TFT Set 18 AP 8-4 Comp Guide: How to Play the Eldritch Summoner Build (Patch 18.1)

The AP 8-4 Eldritch Summoner comp is one of the strongest TFT Set 18 meta builds on Patch 18.1. Full guide: leveling route, BIS items for Soraka, Zyra and Malphite, best augments and key tips.

Looking for a reliable AP comp in TFT Set 18? The AP 8-4 build — sometimes called the Eldritch Summoner comp — is one of the strongest meta setups on Patch 18.1 right now. It is a Fast 8 composition built around the Summoner, Executioner, Flora Fatalis and Blackthorn traits, with Soraka and Zyra as your main AP carries behind a tanky Malphite frontline. Mobalytics rates it Medium difficulty and Challenger players have been climbing with it since the patch dropped. Here is the full breakdown, based on the latest curated guide data.

Final Board and Core Champions

The finished level 8 board looks like this: Malphite, Soraka, Zyra, Alune, Kennen, Amumu, Azir, Fiddlesticks and Yorick. Soraka and Zyra are your primary damage dealers, while Malphite anchors the frontline as a Monolith. At level 9 you slot in one more unit to cap out the board, with Alune or Lux being the recommended additions. The key active traits at level 8 are Summoner 3, Executioner 3, Flora Fatalis 2 and Blackthorn 2, supported by smaller activations like Monolith, Thornmaiden, Attuned, Inferno, Juggernaut and Spellweaver.

Leveling Plan: How the Fast 8 Route Works

This comp is all about hitting level 8 fast with a strong economy, then rolling down for your carries. The benchmark route is: level 4 at 2-1 with 5 or more gold, level 5 at 2-5 with 10 or more, level 6 at 3-2 with 30 or more, level 7 at 4-1 with 50 or more, then push to level 8 at 4-2 with 30 or more gold left to roll for Soraka and Zyra. If the lobby lets you survive, level 9 comes at 5-5 with 20 or more gold saved.

In the early game you want a strong AP opener. The recommended transition board uses Elderwood 3 with Brawler 2, playing units like LeBlanc, Alistar, Rek'Sai and Xayah. Level to 4 on 2-1 and look to win streak. In the mid game, level to 6 at 3-2, keep playing your strongest board, and slot in any 4-cost units you hit as soon as they appear.

Best Items for Every Carry

Malphite is your main frontline and wants defensive items: Warmog's Armor, Gargoyle Stoneplate and Crownguard. Because he is a Monolith, he gains extra resistances for every enemy targeting him, so a solo frontline Malphite soaks an enormous amount of damage. Soraka carries the back line with Rabadon's Deathcap, Spear of Shojin and Archangel's Staff. Zyra, your second AP carry, runs Spear of Shojin, Jeweled Gauntlet and Void Staff. Leftover AP items can go onto Kennen, and if your items skew AD instead, you can play Ezreal over Kennen without losing much power.

Recommended Augments

The augment priorities are simple: economy augments first, AP or Gargoyle components second, and an Executioner Emblem third. On tier one, options like Feeling Lucky, Ascension and Flowing Tears keep your econ plan on track. Tier two picks include Epic Rolldown, Solo Plate and T2, while tier three offers Golden Gamble, Buried Treasures and The Baron's Lair for late-game spikes.

Key Tips to Pilot the Comp

Three details make or break this comp. First, always solo frontline Malphite — his Monolith trait rewards being the only target. Second, place Fiddlesticks on the Blackthorn hex, and if your frontline already feels strong with Malphite, you can swap Amumu onto the hex instead. Third, an Executioner Emblem on Zyra turns this comp from good into a legit first-place machine. Follow the Fast 8 route, roll to 30 gold at 4-2 and let your Soraka and Zyra two-stars do the rest.