honestly I wouldn't say it's the "only" build (gotta have that diversity :]]]]]]]]]]]) but the most effective build is just figurine, tedris ville, and dance karting

figurine is just needed for simple duels, tedris and karting can kinda be optional but they're mostly obliged because of the mass poke/ranged damage potential

extra shells/range really just make you rely on one weapon when you should be regularly using both, and knockback is quirk central; ted's point is damage, not cc. I get its point as a potential safety tool for burst characters/initiators but just stay your distance and you'll be fine. as for setting up you have two stuns and natural kb jusT IGNORE IT

using machine gun: it has solid dps but it's mostly only on solo targets, and it's dps is just mirrored by shotgun at the privelege at being released faster (5.9 bullets to .8 shells a sec, people)
really just use this on structures and only resort to it in duels when you run out of shells.

using tedris: small amount of damage but remember that its range is bonkers and that you can easily kill from a distance ted couldn't before. the 1.2 seconds of cd isn't really bad, just patiently wait for it and land your marks. also try to read your opponents' movement and interrupt their pathing or zone them out from clearing, but don't be complicated and aim like 9 meters into the air lmao

using shotgun: that attack speed is poopy but that 210 base damage is great for clearing droids and 1v1'ing. later game its dps gets a lot better with figurine and stimpack action, so don't count it out as the slowest thing ever. LIL' PRO GAMER TIP: once you get tedris, just swap constantly and shoot both sniper and shotgun shots for optimal dps in fights, since you get to ignore cooldowns and use both for reeeeeal nice damage.

karting doesn't really need much explanation, beyond the fact that you can use it as poke for enemies behind turrets (they'll nerf it eventually dw bb). when you use it mid fight it's helpful to knock your opponent back into mines with shotgun so you get a buncha damage comin out.

don't really freak out over swapping back and forth between your weps, the absolutely best part of playing ted is having all that firepower he has. just work into it and it'll beome muscle memory that whoops some serious tookus you cutie :3

iunno if this section's really even that necessary since it's usually uniform what you get as a ted: damage and phone number

ok ok ok yeah aldez phonenumber is really just a quality of life thing. that global airstrike really does come into play with being able to threaten anyone you're above or below, having to defend two different lanes, and being able to initiate above platforms like you weren't able to before.

I don't really have an issue with healthpack, but medican/constant damage awareness/support/medpacks are just as fine and don't need you groping around for that 300 health. use it if you'd like, but just land your airstrikes without prioritizing that health too much, airstrike on its own is a good nuke and should be regarded as one.

double rpg.... it's a third extra damage and you need to be really consistent with it by landing both strikes on the same targets. pairing it with stun is fine I guess but just don't think you immediately get that bonus, otherwise you're just cutting off a chunk of your damage by rarely landing both.

stun is nice to go for and although i really don't casually use it sure whatever that extra cc is nice on an already damage heavy character.

typically I just get both damage options, DoT doesn't really play into too much in duels but is real nice for having some poke on your nuke in case youre just throwing it out while you can. extra damage is just extra damage on your damaging nuke i don't know what else i can add

laning: if you don't have aldez try to use airstrike mostly at bottom lane, but otherwise plop it wherever you want. if droids are low enough, you can also use it to initiate on a map like ai station or aiguillon without immediately getting ganged on by initiating characters like leon/skoll.

fights (ง •̀_•́)ง: if you're full on dedicating to a fight, that airstrike reaaaaaaally decides who wins, since it does so much group damage and makes it it difficult to really continue the fight without dying, especially with both damage upgrades. make sure you just aim below wherever you wanna aim so you ensure them getting hit without them being able to jump below a glass platform when they're on one.

picking up kills: aldez makes it a bunch easier to clean up kills below yourself when enemies are behind turrets. if they're teleporting, easy kill, just line it up with them. (minimap is a real big help with this, make sure you also realize where you are on the map and predict correctly.) if it's a kill running in a straight line, make sure you pick up enough speed and shoot it in front of them so that they can run into it; if they go back to dodge it, pick up your kill with aa. also try to read where they might go if they're taking a jumppad/going down the map, if it's a linear map like starstorm or aiguillon aim in the general direction.

it's a nice damage supplement, only pull this big boy out in serious dedications to fights (or just use it as a throwaway for extra damage in a fight you know isn't gonna get anyone kills.) general build for this one, personally, is stun, movement speed, and shield.

reload isn't super necessary, it means youre gonna be relying on shotgun if you've already lost shells. you should mostly be initiating with stimpack so you can have that cooldown going from the start instead of halfway if it's gonna be a long enough fight, so just have your shells ready in case of any fight.

duration means you're gonna want to have as much of that boost as possible, so that would translate into a real long teamfight. if you're really having that many dedicated teamfights, it's fine to take this with attackspeed/shield/speed but you should mostly be clearing out easy kills with ted's offense kit anyways.

I'm not really head over heels with attack speed since the base bonus is normally enough to get kills, but if you wanna replace movement speed with it for teamfights, sure, go ahead.

shield is less damage from that clunk that's just gonna 1-2 you, and easier survival in teamfights where you'll be taking a good brunt of force from 3 nauts, nothing complicated over here.

stun isn't super necessary but it's nice for aligning your airstrikes and ensuring that damage on targets that can easily avoid it with movement speed or a skill. any channeled skills like yoolip's gaze, rae's snipe, lux's dash, frog's tornado, or max's illumination can easily be interrupted with it, helping you to mitigate any damage on you or teammates (I guess you can also use it to stop nibbs from aiming breath but i don't really think that'll come into play too much.) stun's also good for stopping someone from running from your team and it helps to ensure a good start on a kill.

movement speed is really just nice for that massive speed boost helping you chase a kill or running from same-speed targets/high speed targets with cooldowns. this one can be substituted a lot easier than the other ones, but definitely supplements ted's minimal mobility.

i'd say for the utility row, it always comes down to medican, pills, and damage. medican is usually a first pick for that extra sustain letting you stay in lanes longer, but pills can be bought first if you're getting hounded down with no health to cushion a combo's worth of damage. damage can be bought any time, but it's best to buy tedris before it if you haven't already.

movement speed isn't too necessary since you should mostly be in a constant area most of the game. if you really need that extra speed, the aforementioned stimpack speed is a nicer touch.

piggy really needs you to depend on an assured win with a snowball, otherwise you're just cutting yourself short of another upgrade. piggy into tedris isn't really a my favorite thing either since you can mostly make do with stimpack stun medican or phonenumber early game.

bkm is fine if you're gonna get demolished by cc that hounds you like slow blind or snare, but shouldn't be too necessary.

all that said just go play ted and try to keep rational, don't spam your cooldowns but make sure you use it all consistently without throwing crap at a wall and hoping it sticks. if you build damage build on airstrike first or just walk back and forth in a straight line shooting machine gun in your lane, i'm hiring a psychiatrist you complete sociopath