Teamfight Tactics patch 18.6 has arrived, and it's a milestone update. Dubbed the Tactician's Crown patch, it coincides with the game's biggest tournament of the set, but you don't need to be competing for the crown to reap the rewards. This patch also marks the debut of the standalone TFT client, bringing quality-of-life improvements and setting the stage for future enhancements. Due to the new client, deploy times will be longer than usual across PC and mobile, so patience is appreciated as the patch rolls out region by region.

Standalone Client and Cosmetic Changes

The standalone TFT client launches with 18.6, laying the foundation for improvements planned for 18.7 and beyond, ultimately leading into Set 19. However, this transition comes with significant cosmetic adjustments. New Little Legends and emotes released from Patch 19.1 onward will no longer be shared between TFT and League of Legends due to differing game engines. Starting with Set 19's release, newly released Little Legends won't be usable as followers in ARAM, though all pre-19.1 Little Legends remain cross-compatible. Similarly, starting in Patch 19.2, TFT emotes will be split from League of Legends emotes, with anything released prior to that patch still usable in both games.

Appreciation Missions and Compensation

Recognizing the bumps in the transition to Unreal Engine, Riot is offering appreciation missions and compensation. In Patch 19.1, all players can earn rewards by playing Set 19: play one game to receive 500 Treasure Tokens, and play 20 games to earn a random Mythic Chibi from a dedicated banner containing only Mythic Chibis. Additionally, players who owned a Mythic Tactician or Arena before Patch 18.7 will receive two Mythic Medallions, while those who owned a Prestige Tactician before 18.7 will receive an unannounced Mythic Chibi.

Balance Updates: Traits and Units

Following the 18.5 mid-patch updates that nerfed dominant strategies like Kha'Zix and Brambleback, 18.6 focuses on small buffs to keep the meta diverse. Blossom and Sprykin verticals receive buffs to make Emblems less mandatory, while Elderwood (9) is toned down after overperforming. Several champions are adjusted:

  • Kobuko and Rek'Sai (Tier 1): Healing buffs to improve their viability in early and mid-game boards, indirectly helping reroll Teemo and Veigar compositions.
  • Murkwolf (Tier 2): Empowered attack damage increased to compensate for Brambleback's nerf, making the pup a more attractive chase.
  • Malphite (Tier 4): Shield and spell damage AP ratios increased, allowing him to contribute more in cleanup situations.
  • Nidalee (Tier 4): AD form survivability and third cast damage buffed; AP form also received buffs to javelin attacks, potentially opening new AP Nidalee/Juggernaut compositions.
  • Sentinel (Tier 4): Shield HP ratio increased, making HP items like Warmog's more effective.

Augments and Wisps Adjustments

Several augments are tweaked to bring them in line with others. Clockwork Accelerator and Plot Armor receive minor buffs, Shopping Spree gets one extra starting gold, and Unrivaled sees significant improvements to Rengar's heal share and Kha'Zix's mana share. In the Wisp category, Emblems from Curio Cart now cost more, and Middle Path's cost is increased to balance its high consistency.

Bug Fixes and Follow the Fix

Patch 18.6 includes numerous bug fixes, many tracked via the Follow the Fix website. Notable fixes include improved in-game chat readability, the return of Streamer Mode, and corrections to various augments and items. For a comprehensive list and future updates, players are encouraged to visit the Follow the Fix site, which is updated after each patch deploy.

Source: Riot Games. Original patch notes: https://teamfighttactics.leagueoflegends.com/en-us/news/game-updates/teamfight-tactics-patch-18-6