The team of TFT: Teamfight Tactics has recently unveiled their plans to initiate a significant overhaul in the game’s loot distribution system.
This update is set to commence with the release of Patch 14.3. The core focus of this update is to minimize the variability in item drops, a feature that has been a staple of the game’s randomness factor.
Teamfight Tactics, or TFT, is a game that predominantly hinges on player skill and strategic prowess. While elements of luck do play a role, these players have developed the ability to navigate the game’s variance, skillfully adapting their strategies based on the items, their economy, and the options in the shop.
However, despite the importance of skill in TFT, the game does incorporate a considerable degree of randomness. This aspect of the game means that players sometimes face situations that are beyond their control. For instance, an opponent might build a similar team comp and acquire crucial units first, or a player might receive minimal gold from PvE rounds.
TFT item drop changes in Patch 14.3
Recognizing the impact of this randomness, the TFT developers have identified the need to address the game’s variability, especially with the introduction of new mechanics such as Augments and Portals in Set 10. The team believes that the current level of variance has become excessively unpredictable, prompting a reevaluation of this aspect in Patch 14.3.
Mortdog, the lead designer of Teamfight Tactics, expressed on Twitter that the item drop system has been a significant source of variance since the game’s inception, even before the introduction of augments and portals.
Over time, as the game evolved and players’ skills and understanding deepened, perceptions of what constitutes fairness in the game have shifted. Consequently, the current level of item drop is now seen as excessively disproportionate.
To address this, the upcoming change in Patch 14.3 will ensure that players receive a consistent number of items, with the intent to standardize the starting conditions for all players.
“Being down two components but up 12 gold on 2-1 is no longer variance, but just unfairness as we understand truly which outcome can be optimized better.”
This adjustment will essentially eliminate all gold starts. This modification is planned to be implemented from Patch 14.3 and will continue through to Patch 14.5. During this period, the TFT development team has indicated that they are preparing for more extensive updates as part of a larger-scale overhaul of the game’s systems.