Although it has been nerfed in the latest TFT patch, Black Rose remains the strongest level 8 composition. It dominates the current meta of Season 13. Its champions are versatile and work in almost any team comp and playstyle. To master Black Rose, you need to know how to flex between multiple champions and setups. This comp is highly contested in every game.
How Powerful is Black Rose?
The strength of Black Rose lies in its balanced offense and defense. Elise is incredibly valuable. As a frontline champion, she is one of the best for crowd control (CC), and as a backline carry, her damage is impressive. Black Rose activates several support traits like Enforcer, Sorcerer, Conqueror, and Mystic, making it adaptable. In the late game, you can add powerful 5-cost champions like Mordekaiser, LeBlanc, or Malzahar, which makes the comp incredibly strong. Once it hits full form, it almost guarantees a top-2 finish in most games.
This comp focuses on magic damage. Equip items like Shojin, Nashor’s Tooth, Red Buff, and Jeweled Gauntlet, which are great for all champions. Avoid Blue Buff, as only Heimerdinger uses it well. For tank items, prioritize Bloodthirster for Garen. Magic penetration is crucial, so include items like Static Shiv or Hextech Gunblade to break through enemy tanks.
Recommended Augments: Black Rose Emblem, Gold Rain, Energy Surge, Stick’s Desire, Belt’s Passion, Void Swarm, Game Over, or Age of Legends.
Team Composition and Playstyle
To play Black Rose effectively, you need a strong start. The comp depends on getting 4-cost champions, which can be contested. If you can’t level up to 8 quickly and roll for champions, you’ll fall behind. Play Black Rose only if you have augments that provide gold or experience, like Gold Rain or Game Over. Otherwise, aim for a win streak, or at least maintain your health.
In the early game, use Morgana to hold items and tank, with Vladimir and Amumu as Enforcers. If you get Cassiopeia to trigger Black Rose early, you can build a win streak. If not, use the strongest team you have.
This is a fast 8 comp, so there’s no real mid-game strategy. In stage 3, just level up and hope you get the champions you need.
The core champions for this comp are Morgana, Vladimir, Cassiopeia, and Elise. Garen also fits well, but he is not as important as the four main Black Rose champions.
Adjust your team depending on your rolls, augments, and items. The core team provides a solid foundation for various builds.
Leveling Up and Rolling at Level 8
You can reach level 8 by round 4-1 and roll immediately to avoid competition for champions. From here, there are several ways to build your team. The easiest and strongest setup is Black Rose Sorcerer. Use Heimerdinger as your main carry, with Elise and Garen as tanks. At level 9, if you get Malzahar to 2 stars, switch his items with Heimerdinger’s and add LeBlanc to trigger the 4 Black Rose trait. This setup is easy to play and strong. You’ll have two durable tanks, high DPS, and natural magic penetration from Malzahar. The downside is that damage might feel low at level 8 with only Heimerdinger as the main carry.
The second setup is Black Rose Domination, with Silco as the main damage dealer and Mundo as the tank. Later, you can add Mordekaiser. This build offers massive damage because Domination acts like a Guardian Angel for the whole team. If you want to go full offense, you can also use Elise as a secondary carry. This setup requires more gold than Sorcerer, as Mordekaiser needs to be 2 stars to be effective. If you add Elise as a carry, focus on building damage items rather than tanky ones.
Lastly, there’s the Black Rose Rebel hybrid. This is a backup when you can’t get the champions for the other setups. While it lacks the power of the other comps, you still need to know how to play it. You may not always get the champions you need, so being flexible and adjusting your strategy is key.
Tips for All Compositions
For all setups, position Sion where he can take the most damage to activate his chain early. For comps with short-range carries like Ironclad or Ambush, Sion can knock up enemies twice, allowing Elise to remain stationary. Black Rose is a powerful fast 8 comp but can be tricky to play. To climb from Diamond and beyond, mastering this comp is crucial.
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