How Akali works as a four-cost in TFT Set 10: Traits, abilities, and more

Despite not being a five-cost unit in Teamfight Tactics Set 10, Akali has a unique trait that allows her to adapt to what players want. As a champion who has access to both True damage and K/DA skins, she remains one of the most popular picks out there.

Here is how Akali works as a four-cost unit in TFT Set 10, what traits she has, and how her two different abilities work.

Akali’s traits and abilities in TFT Set 10

Akali’s traits in TFT Set 10

This is already where it gets a little complicated, as technically Akali has four total traits but will only have three at any certain time based on your current board.

To clarify that confusion, Akali’s unique trait is Breakout, which allows her to change what her dominant trait is—and by extension her ability—based on what units are on the board. If there are more K/DA units, she becomes a K/DA unit with the ability The Baddest. If there are more True Damage units, she becomes a True Damage unit with the ability Three Point Strike.

Of course, with that in mind, she will also have one of K/DA or True Damage. K/DA focuses on positioning allies on spotlight hexes to give them buffs, where K/DA members get double what a non-K/DA unit would get. As for True Damage, it allows its units to get an increased amount of true damage on their abilities, on top of unit-specific bonuses if they also have an item equipped.

Lastly, her final trait is Executioner, which gives her improved critical strike change and allows her ability to critically strike when active. Not too complex, but key for her abilities to go from strong to game-winning.

How Akali’s abilities, The Baddest and Three Point Strike, work in TFT Set 10

Let’s start with Akali’s K/DA ability, The Baddest, as it’s most similar to previous versions of Akali’s abilities in TFT. She throws a shuriken at her farthest unmarked enemy, marking them and dashing toward them, dealing physical damage to all marked foes. The more targets she marks in combat, the more damage they receive. If you obtain items like Bloodthirster, Deathblade, and even the Gold Collector, she can become a big worry for your opponents dashing around the map almost at will.

The True Damage version of Akali’s ability, Three Point Strike, isn’t nearly as mobile as The Baddest, but can potentially do more damage and strike more often. When cast, she deals physical damage split between the three closest enemies in three hex range of her. For each enemy that survives the attack, her ability is refunded some mana.

As for the True Damage item bonus, if she has an item equipped, she heals for 20 percent of all damage Three Point Strike does. So, similarly to her other ability, items like Bloodthirster and Infinity Edge can split enemies apart.