Exalted Set 11 Teamfight Tactics: Everything You Need To Know

Teamfight Tactics Set 11: Inkborn Fables has introduced the mysterious new Exalted trait, and it’s certainly shaking up the established formulas. Unlike regular traits tied to specific champions, Exalted is a semi-randomized system that will feature different units in each game. This unique mechanic means constantly adapting your strategy to the Exalted units available. Let’s dive into how this chaotic trait works.

The Exalted Rundown 

 

First, the basics – at the start of each Teamfight Tactics game, five or six champions will be randomly designated as that round’s “Exalted” units. You can check which specific ones by hovering over the Exalted icon above your shop panel. 

These Exalted champions gain two effects while you have the required number to activate the trait bonuses:

• Exalted (3): Your team gains 4% bonus damage, plus 1% more per player level (max 10%).  
• Exalted (5): The Exalted trait now grants 2.5% bonus damage per player level instead of 1%.

Additionally, after each round of combat, you’ll generate a “Soul Core” on your bench that can be sold for 1 free experience point. This essentially gives you an extra gold’s worth of economy each round when played correctly.

So in an average game, you’re looking at around 10-15% free damage by mid-game just for activating Exalted, with the potential for over 25% at level 9. Combined with the income boost, it’s a powerful trait when assembled.

But here’s the catch–you can’t simply force the same Exalted composition each game. The chosen units change every time based on pre-set combinations determined by the developers. Sometimes you’ll have an all-level 1 or 2 Exalted set for easy activation. Other times it could be a mishmash of costs spanning from 1 to 5, with conflicting trait combinations.

Adapting Your Approach

This means you’ll need to be flexible and quickly analyze the Exalted units at the start of each game. If you have low-cost units and aren’t attached to a specific strategy yet, it could be worth leaning into the Exalted bonus. Lose-streaking and collecting the bonus experience can accelerate you to level 6 or beyond on a pace usually reserved for specialized strategies like Mercenary.

Conversely, if you have your heart set on a specific legendary carry like Sett or Yone, and they aren’t part of the Exalted rotation, you may want to just play optimally and ignore the trait entirely. Having five suboptimal units hampering your board just for the sake of Exalted won’t be worth it.

Where Exalted shines is when you get fortunate unit overlap aligning with your intended composition. If you’re running a Revel Sett core and the Exalted set includes him and some suitable tanks like Malphite, you can easily activate both synergies. You’d then want to prioritize grabbing an Exalted Emblem from a carousel or completing the whole set for the massive 25%+ damage boost.

Basically, Exalted operates on a sliding scale of relevance. In some games, it will be your top priority from stage 2 onward. In others, it may just be a happy bonus if the units fit your build or something to ignore altogether. Flexibility and adaptability to theRotationExalted units drawn is key.

Skill Testing for All

Like all major new mechanics, Exalted has been controversial with the rift between skeptics and advocates. Critics argue it adds too much randomness, forcing players to unlearn everything and take lottery positioning based on the random rotation. Proponents counter that it finally solves stale metas and forces decision-making adaptability.

Truthfully, it will likely fall somewhere in between as the set matures. Extremely well-rounded players who can pivot strategies on the fly will thrive with Exalted’s constant curveballs. One-trick specialists running the same beloved composition each game may struggle with having their pocket picks banned each round.

For better or worse, Exalted seems here to shake up the accepted routines and create new strategizing puzzles in each lobby. Players will need to have multiple game plans and pivot decision trees in their mental toolboxes to navigate it optimally. It’s an added skill test layered atop the typical unit-specific knowledge checks.

Only time will tell if it ages like fine wine or rotten grapes for the Teamfight Tactics community. But there’s no denying Exalted has already transformed the game’s landscape with its innovative design. How you choose to adapt to that shift will likely make or break your climb this set.