After the release of patch 12.5b, it’s clear that the Innovators composition is dominating the Teamfight Tactics meta. Alongside this, various variants of the Assassin, Irelia – Iconic, or Brawler teams are proving to be very strong due to their ability to quickly close in on the enemy’s damage dealers. And then, experts have gradually discovered that the Jhin – Marksman team is an excellent choice to counter the current meta.
Essentially, the Jhin – Marksman composition operates similarly to typical Marksman teams by leveraging the long-range attacks of its main unit to secure victories. However, by utilizing the 4 Marksman trait, this composition can effectively lock down both the enemy’s damage dealers and their main tanks. Against an Innovator team, the Marksman effect often locks down the Mechanized Bear, causing this unit to be taken down quickly without being able to cast its ability multiple times.
For Assassin compositions, the 4 Marksman effect can also disrupt their attack flow, as Talon or Twitch will be locked down for an extended period. The same scenario occurs with compositions like Brawlers and Irelia – Iconic, leading to a misaligned operation and making them easier to take down than before.
To build this composition, you should start with a Brawler – Marksman team and utilize cheap, quality units like Caitlyn, Sejuani, and Illaoi. By the mid-game, you can aim for 4 Brawlers if possible to best protect Caitlyn, Ashe, or Miss Fortune, allowing them to deal damage from the backline. Additionally, Tech units are also a good option since their trait is very strong in the mid-game.
Towards the late game, you need to “spend money” at level 8 to upgrade important 4-cost units like Jhin, Vi, or Orianna to 2 stars. If you’re not playing Innovator, you can be satisfied with a 1-star Jayce and place him in the frontline to take advantage of the armor/magic resist reduction effect from this unit’s ability. You can also reuse Ashe as the fourth Marksman or bring Zeri into play if you acquire this unit during your rolls.
The crucial technology core for the Jhin – Marksman team is the Sniper Core, which directly increases the damage output of Marksmen by 40%, even though it is just a Silver-tier core. Additionally, cores that provide Marksman Emblem or Marksman Heart are also very strong for this composition as you can activate the 4-unit mark early without needing Jayce. Furthermore, the Professional Training core is also incredibly strong for this composition if you intend to play Jayce as a main damage dealer.
For the “signature” items, the trio of Infinity Edge, Green Bow, and Giant Slayer remains the optimal choice for Jhin. If you manage to craft a Rabadon’s Deathcap or a Shojin Spear, Miss Fortune becomes an incredibly viable option.
