Hi everyone, my name is senga.
You can watch me live on Twitch at https://www.twitch.tv/senga24

This guide will help you climb the ranks and perhaps get you thinking about the fundamentals of playing Twisted Fate. He's probably my favorite champion because of how unique he is. What may seem like a simple champion on the surface hides many intricacies that make him a gem. It isn't a surprise that someone like Dopa decided to main him!

Because the League of Legends scene is constantly evolving, I'll try my best to update this guide as often as possible (so that you have the most up to date info on how to climb with TF)

Current patch: 10.18

Ignite is not often taken, but if there isn't a need to take cleanse or teleport, it offers additional damage and healing reduction that may help you secure a kill.

Cleanse is used to save yourself from crowd control. Laners often try to combo their CC with their jungler, so consider taking cleanse if the enemy team has a CC-chain that will lead to a sure kill if landed properly on you.

Some match ups that I would consider running cleanse:
- Annie
- Fiddlesticks
- LeBlanc
- Ryze
- Syndra
- Zoe

Teleport is extremely handy on TF and is also my personal favorite spell to run. It opens up opportunities that help yourself and your teammates. I use teleport as an early re-call tool or as a way to get back to lane after using Destiny ("R" Ability). It eliminates risks that TF would normally have with using Destiny (like losing minions), allowing him to roam freely.

Here's a rule of thumb:

Run the Electrocute route against assassins. It helps you sustain in lane and it also helps you trade.

Run the Unsealed Spellbook route against everyone else.

Try it out for yourself and see that it works like a charm!

Starting Items
Corrupting potion is a must buy on TF. I would almost never substitute it for another starting item as it provides additional damage for trades and sustain, both of which are valuable to him early on in the game.

I would also take yellow trinket over sweeper. It's important that you get vision down on the enemy's raptor camp at 1:25 as it gives you much needed information on the enemy jungler's pathing. If you see that the jungler is on raptors at around the 2:30 mark, there is a high chance that scuttle will be contested or that mid will be ganked. Watch out for this and move accordingly.

First Re-Call
Depending on how successful early laning phase goes, you have options to buy:
- Boots, Dark Seal, and a Control Ward
This is the go-to buy when you're forced to re-call early and don't have money to buy other items.
- a Catalyst and Control Ward
Buy Catalyst when you are winning lane. It builds into Rod of Ages, which is CORE to TF's build.
- Mercury Treads and a Control Ward
Mercury Treads are commonly bought when you are being pressured by an AP opponent. It provides much needed magic resistance, tenacity, and movement speed, enabling you to get out of sticky situations and take less damage in early trades.
- Seaker's Armgaurd and a Control Ward
Seaker's Armgaurd is a must buy against AD champions like Talon and Zed, where you will likely purchase Zhonya's as your first core item. Much like Mercury Treads, it provides you with much needed armour, negating damage taken in early trades.

Core Items
Rod of Ages and Lich Bane are pivotal to TF. ROA will be your first completed item and Lich Bane will be your second. There are almost no scenarios where this is not the case. However, there may be times where you need to delay buying Lich Bane to purchase a Zhonya's Hourglass.

Let's recap what we have so far.
-Complete a Rod of Ages first.
-Complete either a Lich Bane or Zhonya's Hourglass second. These two will be your second and third item. The order is interchangeable.

5th and 6th Item Choices
The last 2 items in your build will amplify your damage. At this stage in the game, you want to be able to clear waves with 1 W + Q combo and deal heavy damage to turrets.

Thus, the best options are as follows:
- Mejai's Soulstealer
I'd recommend upgrading your Dark Seal if both you and your team are doing well, and if you can reasonably expect to stay alive during fights. Getting Mejai's to 10+ stacks will grant you 10% movement speed and it will also give you a total of 145 AP at max stacks (25). This item is pretty good on TF.
- Rabadon's Deathcap
I'd say Rabadon's is better for TF's kit than Void Staff is because of the sheer amount of AP it provides. Build this item over Void Staff if 2 or less people on the enemy team are building MR. Your goal on TF isn't too shred through the enemy team's front line anyways. It's to peal for your backline and look for picks!
- Void Staff
Build Void Staff if 3 or more people on the enemy team are building MR.

The early order of his abilities is simple.
W -> Q -> E.
This order is standard.

In the event that you're looking to engage in auto attack trades, level up E second instead.
W -> E -> Q.
This order will give you access to the attack speed and damage necessary to out trade most control mages at level 2.

Next, let's go through how to use TF's abilities.

Wild Cards
Wild Cards is a long range tool for you to clear waves at a safe distance. Be precise as possible to maximize its utility. Your goal is to hit as many minions as possible. I'd strongly recommend that you normal cast this ability as it's the best way to target minions accurately.

Pick a Card
TF cycles through 3 cards of varying damage and effect.
Blue card deals the highest amount of damage and replenishes mana when it hits the target. Use this when you're low on mana, when hitting enemy turrets, and when it's completely safe to poke out the enemy without yellow card. Examples of when not to use it is when the enemy can gap close to you (ie. Katarina "E" or Zed "W").

Next up is red card. It deals the second most amount of damage and slows the enemy for 2.5 seconds. It's primarily used as a wave clear tool along with Q, but is also a fantastic way to get poke damage in the early laning phase. The radius on red card is surprisingly large. Try to land it on a minion when the enemy champion is near it.

Yellow card is what makes TF so special. On hit, it deals damage and stuns the enemy champion. It's probably the most useful card both inside and outside of laning phase. Let's go over both scenarios.

In laning phase, you want to use yellow card to pressure your opponent. Having pick a card queued without actually picking a card forces your opponent to play back. This gives you an opportunity to push in your wave for free. It's also used to set up ganks for your jungler. One thing to note, is that like I mentioned earlier, the enemy mid laner will retreat once you start queuing pick a card, so a handy trick for you to learn is to instantaneously pick yellow card. This requires a bit of luck, reaction speed, and practice.

Outside of laning phase, your goal is to either chain your yellow card with ally CC, or to use it in conjunction with Destiny to engage a fight. But make sure you have Zhonya's Hourglass ready or engaging with Destiny could lead to a fast re-call *wink*.

Stacked Deck
This ability is quite simple. It provides you with scaling % attack speed (up to 40% bonus attack speed at max level) and bonus magic damage applied to every 4th auto attack. Use it with pick a card to deal TONS of damage.

Destiny
Destiny is a teleport that allows you to travel long distances across the Rift. This is the skill that Dopa is prized for, as good use of it exemplifies what perfect macro play looks like. Use this ability to gank for your laners, help your jungler invade, or to get back to lane after an unfair trade.

Loaded Dice - Passive Ability
I'll keep this one short and sweet. You get 1-6 additional gold for killing enemies. This includes minions so do your best to CS well!

Now that we know more about TF's abilities and how to use them, we can talk about how to apply it in lane.

In every matchup, spacing is going to win or lose you the lane. Spacing between you and the enemy mid laner that is. Play conservatively when you're behind, and aggressively when you're ahead.

Playing from behind is actually quite simple. Use your Q from a distance to farm and continually push your wave into the enemy tower. Once your wave is pushed in, you can look to place wards around mid lane or gank other lanes. Try to keep your eyes peeled around the map for opportunities to roam as it's probably your best bet to get back into the game.

When you're ahead, you should constantly pressure the enemy mid laner with Pick a Card. Simply hover Pick a Card while last hitting with your auto attacks. If the enemy mid laner approaches to CS, start pathing towards them and look to pull out a yellow card. They then have to take a WQAA to the face or give up CS. Rinse and repeat until you accumulate a CS lead. One other thing you want to keep in mind is to be ready to push the wave in, as you want to maintain lane priority to help your jungler secure jungle camps.

Have fun on the Rift!

10.13
No changes to TF.
Death's Dance nerfed for ranged champions -> should have an easier time dealing with them.