TFT Set 13, Into the Arcane, introduces a brand-new set of Opening Encounters, designed to shake up the start of almost every game in the latest season. After voting mechanics in TFT Set 11 led to widespread abuse, Riot Games opted to completely remove Encounters in Set 12. Now, they’ve made a triumphant return in Set 13, reimagined with an Arcane-inspired theme and improved balancing. Here’s everything you need to know about the Encounters.
What Are Opening Encounters in TFT Set 13?
Opening Encounters are special in-game events that affect all players equally at the start of a match. Originally, there were 12 unique Encounters in TFT Set 13. However, Riot has since adjusted their appearance rates and added new ones through patches to keep the meta fresh and exciting. With the latest update (Patch 14.24), 4 new Encounters—featuring Viktor, Mel, Warwick, and Jayce—were added, bringing the total to 16.
These Encounters are meant to be dynamic and fun, providing unpredictable elements to every game without overly influencing competitive play. Riot has also hinted at introducing more Encounters or tweaking their odds as the season progresses.
How Do Encounters Work?
At the beginning of each TFT match, an Opening Encounter is randomly selected. This creates a shared experience for all players, significantly impacting early-game strategies. Encounters can vary from providing additional loot to unique game-altering mechanics.
In addition to the Opening Encounters, there’s a scripted Anomaly Encounter that occurs for every player at Stage 4-6. During the Anomaly Encounter, you can send one champion to receive a specific buff. If the offered buff doesn’t fit your strategy, you can spend 1 Gold per reroll to try for a better option.
How to Use the Anomaly Encounter
By the time the Anomaly Encounter appears, most players will have a fairly well-defined composition. This makes the buff selection process extremely important. While offensive buffs can provide a late-game power spike, defensive buffs are generally the safer choice for maintaining team stability.
There are a total of 60 Anomaly buffs, ranging from minor stat increases to game-changing upgrades. Your decision should depend on your team’s specific needs and current state, as these buffs can often be the key to victory.
Encounters: What’s New in Patch 14.24?
TFT Patch 14.24 introduced four new Opening Encounters, which bring the total to 16, here’s everything you need to know about every one of them:
| Encounter Probability | Encounter Effect | |
|---|---|---|
| Piltover or Zaun | 10 percent | No Encounter: You get a flavor text about how busy everybody is. |
| Jinx | 7.5 percent | Scuttle Puddle: Replaces all PvE monsters with pacifist Scuttle Crabs that drop high-tier loot. |
| Jinx | 2.5 percent | Crab Rave: Replaces all PvE monsters with Scuttle Crabs that drop high-tier loot but add very dangerous Giant Crabs after stage 5. |
| Caitlyn | 4 percent | Gold Subscription: Every stage, you gain some bonus gold. |
| Ekko | 5 percent | All Augments become Prismatic |
| Heimerdinger | 6 percent | Prismatic First: Opening Augment is Prismatic. |
| Heimerdinger | 4 percent | Prismatic Last: The last Augment is Prismatic |
| Redacted | 4 percent | Wandering Trainer: Get a Sentinel with up to 3 randomized Emblems. |
| Sevika | 4 percent | Gold Subscription: Every stage, you gain some bonus gold. |
| Vander | 10 percent | Everyone gets 3 Gold Augments |
| Violet | 10 percent | Everyone gets 2 Component Anvils. |
| Powder | 5 percent | Powder’s Monkey: At Stage 3-5, one of four things can happen: Monkey explodes(damaging everyone), Bonus Gold for everyone, Bonus items for everyone, nothing happens. Disabled in Hyper Roll. |
| Viktor | 8 percent | Viktor’s Vision: Viktor makes 6-costs appear starting on Stage 4-1 and makes them 3 times as likely to appear in your shop. |
| Mel | 8 percent | Mel’s Aid: Mel will grant you powerful loot at 40 player health. |
| Warwick | 8 percent | Warwick’s Hunger: When you kill an enemy champion, Warwick will occasionally devour their body and leave loot behind. |
| Jayce | 4 percent | Artifact Anvil: Jayce crafts you an Artifact anvil. |
These new additions bring fresh mechanics into the mix, ensuring that no two matches feel the same. Riot’s goal is to make Encounters an engaging part of every game while keeping them fair and balanced.
Final Thoughts
With 16 Opening TFT Encounters and the addition of the Anomaly at Stage 4-6, Into the Arcane promises exciting, high-stakes moments in every match. Whether you’re rerolling for the perfect Anomaly buff or adapting to a unique Encounter mechanic, these new features encourage players to stay flexible and creative with their strategies.
As the season continues, expect Riot Games to keep experimenting with these systems, adding new Encounters, tweaking their odds, and ensuring TFT Set 13 remains as thrilling as ever.
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