How to Beat Raptors (Stage 4-7)

Defeat the aggressive Raptors in Teamfight Tactics' Stage 4-7 by using AoE damage and protecting your carries from their dive.

Stage 4-7 in Teamfight Tactics marks the final PVE round before the climactic Stage 5-1. This encounter pits your board against a pack of Raptors, agile and aggressive creatures known for their ability to quickly bypass frontlines and target vulnerable backline units. Successfully navigating this stage is crucial for securing valuable resources that can significantly impact your late-game strategy.

Understanding the Threat: Raptor Behavior and Composition

The Raptors appear as a group of several medium-sized units, typically ranging from 4 to 6 individual Raptors. Their primary characteristic is their high movement speed and tendency to prioritize the closest enemy unit upon engaging. This often means they will attempt to path around your frontline and dive directly onto your carries or support units positioned in the back. While not possessing exceptionally high health, their collective damage output can be substantial if left unchecked.

Key Raptor Characteristics:

• High Movement Speed: Allows them to quickly close distances and flank.
• Aggressive Targeting: Often prioritize the closest enemy, leading to backline dives.
• Moderate Health Pool: Individually manageable, but dangerous in a group.
• No Special Abilities: Unlike some other PVE monsters, Raptors do not possess unique spells or crowd control. Their threat comes purely from their speed and attack damage.

Strategic Preparation: Countering the Raptor Dive

The key to defeating Raptors lies in anticipating their backline dive and having a plan to either absorb their initial burst or eliminate them quickly. Here are several actionable strategies:

1. Optimized Positioning:

• Protect Your Carries: This is paramount. Position your primary damage dealers in the corners of your board, ideally behind a sturdy frontline or flanked by secondary tanks/bruisers.
• Corner Stacking: A common strategy is to "corner stack" your carries, placing them in one of the back corners and surrounding them with other units to create a protective barrier.
• Baiting: Sometimes, placing a less critical unit (e.g., a low-cost tank or a utility unit) slightly forward in the backline can draw the initial Raptor aggro, buying your carries precious seconds.
• Frontline Reinforcement: Ensure your frontline is robust enough to engage the Raptors that don't immediately dive. Units with taunt or area-of-effect (AoE) crowd control can be particularly effective.

2. Recommended Unit Types and Abilities:

• Area-of-Effect (AoE) Damage: This is highly effective against the grouped Raptors. Champions with wide-hitting spells (e.g., Lux, Miss Fortune, Ezreal, Kai'Sa) can clear multiple Raptors simultaneously.
• Strong Frontline: Units with high health, resistances, or damage reduction (e.g., Tahm Kench, Sion, Ornn, Sejuani) are essential for soaking up damage and preventing Raptors from reaching your backline.
• Backline Protection:
  • Bruisers/Secondary Tanks: Units like Vi, Sett, or Irelia can be placed next to your carries to peel for them.
  • Crowd Control (CC): Champions with stuns, roots, or disarms (e.g., Sejuani, Ashe, Leona) can lock down individual Raptors, reducing their threat.
  • Healers/Shielders: Units like Soraka, Janna, or Taric can provide crucial sustain for your backline, allowing them to withstand the initial onslaught.

3. Item Considerations:

• AoE Damage Items: Items like Morellonomicon (for burn), Statikk Shiv (for magic damage bounce), or Jeweled Gauntlet (for crit on spells) can significantly boost your AoE champions' effectiveness.
• Defensive Carry Items: Consider items like Guardian Angel or Edge of Night on your main carry to give them a second chance if they get focused. Quicksilver can prevent CC, though Raptors don't have CC themselves, it's generally a good carry item.
• Frontline Tank Items: Standard tank items like Warmog's Armor, Dragon's Claw, and Thornmail will help your frontline absorb damage.

Rewards from Raptors (Stage 4-7)

Successfully defeating the Raptors guarantees a significant boost to your economy and item progression. The rewards are typically more substantial than earlier PVE rounds, reflecting the increased difficulty and the approaching late game.

Specific Item Drops:

Raptors drop a combination of gold, item components, and occasionally a completed item. The exact quantity and type of drops can vary slightly, but generally follow these patterns:

• Gold: You will always receive a substantial amount of gold, typically ranging from 4 to 8 gold pieces. This gold is crucial for leveling up, rerolling, or purchasing high-cost units.
• Item Components: This is the most common and valuable drop. You will usually receive 2-3 random item components. These components are essential for completing powerful items for your carries and tanks. Examples include:
  • B.F. Sword
  • Recurve Bow
  • Needlessly Large Rod
  • Tear of the Goddess
  • Chain Vest
  • Negatron Cloak
  • Giant's Belt
  • Spatula (rarely)
• Completed Item: There is a chance to receive 1 random completed item. While not guaranteed, this can be a huge power spike if it's an item your composition can utilize effectively. The odds of a completed item drop are lower than component drops but higher than in earlier PVE rounds.
• Consumables: Very rarely, you might receive a consumable like a Magnetic Remover or a Reforger, which can offer strategic flexibility.

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

• Underestimating the Dive: The most common mistake is assuming your frontline will hold everything. Raptors are designed to bypass it. Always assume they will reach your backline.
• Lack of AoE Damage: If your team composition is heavily focused on single-target damage, you might struggle to clear the grouped Raptors efficiently, allowing them to chip away at your units.
• Poor Carry Positioning: Leaving your main carry exposed in the middle of the backline is an open invitation for Raptors to eliminate them quickly.
• Ignoring Itemization: While good units are important, having appropriate items, especially defensive ones for your carries or AoE enhancers, can make a significant difference.

By understanding the Raptor's behavior, preparing your board with smart positioning and appropriate unit types, and leveraging your item advantage, you can consistently clear Stage 4-7 and secure the valuable rewards needed to push for victory in the late game.