How to Play N.O.V.A. Jhin
A stage-by-stage plan for N.O.V.A. Jhin: opener, when to level and roll for Jhin, and where to position the board.

- Tier
- B
- Top 4 rate
- 77.6%
- Avg place
- 2.86
- 1st place
- 36.3%
- Playstyle
- Fast 9
- Games
- 182
How to level and roll with N.O.V.A. Jhin
Fast 9N.O.V.A. Jhin is a Fast 9 comp: level on the standard curve and roll down at level 9 on stage 5-1 to find Jhin. At level 9, each shop slot has a 15% chance to be a 5-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. |
| 3-2 | 6 | Level | Level to 6 and save to 50 gold. |
| 3-5 | 7 | Level | Level to 7 while staying on interest. |
| 4-1 | 8 | Level | Level to 8 but roll only enough to stay healthy — the real roll is on 9. |
| 4-5 | 8 | Save gold | Rebuild gold toward 50 and keep your HP above 40. |
| 5-1 | 9 | Roll down | Level to 9 and roll down for your 5-costs and Jhin 2-star. |
| 6-1 | 10 | Push level | With a stable board and spare gold, push to 10 for the last legendaries. |
N.O.V.A. Jhin early game and opener
Boards that lead into N.O.V.A. Jhin at levels 4 to 7, taken from MetaBot Desktop round data — play the one closest to your shops.
Rolling odds for N.O.V.A. Jhin
Jhin is easiest to find around level 9. Use the calculator to see your odds of a 2-star for the gold you have.
Rolldown calculator: Jhin
Pre-set to this comp's roll level. Change copies owned, copies other players hold and your gold.
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N.O.V.A. Jhin positioning
A starting board for N.O.V.A. Jhin. 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 Jhin on the back line and put Tahm Kench in front of it.
- Split Jhin and Xayah across the back line so a single area spell can't hit both.
- Blitzcrank, Tahm Kench, and Nunu & Willump hold the front line — put the tankiest one opposite the enemy carry.
- Against assassins, step your carries up one row and leave Aatrox and Jax 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 N.O.V.A. Jhin
Strengths
- Wins the lobby often (36.3% first places)
- Two damage threats (Jhin and Blitzcrank) make itemizing flexible
- Rarely played, so its units are usually free
- Highest late-game ceiling once the 5-costs are 2-starred
Weaknesses
- Needs Jhin and Blitzcrank at high cost, which can be hard to hit
- Weak until level 9 — you need HP to survive the econ phase
Strategic Tips
Economy
Stay on interest and save your big roll for level 9 at stage 5-1.
Itemization
Build Deathblade, Infinity Edge, and Giant Slayer on Jhin.
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 N.O.V.A. Jhin.
Get the Winning Edge
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- In-game overlays
- Automatic match tracking
- Desktop-exclusive tools
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How to play N.O.V.A. Jhin – FAQ (TFT Set 17)
How do you play N.O.V.A. Jhin?
N.O.V.A. Jhin is a Fast 9 comp: level on the standard curve and roll down at level 9 on stage 5-1 to find Jhin. Corner Jhin on the back line and put Tahm Kench in front of it. Build Deathblade, Infinity Edge, and Giant Slayer on Jhin.
When should I roll down for N.O.V.A. Jhin?
Roll down at level 9 on stage 5-1. That is when N.O.V.A. Jhin finds Jhin and its core most reliably; save gold before it.
What level do you roll for Jhin?
Roll for Jhin at level 9. At level 9, each shop slot has a 15% chance to be a 5-cost.
Is N.O.V.A. Jhin a reroll comp?
No. N.O.V.A. Jhin is a Fast 9 comp: level up and roll down at level 9 to find your 4- and 5-cost units at 2 stars.
How do you position N.O.V.A. Jhin?
Corner Jhin on the back line and put Tahm Kench in front of it. Split Jhin and Xayah across the back line so a single area spell can't hit both. Blitzcrank, Tahm Kench, and Nunu & Willump hold the front line — put the tankiest one opposite the enemy carry. Against assassins, step your carries up one row and leave Aatrox and Jax in the back corners as bait.
What is the best opener for N.O.V.A. Jhin?
The most common level 4 board that turns into N.O.V.A. Jhin is Aatrox, Maokai, Rhaast, and Urgot (2 games tracked).