Teamfight Tactics Set 16 - Lore & Legends introduces one of the most exciting mechanics the game has ever seen: Unlockables. Instead of every champion being freely available in your shop from the start, 40 champions are locked behind specific in-game conditions. Knowing those conditions before you queue up is the difference between a top-four finish and an embarrassing early exit.
What Are Unlockables in TFT Set 16?
The Unlockables system is the core set mechanic of Set 16. Each of the 40 unlockable champions has a unique trigger condition you must meet during a match to make them appear in your shop. Once unlocked, any copies you choose not to buy simply appear less frequently, so there is no penalty for unlocking a champion you end up not needing.
Unlocks are split across cost tiers: 2-cost, 3-cost, 4-cost, 5-cost, and the powerful 7-cost units. The earlier you understand which unlocks align with your chosen composition, the faster you can build tempo and pressure your opponents.
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Unlocking a champion early means more shop appearances, which speeds up your chances of hitting 3-stars. Prioritize unlocks that match your planned composition from Stage 2 onward.
Unlockable champion shop slots
How to Unlock Every 2-Cost Champion
Bard
Bard requires you to reroll your shop 3 times before the Stage 2 carousel. This is one of the earliest decisions you will face, so commit if you want him. Free rerolls from 4 Yordle or augments like Trade Sector make this much easier without burning your own gold.
Graves
To unlock Graves, equip 2 items on any Bilgewater champion. Illaoi is the simplest target. Playing toward 3 Bilgewater as early as possible also starts your Silver Serpent collection, which pays dividends later.
Orianna
Orianna has one of the cleanest unlock conditions in the set: place 2 items on any Piltover champion and she appears in your next shop. Straightforward and easy to slot into almost any early game.
Poppy
Poppy unlocks when you field a Demacian or Yordle unit with 2 items for one round. If you are planning a Yordle reroll, do this immediately. Once you hit 4 Yordles, you see one every shop, and Poppy is a key piece of that engine.
Tryndamere
To unlock Tryndamere, field Ashe (his in-lore wife, sharing his traits) with 1 item for one round. These two are staples of the Freljord line. Getting this unlock early means Tryndamere can start cycling through your shop, giving you a realistic shot at 3-starring him.
Yorick
Yorick unlocks when you place 1 item on Viego for one round. Since both are Shadow Isles units, you want Yorick available as early as possible to start accumulating Souls and progress toward Thresh.
How to Unlock Every 3-Cost Champion
Darius
Field Draven with 1 item while at level 5 or above to unlock Darius. Getting him online early opens the door to 5 Noxus, one of the strongest mid-game power spikes available.
Gwen
Gwen is part of the Shadow Isles soul chain. Reach 10 Souls while at level 5 or above to unlock her. Starting Viego early is critical here since a late pivot into Shadow Isles almost never generates enough Souls to reach Thresh before the game ends.
Kennen
Unlock Kennen by accumulating 5 star levels across Ionia, Yordle, or Defender units while at level 5 or higher. All three star levels must come from a single trait, so pick one and commit.
Kobuko & Yuumi
This duo requires 6 star levels from Bruiser, Yordle, or Invoker while at level 6. The Yordle path is generally fastest since the lower-cost Yordle units upgrade quickly, especially once 4 Yordles guarantees one per shop.
LeBlanc
LeBlanc is one of the easiest 3-cost unlocks. Field Sion with 2 items for one round and she appears immediately. Even non-ideal items work here if the unlock gives you 3 Noxus and a meaningful board power spike.
Noxus trait activation panel
How to Unlock Every 4-Cost Champion
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The Nasus and Renekton unlocks through Azir get progressively harder after you acquire one of them. Each subsequent Shurima unit requires more qualifying rounds, so plan ahead if you want the full Shurima lineup.
Singed and the Zaun Path
Singed stands out as the only 4-cost with no level requirement. If you are playing 4 Zaunites or 4 Juggernauts and absorbing some early damage, Singed can appear surprisingly early in a game.
The Shurima Win/Loss Mechanic
The Azir unlock chain is one of the most strategic in the set. Winning with Azir on your board unlocks Renekton; losing unlocks Nasus. To get Xerath (a 5-cost), you must alternate wins and losses while Azir is fielded. This might mean deliberately benching a unit or using a Magnetic Remover to weaken your board for a round.
How to Unlock Every 5-Cost Champion
Xerath
As mentioned above, Xerath requires alternating wins and losses with Azir on your board. Strategic board manipulation is necessary, and the payoff is a powerful 5-cost Shurima carry.
Aatrox
Aatrox needs a unit with 30% Omnivamp on your board while at level 8. Bloodthirster and Hand of Justice are your primary sources. You can stack these on any Slayer unit just to hit the threshold.
Galio
Galio is unique: he cannot be fielded directly. His traits count from the bench, and he jumps into combat when the Demacians rally. Unlocking him requires 8 Star Levels of Demacia, making him a vertical Demacia payoff unit. You can always sell your Demacians afterward and cap with stronger units if you prefer a flex approach.
Mel
Field Ambessa with at least 1 item and let her die in combat while at level 8 or above. Mel then appears in your next shop. During your level 8 rolldown, prioritize finding Ambessa quickly so Mel becomes available and you can start working toward her Radiant item passive.
Sett
Sett has the easiest 5-cost unlock in the set. Simply field one unit in your front two rows for combat. This works during PvE rounds too, so there is no excuse to delay this one.
Tahm Kench
Unlocking Tahm Kench costs 350 Silver Serpents, making him essentially exclusive to players running Bilgewater for multiple stages. Once unlocked, additional copies appear in your Bilgewater shop, making 2-starring him more realistic.
T-Hex
T-Hex unlocks automatically when your Piltover star level reaches 7. No additional condition required beyond investing in the Piltover trait.
Thresh
Thresh is the final Shadow Isles unlock, requiring 5 Shadow Isles star levels while at level 8 or higher. Starting Viego early and upgrading your Shadow Isles units consistently is the only reliable path to Thresh before the game ends.
Volibear
Unlock Volibear by fielding a unit with 3,400 Health while at level 8. Stack HP items on a Bruiser and run 4-6 Bruisers to hit this threshold naturally. Playing 7 Freljord gives units on specific hexes a 16% health bonus, making the 3,400 target even easier to reach.
Ziggs
Ziggs requires level 9 and a Yordle or Zaunite with 2 items. Since level 9 is a significant investment, prioritize econ augments like Upward Mobility or Level Up if Ziggs is central to your win condition.
Shadow Isles soul counter UI
How to Unlock Every 7-Cost Champion
7-cost units are the most powerful champions in Set 16 and come with appropriately demanding unlock requirements.
Aurelion Sol
Field 5 Targon units for one round to unlock Aurelion Sol. Since Diana is a prerequisite for reaching 5 Targon, make sure you have her unlocked first. This is likely the earliest 7-cost you can realistically unlock, depending on how fast you hit a 2-star Leona.
Baron Nashor
Activate 7 Void while at level 10 to unlock Baron Nashor. You need both Kai'Sa and Rift Herald unlocked to hit 7 Void, and reaching level 10 is a serious economic commitment. Look for augments like Hedge Fund and Upward Mobility, and target high-gold encounters like Scuttle Puddle and Gold Subscription.
Brock
Brock is the rarest 7-cost unlock, requiring 500 Ixtal Clues. This is only achievable with an Ixtal opener on 2-1 and consistent quest completion throughout the game. Augments like Calculated Loss and Titanic Titan can help sustain your board long enough to reach 500 clues.
Sylas
Sell a 2-star Garen while at level 9 to unlock Sylas. If you are playing Demacia, hold extra Garen copies during your rolldown so you can rebuild him and eventually sacrifice him for the unlock.
Zaahen
Zaahen is only accessible through Xin Zhao's Hero Augment, Trials of Twilight. Survive 5 combat turns after acquiring it and Zaahen replaces Xin Zhao on your board. 3-starring Xin Zhao before the transformation speeds up the process and makes the power spike even more dramatic.
Ryze
Unlock Ryze by activating 3 region traits for one round while at level 9. His spell gains different effects from each region trait active on your board, making him stronger the more traits you run. He is a natural fit for Fast 9 strategies, so prioritize econ augments to reach level 9 quickly.
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Ryze benefits from every region trait you have active, not just three. The unlock condition is 3 regions, but playing 5 or 6 regions dramatically increases his spell's power output.
Ryze region trait bonuses
What's the Best Strategy for Unlocking Champions Efficiently?
The most efficient approach is to identify your intended composition before Stage 2 begins and work backward from the unlock conditions. Here is a quick priority framework:
- Shadow Isles players: Start Viego with 1 item immediately. Every round without Souls is a round lost on the path to Thresh.
- Yordle players: Double-item a Yordle as early as possible to get Poppy, then push toward Kennen and Kobuko & Yuumi.
- Noxus players: Keep Draven and Sion in mind. LeBlanc and Darius both unlock through early Noxus units.
- Bilgewater players: Start Silver Serpent collection immediately. Tahm Kench at 350 Serpents is a late-game payoff worth planning around.
- Void players: Unlock Kai'Sa and Rift Herald during Stage 3, then push toward Baron Nashor if you can realistically hit level 10.
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Unlocked champions you choose not to buy simply appear less often in your shop. There is no downside to unlocking a champion you end up not needing, so always complete easy unlock conditions when they are available.