In version 11.5, team compositions revolving around traits like Butcher, Blade Master, or Dragon still dominate the meta. As a result, key champions like Olaf, Tryndamere, and Kayle are in high demand and fiercely contested. This forces Teamfight Tactics players to sometimes seek out compositions that lie outside the meta; ones that aren’t heavily contested but still powerful enough to secure a top 4 finish. One such example is the Assassin – Ninja team.
Even the champion of the North American Teamfight Tactics Worlds qualifier, Bertasaurus, had to resort to this composition in the tournament. The reason being he couldn’t play other team comps due to the intense competition.
The greatest strength of this composition lies in having many champions with the potential to become key damage dealers. Therefore, players will have more options when gearing up during the mid-game. Even without the strongest items, champions like Zed, Katarina, Talon, and Akali still possess enough damage to carry the team to victory.
When focusing on 2-3 gold key champions, it can be quite difficult to find champions like Zed or Akali early on. Players should opt for strong 1 gold units in the early game to maintain health, such as Maokai or Tahm Kench. Alternatively, the 3 Brawler combo with Elise, Twisted Fate, and Pyke is the most ideal starting point.
Moving into the mid-game, you will have two main options for building your composition. If you can acquire the Chosen Zed early, you should apply the Spirit – Butcher composition at level 6. At that point, players will aim to roll Zed to 3 stars and equip items like Rapid Firecannon and Guinsoo’s Rageblade for this unit. You should still purchase Ninja units but not place them on the board until you have enough of the 4 units from this trait.
If you can’t get Chosen Zed, players should focus on Akali and the other Assassin units. At this point, you will keep the Brawler units you purchased early to ensure your front line has enough durability. After that, players should look to upgrade champions like Akali and Katarina to 2 stars as quickly as possible.
As you approach the late game, completing the composition with a 4 Ninja combo is the most important goal for players. If you have Chosen Assassin, players should aim to achieve the 6 Assassin combo to significantly boost their damage output. Additionally, a 5 gold unit you should consider acquiring when playing this composition is Azir to bolster your front line’s sturdiness.
When it comes to itemization, Rapid Firecannon is the most important item that players need to craft as both Zed and Akali utilize this item effectively. For Zed, you should craft Guinsoo’s Rageblade to increase the damage he can steal. For defensive items, Quicksilver is the best choice for Zed.
As for Akali, you should equip this unit with Infinity Edge to rapidly boost her damage output. You should also craft a critical strike item for Akali to leverage the significant bonus damage from the Ninja trait. Aura items like Zeke’s Herald, Bloodthirster, and Iron Solari Cloak are also items you should consider crafting when playing the Assassin – Ninja composition.