TFT SET 4 Common Openers

 This is intended as a resource for my students, but if you've stumbled upon this feel free to use it.

VANGUARD SHARPS WITH DUSK

• Garen in center to maximize spin damage.  Melee units will group around Garen.
• Vayne/Nidalee on opposite sides.  Plays around Jarvan IV and Assassins on a single side.
• Nidalee on opposite side of opposing units to maximize spear damage.
• Thresh has some options, right behind Garen to shield Garen to maximize spin damage, or as a bait unit, pictured above, to protect Vayne.  We're protecting Vayne as she's on the unsafe side, mirror this positioning if that's not the case.

Traits: Vanguard, Dusk, Sharpshooter

Natural Progression: Warlord, add Jarvan IV or VI

 

 KEEPER/WARLORD

• Need to position on right side on board.  Otherwise you can't get Nidalee behind both Elise/Jarvan.
• Garen in front of Jarvan/Elise.  Like the above composition, you're trying to get as many units as possible to surround Garen while he spins.  Keeper shield will generally allow a full spin.
• Maximize Keeper Value.
  

Traits: Keeper, Warlord

Natural Progression: Sharpshooter, add Vayne, Vanguard, add Wukong/Thresh/Hecarim

 

                      

KEEPER/CULTIST

• Similar to above, must be run on right side of board to keep Twisted Fate behind Keepers.
• Can also be run at top right of board.  Better against no assassins and no to little AOE damage, advantage is all of your units are fighting together, rather than Pyke starting the fight by himself.
• Maximize Keeper Value.

Traits: Keeper, Cultist

Natural Progression: Assassin, add Diana. 

 QUICK TIPS: WIN MORE EARLY FIGHTS

1. Frontline all of your units during the first creep rounds! This can buy you an extra second to make your decisions, like if you want to make 10 gold early, prelevel, make a certain 2 star unit, etc.  It's mostly about putting less pressure on you to be fast.
2.  Put in Warlord units during the creep rounds.  Yes, it gives you a stack for winning.  It's easy to scoff at 20 HP and 2 AP, but early fights are very volatile, and surviving an extra auto, or making a unit take one less auto, is often enough to turn an entire fight around.  Getting multiple stacks of Warlord, or playing multiple Warlords during a creep round, is a huge advantage, giving you an extra 40-60 HP to work with, which is 2 extra autos.
3.  Think about Frontline/Backline.  Securing Vanguards by picking up Wukong/Garen is great, as is Brawlers with Tahm + Maokai.  Same goes for backline, although you only have Sharps (Vayne/Nidalee) to work with
4. Slam one item, and play your components.  If you have a 2 item start, generally make whatever you can unless it's Zephyr or Redemption.  Give Bow/Sword to a unit with range and high base attack speed, like a Nidalee, and not to someone like Tahm Kench, with .5 base attack speed and no range.
5. Scout everyone!  Don't let your Nidalee die to a Zed, give it a bodyguard and Zed will be irrelevant.  No one has Jarvan? Don't play around it, clump your units together.