TFT Set 5.5 isn’t just adding a couple of new touches to Reckoning, it’s completely overhauling its core mechanic — Shadow Items. They’ve been replaced by Radiant Items, which offer players an even better boost without any downsides. Here’s how they work.
TFT Reckoning tested a new item mechanic that vastly expanded the pool of pre-existing picks. However, Shadow Items didn’t quite land well with players, making the game too complex for casuals.
Riot are toning it back with a new approach called Radiant Items. The rare, ultra-powerful items could be the difference between a win and a bottom four. Here’s how they work, and a full list for you to look at while you grind TFT Set 5.5.
How are Radiant Items different from Shadow Items?
Radiant Items are vastly different from Shadow Items. Unlike their cursed predecessors, the new mechanic in Set 5.5 gives players insane buffs when they pick up one of these ultra-powerful items with no downside.
You can only get one Radiant item per game in a special armory at 3-6. You will get a random choice of five out of 32 — all of the fully completed items in the game. This still gives players agency to dictate where their comp goes, without all the negative strings attached.
“We think the agency is still there, that’s why we’ve kept the armories on 2-2 and 4-2 to help with some of that, and the fact that you get to make a clear decision based on the five. We tried to make it so there were as many options as possible,” Mortdog told Dexerto.
- Read More: Everything coming in TFT Set 5.5
“That being said, we still want you to adapt to what you’ve been given sometimes. You can’t get Radiant IE every game. There is less [compared to] Shadow, but it’s more enjoyable agency, not having to deal with the curses helps the game feel better overall.”
All of the Radiant items are also viable. It’s not like Shadow where a few items will prevail in the meta. At any one time, Riot wants players to pick all 32 items, and make the choice between the five hard — rather than have players licking their wounds with underpowered picks.
“With the way we’re designing the Radiant items, they’re pretty general. A lot of them can fit into just about any comp and do very well — Shroud and Zephyr are good examples of this,” Mortdog added.
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“Our goal is every item should be tempting, no matter the comp you’re running.”
Why did Riot remove Shadow Items in TFT Set 5.5?
Ultimately, Riot wanted to remove Shadow Items from TFT to help reduce the complexity of the set. When Reckoning launched, the mechanic wasn’t well received, despite its innovation, so Riot took it back to the drawing board with a simpler, more fun item feature.
“[Shadow and Radiant items] could have coexisted, and for a brief time, that was the idea on the table,” Mortdog admitted.
“However, after reviewing how Reckoning landed with players, and how everyone was feeling about it… we wanted to use this as a good opportunity to remove the Shadow items. The cursed part of them wasn’t resonating with players.
“Reckoning ended on the more complex side. We are looking to pull back and index a little bit more on satisfaction. The Radiant items in particular always feel good, so the Mid-Set is much more generally appealing.”
All Radiant Items in TFT Set 5.5
You can find a full list of the Radiant Items below, with values set to go live on the PBE.
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These may change before they hit live servers.
| Item | Stats | Ability |
| Radiant Archangel’s Staff | 10 AP 15 Mana | Each time the holder casts their ability, they gain bonus ability power equal to 75% of their maximum mana (this bonus applies to that ability cast). |
| Radiant Bloodthirster | 40 AD 20 MR | Physical damage heals the holder for 50% damage dealt. Upon falling below 40% health, the holder gains a 60% max health shield that lasts up to five seconds.
Radiant Bonus: +30 Attack Damage |
| Radiant Blue Buff | 30 Mana 30 AP | After casting their ability, the holder gains 30 mana.
Radiant Bonus: +30 Ability Power |
| Radiant Bramble Vest | 80 Armor | Negates bonus damage from all incoming critical strikes. On being hit by an attack, deal 150/200/300 magic damage to all nearby enemies (once every 2.5 seconds).
Radiant Bonus: +40 Armor |
| Radiant Chalice of Power | 20 MR 15 Mana | When combat begins, the holder and all allies within 1 hex in the same row gain 50 ability power for the rest of combat. |
| Radiant Deathblade | 20 AD | Contributing to a kill grants the holder 15 attack damage for the rest of combat. This effect can stack any number of times (starting at 4). |
| Radiant Dragon’s Claw | 40 MR 30 AP | Grants 500 bonus magic resist (including components).
Radiant Bonus: +30 Ability Power |
| Radiant Frozen Heart | 20 Armor 60 Mana | Reduces the attack speed of enemies within two hexes by 50%.
Radiant Bonus: +45 Starting Mana |
| Radiant Gargoyle Stoneplate | 20 Armor 20 MR | The holder gains 40 armor and 40 magic resist for each enemy targeting them. |
| Radiant Giant Slayer | 10 AD 10% AS | The holder’s abilities and attacks do 10% bonus damage. If the target has more than 1100 maximum health, the bonus increases to 75%. |
| Radiant Guardian Angel | 10 AD 20 Armor 30% AS | Prevents the holder’s first death, placing them in stasis instead. After two seconds, they return with 100% health and shed all negative effects.
Radiant Bonus: +30% Attack Speed |
| Radiant Hand of Justice | 15% Crit 15 Mana | At the beginning of each planning phase, the holder gains both of the following
|
| Radiant Hextech Gunblade | 10 AD 40 AP | The holder’s magic and true damage from abilities heal them for 50% of the damage dealt. Excess healing fuels a shield that protects the holder against up to 600 damage.
Radiant Bonus: +30 Ability Power |
| Radiant Infinity Edge | 75% Crit 10 AD | Grants 75% critical strike chance (including components). Each point of critical strike chance above 100% becomes +1% critical strike damage.
Radiant Bonus: +40% Critical Strike Damage |
| Radiant Ionic Spark | 10 AP 20 MR | Enemies within four hexes have their magic resist reduced by 50%. When they cast an ability, they are zapped taking magic damage equal to 400% of their maximum mana. |
| Radiant Jeweled Gauntlet | 15% Crit 10 AP | The holder’s magic and true damage from their ability can critically strike. The holder gains 80% bonus critical strike damage. |
| Radiant Last Whisper | 40% Crit 10% AS | When the holder inflicts a critical hit, the target’s armor is reduced by 70% for the rest of combat. This effect does not stack.
Radiant Bonus: +30% Critical Strike Chance |
| Radiant Locket of the Iron Solari | 10 AP 20 Armor | When combat begins, the holder and all allies within two hexes in the same row gain a shield that blocks 600/700/800 damage for 60 seconds. |
| Radiant Morellonomicon | 150 HP 10 AP | When the holder deals magic or true damage with their ability, they burn the target, dealing 40% of the target’s maximum health as true damage over 10 seconds, and reducing healing by 50% for the duration of the burn. |
| Radiant Quicksilver | 15% Dodge 20 MR 30% AS | The holder gains immunity to crowd control in combat for 30 seconds.
Radiant Bonus: +30% Attack Speed |
| Radiant Rabadon’s Deathcap | 20 AP | Grants 100 bonus ability power (including components). |
| Radiant Rapidfire Cannon | 40% AS | Increases the holder’s attack range by two hexes and grants 40% bonus attack speed (including components).
The wearer’s attacks can no longer miss. |
| Radiant Redemption | 150 HP 15 Mana | Every five seconds, the holder radiates an aura to allies within two hexes, healing them for 40% of their missing health.
Affected allies take 30% reduced damage from multi-target abilities and attacks for five seconds. |
| Radiant Runnan’s Hurricane | 40% AS 20 MR | The holder’s attacks fire a bolt at another nearby enemy, dealing 110% of the holder’s attack damage and applying on-hit effects. These bolts can critically strike.
Radiant Bonus: +30% Attack Speed |
| Radiant Shroud of Stillness | 15% Dodge 20 Armor | When combat begins, the holder shoots a wider beam straight ahead that delays affected enemies’ first spellcast, increasing their maximum mana by 65% until they cast.
Radiant Bonus: +15 Mana for all allies at the start of combat |
| Radiant Spear of Shojin | 10 AD 15 Mana | The holder’s attacks restore 15 additional Mana. |
| Radiant Statikk Shiv | 10% AS 15 Mana | Every third attack from the holder unleashes a chain lightning that bounces to six enemies, dealing 100 magic damage and reducing their magic resist by 50% for five seconds. |
| Radiant Sunfire Cape | 150 HP 20 Armor | Every two seconds, a random enemy within four hexes is burned for 40% of their maximum health as true damage over 10 seconds. Any healing they receive is reduced by 50%. |
| Radiant Thief’s Gloves | 15% Crit 15% Dodge | At the beginning of each planning phase, the holder equips two temporary Radiant items. |
| Radiant Titan’s Resolve | 10% AS 20 Armor | When the holder takes damage or inflicts a critical strike, they gain six attack damage and ability power.
This stacks up to 25 times, at which point the holder gains 50 armor and magic resist. |
| Radiant Trap Claw | 15% Dodge 150 HP | When combat begins, all allies gain a shield that blocks the first enemy ability. |
| Radiant Warmog’s Armor | 300 HP | Grants 2000 bonus health (including components). |
| Radiant Zeke’s Herald | 10 AD 150 HP | When combat begins, the holder and all allies within one hex in the same row gain 50% attack speed for the rest of combat. |
| Radiant Zephyr | 150 HP 20 MR | When combat begins, the wearer summons a whirlwind on the opposite side of the area that removes the closest enemy from combat for 10 seconds. Ignores CC immunity.
Radiant Bonus: +10% Attack Speed for all allies at the start of combat |
| Radiant Zz’Rot Portal | 10% AS 150 HP | At the start of combat, the holder taunts enemies within two hexes.
When the holder dies, a Radiant Voidspawn with bonus stats arises taunting nearby enemies. Radiant Voidspawns that arise from summoned units are 25% effective. |