5 Underrated Augments And How To Play Them by Tristan
1. Patience Is A Virtue
This augment when compared to other silver econ is insane, 4 gold per turn of value vs trade sector which is around 2.5 gold per turn. The downside to this augment is that you have to follow certain rules to make full use of it.
Do not play 1 cost or 2 cost reroll
This is because this augment heavily incentives you to not purchase your stage 2 and 3 shops to maximise this augment’s value.
Target a 3 cost rr that spikes you on 3-5 and can winout
Since you’re on loss streak, you need to spike on 3-5 if you’re playing a 3 cost rr so you don’t die stage 4.
Currently the meta doesn’t really have this but this augment was very strong when rengar 3 jinx 3 could winout. You could play cypher reroll with draven 3 but that requires you highrolling cypher early in stage 2.
OR play a 4 cost comp that is very stable on stage 4/5
Currently the best fast 8/9 comp for this augment would be any comp that can fit a Zac in. Zac blobs do not count towards buying a unit which means you still get full value from the augment.
Ideally don’t full open
If you get to neutrals without full opening while making every econ interval you’d gain another 4 gold by not having to purchase a random suboptimal shop in order to beat neutrals. But this is very idealist, if your board is weak and you need to open for 5 loss just do it.
Lastly, you aren’t tied to loss streak with this augment
The greatest trick about this augment is that you don’t have to play this from loss streak, you can take it on a strong potential opener with multiple pairs and a slammable item. Should you miss your 2-1 shop you can just re-evaluate if you want to roll on 2-2 to hit your pairs, or to wait till 2-3 to then roll and spike with potential 2 and 3 costs. This board should be stable for stage 2 and if neutrals drop you good 2 and 3 costs, your stage 3 could also be stable even without buying any shops.
Another tip with this augment is that if you have a shop you want to buy but you’re going to roll next turn lock that shop and buy it next turn as that will give you 1 extra roll.
2. Starry Night
In previous sets this augment was exclusively played in rerolls that stayed level 5 like Renata set 13, or level 6 like Tristana set 13. This set because of the starry night changes, the ev of rolling at level 3 to 5 has decreased while they buffed the level 8/9 odds. In addition most of the 1 and 2 cost RR tend to only want to hit their specific carry (Naafiri/Veigar) or want to roll at 7 for 3 star 3 costs as well (TF/Vayne). So if you’re playing a level 6 reroll comp but really benefit from rolling at 8 to hit 4 and 5 costs, you can use this augment to skip level 6 once you are stable and go straight to 8. In comps such as Naafiri and Veigar hitting the pivotal 5 cost (Samira/Kobuko) is the 2nd biggest spike in the comp. In comps like Vayne (only playable with flickerblade artifact now) going to 8 allows you to hit zed 2 which is a very important duo carry in that comp to cap out.
Currently this augment is weak on 14.5 because 3 star 2 costs are weak, but if in future patches 2 costs become meta, look out for this augment and this alternative playstyle.
3. Sponging
This augment is very strong when used in vanguards/bruisers to generate 6 warmogs/vows.
Here are two more very strong applications.
In conjunction with Binary Airdrop, Sponging activates first which means 1 item units pass their 1 item to another unit, then Binary activates giving your initially 1 item unit 3 items.
With exotech you can leave the exotech on your bench only equipping your tank once it’s received the items from sponging. And then next turn you bench that unit to get back your exo item on the bench, and put that unit back on the board.
4. Greater Moonlight
4 cost 1 costs last set was balanced around the 4 star 1 cost anomaly which led to this augment feeling underpowered. This set, 4 star 1 costs are backed to their normal balance which has made this augment frankly OP. It allows you to cheat out a cheap frontline/damage option for 0 gold allowing you to very easily push 9. In every comp you play a solo 1 cost you can pick this augment about every time and expect very good results. In AMP, you get Nidalee 4 which will stabilize your frontline and provide meaningful damage. In 5 Cypher RR, you get an unkillable Vi 4. In Vert Divinicorp, Morgana 4 allows you to push fast 9 even if you don't win every round.
This augment is also OP in some hero augments. On Wolf Unchained you create a literal 4 cost 3 star in Sylas 4 which is unkillable and one taps 3 item tanks. It’s so OP that I would sell my seraphine 3 so I could guarantee the 3 star on Sylas, and drop down from 7 anima (if I don’t have Aurora) and play 4 vanguard.
5. Wise Spending
Currently OP with golden ox. If you started with golden ox on 1-4, roll twice on 2-1 and play a board like this. If you didn’t but have golden ox 2-1, then you can roll twice on 2-2 instead.
On 2-5 you can roll twice to level and then roll once more to proc 12/12 golden ox. On stage 3 you ideally roll till you proc GOX threshold every turn from 3-2 to 3-7. Right now Graves is very strong so you can just force this augment with Graves. Play 6 GOX and Zac the moment you hit it. This comp can hit very high GOX thresholds while easily going 9/10. If you don’t hit graves 3, steraks can go on frontliner, qss can go on Aphelios and healing items can go on Viego and nashors can go on Annie.
If you didn't hit GOX early, you can still roll twice on 2-1 and 2-2 if you have multiple other pairs and can make a strong board. Then roll twice on 2-5 again to level to 5 (if you hit GOX before this point it gets you the 8/8 stack). You always pivot into gox the moment you hit it.
You can also take this augment on 3-2 if you have a GOX spot already or have high gold which will allow you to pivot.
Tristan is a top APAC player who placed 2nd in Set 14’s Tactician’s Cup II. Tristan’s socials: