APatch 18.1
Riftbeast Ascension TFT Set 18 Ranked Comp
A tier A TFT Set 18 ranked comp for patch 18.1: how to build it, which items and augments to prioritise, and how to position it.
Fast 8Riftbeast
How to Play
Riftbeast Ascension stacks a full seven-plus Riftbeast board and transitions into Elder Dragon as a late hyper carry when the gold allows, with Brambleback as a real damage source in the meantime.
Core Units
Elder Dragon
5-cost Carry
Ancient Sentinel
4-cost Frontline
Brambleback
4-cost Carry
Taric
5-cost Frontline
Gnar
5-cost Frontline
Krug
3-cost Frontline
Murkwolf
2-cost Frontline
Pebbles
1-cost Utility
Early Game
Murkwolf, Krug, and Pebbles are cheap Riftbeast bodies from the opening rounds. Riftbeast pieces are common, so you can afford a wide frontline without spending much econ on it.
Mid Game
Push through level 8 while adding Ancient Sentinel, Taric, and Gnar. Use your Alpha Mark augment charge on Elder Dragon if you have one, and pair Taric with him.
Late Game and Final Board
Elder Dragon is a seven-cost unit and genuinely hard to hit, but Brambleback alone behind this frontline is already a competitive board while you wait.
Best Items
Elder Dragon wants Hand Of Justice and Infinity Edge; Brambleback runs Giant Slayer and Quicksilver; Ancient Sentinel takes pure tank stats.
Best Augments
Carve a Path and Cognitive Tax suit the early game; Big Grab Bag and Cybernetic Implants II support the mid game; Golden Gamble and Baron's Lair close it out.
Positioning
Ancient Sentinel, Taric, Gnar, Krug, and Murkwolf wall the front. Keep Elder Dragon and Brambleback in separate backline corners.
Flex Units and Alternative Carries
Pebbles is the flexible early utility slot.
Strengths and Weaknesses
A genuinely tanky Riftbeast wall with a real damage source in Brambleback even before Elder Dragon lands. The same seven-cost variance as any Elder Dragon plan applies to its true ceiling.
Want to actually climb with this?
The free breakdown gets you started. The guide gets you to gold-plus.
This page covers the Riftbeast Ascension fundamentals. The full e-guide covers every transition, contested-lobby adjustment, and augment line piloting decision that separates a 4th from a 1st: the stuff that doesn't fit in a free writeup.
See what's in the guide