PROJECT PBE HANDBOOK SET 15

This event is not sponsored/affiliated/endorsed with Riot games. We've NEVER claimed to be Riot affiliated or Riot sponsored. If there are any concerns regarding legality, please feel free to contact Kai (workingwithkai@gmail.com).

IMPORTANT DATES/INFO

Sign-Ups Close
July 19th, 11:59PM EST

Ladder Grind
July 21st, 5:00AM EST → July 25th, 2025 5:59PM EST
PROJECT PBE MAJOR
July 26th 10:00AM EST → July 27th, 2025

Contact: contact@projectsbykai.com

REGION LP MULTIPLIERS - TRUE LP CALCULATOR (NEW)

Due to the popularity of PROJECT PBE, we are approaching the point where introducing regional multipliers has become a necessity to maintain the competitive integrity of the event. Regional multipliers will be applied to player LP based on the server of your highest ranked account. These multipliers were heavily researched and studied in an attempt to make the process of cross-referencing LP per region as fair as possible. Worlds slots per region, number of Worlds winners from each region since set 1, the longevity of dominance per server, number of challenger slots, and comparing rank 1 ladder LP in relation to both the server and other regions, we’ve arrived with what we believe is a fair formula for cross-referencing LP across regions.

While the current state of our “True LP” calculator is good enough to produce meaningful cross-comparison, we are still trying to improve the calculator as much as possible before the start of the event. We will be releasing the math and formula behind the calculator prior to the event for full transparency when sign-ups close. For now, we are still improving the formula as much as possible.

Overall Format

The top 325 rated players* (based on peak rank in their respective region, up until June 22nd, 2025 11:59PM in the player’s account’s respective region timezone) who have signed up, will be able to compete against each other over 5 days, utilizing a third-party ranked system created by our custom-created discord bot. The top 24 players with the highest BLP (beta LP) at the end of the ladder grind, will get to compete in a 2-day tournament the following weekend for prizing! The prize pool is currently at $325**+ and is subject to increase. Worlds (Tactician’s Crown) attendees within the past two sets are auto-qualified for the event, do not contribute to the top 325 players who enter into the event, but must still fill out the sign-up form to compete.

*Competitive integrity will be valued over # of players who are able to partake. If there aren’t enough sign-ups, it will be up to the sole discretion of the owner of the project to decide at what number of participants to cut off.

**If you are interested in sponsoring, please contact Kai either via email (contact@projectsbykai.com) or on Discord (@kai_)

Tournament Qualification

The bot will run from Monday, July 21st, 2025 at 5:00AM EST to July 25th, 2025 at 5:59PM EST. Only during this time can qualified competitors compete for Beta LP (BLP).

  • Top 24 players based on BLP will qualify for the PROJECT PBE MAJOR

  • The tournament starts at 10:00AM EST the following two days after (July 26th, 2025 and July 27th, 2025)

  • Players can check their BLP progress in #leaderboards or #get_details

    • Scores are updated every 20 minutes, so if players just got out of game it may take some time before their scores are accurately reflected

    • Any games that have concluded before 5:59:59PM EST on July 25th, 2025 alongside a screenshot uploaded into the respective lobby of said game of the post-game screen (or any screenshot that definitively showcases every placement of every player; subject to kai’s discretion) will count towards a player’s final BLP score

  • NEW: The top ranked players at the end of each day after day 1 (6:00PM EST is the “end “ of each day. The 1st instance of decay will occur on July 22nd, 6:00PM EST) will decay BLP if they have not played enough games on that day. Our decay system works differently than decay you may experience on the live servers.

    • Top ranked players 1-8 will experience 30BLP of decay

    • Top ranked players 9-16 will experience 25BLP of decay

    • Top ranked players 17-24 will experience 18BLP of decay

    • Top ranked players 25-32 will experience 10BLP of decay 

  • To avoid decay, you must play enough games where the absolute value of BLP gained/lost each game is equivalent to the amount of BLP you would have decayed due to inactivity.

    • For example, if you are 5th on the leaderboards, you will lose 30BLP due to decay. To avoid this, you must play enough games where you gained/lost a total of 30BLP. In this example, we will assume the average ELO of each lobby is equivalent to yours to simplify calculations. To avoid decay, this can be achieved by:

      • Playing 1 game and going 2nd (+30 BLP)

      • Playing 2 games and going 5th, and then 3rd (-10BLP, +20BLP)

        • |-10| + |20| = 30

      • Played 1 game and went 8th (-40BLP)

        • |-40| > 30

      • Playing 3 games, and went 4th, 4th, 5th (+10BLP, +10BLP, -10BLP)

        • |10| + |10| + |-10| = 30

    • There are plenty of other combinations, but these are just a few

Tiebreakers

  1. Most top 4’s

  2. Most 1sts

  3. Least number of 8ths

  4. Most top 2s 

  5. Most top 3s

  6. Placement last game

How to Use the Discord Bot

Please reference this YouTube video (PROJECT PBE Video Manual) on how to properly utilize the Discord/bot:

Format of
PROJECT PBE MAJOR

The format of the tournament is as follows:

Day 1

  • The top 2-25 ranked players on the BLP leaderboards will play 4 games (reseed after every game), then the bottom 8 are cut after game 4, and then the remaining top 16 players play 2 more games

    • Top 7 after game 6 proceed to day 2

      • 1st place on leaderboard gets a day 2 by

      • 2nd - 9th place on leaderboard gets +2 bonus points for day 1

      • 10th - 17th place on leaderboard gets +1 bonus points for day 1

DAY 2

    • Day 2 is a checkmate format, and 20 points is required for “check”

      • Must go 1st place to checkmate after reaching “check”

  • The top 8 players will receive a percentage of the prizing as detailed below

Prizing

The prize pool is currently $1050+* (You can help us increase the prize pool here, and please only donate if you have the means to! 100% of all donations go directly to the prize pool.) and based on a player’s placement in the PROJECT PBE MAJOR, they will receive a percentage of the prize pool. All of the prizing will be paid out via Paypal ONLY (no exceptions).

Based on feedback from previous iterations of the event, we’ve structured the prize pool distribution to be less harsh across all placements.

WIN-TRADING POLICY

Win-trading is strictly prohibited in PROJECT PBE. For the purposes of this event, win-trading is defined as any deliberate action that significantly weakens a player’s own position in order to benefit another player, with the intent of influencing standings or tournament advancement. All players are expected to play in a manner that maximizes their own placements. Any actions that intentionally compromise your standings to aid another player may be subject to investigation under this policy.

To ensure fairness, a play will only be considered win-trading if substantial evidence has been brought forward. Substantial evidence is defined when at least 3 out of the following 5 conditions are met. The 3rd condition must always be met for a decision to be made. If the 5th condition is satisfied, the player is automatically subjected to penalties and the play will be considered win-trading.

WIN-TRADING (SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE) CRITERIA

1. Impact on Tournament Progression – The play in question resulted in another player securing a crucial advancement in the tournament (e.g., making it to Day 2, qualifying for the final lobby, etc.).

2. Community Suspicion & Reviewability – At least two or more competitors must independently report a strong suspicion of win-trading. The play must be supported by video evidence from any perspective (e.g., a player’s own VOD, a third-party spectator, or a tournament stream). Match history alone is not sufficient evidence. Players are highly encouraged to stream and/or record their games to ensure that plays remain transparent and reviewable.

3. Independent Panel Review (Mandatory Condition) – A panel of seven non-participating, high-level TFT players will review the play. The panel will consist of 2 players from AMER, 2 players from EMEA, 2 players from APAC, and Kai (who will always be the seventh panel member). To qualify for the panel, a player must have reached Challenger at least once in the past three sets. A formal panel will only be assembled if a serious allegation is made within the required timeframe. The review process will be made public for full transparency. The panel will decide by majority vote (at least 4 out of 7 must agree) for this condition to be fulfilled.

4. Deviation from Standard of Play – The play must be deemed below the expected standard of competitive play for PROJECT PBE. While subjective, this final call will be made by Kai, based on his experience as a former Challenger player.

5. Open Admittance to Win-Trading - If a player openly admits to win-trading, either via text or with video evidence, they are automatically subjected to penalties and the play will be considered win-trading. The conditions above are no longer required to subject the player to punishment and immediate disqualification.

REPORTING & TIMEFRAME

Cases of suspected win-trading must be reported within 6 hours of the play happening. Reporting can be done by messaging Kai directly via DM’s on Discord (@kai_). Due to the fast nature of the event, allegations or evidence submitted after this timeframe will not be reviewed. Reports must include video evidence and be submitted to the tournament staff for formal review. A player is only allowed to accuse win-trading up to two times during the entirety of the event.

TEMPORARY SCORE RESET (LADDER PORTION ONLY)

If a player is suspected of win-trading during the ladder portion of the event, the scores for that specific lobby will be temporarily reset. Players may continue competing, but the points for that specific lobby will not be counted until a conclusion is reached. If the suspected player is found guilty, their points for the entire event may be subject to further penalties.

PENALTIES & APPEAL

Players may appeal their ruling unless otherwise stated in the competitive decision. If found guilty (ladder phase or tournament phase):
1. The player will receive a 2-set ban from PROJECT PBE.
2. The player will be immediately disqualified from the event.
3. The player’s name will be publicly listed in a blacklist section at the end of the handbook, starting Set 15.

Severe cases or repeat offenses may result in permanent bans from future PROJECT events.

FINAL WORD

All participants are expected to uphold the competitive integrity of PROJECT PBE. You are expected to play in a manner that benefits your placements the most. If you suspect win-trading, please report it within 6 hours with supporting video evidence.

FAQ

  1. Why make a ranked system for PBE? Why not just have fun?
    People have fun in different ways. Some like the competitiveness that comes from TFT, and others are always looking for good practice before the set hits the live servers. But the main point is to incentivize players to play more games on the PBE, so that we can have better data before the set launches onto the live servers. This way, when the set comes to live, we’ll be able to get closer to a more balanced state before the greater player base has a chance to even touch the game. The PBE cycle is also when the devs have the greatest amount of leverage and freedom to change any numbers or items, and aren’t as forcibly locked via the strict nature of the 2 week patch cycle. The PBE cycle (despite being the first two weeks of the set) is the best possible time to try and reach the best balanced state for the game. 

  2. Why is the prize pool so low?
    While some of the prize pool was from contributions from generous community members, a large majority of it is coming directly from Kai’s pockets. This is a grassroots event, and we are incredibly grateful for all donations and sponsors, no matter how big or small.

  3. Why is the ELO cutoff so high?
    Ideally, we want players who are reputably strong in the TFT community to be participating in the event. This way, the top players are incentivized to play for good practice. It’s also important to note that generally, it's the top players who will find what's broken/the buggiest interactions the quickest. This event is to also serve as a way for the developers to hot-fix any bugs before the set goes onto live

  4. How does the BLP (beta LP) ELO system work?
    We have been using the same ELO system/formula since the first iteration and have had no problems. You can find the exact formula in

  5. Do I need to hit my peak rank before signing up?
    Nope! We will be manually checking those who are near the cutoffs before finalizing the list of participants. We’d much prefer people sign up ahead of time than last minute. We will be considering your peak rank up until June 22nd, 2025 at 11:59PM (your account’s local timezone)

  6. How many games can we play to compete?
    You can think of the event as similar to Boxbox’s bootcamp. Play as many games as you’d like to reach the top! The bot will begin running from July 21st, 2025 at 1:00AM EST, until July 25th, 2025 5:59PM EST to aggregate scores. While we will turn the bot back on over the weekend for players to still get some good practice before live, scores taken after July 25th, 2025 5:59PM EST will not count towards your chance at tournament participation.

  7. Will we be able to spectate games in the discord?
    Unfortunately, no. Instead, top performing players can be viewed in the leaderboards channel, and their stream links will be available there if they choose to provide one.

  8. Am I allowed to queue up games while waiting for the bot to find me another custom Project PBE lobby?
    Yes! Since we are unsure as to how long the queue times will be, and people will most likely be streaming their games, feel free to queue up more games on your own, while you are waiting in queue for another Project PBE game (you will need to ff though if your queue does pop, or decline the Project PBE queue pop). We wanted to make sure that we arrived on a solution that will also be streamer friendly, so that those who want to stream their games but don’t want to wait in a queue for an indefinite period of time (since their chat might get bored), will not be impacted negatively by participating in Project PBE. Albeit, with the new size of player participants this set, we don’t predict queue times to extend past 10 minutes in the worst-case scenario.

    Keep in mind though, historically players can find games relatively quickly (typically within 5 minutes)

  9. Why make a two-step verification process?
    We’ve created this two-step verification process so that people have time (10 minutes to be exact!) to finish what they’re up to, and have time to join the lobby afterwards. We predict that because of the small population size of PROJECT PBE, queue times will become unpredictable after the first few days. We don’t want to hold people hostage by forcing them to commit to a queue time with an unpredictable pop time. We want you to have the freedom to do whatever you like while waiting for the queue to pop.

  10. Where can I sponsor/support the event?
    You can donate to the event by going here! 100% of any personal donations go directly to the prize pool, and you’ll get a special thanks from me (kai)! If you’d like to sponsor the event for your company/brand, please check out the sponsorship benefits page here.

  11. Are there other PROJECTs I could participate in?
    YES! PROJECT MENTR is PROJECT dedicated to helping you improve at Teamfight Tactics like never before. Find out more here.

UPDATE LOG

Last updated July 5th, 2025 11:28PM EST to update dates, Tournament Qualification section, Region LP Multipliers, and PROJECT PBE MAJOR points system

Last updated March 20th, 2025 2:28PM EST to include the Win-Trading policy