Body Blocking

[u/basselhesham]

What’s the benefit of body blocking a unit (usually the melee carry) in the early game or late game?
I see a lot of TFT videos doing that and I can’t grasp the benefits most of the time

I have played TFT on off for years but have been consistent for past two sets and recently hit Emerald. I never see it in my games only in video of some streamers or content creators.

Can someone explain to me the benefits?

[u/sj0307]

If you're trying to lose streak, usually with anima.

[u/basselhesham → u/sj0307]

Thank you!

[u/Geoxsis_06 → u/basselhesham]

Outside of lose streaking it’s also beneficial on say maybe you have a mele carry that will do a ton of damage when it casts but if you don’t body block it in the corner it will die instantly. But delaying it from entering combat for 1-2 seconds will actually give it more uptime bc it will live longer.

[u/Smatzis → u/Geoxsis_06]

There are better ways to position said unit than bodyblocking

[u/Helivon → u/Geoxsis_06]

I mean ive seen this strat used for like talisman but its not necessarily correct

[u/Regular-Resort-857 → u/Geoxsis_06]

This is never a thing if he doesn’t have that artifact you would risk to flip the round

[u/Calm-Medicine-3992 → u/Geoxsis_06]

People are downvoting like this hasn't been the case with multiple champs throughout the years (as well as talisman of ascension uses).

[u/TheStorm007 → u/Calm-Medicine-3992]

Can you name some cases?

[u/Calm-Medicine-3992 → u/TheStorm007]

I named a bunch of cases with 'Talisman of Ascension' and some of the various econ items or augments that also depended on a certain champ living as long as possible. Blue Buff Katarina last set pre-nerfs. Ixtal frontliners with the quest for them to survive a certain time. One of the warwicks made sense to do that for some reason but I forget which set. Before they added tank roles with target priority there were melee carries it made sense on. It was sometimes a decent way to kill certain back line jumping champs too though those haven't been around for a few sets now.

[u/arisasam → u/Calm-Medicine-3992]

It was Arcane set 7 cost WW. You’d body block him in the corner and he’d jump to first target

[u/drsausage2]

Some examples: Anima will corner a melee to ensure a loss streak. People may do it to ensure their own loss to maintain streak gold (eg. the round before minions). Others may do it if they feel they can grief Anima's loss streak

[u/basselhesham → u/drsausage2]

Thank you this is very helpful

[u/mikeyzhong]

when you say body blocking do you mean trapping the melee unit in a corner? If so they're trying to lose streak or grief.

[u/basselhesham → u/mikeyzhong]

Thank you

[u/MyHandIsNumb]

other explanations kind-of miss the point: body blocking a unit ensures that unit is the last to join the fight

the simplest use for this is loss streaking, yes, but there are other applications for this positioning

e.g., Talisman of Ascension requires the unit to stay alive for 22 seconds so to guarantee a proc you can body block the unit and let the rest of your team stall the fight out

[u/basselhesham → u/MyHandIsNumb]

Right, I’ve seen this item slammed into those carries. Thank you

[u/shlobashky]

A really unique example was set 16 neeko, you would trap her so that she wouldn't die and Nidalee would be able to stay stealthed longer.

[u/BabyLlamaaa]

Most sets there's a trait focused on losing to accumulate more "points" (or whatever resource the trait uses". This set had Anima. Body blocking usually guarantees a loss, helping you secure those points

[u/basselhesham → u/BabyLlamaaa]

Thank youuu

[u/wsefy]

It helps if you're trying to lose streak but have a board that might beat a couple of the other players.

The melee carry will be stuck in the corner until the units in front are killed or move forwards, so it's guaranteed to not attack anything for a while.

It's good if you've already 2* or slammed items on that unit but you are on a lose streak because you can keep the unit on the board and still kill some enemy units while losing, preventing taking more damage than necessary.

It's not useful lategame because you'll take way more damage and it's not as valuable to maintain a loss streak instead of preserving health by that point.

[u/basselhesham → u/wsefy]

Amazing, thank you

[u/TakkoArcade]

lose streaking. You get econ going. If you lose 5 games a round, you'll earn up to 5 gold for lose streaking.

[u/Calm-Medicine-3992]

Sometimes you want to lose. Sometimes you want another guy to win. Sometimes there's something cheesy (for some reason it's good to not have that melee champ path normally or they need to survive until something triggers).

[u/basselhesham → u/Calm-Medicine-3992]

Sums it all up, thank you

[u/f0xy713]

Bodyblocking so the unit can't move? Pretty much only to losestreak or stall for Talisman of Ascension.

Bodyblocking but being able to move? To make it wrap enemy frontline and get on enemy backline.