What does Teamfight Tactics’ Spatula do?

If you’ve just stepped into Riot Games’ new League of Legends mode, Teamfight Tactics, you might be confused. The item system isn’t as clear cut as some of its autobattler counterparts and you’ll find very little information in-game.

The most baffling item is the Spatula. The game barely gives you any clues, and if you don’t have prior knowledge, experimenting is all you can do. Despite the mystery, though, the Spatula has the potential to be one of the strongest items in TFT.

As a standalone item, it’s completely useless. It literally does nothing. If you combine it with another item, however, it can be used to shape and form your team comp.

There are multiple options you can take with the Spatula. Here are all of the possible recipes in-game.

Spatula

Almost all of the combinations allow you to add an extra synergy to a unit. This might not seem like a big deal, but it’s game-changing.

If, for example, you lack one Glacial champion for the full buff, you can simply add a Frozen Mallet to a non-Glacial unit. They’ll stick with their Class and Origin, but now they’ll be a Glacial with Glacial stats and act like one, too. A unit with Frozen Mallet will freeze targets, an Assassin will benefit from additional crit and jump into the fray, and a unit with Yummi will have extra added mana and spell damage. The list goes on.

This works the same for all of the Class and Origin based Spatula combinations. There’s a trick you can use, though. If you put a Youmuu’s Ghostblade, for example, on an Assassin, the item will drop off and land in your inventory, allowing you to put it on any target you want.

Runaan’s Hurricane stands out on the list, but not in a good way. It doesn’t really fit in with the Spatula theme and instead acts as just another DPS item. It’s not the strongest, but it can work well with long-ranged units.

Force of Nature, though, is a different story. If you get two Spatulas, you’re pretty much set. It’s not easy to acquire two, but if you have the patience, and most importantly, luck, it can be well worth the wait.

It’s intelligent to save your Spatula until you get a second. It allows you to add an additional unit to your force. This doesn’t mean much in the early game, but once you hit the late game, it’s extremely strong. If you’re level seven, for example, you’re intended to have seven units on the board. Force of Nature lets you add another unit, giving you a distinct advantage over your opponents. You don’t have to waste an item slot. You can drop it on a unit on the bench and the effect will work all the same.

The Spatula is the most dynamic item in the game. If you’re ever unsure about what to choose in the carousel, the Spatula is usually your best bet.