How to Play Challenger Akali
A stage-by-stage plan for Challenger Akali: opener, when to level and roll for Akali, and where to position the board.
- Tier
- B
- Top 4 rate
- 69.8%
- Avg place
- 3.62
- 1st place
- 8.4%
- Playstyle
- 2-cost reroll
- Games
- 476
How to level and roll with Challenger Akali
2-cost rerollChallenger Akali is a reroll comp: slow roll at level 6 from stage 3-2, keeping 50+ gold and rolling only the excess until Bel'Veth, Rek'Sai, and Briar reach 3 stars. At level 6, each shop slot has a 40% chance to be a 2-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 | Slow roll | Stay at level 6: roll only the gold above 50 each round until Bel'Veth, Rek'Sai, and Briar hit 3 stars. |
| 3-5 | 6 | Slow roll | Stay at level 6: roll only the gold above 50 each round until Bel'Veth, Rek'Sai, and Briar 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 Akali. |
Challenger Akali early game and opener
Boards that lead into Challenger Akali at levels 4 to 7, taken from MetaBot Desktop round data — play the one closest to your shops.
5 games · 88% rounds won · 60% of units carry into the final comp
5 games · 100% rounds won · 100% of units carry into the final comp
1 games · 100% rounds won · 86% of units carry into the final compRolling odds for Challenger Akali
Your 3-star targets are Bel'Veth, Rek'Sai, and Briar. Level 6 gives the best shop odds for them — use the calculator to see how much gold a 3-star costs.
Rolldown calculator: Bel'Veth
Pre-set to this comp's roll level. Change copies owned, copies other players hold and your gold.
Loading the rolldown calculator…
Challenger Akali positioning
A starting board for Challenger Akali. 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 Kindred on the back line and put Rhaast in front of it.
- Split Kindred and Jinx across the back line so a single area spell can't hit both.
- Rhaast, Maokai, and Bel'Veth hold the front line — put the tankiest one opposite the enemy carry.
- Against assassins, step your carries up one row and leave Briar and Rek'Sai 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 Challenger Akali
Strengths
- Average place better than 64% of comps of the same board size
- Big power spike once Bel'Veth, Rek'Sai, and Briar hit 3 stars
- Two damage threats (Akali and Bel'Veth) make itemizing flexible
- Strong mid game once the reroll units are upgraded
Weaknesses
- Falls off hard if someone else is rerolling Bel'Veth, Rek'Sai, and Briar
Strategic Tips
Economy
Reach 50 gold, then slow roll at level 6 with only the excess until Bel'Veth, Rek'Sai, and Briar are 3-starred.
Itemization
Build Edge of Night, Striker's Flail, and Hand Of Justice on Akali.
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 Challenger Akali.
Get the Winning Edge
Real-time overlays, automatic match tracking, and exclusive tools — everything you need to climb, free on your PC.
- In-game overlays
- Automatic match tracking
- Desktop-exclusive tools
Help us maintain accuracy! If you notice incorrect stats, missing data, or any issues, your feedback directly improves the quality of our data for the entire community.
How to play Challenger Akali – FAQ (TFT Set 17)
How do you play Challenger Akali?
Challenger Akali is a reroll comp: slow roll at level 6 from stage 3-2, keeping 50+ gold and rolling only the excess until Bel'Veth, Rek'Sai, and Briar reach 3 stars. Corner Kindred on the back line and put Rhaast in front of it. Build Edge of Night, Striker's Flail, and Hand Of Justice on Akali.
When should I roll down for Challenger Akali?
Challenger Akali doesn't do one big roll down. Slow roll at level 6 from stage 3-2, rolling only the gold above 50 until Bel'Veth, Rek'Sai, and Briar are 3-starred.
What level do you roll for Bel'Veth?
Slow roll for Bel'Veth at level 6, where its cost tier shows up most often in the shop. At level 6, each shop slot has a 40% chance to be a 2-cost.
Is Challenger Akali a reroll comp?
Yes. Challenger Akali wants Bel'Veth, Rek'Sai, and Briar at 3 stars, so slow roll at level 6 with gold above 50 until you hit them.
How do you position Challenger Akali?
Corner Kindred on the back line and put Rhaast in front of it. Split Kindred and Jinx across the back line so a single area spell can't hit both. Rhaast, Maokai, and Bel'Veth hold the front line — put the tankiest one opposite the enemy carry. Against assassins, step your carries up one row and leave Briar and Rek'Sai in the back corners as bait.
What is the best opener for Challenger Akali?
The most common level 5 board that turns into Challenger Akali is Bel'Veth, Briar, Cho'Gath, Mordekaiser, and Rek'Sai (5 games tracked).