playing Heimer as your carry is not the best in the current meta. Instead, it is better to take the upgrades that will give you the utility effects you are lacking. The best utility combo for Heimer upgrades is 2x Shrink Module for 60% Shred and Sunder plus Mechano-Swarm for AoE application.

Senna (Shield)

Carrying on the TFT Set 9 tradition of 5-costs, Senna is another champion played best as a supportive addition rather than a carry—despite being a Gunner. Sure, you can itemize her as well, but the damage output isn’t quite there. So it is much more efficient to have another carry while using Senna as a splash unit for her teamwide Shield. Also, you don’t have to play Gunners to add Senna in, she doesn’t need her traits to boost her team.

Teemo (Wound)

Unlike the rest of the list, which are 4 or 5-cost champions, Teemo is a lot easier to play in the early game or fit your board since he is a low-cost champion. He might be hard to justify playing in late game like Stage 6, but he is great at getting you there. His AoE wound means you don’t need to slam an early Morello or Sunfire, and you can even play him in most late game comp by adding Jarvan for Strategist.

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