When you're just starting Teamfight Tactics, it can be a daunting task to know when to level up or roll gold. So today we'll be going over the best leveling strategies and when to use them. We'll be looking at three different methods: Slow Roll, Fast 8, and Standard while also including some comps you can run with those strategies. Without further ado, let's get started.

Standard Leveling

• Level to 5 during round 2-6
• Level to 6 during round 3-2
• Level to 7 during round 4-1
• Level to 8 during round 5-1

This is a great pattern to follow if you are just starting out, and it efficiently gets you to level 8 without ruining your econ. However, these are not set in stone, and there are changes you will want to make depending on the game state. If you have an especially strong early board, you'll want to level to 4 in round 2-1 or 2-2. Often it's better to level to 6 during round 3-1 if you are either full HP or if it won't change your econ level. You can level to 7 at 3-5 and level to 8 at 4-5 to cement a win-streak too. These modifications are crucial to adapting to the game state and putting yourself in the position to win.

Fast Leveling

• Level to 5 during round 2-6
• Level to 6 during round 3-2
• Level to 7 during round 3-4
• Level to 8 during round 4-3

This is a pattern that is great for certain comps that want to reach 8 ASAP. Think of comps like Elderwood Brawlers or Divine Duelist for this playstyle. Those comps don't rely on low-cost units and instead want things like Warwick + Sett in the Elderwood Brawlers for example.

Slow Roll Comp Leveling

• Level to 5 Naturally (Don't buy XP)
• Level to 6 normally around 4-3 after rolling for 3-Stars in previous rounds
• Level to 7 and 8 when able

Slow Roll comps will normally see you rolling around 4-1 at Level 5 for all your required units. Comps like Double Bubble or Moonlight Diana fit this playstyle as they want to hit their 3-Star units to be able to succeed.

Hyper Roll Comp Leveling

• Level to 5 Naturally (Don't buy XP)
• Level to 6 during round 4-4
• Level to 7 as soon as able
• Level to 8 after catching back up on econ

Hyper Roll comps are extremely risky to play. While they are very strong when you get lucky, you will find it almost always better to play a slow roll comp instead. In fact, if anyone contests your units, it's nearly a death sentence making it very hard to pull off in High-Elo where your opponents will be scouting.

When to Roll or Level

When to Roll or Level depends heavily on your comp and the game state. We will be referring to rolling for the three different types of leveling above.

Fast Leveling Rolling: Since the aim of these comps is to hit level 8 ASAP you'll want to avoid rolling early at all costs. This is because these comps rely on a 4 or 5 cost unit, so there is almost no reason to roll early. Having said that, often you may find yourself losing health rapidly by round 3 if you don't have a strong early board or got unlucky. It is often in your best interest to roll a bit of gold around 3-2 if you still have 1-star units on your board to stabilize your health. Hopefully, you hit 8 during round 4-3. Ideally, you'll have been able to greed gold and have around 30 after leveling. From here you can either roll or rush 9 instead. If you got unlucky, you'd want to econ a few rounds if you're able and then roll your gold for units during round 5-1. After getting all your normal units to 2-star, you can decide between building your econ to go for level 9 (assuming you didn't rush 9) or to roll more for a 2-star 5 cost unit.

Regular Leveling Rolling: This style has by far the most variations and adaptability. Typically, you'll have a 4 cost carry, but not always. Rolling at 3-2 is pretty good with Regular Leveling to make sure you hit key 2-star units and to stay healthy. You'll hit 7 around 4-1. If you are bleeding out health, you will want to definitely want to roll here. Also, you'll want to roll here if you haven't found your 4 cost unit. After hitting 8, it's normally always a good idea to roll to complete your comp and find any missing units. After getting your 2-star 4 cost carry and the rest of your comp to 2-star, you'll want to start building econ to be able to level to 9.

Slow Roll Leveling Rolling: As the name implies, this style involves slowly finding your units. You'll aim to hit 50 gold and then roll back down to 50. These comps typically rely on cheaper 3-star units and have been very powerful in the meta. Aim for a strong early board to try to prevent bleeding out since you can't level to stabilize. Typically, you'll want to roll while you are level 5 before you hit level 6. However, it may be better to roll at 6 depending on what 3-star unit your comp relies on. For example, since the odds are higher for a 3 cost at level 6 than 5, you'll want to roll at level 6 to 3-star a 3 cost unit. You can refer to the chart below for unit odds. If at any point you are in danger of getting knocked out, you'll need to either make a decision to roll your gold or level up. During round 5 you'll want to start looking to hit level 8 if you have completed your comp. Otherwise, you'll need to roll gold in order to stay alive as these comps tend to be very reliant on having certain units.

Hyper Roll Leveling Rolling: For this style, you will be rolling a ton early and hoping for 1 cost units. The goal is to get multiple 3-star units early and having them carry you. Typically, you'll roll all your gold at the start of round 3. If you get lucky and hit your 3-star carry early, you can econ back up and then level to 6 at 4-2. Otherwise, level to 6 at 4-4. By round 5 you should have all your 3-star units and be catching back up in levels. The drawback to this comp is that you often won't get your units without bleeding out, which is likely why it fell out of the meta.

Extra Tips

While it can be easy to just follow these patterns mindlessly, instead try to think about why you want to level. Unit odds change when you level, and you also get the ability to field an extra unit. If your comp relies on a 5-cost unit you may want to rush 8 for better odds at drawing it. If you need to 3-star a low-cost, you may want to stay level 5 for as long as possible for better odds at finding them. Thinking about these things will make you a better player. But you can always refer to the leveling patterns listed above if you are stuck! Best of luck on your games and be on the lookout for my next guide on scouting your opponents!