anyone else just afk when they get 0 items?

No, that's why I'm not hardstuck.

No, because I also have an advantage when I only find coins. You have to play your advantage, and your advantage is economy. If you lose multiple of the first few rounds, it doesn't really matter.

When you get only coins in the beginning, your chances at finding 2 Star units earlier are higher, because you can purchase more 1 Star units in the beginning than someone who gets items, then hold onto them to match them up.

By default, you have more coins and/or units than someone who started with items.

When possible, sell units you do not need and start to gain interest.

Later in the game, your chances at finding Items will be higher, as you found coins in the early game, and the players who found items will have lower chances to find items and an increased chance to find coins.

Why would there be a punishment for leaving a free for all game mode? If anyone suffers from your AFK, it's only yourself

You dont have to hit 1st position... As long as I am gaining LP instead of losing then I am happy.

I'll crunch the numbers for you here riot. expose an API that tells which rounds players get items and which round they lose on. I think that's essentially all that's needed to prove or disprove this point.

No. Since TFT is RNG both in terms of item drops and champions. Thus, you can always have better luck for fast champion upgrades - or maybe you'll get more drops at 3rd group of creeps and beyond (cause 2nd group rarely give more than 1 item) - while he might get stuck with lots of lvl 1 and lvl 2 units - despite of having a good early start with 4 item drops. I've experience both situations and getting a good early start - is far from deciding the end of the game.

As far as i know - there's no punishment - cause you're not ruining anyone's game. Tho, if you play Rank - you'll loose the highest amount of LP for ending the game on 8th place.

I don't know if their is any punishment but you can surrender in TFT games to make sure there is no punishment at all.

I mean the end result is a lose either way soooo meh

can still get 4th place with little to no items. At that point, sure, u may as well go AFK tho.

I get pissed off but don't quit.. Even when first creeps give only coin, then krugs give me coin, then wolves give me coin.. IF you live long enough, something will give you some items.. Quite maddening in the mean-time though. They need to balance item rng better.