The Convergence just turned into a high-stakes anime arena. Honestly, if you haven’t hopped into TFT Set 15 traits yet, you’re missing out on what is arguably the most "selfish" meta Riot has ever designed. That's not me being mean; it’s just the mechanical reality of K.O. Coliseum.
Everything about this set screams shonen tournament arc. You've got magical girls, luchadors, and literal mechs clashing in a stadium that feels a lot more personal than the sprawling cityscapes of Set 14.
📖 Related: Lakeview Hotel: A Silent Hill 2 Remake Hotel Walkthrough for the Truly Lost
The biggest shocker? The way mana works has been completely gutted and rebuilt. You can’t just stick a tank in the front and expect them to cast because they’re getting punched. Only "Tanks" get mana from taking damage now. Everyone else has to actually put in the work with attacks or passive regeneration. It changes how you look at every single trait on the board.
The Most "Selfish" TFT Set 15 Traits You Need to Know
When pro players call a trait "selfish," they mean it doesn't share its toys. In previous sets, you could splash a trait for a team-wide buff. In TFT Set 15 traits, most of the power is locked behind "verticals"—meaning if you want the power, you have to commit to the whole family.
Star Guardian is the prime example. It’s back, but it’s not the mana-battery trait you remember from previous sets. This time, it’s all about the "Teamwork Bonus." Every Star Guardian you add makes the others stronger. If you try to splash just two, you're basically wasting slots. You either go for the full magical girl transformation or you don't go at all.
Then there’s Soul Fighter. This one is visually incredible. The VFX make it look like your units are breaking their limits, and they basically are. They gain stacking AD, AP, and Health, but at the maximum breakpoint, they start dealing true damage. It’s a "win more" trait that requires you to stay aggressive.
Why You’ll Either Love or Hate Crystal Gambit
If you like gambling, this is your trait. Crystal Gambit is the "high-roll" economy trait of Set 15. You earn Gem Power from both kills and losses.
- You can cash out early for some quick gold.
- You can double down to try and hit the legendary 1,200 cash out.
- At the highest level (7), you can literally spawn two random 3-star 5-cost units.
It’s feast or famine. I’ve seen players go eighth place trying to hit the "double down" one too many times, but when it hits, the board becomes basically unkillable.
Power Ups: The New Set Mechanic
We need to talk about Power Snax. You get two of these a game, and they are the only way to access the "Power Up" armory.
Basically, you pick a champion, feed them the Snax, and choose one of three unique buffs. These aren't just generic stat boosts. Some of them fundamentally change how a unit works. For instance, Ekko has a Power Up called "Attempt #37" that makes his spell prioritize the closest enemy while healing him.
The strategy here is deeper than it looks because you can actually remove these. If you find a better carry later, you use a Power Remover and move that "god-tier" buff to your 5-cost unit. It makes the mid-game transition way less punishing.
Breaking Down the Roles
Riot finally categorized every unit into one of six roles. This is huge for understanding TFT Set 15 traits because it dictates their mana flow.
- Tanks: The only ones who get mana from taking damage.
- Fighters: They get 10 mana per attack and built-in Omnivamp.
- Casters: Only 7 mana per attack, but they regenerate 2 mana every second automatically.
- Marksmen: Pure 10 mana per attack.
- Assassins: 10 mana per attack and they are naturally less likely to be targeted.
- Specialists: These guys have weird rules, like Zach who scales mana regen off attack speed.
The Legendary 5-Costs and Their Traits
The high-end units in this set are flashy as hell. Seraphine is the 5-cost Star Guardian leader, and her "Ultimate Friendship Bomb" scales off the total bonus stats of your entire team. She is the definition of a "legendary soup" finisher.
Lee Sin has a unique trait called Stance Master. When you field him, you choose one of three stances: Duelist, Executioner, or Juggernaut. You can swap these between rounds. It makes him the most flexible unit in the game. If you need a secondary carry, go Duelist. If your frontline is melting, swap him to Juggernaut.
Then there's The Crew. This trait includes units like Twisted Fate and involves a mini-quest. If you manage to 3-star every member of The Crew, you fire the "Planet Cracker." It’s an instant win. Literally. The game just ends, and you take first place. It’s incredibly hard to pull off, but it’s the ultimate "disrespect" move.
Real Talk: How to Actually Win with These Traits
If you want to climb, stop trying to play "flex" like you did in Set 13. Because the TFT Set 15 traits are so vertical-heavy, you need to pick a direction early and stick to it.
Check your first Power Snax at 1-3. If you get a "Finalist" or "Over 9000" buff for a specific unit, that's usually your sign to build around that trait. Don't try to pivot into Star Guardians at Stage 4 if you haven't been collecting them; you’ll get run over by someone who has been stacking their "Teamwork Bonus" since the first carousel.
💡 You might also like: Hammer of Justice Deltarune Dialogue: Why Gerson’s Chapter 4 Return Changes Everything
Also, keep an eye on the Luchador trait. Units like Braum gain a "second wind" at 50% health, cleansing themselves and knocking enemies into the air. It’s a fantastic frontline if you can’t find enough Bastion units.
To get ahead of the curve, start practicing with the Monster Trainer trait. Lulu is a 3-cost unit who can summon Kog’Maw, Rammus, or Smolder. Being able to swap between a tank (Rammus) and a DPS (Kog'Maw) on the fly gives you a level of adaptability that most "selfish" vertical comps just can't match. Focus on your positioning, use your Power Snax wisely, and don't be afraid to double down on Crystal Gambit if you're already on a losing streak.