Kien Lam Profile picture
Author of EXTINCTION THEORY (@UGAPress 2022, National Poetry Series). Writer & Producer for PLAYERS (Paramount+). Ex @riotgames. @kundimanforever fellow.
May 30 25 tweets 7 min read
How to Hit Masters in TFT Set 11 (easy-mode guide). I'm 1700 Rank 5 peak this set, and I'm going to teach you how to climb. Here are three comps you play every single game from every single spot using the same tempo: Get to level 8 with ~50 gold and then roll.

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This set, the way to climb is to have a game plan for level 8. The above boards are what you'll be able to hit on average. Final winning boards are below in thread.

I listed only a few items because you should be slamming everything but the essentials (shred + 1 anti-healing).
Jun 15, 2022 12 tweets 5 min read
Here's my guide for @TFT Set 7 (which is very fun!!). For those who don't know, I'm a peak Rank 1 and regular Challenger player. Here are some comps you can play every game, how to play them, and how to play TFT more generally (when to level, etc): ImageImageImageImage And more four comps + some notes on each of the 8 comps:

1. (from above) Xayah -- 4 swift is very good, but you can go 6 with shyv. win con is 9 and shyv2 over idas.

2. ezreal/leona reroll -- roll at 5. karma/taric dont matter as much. win con is shi oh yu at 8 + bard9. ImageImageImageImage
Jun 14, 2022 5 tweets 2 min read
After ~6 years @riotgames, this Friday is going to be my last day -- exactly one day after PLAYERS drops!

Eternally grateful for the friends I've met here. There are too many to list and I don't want to offend anyone, so just assume I'm talking about you. Bye forever. Image I'll be taking some time to myself over the next month or two to focus on my writing, @TFT (I can play in tournaments now 👀 ), and other life things.

DMs are open if you want to chat in the interim and have ideas for a writer/producer who has made a TV show. ❤️
Dec 13, 2021 21 tweets 6 min read
Thread on HOW TO GET BETTER AT @TFT! This is an update on my old guide tailored to Set6. I'm Top 20 Challenger, and the rest of the top players are familiar faces because we carry these fundamentals to every new set:

1. When to level / roll + why
2. How to position Things you can control EVERY game: when you level + when you roll + how you position your board

Things you CAN'T control: augments offered + units in shop + items offered

I'm going to talk about how to maximize the former and how to mitigate/play around the latter
Nov 20, 2021 4 tweets 1 min read
league twitter -- i'm looking for a couple examples of clips:

1. a baron contest or steal attempt that doesn't result in the steal (or much of anything) but looks kind of cool. like an almost-steal.

2. an ADC almost-outplay. they die, but almost pull it off.

let me know! ideally it's ultimately a bad play -- it's just ALMOST good. like leaving 3 people at 1hp almost kind of thing.
Nov 19, 2021 16 tweets 5 min read
Took me a ton of games but I think I'm finally in good form. Here's my first @TFT guide for Set 6, and for those who don't know, I'm a perennial high challenger player who has peaked at Rank 1.

This set is all about momentum! Here are 4 comps that you can play every game: And 4 more comps that are generally always (but slightly less) playable:

In addition to these comps, there are openers that will let you play Mutants, Trist (3 yordle variant), 7 syndicates, or scholar Lissandra carry, but only go for that if you know what you're doing.
Dec 8, 2020 20 tweets 5 min read
Thread on HOW TO GET BETTER TFT! People ask a lot and are almost always wrong on the how. I've hovered around Top 20 Challenger in every single set I've played not because of comps or mortdog luck but because of fundamentals:

1. When to level/roll and why
2. How to position Things you can control EVERY game: when you level + when you roll + how you position your board

Things you CAN'T control: what chosen you hit + what units you hit + items

Focus on the former, i.e. things you CAN control. People always ask about the latter, though.
Nov 30, 2020 17 tweets 6 min read
Here's my ex-Rank 1 Challenger-stamped @TFT 10.24 guide. Welcome back Aphelios one-tricks in the form of Zed now. And welcome back Spirit Zed one-tricks also in the form of Zed. Focusing on new leveling/econ pattern today!

Here are 4 strong comps, then 4 niche comps to consider: ImageImageImageImage 9 cultist/9 warlord are good options if you meet conditions early (chosen, and spat for warlord) -- but generally I prefer to run 6 of them in mid-game and try to fast9 for legendary comp instead. ImageImageImageImage
Nov 2, 2020 16 tweets 6 min read
First @TFT guide in a while from me, former Rank 1 and current Rank 10, for patch 10.22. This time I'll focus on how to be flexible + chosens tierlist + item tierlist + why Ashe is Queen of the North.

2 comps you can always force, and then 4 comps that need a chosen: Chosen Sharpshooter can be any (jinx best)
Chosen Diana is best
Chosen Yasuo (or Xin if you find it early -- stack xin instead and position xin to far left or far right front)
Chosen Nami (if enlightened, play annie or lulu as well)
Oct 31, 2020 4 tweets 1 min read
looks like Rengar has caused someone to Paws the game confession: i thought rengar's E was called "Ebola Strike" until 5 seconds ago when i decided to google it because i thought "wait that's kinda fked up"
Oct 13, 2020 7 tweets 2 min read
Actually, here is a quick guide on which Chosen units to take early from a peak Rank 1 player (flexing this forever -- it's already on my C.V.)

Before 2-4 Carousel:

1* ALWAYS take:
- Cultist Elise, TF
- Fortune TK
- Yasuo
- Elder Maokai 1* Take if have item:
- Wukong (bow)
- Brawler Maokai (if going Ashe)
- Moonlight (if Aphelios/Diana items)
- Enlightened Fiora/Nami (if going Talon)

2* ALWAYS take:
- Fortune Annie
- Keeper J4
- Hec
- Cultist Pyke
- Thresh
- Elder Lulu
- Janna
Oct 11, 2020 5 tweets 1 min read
TES disengage and re-engages are so good. the individual mechanics in this game are awesome -- this is a great preview of what we can expect in quarterfinals. earth soul is so hard for DRX to deal with -- they already have tough time bursting anyone down cuz of lulu/ori
Oct 5, 2020 14 tweets 4 min read
NA Challenger Rank #4 back with a guide for @TFT patch 10.21. Reroll comps (slow-roll for 3-stars) are really strong this patch, so here are three re-roll comps that I see win lobbies a lot right now + Ashe comp. ImageImageImageImage Comps from my previous guide generally all still work. One change I'd say is that Dusk comps need to find Kayn to win now -- don't need to Dusk spat him, and only really need 2 Dusk to make it work (so don't even need Riven if you get unlucky).

Oct 5, 2020 4 tweets 1 min read
can't believe we have to go from that banger of a game to DRX vs TES for everyone doubting TES, please remember Karsa was literally known as the KR killer
Oct 4, 2020 4 tweets 1 min read
not a fan of how hard so many people are tunneling into "draft diff lul" these days. don't rly get why so many reddit analysts fancy themselves to be draft experts lol

felt like there were much more glaring issues in that game it's basically

win game = great draft!
lose game = bad draft!

🧠
Oct 4, 2020 4 tweets 1 min read
jensen is at like 10cs/min, which is great, and he's still 35 down on mission -- this guy is nuts. anyway TL is guaranteed to win this

NOBODY is better at winning games where nothing happens for 20 minutes than TL
Oct 3, 2020 4 tweets 1 min read
this guy has "69" in his name. it's too OP wtf is NA supposed to do about that? time to put away the LGD memes
Sep 30, 2020 6 tweets 1 min read
top 5 deadliest creatures in australia:

5. brown snake
4. redback spider
3. saltwater crocodile
2. box jellyfish
1. raes unfortunately LGD has a deadlier crocodile
Sep 30, 2020 4 tweets 1 min read
is it too early to start drinking biden sucks so much lmfao god we are fucking boned
Sep 26, 2020 4 tweets 1 min read
LPL: ok you are in the Play-In stage
LGD: playing stage? so we just play around?
LPL: Play-In
LGD [hearing playing]: if you say so... wish i could read mandarin so i could go check out weibo reactions lmao
Sep 25, 2020 5 tweets 1 min read
first pick sett from PSG. good idea from R7 to take away ashe to prevent the brawler/ashe/elderwood comp. change this team's name to P.S. GG