Talon
Despite costing only 2 gold, Talon is currently one of the strongest core units in Teamfight Tactics in patch 12.1. With a buff to his base attack speed and increased damage output from the Empire trait, Talon can deal enormous amounts of damage. Combined with the “tankiness” of Sion in the front line, the Empire composition is currently incredibly powerful and ranks at the top of the meta.
Furthermore, Talon is one of the rare units in the Assassin class that is not countered by Thornmail. With the ability to deal continuous magic damage to targets, the value of Thornmail is greatly diminished when the unit equipped with it is attacked by Talon. Remember that this damage is also amplified by the Empire effect, so even if you build full physical damage for Talon, this unit still deals massive magic damage. This factor allows Talon to retain significant value late in the game.
Zyra
With the Gang composition becoming increasingly popular, the utility of units from this trait has also risen significantly. Among them, Zyra’s power has greatly increased due to her substantial influence and the rapid changes in the meta. Essentially, in the Gang composition, Zyra is one of the most important champions as she can control the carries and frontline tanks, allowing Assassins to deal damage freely.
Additionally, the widespread emergence of the Power Chalice meta has significantly boosted Zyra’s strength. Typically, Zyra would not be the unit to carry items in a Gang team; even support items are usually held by Ekko. However, with the Power Chalice being so widely used right now, a unit like Zyra, which doesn’t require items, can still deal substantial damage. This allows the cleanup of the backline by Shaco and Akali to be much more efficient.
Zilean
Not necessarily a standout unit in the Innovator composition, but Zilean’s importance remains significant whether in the early or late game. At the beginning of the game, Zilean’s bombs can deal consistent damage without needing any items. Therefore, focusing on getting items for other carries later will not come at the cost of lacking damage, as Zilean can still carry quite well.
By the late game, Zilean’s ability to stun becomes a very strong tool for protecting the carries. It’s noteworthy that Zilean always targets the enemy closest to him instead of the target being attacked. Thus, even if an enemy Assassin approaches, Zilean still stuns them by casting his skill somewhat ineffectively on the enemy’s tank line. This ensures that the Innovator carries remain safe and can cast their abilities as freely as possible.