Teamfight Tactics Devs Reveal Secrets to Balancing Updates and Reworks

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Keeping up-to-date with Teamfight Tactics can be quite a challenge given its continuous evolution from one set to another. Similar to other titles within the League of Legends universe, it requires a delicate balance between introducing fresh content and fine-tuning existing Champions. With the Lunar Festival being one of the most significant annual events for players worldwide, this moment presents an ideal opportunity to evaluate the game’s trajectory.

Game Rant recently had a conversation on this topic with several developers from Teamfight Tactics, including set finalization lead Kent Wu. Wu shared insights into their efforts to revamp aspects and tackle balancing issues within Teamfight Tactics, aiming to minimize future challenging decisions.

How Teamfight Tactics Keeps Every Champion Feeling Fresh within the Meta

How Teamfight Tactics Stays on Top of Broken Sets

The team shared extensive thoughts on adjusting balance. Given their circumstances, it’s not unexpected that they encounter distinct hurdles with Teamfight Tactics compared to other Riot Games titles. Specifically, Wu outlined the sequential methodology they follow to achieve a consistent game metagame.

“We rely on three different sources to try to make the best balance decisions:

  1. Data: We look at data to inform what looks obviously out of line. Data never paints the full picture since itʼs always contextual, but it both gives us a good sense for what to look for and also confirms our (and players’) reads on the setʼs content.
  2. Experience: We play the game and watch players play the game. By experiencing the content ourselves, we get a good baseline of what seems over or under the power bar.
  3. Sentiment: We keep tabs on player sentiment about the meta. This may point to things to investigate further that aren’t captured by the first two sources. Ultimately, even if player sentiment doesn’t match data (if players think a unit sucks, but it performs well in data), there has to be a reason that players feel that way, so itʼs worth at least looking into.

By merging these three resources, we can form a comprehensive understanding of the meta, enabling us to determine what updates are necessary.

Just like League of Legends, Teamfight Tactics boasts an active community that the developers can regularly count on. This interaction is heavily influenced by player feedback, demonstrating the significance of a mutually beneficial relationship in this context. Ideally, the players’ perspective and contentment will continue to be key factors in shaping future adjustments to game balance.

How Teamfight Tactics Knows When it’s Time for a Champion to Receive a Rework

Due to the alterations Arcane made to Viktor in League of Legends, reworks have been a contentious topic among different Riot games. However, Wu believed that Viktor’s revamp didn’t stir up as much controversy within the Teamfight Tactics community because he was initially introduced that way. Later, Wu discussed the motivations behind designing each character, stating that every unit should possess a “3-item fantasy,” allowing players to equip them with three items and watch them perform, whether it’s clearing the board or standing up against everything. Wu further explained:

* Every unit should have a “3-item fantasy” that allows players to place 3 items on them and see them in action, whether it’s wiping out the board or withstanding everything.
* Each character design should aim for a “3-item build” that enables players to experience the unit at its best, either by dominating the game or enduring all challenges.

To illustrate, triumphing with Set 12 (Magic nʼ Mayhem) required Ahri players to carefully arrange the entire board in a particular fashion, possessing three distinct items. This setup enabled her to deal true damage and eliminate numerous units simultaneously. If players failed to do this, Ahri was less effective. Adjustments in balance would have impacted the effectiveness of the successful scenario, but not the criteria for success. Consequently, we decided on a rework instead. By initiating the validation of our objective earlier in development, we aim to ensure that future players will not encounter units changing during a set unexpectedly.

This strategy aims to completely eliminate the need for revisions, a goal shared by many players. Simultaneously, it demonstrates a keen awareness of situations where revisions are necessary. Balancing an ever-changing game like Teamfight Tactics requires this delicate balance, and if this approach persists, the game is likely to stay vibrant even after the Lunar Festival ends.

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2025-02-23 02:00