TFT update 13.9 patch notes: Portals, balance changes & more

The TFT update 13.9 patch notes for May 3 are finally here, detailing all the changes coming in the game's latest 'For Fun' patch. The latest Teamfight Tactics update has introduced a bunch of new changes to the game, with the introduction of portals being the main focus, along with some balance changes big and small. So, take a look at our breakdown of the TFT update 13.9 patch notes. 

• Make sure you also check out the League of Legends update 13.9 patch notes. 

TFT update 13.9 patch notes: Portals

A big part of this latest 'For Fun' patch is the introduction of portals, which will appear in the normal queue only to bring more loot and power to people's team compositions. Here's how the portals are set to work in TFT update 13.9.

Stage 2-6 portals

Common and game accelerating

• Stage 2-6 Portals have a 75% chance of appearing. Demacia, Piltover, Targon, and No Portals each have an equal chance of appearing.
• Demacia: Gain 2 item components
• Void: Gain a Thief’s Gloves
• Zaun: Gain 10 gold

Stage 3-3 portals

Rare and eclectic.

• Stage 3-3 Portals have an 8% chance of appearing. That 8% is composed of Portals from Ionia, Shadow Isles, Noxus, and Freljord, all of which have an equal chance of appearing.
• Ionia: Target Dummy + 15 gold
• Shadow Isles: Neeko + Two 4-cost Champions
• Noxus: 2 full Item Anvils
• Freljord: Ornn Anvil

Stage 4-3 portals

Uncommon and powerful!

• Stage 4-3 Portals have a 30% chance of appearing. That 30% is composed of Portals from Targon, Piltover, and Shurima, all of which have an equal chance of appearing.
• Targon: Gain a Tactician’s Crown
• Piltover: Gain a Loaded Dice, a Lesser Champion Duplicator, a Remover, and a Reforger
• Shurima: Gain a Tome of Traits and 6 gold

TFT update 13.9 patch notes: All changes

System changes

Three Star Legendary units

Hitting a 3-star 5-cost is a rare endeavour, occurring in 2.6% of games (across all modes). So, when it happens we want to make sure it really HAPPENS for the player.

• 3-star 5-cost champions now all have an additional 4000 health

Large Changes

Traits

Access to 5 Gadgeteen early with an Emblem has provided too much consistency, especially for a trait full of youngsters who shouldn’t be expected to perform like a late-game comp for at least a couple more years.

• Defender team Armor: 25/75/200 ⇒ 25/70/180
• Gadgeteen Damage & Damage Reduction per item: 3/10% ⇒ 4/9%

Units: Tier 1

A higher base Attack Speed means Gangplank will benefit a bit more when you need to run him in your vertical Duelist comp.

Last patch we changed Kayle’s Cease-fire Spellblade to no longer lock her out of attacking for a brief period. This patch we’re adding the Star to Kayle’s Starfire Spellblade to ensure you can itemize her as a reroll carry, especially when you take Divine Ascent as your Hero Augment.

• Gangplank Attack Speed: 0.65 ⇒ 0.7
• Kayle Starfire Spellblade AD ratio: 155 ⇒ 175%

Units: Tier 2

Is she a carry, or a utility champion? Neither. Currently, Camille lacks the damage and scaling to play as a reroll champion, while also providing unreliable crowd control that frequently fails to disable anything past the frontline. We’re cutting down her weaknesses with two smaller buffs that are sure to place her on the cutting edge of the meta.

• Camille Tactical Sweep AD ratio: 210% ⇒ 240%
• Camille Tactical Sweep Disarm Duration: 1.5/1.6/1.75 ⇒ 1.75/1.8/2 sec

Units: Tier 3

Kai’Sa seems to be successful when everyone but me runs her, so I’m not gonna lie… pretty stoked about this one.

• Kai’Sa Starcharged Damage: 135/205/335 ⇒ 125/185/310
• Kai’Sa Starcharged Bonus AS: 75% ⇒ 60%

Units: Tier 4

Aatrox is the least threatening of the threats—which is pretty soul-crushing if you ask me. A bit more base damage will help here.

Garen’s ability has a big, high-impact stun. While a sword slamming from the sky should be stunning, we’re making it both take longer to get that initial cast off AND take even longer to cast again.

Viego and the Renegade vertical have been weak for a while. As a melee carry for the trait, Viego unreliably takes advantage of the extra damage for being the last one standing, so by giving him a bit more Health, we’re hoping he can keep breaking hearts on the battlefield.

• Aatrox Soul Crush Damage: 200/300/1200 ⇒ 220/330/1200
• Aatrox The Darkin Blade Damage: 200/300/1200 ⇒ 220/330/1200
• Garen Mana nerf: 90/180 ⇒ 100/200
• Jhin AD: 65 ⇒ 70
• Miss Fortune Bullet Time Damage: 32/50/150 ⇒ 30/45/150
• Miss Fortune Bullet Time subsequent Damage: 18/27/100 ⇒ 15/24/100
• Viego Health: 950 ⇒ 1000
• Viego Heartbreaker Damage: 240/360/800 ⇒ 260/390/900

Hero Augments

Buffing the worst performers and nerfing the best performers.

Jinx’s carry Augment, Get Excited! greatly benefitted from the Jinx buffs we shipped last patch. The power ceiling of this Augment is also dependent on correct itemization, which is far different from the standard “Jinx hold my items” build you frequently see her wearing in the early game.

Speaking of power ceilings, Garen can throw a giant sword right through them. We are buffing Garen’s Full Power to Sword here due to our Garen nerf above to make sure the already risky Augment doesn’t become unplayable. The Augment has some insane highs with the right itemization and comp, which you are welcome to pursue at the cost of your LP (and mine).

• Ashe - Laser Focus Attack Speed: 50% ⇒ 45%
• Lux - Illuminating Singularity Bonus Damage: 120% ⇒ 150%
• Nasus - Soul Eater Heal on takedown: 300 ⇒ 275
• Jinx - Get Excited! Base AS: 35% ⇒ 30%
• Lee Sin - Cleansing Safeguard Mana Reduction: 10 ⇒ 15
• Pyke - Your Cut Casts per reroll: 3 ⇒ 2
• Rell - Hold the Line Bonus AP: 80 ⇒ 60
• Yasuo - Winds of the Wanderer Bonus Damage: 20% ⇒ 8%
• Jax - Relentless Assault AS per 3 autos: 15% ⇒ 18%
• Riven - Triumphant Return HP Shield: 40% ⇒ 45%
• Garen - Full Power to Sword Mana Reduction: 30 ⇒ 50
• Garen - My Sword is Your Shield HP Shield: 15% ⇒ 12%
• Garen - My Sword is Your Shield, Shield Duration: 6 ⇒ 4 sec
• Warwick - Big Data Damage per 100 HP: 0.75% ⇒ 0.65%
• Warwick - Well Fed Starting HP: 40 ⇒ 60
• Warwick - Well Fed+ Starting HP: 140 ⇒ 150

Augments

Certain trait-linked Augments provided too much access, too early, to powerful chase traits. We weren’t comfortable seeing these power thresholds broken so quickly and often, so we’ve changed the biggest offenders to only appear on Stage 4-2 (final Augment).

• LaserCorps Heart, LaserCorps Soul, Gadgeteen Heart, Gadgeteen Crest, and Gadgeteen Crown all can now only appear on 4-2.

Small Changes

Units: Tier 1

Bonky Kong may be a thing of the past, but Stone Skin Spin to Win still has its chance to thrive!

• Wukong Stone Skin Damage: 140/210/315 ⇒ 150/225/335

Units: Tier 3

His weapon gets realer by the minute!

• Jax Adaptive Strike Damage: 80/125/210 ⇒ 85/130/210

Units: Tier 5

Very confused as to how these changes didn’t make it into the Large section. They impact almost every game I play—I assume it’s the same for you!?

• Ultimate Ezreal Alternate Ezrealities AD ratio: 133/133/277 ⇒ 133/133/533%
• Syndra at 3-stars will now always cast her ability 9 times. Even when you don’t have units on the bench.

Ornn (Forge) Items

Clean-up on aisle Ornn.

• Death’s Defiance AS: 20% ⇒ 30%
• Death’s Defiance Armor: 20 ⇒ 30
• Obsidian Cleaver HP: 150 ⇒ 250
• Obsidian Cleaver AD: 20% ⇒ 25%
• Zhonya’s Paradox AP: 40 ⇒ 30
• Zhonya’s Paradox Armor & MR: 40 ⇒ 30

Radiant Items

Shining a light on the dimmer ones and putting a blanket over those shining too brightly.

• Brink of Dawn (Edge of Night) AD: 10% ⇒ 30%
• Brink of Dawn (Edge of Night) Armor: 20 ⇒ 30
• Locket of Targon Prime (Locket of the Iron Solari) Shield Value: 400/500/600 ⇒ 350/400/450
• Bulwark’s Oath (Protector’s Vow) Starting Mana: 45 ⇒ 60
• Quickestsilver (Quicksilver) MR: 20 ⇒ 40
• Quickestsilver (Quicksilver) Crit Chance: 20% ⇒ 40%
• Rapid Lightcannon (Rapid Firecannon) Attack Speed: 99% ⇒ 125%
• Statikk Favor (Statikk Shiv) Damage: 75 ⇒ 65

Bug Fixes

• Burno has been purged of corruption! Mecha, Feudal Future, & Galactic Victory Burno are no longer plagued by the grey of oblivion during some animations.
• Fixed bug where Hand of Justice was rolling an extra time on invasion
• Un-Optimal Prime: Fixed bug where Exo Prime Selector was being created when trait wasn’t active
• Fixed a bug where Crowns and Crests could fail to grant items if you had a full item bench.
• Bad prank: Gadgeteens no longer lose their Damage done and Damage taken boosts when Prankster procs
• Ironic Spark: Ionic Spark deals damage correctly now.

That's all for our breakdown of the TFT update 13.9 patch notes, and now you know all the changes set to come in the next update.