What is Fast 8, Hyper Tier, and Slow Roll in Teamfight Tactics?

In Teamfight Tactics (TFT), understanding the different leveling strategies is crucial to success. Whether you would like a quick peak or a more systematic method, understanding when and how to level can make all the difference.In this comprehensive article, we’ll dive into the three fundamental leveling strategies: Fast 8, Hyper Tier, and Slow Roll.

Fast 8: Rushing to Power

The Fast 8 strategy is all about prioritizing early game economy to reach level 8 as quickly as possible. The goal is to find and position your high-cost, game-changing units faster than your opponents.

To execute a successful Fast 8, you’ll need to be disciplined with your gold management in the early stages. During Stages 2 and 3, focus on either committing to a win streak or a lose streak, depending on the units you’ve assembled. Avoid rolling down your gold, as you’ll want to conserve as much as possible to hit that crucial level 8 milestone.

The real magic happens in Stage 4, where you’ll typically reach level 8 on round 4-3 or 4-5. With your newfound power, you can then roll down your gold to find your core 4-cost and 5-cost carries. This early level advantage gives you a significant edge, allowing you to secure powerful units before the rest of the lobby..

Hyper Tier: Chasing the 3-Star Dream

The Hyper Tier, or Hyper Roll, strategy is all about focusing on a single, high-impact carry unit and investing everything to get it to 3-star status. This approach is particularly effective for compositions that revolve around 1-cost or 2-cost champions.

The key to Hyper Tier is to play for a significant lose streak in Stage 2, allowing you to bank as much gold as possible. Then, on round 3-1, you’ll unleash a gold-fueled frenzy, rolling down everything you have to find those precious copies of your carry unit.

The risk with Hyper Tier lies in the all-or-nothing nature of the strategy. If you fail to hit your 3-star unit, you’re left with a severely depleted economy and a vulnerable board. However, if you succeed, the power spike can be overwhelming, allowing you to snowball into a dominant position.

Keep in mind that Hyper Tier is best suited for 1-cost and 2-cost carries. For 3-cost units, a more measured Slow Roll approach may be the way to go.

Slow Roll: The Methodical Approach

In contrast to the burst of Hyper Tier, the Slow Roll strategy is a more calculated and patient approach to building your team. The focus here is on steadily accruing gold and gradually upgrading your units to 3-star status.

During Stages 2 and 3, you’ll aim to either win-streak or lose-streak, depending on the strength of your early game units. The key difference from Hyper Tier is that you’ll avoid rolling down your gold, instead keeping it above 50 at all times.

The Slow Roll strategy shines in Stages 3 and 4, where you’ll begin to methodically roll down your gold to find those coveted 3-star upgrades. The optimal levels for Slow Rolling depend on the cost of your carry unit: level 4 or 5 for 1-cost, level 6 or 7 for 2-cost, and level 7 or 8 for 3-cost.

By taking a more measured approach, Slow Roll allows for greater flexibility and the ability to adapt to the game state. You won’t see the explosive power spike of Hyper Tier, but you’ll maintain a more consistent and stable economy throughout the game.

Putting it All Together

All of these leveling strategies have weaknesses and strengths and can differ based on the situation inside your game. The trick is comprehending the nuance of each strategy and being prepared to experiment with that as the game unfolds.

Whether you go for the lightning-fast pace of Fast 8, the high-risk/high-reward of Hyper Tier, or the sluggish Slow Roll, learning how to level in TFT will be a massive first step toward ultimate goal: taking over the Teamfight Tactics battlefield.