If you recall, the Kayle – Knight composition was extremely powerful in the early stages of Season 5 of Teamfight Tactics. After a series of nerfs, Kayle diminished significantly in strength and was not favored by players for quite some time. However, in patch 11.17, Kayle and her Knight companions made a surprising return with a top 4 placement rate of 52.9% and a pick rate of 0.96 (statistics from Metatft.com). So what is the reason for this comeback?
First, we need to mention that Riot directly buffed Kayle in patch 11.17 by increasing her base health and attack speed. This allows Kayle to deal consistent damage and, importantly, survive fights better than in the previous version. With Blade of the Fallen (both regular and Light versions) becoming increasingly popular, Kayle is well-protected to deal effective damage.
Furthermore, Riot’s heavy nerfs to the 3-cost carries in patch 11.17 have made the reroll strategy at level 7 less popular. This slows down the pace of the matches, giving players more time to accumulate gold and level up. As a result, players can more frequently obtain valuable 5-cost champions (including Kayle). Additionally, the Divine Blessing mechanic provides players with more gold and items to level up and focus on Kayle in the late game.
Moreover, the overwhelming power of the Knight system has also contributed to this composition’s strong return in patch 11.17. In fact, you should not aim to play around Kayle from the start; instead, focus on carries like Vayne and Kalista early on or Aphelios and Draven at levels 7-8. Regardless of which carry type you play, the Knight units are irreplaceable in the frontline, helping the entire composition survive significantly better.
Additionally, since you only need one main damage dealer, Kayle, players do not need to spend too much gold to pivot the composition. This champion can effectively utilize various items such as Guinsoo’s Rageblade, Hand of Justice, Guardian Angel, and Infinity Edge, so you won’t face too much pressure regarding itemization.
A tip when considering using the Kayle – Knight composition is not to always aim for the 6 Knights threshold. Sometimes, economic conditions may not allow you to roll for both Garen and Kayle at level 8. Therefore, players should settle for 4 Knights and add tanks or good protectors like Lulu or Gwen to help Kayle survive better.
