TL;DR
- Dragon units cost 10 gold and occupy two slots with exclusive anti-trait mechanics
- Hextech Augments return as Dragon Shrine with enhanced strategic decision-making
- Treasure Dragon replaces Raptors, offering rerollable reward bundles for strategic flexibility
- Build entire compositions around single dragons for maximum synergy bonuses
- New character system features semi-original dragons using established champion skins

Riot Games has unveiled the first comprehensive gameplay details for Teamfight Tactics Set 7, introducing revolutionary dragon-themed mechanics that will transform competitive strategies. The Dragonlands expansion marks a significant departure from previous sets with its pure high fantasy aesthetic and legendary creature focus.
The May 2022 TFT Dev Drop featured lead designer Matthew Wittrock breaking down the innovative systems and units arriving in the next season. As the Dragonlands name clearly indicates, these mythical creatures form the central theme throughout the entire set. Expect elaborate fantasy motifs inspired by ancient fables and dragon legends rather than the technological themes of PROJECT or space-themed Odyssey skins that dominated previous seasons.
Dragons will fundamentally reshape gameplay dynamics, introducing several semi-original characters specifically crafted for this set. These units represent unique entities not available as standard League of Legends champions, though they utilize recognizable skins from established characters to maintain visual familiarity.
One prominent example showcased is Ao Shin, currently available as a Little Legend but originally conceptualized as a new champion back in 2013. This design eventually evolved into Aurelion Sol, with Ao Shin never officially releasing as a playable character. The Storm Dragon Aurelion Sol skin represents what the ‘true’ Ao Shin would have been, and this lore connection plays out directly within TFT’s gameplay representation.
A standard Aurelion Sol appearance remains available alongside other dragon representations like Dragon Guardian Galio, providing multiple strategic options for team building.
TFT Set 7 will have 10-cost dragon pieces
The cornerstone combat mechanic in TFT Set 7 revolves around dragon pieces that demand careful resource management and strategic planning. These powerful units consume two champion slots on your board and function as ‘anti-traits’ – they receive substantial health bonuses and triple the standard origin synergy benefits, but only when deployed as the solitary dragon on your side of the battlefield. This design philosophy shares conceptual similarities with the God-King units from Set 5 but introduces more complex decision-making requirements.
Dragons remain purchasable throughout all game stages but carry significantly inflated costs compared to standard units of equivalent rarity. The demonstrated Ao Shin piece illustrates this pricing structure perfectly – a typical rare unit costing five gold instead demands ten gold for the dragon variant.
Competitive TFT players will need to construct their entire team compositions around individual dragon selections in Set 7. While the showcased rare Ao Shin carries a 10-cost premium, strategic players may opt for more economical dragon options during early game phases that offer reduced scaling potential but better economic flexibility.
Advanced Strategy Insight: The dragon cost structure creates fascinating economic trade-offs. Investing 10 gold early can cripple your economy, but delaying dragon acquisition risks falling behind in combat power. The optimal approach involves scouting opponent compositions and adapting your dragon acquisition timing accordingly. Early-game dragons provide immediate power spikes but sacrifice economic development, while late-game dragons require surviving the mid-game with inferior units.
Common Mistake to Avoid: Don’t tunnel vision on high-cost dragons exclusively. Sometimes a 5-cost dragon with superior synergy alignment outperforms a 10-cost dragon with mismatched traits. Always evaluate the complete synergy picture rather than just raw dragon power.
Hextech Augments returning alongside new Treasure Dragon encounter
Hextech Augments emerged as the standout success story of TFT Set 6, and they’re making a triumphant return in Set 7 with refreshed thematic elements. The Hextech Core transforms into the Dragon Shrine, though the core mechanics remain consistent – players periodically receive selections of three unique perks that dramatically influence strategic direction and composition development.
The major gameplay innovation in TFT Set 7 arrives with the Treasure Dragon encounter. This new neutral monster round replaces the traditional Raptors phase, delivering curated reward packages to participants. Players receive full transparency about impending rewards and maintain the option to reroll these packages for a single gold investment.
Optimization Tip: The one-gold reroll cost represents exceptional value during late-game stages. However, early-game rerolls can devastate your economy. A good rule of thumb: only reroll when the current rewards don’t align with your composition direction or when you’re sitting on significant gold reserves.
Strategic Decision Framework: When facing augment choices, consider both immediate power spikes and long-term scaling potential. Some augments provide explosive early advantages but plateau later, while others offer slow starts with massive late-game payoffs. Your current health total should heavily influence this decision – low health demands immediate power, while high health allows for greedy scaling choices.
The Treasure Dragon mechanic introduces unprecedented strategic flexibility during the critical mid-to-late game transition. Unlike static reward systems, this dynamic encounter allows players to pivot strategies based on available options. The encounter typically occurs around stage 4-7, providing a pivotal decision point that can determine match outcomes.
Time Management Strategy: Plan for the Treasure Dragon encounter approximately 15-20 minutes into your match. This timing allows you to assess your composition’s strengths and weaknesses before committing to reward directions.
Advanced Player Insight: Top competitors use the Treasure Dragon to fill specific composition gaps. If your team lacks frontline durability, prioritize defensive items and tank units. For damage-deficient compositions, focus on offensive enhancements and carry champions.
The reroll mechanic deserves careful consideration – sometimes accepting suboptimal rewards preserves economic advantage, while other situations demand aggressive rerolling to secure critical components. This decision should align with your overall game plan and current positioning relative to opponents.
Understanding when to conserve gold versus when to invest in rerolls separates average players from elite competitors. The one-gold cost seems minimal but compounds significantly when used repeatedly.
Action Checklist
- Study dragon unit synergies and identify 2-3 primary composition paths before playing
- Practice economic management with 10-cost dragons – learn when to save and when to spend
- Master Dragon Shrine augment selection by considering both immediate needs and long-term scaling
- Develop Treasure Dragon encounter strategies, including when to reroll versus accept rewards
- Analyze opponent compositions during matches to optimize dragon timing and trait alignment
No reproduction without permission:Game Guides Online » Original characters, 10-cost units coming in TFT Set 7 Master TFT Set 7 Dragonlands with strategic dragon mechanics, returning augments, and treasure encounters
