How to play Leona in TFT Set 8

With the new Set Eight of Teamfght Tactics rapidly approaching, now is the time to study up in preparation for its official release on Dec. 7 in Patch 12.23. 

One of the changes includes Leona getting an upgrade from a one-cost to a five-cost unit. She’s no longer a common fodder unit, but one you can design your comp around. Her champion ability has also been redesigned from a defensive boost to a fiery attack. Here are the best ways to play Leona in Set Eight.

Leona TFT Set 8: Best items, trait synergies, and comps

Champion ability

Leona’s champion ability is Deus Ex Machina. She locks onto a target and calls down an orbital laser strike. After a short delay the laser fires dealing 450/675/5000 true damage per second to the locked-on target and 80/120/2000 AOE damage to surrounding enemy units. The mana cost starts at 0/75.

Hero augments

Leona has two available hero augments, one carry-oriented and one support-focused.

• Perfected Solar Flare: Gain a Leona. She gained 30 ability power and her maximum mana is reduced by 20.
• Eclipse Prime: Gain a Leona. When you field her, your team reduces all incoming damage by 30.

Traits

Leona has three traits: Renegade, Aegis, and Mecha: PRIME.

• Renegade (3/6): All renegade units deal bonus damage and the last Renegade alive deals even more.
• Three: 40 percent, 20 percent bonus damage for the final Renegade
• Six: 80 percent, 40 percent bonus damage for the final Renegade
• Aegis (2/3/4/5): All allied unit gain bonus magic resist, and Aegis units gain more.
• Two: +20 magic resist, +50 for Aegis units
• Three: +35 magic resist, +80 for Aegis units
• Four: +50 magic resist, +120 for Aegis units
• Five: +75 magic resist, +170 for Aegis units
• Mecha: PRIME (3/5): Gain the Mecha selector item and give it to a Mecha unit to choose the PRIME. When combat starts, the PRIME combines with the two nearest Mecha, absorbing 100% of their health.
• Three: The PRIME gains 50 ability power and 70 percent attack damage.
• Five: All Mechas gain 35 ability power and 50 percent attack damage, doubled for the PRIME.

Items and comps

Depending on the augment, Leona can be the primary carry of your comp or a solid front-line tank. Some of the strongest items for carry Leona include Warmog’s Armor, Jeweled Gauntlet, and Bloodthirster. These provide her with a good amount of survivability while boosting her ability damage. Blue Buff is also a good choice to let you get your ability off more often. If you’re looking for a more defensive build, keep the Warmog’s but skip the damage items in favor of Sunfire Cape and Gargoyle Stoneplate to make her even beefier.

With the highest base health of any Mecha unit, Leona fits well into just about any comp running the trait. She can generally fill the same role as Sett in most comps if you’re forced to adjust on the fly. Leona can also be run in the four Aces comp with either three or five Mechas, although it can be a difficult transition between your first Ace and collecting all four (Draven, Miss Fortune, Samira, and Mordekaiser). While a Leona carry can still work with the proper items, she is more adaptable and plug-and-play as a supportive tank unit.