TFT patch 18.6 lands with balance tweaks ahead of $470,000 Tactician's Crown

Riot Games has released Teamfight Tactics patch 18.6, confirmed by Esports.gg News, bringing a round of champion, trait and augment adjustments ahead of the set's biggest tournament.

The update went live on 4 November and arrives alongside the launch of a dedicated TFT client, which Esports.gg News reports will require a large download for players updating the game.

On the champion side, Kobuko and Rek'Sai both receive increased spell healing values, while Murkwolf's empowered attack damage rises at higher tiers. Malphite gets a shield and spell damage boost, and Nidalee is strengthened in both her AD and AP forms, including a jump in her third-cast bonus damage from 125% to 140%.

Sentinel's shield HP ratio climbs from 10% to 12%. The patch notes also list changes further down the unit list: Ramattra's Void Accelerator ammo rises from 100 to 125, while Winston's Revitalizing Barrier major perk has its healing per second cut from 35 to 30.

Two traits move upward in this patch. Blossom's AD/AP scaling improves across its tiers, topping out at 65% at its highest level, and Sprykin's BFF ranged AD/AP bonus increases to as much as 38%. Elderwood goes the other way, with its nine-piece HP bonus halved from 25% to 10%.

Four augments were buffed: Clockwork Accelerator now grants 12% attack speed per proc instead of 10%, Plot Armor's base resists rise from 8 to 10, Shopping Spree hands out an extra starting gold, and Unrivaled's heal and mana share for Rengar and Kha'Zix jump sharply, to 50% and 70% respectively.

Embiggen was pulled back, with its bonus Pixie AD/AP dropping from 50% to 35%. Wisps also took a hit, with Curio Cart's emblem cost, Middle Path's cost and Upgrade's cost all rising by one or two gold.

Esports.gg News notes that despite the relatively modest scope of the balance changes, patch 18.6 carries significance as the version running into Enchanted Wilds' headline event. The Tactician's Crown tournament is scheduled for 13 to 15 November and carries a prize pool of $470,000.

One further patch is expected before TFT Set 19 launches on 1 December, according to Esports.gg News.