In the recent patch 11.8, Neeko’s damage output at 2-star and 3-star levels was nerfed. Many believed this change would significantly weaken the Vanguard – Legend composition with Neeko as the carry. However, reality has proven that Neeko remains an incredibly strong unit even after the nerf. In fact, the Vanguard – Legend composition is considered the most effective ranking strategy in Teamfight Tactics at the moment.
The first reason for Neeko’s dominance is her cost of 3 gold. With such a reasonable price, you can easily upgrade Neeko to 2-star in the mid-game. Even if you have a not-so-ideal start, Neeko can help you secure victories and maintain health very effectively.
Furthermore, the decline in the popularity of the Sorcerer composition has also strengthened the Vanguard – Legend team to some extent. Essentially, Neeko and the carries of the Sorcerer team use items like the Archangel’s Staff and Hextech Gunblade. With the Sorcerer composition no longer in the meta, very few players compete for the Spiral Scepter with you in the shared selection phase. Therefore, players can craft powerful items for Neeko from very early on.
Additionally, Neeko’s ability to counter the still-powerful Protector composition is another reason why she is highly favored. With the Sorcerer team out of the meta, Neeko is almost the only option to quickly destroy the shields of the Protector composition. With the support of the Vanguard units, Neeko can cast her Seed Cannon multiple times and eliminate Protector units.
To effectively operate the Vanguard – Legend composition, you need to prepare a champion to hold items for Neeko at the start of the game. Names like Twisted Fate and Brand are the ideal choices to use the Archangel’s Staff or Hextech Gunblade. By levels 6-7, you should roll to find a 2-star Neeko, with the best-case scenario being to buy this unit in its Mystic trait form.
For frontline units, you should build Morellonomicon for Cho’Gath or Sejuani to reduce the healing of the enemy team. This item will eliminate the opponent’s comeback potential and help Neeko deal damage much more effectively. If possible, you should build the Chalice of Power for Mystic units like Yuumi and Zilean to maximize Neeko’s damage.
With Neeko’s strong damage output and the ‘tanky’ nature from the Vanguard units, you can easily land in the top 4. Of course, securing the final victory with the Vanguard – Legend team is quite challenging as this composition does not possess super strong carries at the end like Samira, Kayle, or Tryndamere. However, in the context where season 4 is only less than 2 weeks away from ending, the Vanguard – Legend team with Neeko as the main carry is undoubtedly the most stable ranking strategy.