How to Play Defender Anivia
A stage-by-stage plan for Defender Anivia: opener, when to level and roll for Anivia, and where to position the board.
- Tier
- A
- Top 4 rate
- 82.4%
- Avg place
- 3.76
- 1st place
- 0.0%
- Playstyle
- 1-cost reroll
- Games
- 17
How to level and roll with Defender Anivia
1-cost rerollDefender Anivia is a reroll comp: slow roll at level 5 from stage 3-1, keeping 50+ gold and rolling only the excess until Anivia, Jarvan IV, and Sona reach 3 stars. At level 5, each shop slot has a 45% chance to be a 1-cost.
| Stage | Level | Action | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-1 | 4 | Level | Level to 4 and play your strongest pairs; slam an early item if it saves HP. |
| 2-5 | 5 | Level | Level to 5 and keep building interest toward 50 gold. |
| 3-1 | 5 | Slow roll | Stay at level 5: roll only the gold above 50 each round until Anivia, Jarvan IV, and Sona hit 3 stars. |
| 3-2 | 5 | Slow roll | Stay at level 5: roll only the gold above 50 each round until Anivia, Jarvan IV, and Sona hit 3 stars. |
| 4-1 | 7 | Level | Once your 3-stars are done, level up and add the units that complete your traits. |
| 4-5 | 8 | Level | Level to 8 for 4-cost upgrades and a stronger frontline. |
| 5-1 | 8 | Roll down | Roll for the last upgrades and finish the board around Anivia. |
Defender Anivia early game and opener
We don't have enough early-board data for Defender Anivia yet. Play your strongest pairs early and hold units that share traits with Anivia.
Rolling odds for Defender Anivia
Your 3-star targets are Anivia, Jarvan IV, and Sona. Level 5 gives the best shop odds for them — use the calculator to see how much gold a 3-star costs.
Rolldown calculator: Anivia
Pre-set to this comp's roll level. Change copies owned, copies other players hold and your gold.
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Defender Anivia positioning
A starting board for Defender Anivia. Drag units to adjust it, switch to the anti-assassin layout when the lobby has divers, and copy the Team Planner code into the TFT client.
- Corner Lissandra on the back line and put Garen in front of it.
- Split Lissandra and Sona across the back line so a single area spell can't hit both.
- Garen, Sejuani, and Kobuko & Yuumi hold the front line — put the tankiest one opposite the enemy carry.
- Against assassins, step your carries up one row and leave Rumble and Jarvan IV in the back corners as bait.
Positioning board
Drag a unit onto another hex to move it — dropping on a unit swaps them.
When to play Defender Anivia
Strengths
- Average place better than 78% of comps of the same board size
- Big power spike once Anivia, Jarvan IV, and Sona hit 3 stars
- Two damage threats (Anivia and Sona) make itemizing flexible
- Rarely played, so its units are usually free
Weaknesses
- Falls off hard if someone else is rerolling Anivia, Jarvan IV, and Sona
Strategic Tips
Economy
Reach 50 gold, then slow roll at level 5 with only the excess until Anivia, Jarvan IV, and Sona are 3-starred.
Itemization
Build Nashor's Tooth, Jeweled Gauntlet, and Adaptive Helm on Anivia.
When to pivot
Scout at 2-1 and 3-2: if two or more players hold your core units, or you haven't found any by 3-2, move into one of the comps on the Similar Comps tab instead of forcing Defender Anivia.
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How to play Defender Anivia – FAQ (TFT Set 16)
How do you play Defender Anivia?
Defender Anivia is a reroll comp: slow roll at level 5 from stage 3-1, keeping 50+ gold and rolling only the excess until Anivia, Jarvan IV, and Sona reach 3 stars. Corner Lissandra on the back line and put Garen in front of it. Build Nashor's Tooth, Jeweled Gauntlet, and Adaptive Helm on Anivia.
When should I roll down for Defender Anivia?
Defender Anivia doesn't do one big roll down. Slow roll at level 5 from stage 3-1, rolling only the gold above 50 until Anivia, Jarvan IV, and Sona are 3-starred.
What level do you roll for Anivia?
Slow roll for Anivia at level 5, where its cost tier shows up most often in the shop. At level 5, each shop slot has a 45% chance to be a 1-cost.
Is Defender Anivia a reroll comp?
Yes. Defender Anivia wants Anivia, Jarvan IV, and Sona at 3 stars, so slow roll at level 5 with gold above 50 until you hit them.
How do you position Defender Anivia?
Corner Lissandra on the back line and put Garen in front of it. Split Lissandra and Sona across the back line so a single area spell can't hit both. Garen, Sejuani, and Kobuko & Yuumi hold the front line — put the tankiest one opposite the enemy carry. Against assassins, step your carries up one row and leave Rumble and Jarvan IV in the back corners as bait.
What is the best opener for Defender Anivia?
Defender Anivia has no fixed opener: play your strongest early pairs, keep HP high and hold units that share traits with Anivia.