Patch 16.3 fundamentally shifted Teamfight Tactics’ competitive landscape. Riot Games intentionally made going to Level 9 harder by increasing the experience cost from Level 8 to 9 — pushing players to rethink the once‑dominant Fast 9 strategy.
This change, combined with adjustments to unlockable odds and key trait balance shifts, means the old “save hard, level fast” approach now often leaves boards weak and gold tight. If you’re climbing the ranked ladder, you need practical augment strategies that fit the new tempo — and that’s exactly what this guide delivers.
📌 Why Fast 9 Is Less Viable After Patch 16.3
🔁 Increased Leveling Cost
One of Patch 16.3’s headline changes was raising the XP cost from 68 to 76 for Level 8 → Level 9. This makes the timing and gold investment for Fast 9 more punishing and slower, often leaving players vulnerable in mid‑game without a strong board.
🧠 Meta & System Signals
Riot’s patch notes explicitly state that players skipping Level 8 “wasn’t bad — just too frequent,” implying lower‑risk strategies should be encouraged. This reflects a system design shift away from greed‑based tempo spikes toward more robust mid‑game boards that transition cleanly into late game.
⚙ Unlock System & Trait Changes
Patch 16.3 also tweaked unlock odds — making 4‑ and 5‑cost unlockables harder to three‑star when uncontested and easier to two‑star when contested. This further diminishes the payoff of rolling aggressively at high levels as a Fast 9 bait.
🔥 Top Augments to Help Replace Fast 9 in Patch 16.3
With Fast 9 under pressure, your augment choices matter more than ever. You want augments that either compensate for slower leveling, boost board strength, or create alternative power spikes.
🪙 1. Windfall — Instant Gold Infusion
Effect: Provides immediate gold.
Why It Helps:
Boosts your economy early to help survive mid‑game and invest in stabilizing boards without spending all gold on XP or rolls. It’s a strong early pick, especially if you see your economy lagging behind opponents’ board strength.
When to Pick:
Stage 2‑1 or Stage 3‑1, if your early board feels weak or you’re juggling between saving and powering up units.
💰 2. Rich Get Richer — Interest Reward Engine
Effect: Grants bonus gold based on your gold amount.
Why It Helps:
When Fast 9 is less reliable, saving gold becomes more strategic. Rich Get Richer rewards disciplined saving and lets you build a sustainable economy for later pivoting or rolling.
Strategic Application:
Helps bridge the gap between Stage 3 and Stage 4 without committing all your resources to leveling. It also eases the pressure to slam XP early.
💪 3. Combat Training — Board Strength Power Spike
Effect: Stacking bonus attack damage per kill.
Why It Helps:
With fewer early board wins from greedy plays, augmenting your board’s raw power becomes vital. Combat Training rewards players who win rounds, letting units snowball strength even without expensive carries.
Best For:
Mid‑game fights where a stronger board can preserve health while you build toward your late game plan.
🛡️ 4. Cybernetic Implants — Boost Item Dependency
Effect: Increased health and AD for champions holding items.
Why It Helps:
Since Fast 9 now delays your access to high‑cost carries, augmenting champions already on the board gives an immediate power increase without sacrificing economy.
Use When:
You have strong early item holders but can’t commit to full rolling for carry upgrades.
🌟 5. Stand United — Trait Synergy Enhancer
Effect: Boosts AD and AP based on active traits.
Why It Helps:
Traits buffed by Stand United often scale better into late game than random XP pushes. Choosing this augment can make existing synergies carry harder instead of gambling on Level 9 roll outcomes.
Pro Tip:
Works best if you already have a partial synergy (e.g., invokers or strong frontline traits) that just needs a boost to finish out.
🤺 Trait‑Focused Augments & Reroute Picks
Patch 16.3 also buffed some traits that now provide stronger core power paths without needing Fast 9 ramps.
🌿 Darkin (3) Power Spike
Darkin (3) damage increase is enormous this patch, making trait‑centric boards more rewarding than rushing slots on weaker carries. You can lean into Darkin augments that support durability or damage scaling to counter early‑game swings.
🏔 Ixtal Quest Cashouts
Ixtal’s quest rewards and cashouts (especially at 700+ Sunshards) provide item overflow and value that can replace tempo advantage from Fast 9 econ. If you can farm Sunshards and unlock cashouts early, you’ll have item resources others lack — a strong pivot away from pure leveling.
🤖 Piltover Modules Buffs
Piltover traits received significant buffs in Patch 16.3 — including improved Continuum Cogs and Acceleration Gate effects. These make Piltover‑oriented boards stronger without needing Level 9 first, providing reliable mid‑game power.
🧠 How to Choose Augments in the New Meta
Here’s a simple framework to pick augments post‑16.3:
1️⃣ Understand Your Board Strength
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If your board is weak, choose combat enhancers to preserve health.
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If solid, prioritize economic augments to reach sustainable size.
2️⃣ Scout Opponents
Knowing which strategies others are building informs whether you should compete (choose contested power augments) or pivot (choose general power or econ augments).
3️⃣ Look for Flexible Picks
Favor augments that support multiple paths — e.g., Stand United can help nearly any trait, and Rich Get Richer helps in almost every build.
📈 Comps That Pair Well With Post‑Fast 9 Augments
Blitz.gg meta commentary suggests that some boards are stronger after the tempo nerfs than others:
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Ixtal Reroll feels strong with cashouts and augment support.
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Reroll builds in general leverage stable mid‑game boards to scale.
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Piltover modules benefit from improved mana and attack buffs.
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While Bilgewater may be weaker, other reroll or hybrid strategies provide more reliable performance without needing Level 9 early.
🧩 Final Thoughts: Embrace Flexibility Over Greed
Patch 16.3 didn’t just nerf a popular strategy — it reshapes how TFT games are won. The increase in leveling cost and augment reforms push players toward board strength, adaptable augment selections, and trait power paths that don’t hinge on hitting Level 9 first.
By mastering the right augments — ones that empower your economy, your board, or your emergent synergies — you can climb consistently even in the slowest, longest games Patch 16.3 may produce.
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