How to upgrade champions in Teamfight Tactics (TFT)

The new Teamfight Tactics (TFT) Set 9 has brought old and new players back to the board. All the updates to the game have gotten many fans really exciting about playing. However, if you are new to TFT, there's a lot to learn. For example, you might be confused why some of your enemies have such huge, golden-colored units. So, let's help you out by explaining how to upgrade your champions in TFT.

How does upgrading champions work in TFT?

When you first get any unit, it's small and has a little bronze tick on the left side of its health bar. This denotes it as a bronze, or 1-star, champion. If you want to make this unit stronger, keep an eye out for more copies of it in your shop. Once you have three copies of a champion, they will automantically create a larger, silver unit called a 2-star champion.

With each star upgrade, your champion will gain better stats, from Health to Attack Damage.

Now, if you want to go all the way to a three-star champion, you need more than just another silver unit. Instead, you'll have to collect three silver (2-star) versions of your champion. Then, those will automatically combine into a gold (or 3-star) unit.

Another way to upgrade your units is to get certain duplicators or augments that will help you make more copies of your champions.

Related: How to get Void Emblem in Teamfight Tactics (TFT)

How to get 3-star champions?

No matter how new you are to TFT, it's pretty easy to figure out how useful and important 3-star champions can be. They are the most powerful versions of your carry units and they can (aptly) carry you all the way to victory.

But how should you play the game if you want to guarantee said gold units?

It all depends on which units you're looking to make into 3-star champions. In particular, you need to pay attention to what cost-level those units are. You see, TFT's shop is based on a probability system that helps you have better odds of getting certain cost units at different levels. For example, for levels 1-6, you have a 0% chance of getting a 5-cost unit. However, from level 7 on, that number steadily increases. So, if you want to make a 3-star 3-cost champion like Piltover's Jayce, you'll want to save your rerolls for a level where your probability of rolling for that champion is at its highest:  

• 1-cost champions– Reroll during levels 1-5
• 2-cost champions– Reroll during level 6
• 3-cost champions– Reroll during level 7
• 4-cost champions– Reroll during levels 8+
• 5-cost champions– Reroll during levels 9+

Some TFT Legends that might help you reroll well and reach your specific preferred levels include Tahm Kench and all his money augments as well as Aurelion Sol and his leveling upgrades.

If you want to study more on how the pros upgrade their favorite carry champions, check out Tracker Network's TFT Leaderboards. You can explore how they manipulate the game to build strong teams and try out their favorite three-stat champions.

Up Next: Where can you find your Teamfight Tactics (TFT) match history?