So, you’re looking at your roster and wondering why everyone is suddenly obsessed with how to play two time forsaken. It sounds counterintuitive. Usually, in high-level play, you want a diverse spread of traits to trigger as many bonuses as possible. But there’s something specifically broken—or let’s say "highly efficient"—about doubling down on the Forsaken origin in the current patch. It’s a gamble. You're essentially betting that raw, unadulterated power can outpace utility.
Most players fail because they treat the second Forsaken unit as a mere placeholder. Big mistake.
The Core Logic Behind the Double Forsaken Pivot
The Forsaken trait is unique because it scales off both victories and the number of items equipped to Forsaken units. When you're figuring out how to play two time forsaken, you have to understand the math of the stack. Each victorious combat adds a bonus to the Ability Power and Attack Damage. It’s a snowball mechanic. If you have two primary carries both benefits from this, you aren’t just doubling your damage; you’re creating two distinct "must-kill" threats for your opponent.
It’s about redundancy.
If your first carry gets hit by a stray CC or a lucky assassin jump, the second unit is there with the same massive stat buffs to finish the round. In a meta where "burst" is king, having a backup nuke is the difference between a top-four finish and a humiliating eighth-place exit.
Positioning for Maximum Impact
Stop putting them next to each other. Seriously.
If you’re running two Forsaken carries—usually a mix of a physical damage dealer like Draven and a secondary utility-damage hybrid—you need to split the board. This forces the enemy AI to choose a side. While their frontline is busy pivoting toward one corner, your other Forsaken unit is stacking damage unimpeded.
I’ve seen players clump them together hoping for some kind of defensive synergy. There isn't any. You want chaos. You want the enemy’s targeting to be a mess. Use a "V" formation or a split-corner setup. Put your tankiest units in the dead center to draw the initial aggro. This buys your Forsaken duo the 4-6 seconds they need to ramp up.
The Itemization Trap
Here’s where it gets tricky. Forsaken units need items to trigger their trait bonus. But you can’t just slap a component on and call it a day.
You need completed items.
The stat boost for having at least one item on a Forsaken unit is significant. If you’re playing two of them, you’re splitting your loot pool. This is why this strategy is usually reserved for games where you get an early lead or an "Item Grab Bag" augment. You need enough items to deck out both. If you only have enough for one, don't bother with the second Forsaken; go for a Mystic or an Ironclad instead.
- Priority 1: Bloodthirster or some form of sustain. If they can’t stay alive, the stacks don't matter.
- Priority 2: Attack speed. Guinsoo’s Rageblade is the standard here for a reason.
- Priority 3: Armor penetration. Without Last Whisper, you’re just tickling a 4-Cavalier setup.
Why People Get This Wrong
Most guides tell you to go "vertical" Forsaken—meaning 6 or 9 units. Honestly? That’s often a trap. Vertical builds are fragile. If you don't hit the specific 5-cost unit you need, the whole thing falls apart.
Playing "Two Time Forsaken" is actually a "horizontal" strategy. You take the two strongest Forsaken units, get their individual stacks up, and then surround them with high-value utility units from other traits. It’s about quality over quantity. Two units with 5 stacks of the Forsaken bonus are worth more than six units with zero stacks because you just transitioned into them.
Timing is everything. You can't just decide to do this at Stage 5. You need to commit by the mid-game. If you haven't started winning rounds with at least one Forsaken unit by the end of Stage 3, the stat bonuses won't be high enough to carry you through the late game. You'll just have two mediocre units instead of two gods.
The Economy of a Double Carry
You’re going to be poor. Accept it now.
To make this work, you have to push levels. You need the unit slots to fit the supporting cast. This means you aren't slow-rolling at level 6 for 3-star units. You are pushing to level 8 as fast as your health bar allows.
If you’re at 40 gold and you see a chance to hit level 8 to drop in that second Forsaken carry, take it. The power spike from the trait activation and the extra unit on the board usually offsets the lost interest. Plus, winning rounds preserves your HP, which is the only currency that actually matters when the game ends.
When to Bail
Sometimes the game just hates you.
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If you see three other people in the lobby grabbing Forsaken units, get out. Contested builds are a death sentence for this strategy because you need 2-star versions of your carries to survive. If you’re stuck with 1-star units at Stage 4, you’re going to lose 15 HP per round.
Switch to a generic frontline/backline setup. It won't be as flashy, but it’ll save your LP.
Actionable Next Steps for Your Next Match
- Check the lobby: If no more than one other person is going Forsaken, it’s a green light.
- Win streak early: Use your strongest board to get those Forsaken stacks started. Even a 1-star Vayne with a Bow can start the snowball.
- Scout for Frozen Heart: If the enemy has heavy dive/assassin comps, prioritize a Guardian Angel or Edge of Night on your primary Forsaken carry.
- Don't over-invest in the secondary: Give the second Forsaken unit your "leftover" items, but make sure they have at least one completed item to trigger the trait bonus.
- Positioning check: Every two rounds, swap your carries' corners. It keeps the "sin" players guessing and prevents them from sniping your stacked units.
The beauty of knowing how to play two time forsaken is that it turns a standard trait into a dual-threat engine. It's about being aggressive, managing a split-item economy, and understanding that two hammers hit harder than one. Get those stacks early, protect your carries, and don't get greedy with vertical synergies when two strong units can do the job better.