Buzz
The lineups below have a high pick rate, but their top 4 placement is relatively low in TFT Arena.
Warriors - Alchemists
This is a classic example of a lineup that, despite facing significant nerfs, remains favored by players. The synergy from Alchemists and Warriors provides both offensive (attack speed) and defensive capabilities (damage reduction, healing). Even with the nerfs to the interaction between Urgot and Statikk Shiv, this lineup is still considered impactful, significantly boosting overall team damage.
However, it's undeniable that Riot's adjustments have weakened the Warriors - Alchemists lineup. Combined with the continued popularity of this lineup, the competition among players to secure key units like Urgot, Jinx, and Dr. Mundo has intensified. Therefore, despite a pick rate of up to 0.95, the top 4 placement rate of Warriors - Alchemists is still below 50% at the current time.
6 Challenges
Despite virtually unaffected by Riot's adjustments (except for Yone's 50 base health reduction), the Challenge lineup remains highly favored. Its strength lies in its ability to snowball effectively in combat, with Challenge champions gaining additional attack speed and mobility after defeating enemy units. Once upgraded and equipped with multiple items, the Challenge team can dominate the battlefield.
However, in reality, achieving these feats is extremely challenging, as key Challenge champions come with a hefty price tag in TFT. Additionally, the usage of the two most popular Vanguards, Leona and Braum, intensifies competition, making it difficult to build a complete Challenge lineup. Without 2-star Braum or Leona, pivotal units like Yone and Fiora can be quickly defeated, leading to regretful losses.
6 Sorcerers
Immediately after the Kai'Sa - Divine lineup was nerfed and no longer in the meta, the Sorcerer team has surged back with strength. This is because the lineup is heavily countered by Giant Slayer units and the 'rush level 9' strategy, with Vex being particularly vulnerable to Tahm Kench. As a result, the number of players using the Sorcerer team has spiked dramatically, reaching a pick rate of 0.85, second only to the Warriors - Alchemists lineup.
Despite its popularity, this lineup is not a guaranteed ticket to the top 4. Keep in mind that the resurgence of the Assassin playstyle poses a significant threat to the fragile Sorcerer units. Moreover, the prevalence of the Inventor - Artificer lineup has significantly reduced the magic damage output of the Sorcerer lineup. Therefore, to play this lineup effectively, players need to assess if they are being heavily countered and be cautious of spamming Sorcerers, as climbing ranks can be challenging in such scenarios.
