in this guide, we’ll explain how Varus comps work and cover the different champions you can flex in his board to make the most out of this unit.

This comp list has been meticulously compiled by several Challenger+ players, drawing from early playtesting, over 100 PBE games, VOD analysis, tournament data, and Riot API insights.

Patch 14.15 introduces an incredibly flexible set, and rather than focusing on just one board, we’ll be exploring different variations and strategies for rolling down effectively. Our aim is to help players gain a deeper understanding of the set by learning through different playstyles and lines, rather than simply copying boards. However, you can still use this guide as a reference for your gameplay.

While this guide is tailored for Masters+ players, we encourage everyone to engage with us! If you have any questions or feel that something is missing, don’t hesitate to reach out in the comments below or on our social media channels.

We’ll be updating this guide as the patch evolves, so stay tuned for more insights!

Breakdown

Synergies

While Pyro as a trait is quite flexible, Varus himself shines best within Pyro-Blaster compositions.

Transitionning

Focus on going vertical with Pyro when playing Varus.

You can adjust the flex spots ( pink circles ) in your composition based on the units you find along the way.

Some Level 8 variations include:

• 4 Blasters
• Fiora Core
• Gwen Core

These options allow you to adapt and strengthen your board while maintaining the core Pyro synergy.

This core setup leaves you with 2 empty slots when you reach level 9. These slots give you the flexibility to add utility, more frontline, or additional synergies to round out your composition based on what you need in the late game which usually capping out your board with legendaries.

4 Blasters Varus

One of the best transitions to a Varus 4 Blasters board is utilizing the Portal synergy, especially if you began with a Portal board and have already slammed AD items on a leftover Ezreal or, ideally, a Tristana.
Pairing this with a Bastion Lillia frontline helps compensate for the missing Taric, giving your composition the durability it needs while you work towards the full Varus Blaster setup.
This transition allows you to maintain strong early and mid-game presence while smoothly pivoting into your final comp.

Varus Fiora Board

This board has the potential to easily cap out by swapping just two units in stage 5, or even earlier if you get lucky during your fast 8 rolldown.

Consider swapping out Fiora and Akali for Camille and Briar, particularly if you’re in a healthy position. Camille is currently one of the strongest level 5 units, making her a great candidate to take on Fiora’s items. Meanwhile, Briar can start scaling, adding another layer of strength to your composition.

Varus Gwen Board

If you started with a Sugarcraft setup and managed to secure some AP items early, along with hitting a few Gwens and Tahm Kenchs, you might want to consider transitioning into a lethal board centered around Gwen and Pyro Varus.

While it’s more challenging to fully cap out with this composition, it’s still a strong option that can secure a top 4 finish. This board can provide enough tempo to keep you competitive and potentially buy you the time needed to transition into a more capped composition if luck swings your way. It’s a solid strategy for stabilizing your game and maintaining momentum.

4 Blaster capped out board

We’ve mentioned capping out several times, so you might be wondering—what does a capped Varus board actually look like?

A capped Varus board is one that’s fully optimized, typically featuring Varus as your primary carry, supported by a robust frontline and key synergies like 4 Blasters. Units like Camille and Briar are often included for their powerful utility and damage output, rounding out the composition. This setup ensures you’re maximizing the Pyro synergy and squeezing the most potential out of your board as you push towards the late game.

2 Blaster capped out board

Rolldown Priority

An easy way to manage your roll down is by first determining the best variation of your comp based on your current situation. For example, ask yourself:

• Do you have augments like Little Buddies or Three’s a Crowd?
• Do you have an excess of items suitable for a Duo Carry?

If you have the Three’s a Crowd augment, you might opt for the 4 Shapeshifter + 4 Blaster variation, as it leverages the power of 4 3-cost units, making it a stronger option compared to the standard version of the comp.

Varus Itemization

Evenshroud is often preferred over Last Whisper for Varus due to how his ability works. Since Last Whisper applies armor shred only after damaging a unit, Varus’s first cast wouldn’t benefit from it, making Evenshroud a more effective choice.

Last Whisper, however, is still valuable for item economy and pairs exceptionally well with Infinity Edge.

For Varus’s items, I’d always recommend Infinity Edge and Shojin. For the final item, options like Giant Slayer, Deathblade, or Gunblade work well. Avoid building Rageblade, as Varus already gains plenty of attack speed from Pyro, and his cast animation is too long to benefit from it.

Artifacts like Fishbones are particularly strong on Varus, as he targets the largest clump within his range, and Fishbones effectively doubles that range, maximizing his impact.

Smolder Itemization

Smolder is an attack speed-based carry, so you’ll want to equip him with Rageblade plus two damage items like Hurricane or Deathblade. Since he’s a Blaster, maximizing his auto-attacks during the 3-second window is crucial for his effectiveness.

For tank items, Nasus is your go-to. Equip him with generic tank items like Warmog’s, Dragon’s Claw, and Bramble Vest. If possible, put Evenshroud on a different tank to spread utility, but if not, it can go on Nasus.

Shen and Tahm Kench aren’t particularly bulky tanks and primarily offer crowd control, so they should hold utility items like Zeke’s Vow or Morellonomicon rather than full tank items.

Closing Thoughts

That’s it for our deep dive into the Varus comp and its variations. Stay tuned, as we’ll be covering more compositions in the future to help you navigate the TFT meta.

Keep experimenting, and good luck in your games!