Teamfight Tactics Set 9.5 Horizonbound: New units, traits, portals, more

The mid-Set for Riot’s auto battler Teamfight Tactics is closely approaching, here’s everything we know about what’s changing in Set 9.5 including traits, units, portals, and more.

Set 9 of Teamfight Tactics has been out for quite some time now. The Set titled Runeterra Reforged so players re-enter the realm of Runeterra, with the Set offering a new portal mechanic alongside the typical traits and units.

Like previous Sets, Set 9 of Teamfight Tactics will have a mid-Set take place, which will swap out some of the traits and units and refresh them with new ones. Looking to get ahead of the competition before the mid-Set drops? We’ve got you covered.

TFT Mid Set 9.5: Is there a release date?

Set 9.5 of Teamfight Tactics doesn’t yet have a full release date, however, it’s estimated the update will come during Patch 13.18.

This, according to Riot’s patch schedule will be September 13, 2023. As per usual the mid-Set will be available for testing on the PBE two weeks beforehand, which is August 29, 2023.

TFT Mid Set 9.5: New units

As of the moment, we know that we’ll be heading to other iconic regions of Runeterra to go alongside the Runeterra Reforged themes. So far two new regions have been revealed, as well as the units for one of them.

Bilgewater: 3/5/7/9

Here are the Bilgewater units coming in Set 9.5 and their traits:

• Graves (1 cost Bilgewater Gunner Rogue)
• Illaoi (1 cost Bilgewater Bastion)
• Twisted Fate (2 cost Bilgewater Multicaster)
• Miss Fortune (3 cost Bilgewater Strategist)
• Nautilus (3 cost Bilgewater Juggernaut)
• Nilah (4 cost Bilgewater Vanquisher )
• Gangplank (5 cost Bilgewater Reaver King Gunner)

Riot Games

Graves and his Bilgewater friends will be appearing in the mid-Set for TFT.

Ixtal: 2/3/4

Here are the Ixtal units that are coming in Set 9.5.

• Milio (1 cost Ixtal Invoker)
• Qiyana (2 cost Ixtal Rogue Slayer)
• Neeko (3 cost Ixtal Bastion)

Other New Units

Alongside the introduction of the new traits, new champions will also join the fray and replace other units, so far these units are:

• Xayah (4 cost Ionia Vanquisher)
• Nilah (4 cost Bilgewater Vanquisher)
• Mordekaiser (4 cost Noxus Slayer)
• Fiora (4 cost Demacia Challenger)
• Silco (4 cost Zaun Sorcerer)
• Naafiri (2 cost Darkin Challenger)
• Quinn (3 cost Demacia Slayer)

Current Unit Changes

Several units that are currently in Set 9 will also be receiving some changes to fit the new traits.

• Jhin (1 cost Ionia Deadeye) >>> Jhin (1 cost Ionia Vanquisher)
• Ashe (2 cost Freljord Deadeye) >>> Ashe (2 cost Freljord Vanquisher)
• Darius (3 cost Noxus Juggernaut Slayer) >>> Darius (3 cost Noxus Juggernaut Slayer Vanquisher)

TFT Mid Set 9.5: new traits

Runeterra Reforged uses the various regions as traits, each providing its own powerful bonuses.

As of the moment, we only know of Bilgewater and Ixtal as traits. However, we do know what Bilgewater will be providing.

Bilgewater

Bilgewater locals mark their foes for periodic barrages from their waterborne artillery!

Ixtal

Each game, Ixtal units create different elemental hexes that empower whoever’s on them, and empower Ixtal units even more!

Vanquisher

Vanquisher spells can critically strike. Vanquishers gain bonus Critical Strike Chance and Critical Strike Damage.

TFT Mid Set 9.5: new portals

Bilgewater

Rat Town

Lucky shops can appear randomly, featuring units tailored to your army.

Finn’s Market

Round 3-7 is replaced by a shop that will stock either Completed, Artifact, Support, or Radiant items, players can select one for free.

Slaughter Docks

Players gain free rerolls equal to the stage number plus 1 at the start of each stage. These rerolls only last for the round you receive them.

Ryze Ability for Bilgewater

With a new region comes a new ability for Ryze.

In Bilgewater portals, Ryze summons a treasure chest to fall on the largest cluster of enemies, dealing magic damage to enemies within two hexes of the target. The size of this chest increases by the amount of gold the player has, so having high amounts of gold can result in a stronger ability cast.

Alongside this, each enemy hit has a chance to drop loot and gold, and when the ability kills this chance increases.

Ixtal Region Portals

Ixaocan

Take a portal to Ixoacan, where starring up a set number of units means all players will gain increasingly valuable loot.

Serpentine River

Instead of carousel rounds, players will vote for what bonus the lobby receives. Players will gain a component anvil after each voting round.

Cardinal Arcology

This region portal will always offer a Prismatic, Gold and Silver augment.

Ryze Ability for Ixtal

Ryze covers the ground in a thicket of vines around his current target. After a brief delay, he deals magic damage to enemies within and knocks up enemies in the epicenter of the entanglement. Allies that are wrapped in vines will instead receive Armor and Magic Resistance for a short duration instead.

Freljord Region Portal

Freljord is also receiving one new region portal to go alongside the item rework.

Valar’s Hollow

Gain an item anvil on round 2-3 and gain a support anvil on round 3-3.

TFT Mid Set 9.5: item changes

Riot has also made several itemization changes with Horizonbound. Mortdog took to Twitter to explain that there are now 4 different types of items, these are Core, Artifacts, Support, and Radiant. This is to give items a more consistent structure with rules on how they work.

Core items are the typical items players will build from game to game using components, artifacts now include certain Shimmerscale items, and support items are given out as rewards from augments or portals.

Both Shred and Sunder effects have received nerfs as well due to them feeling too mandatory.

Alongside the item class changes, several core items were shifted to support items, making way for new ones in their stead. You can find the new items and their recipes in a tweet by CuewarsTaner: