Why do pros not seem to like building last whisper items (mainly ADCs, but everyone is included)?

JavelinJoe·2/17/2020, 12:11:57 AM·1 votes·1,648 views

item 3033 and item 3036 are both armor pen items which offer 25%-35% armor pen respectively. But rarely do I see them purchased (in NA at least). Usually in terms of armor pen, it is either not used at all or only through item 3071 and/or lethality items. Rarely do you ever see either of the Last Whisper items. Rarely do you even see item 3123, usually if the lane match-up is heavy sustain like Vlad or something, but even then it ins't always taken. IDK if it is a pro thing, or if they can't work it into their preferred build's alternatives. But it would seem useful for games with a lot of AD heavy damage on your team where enemy champions can stack armor, or the enemy team has a lot of healing.

As an example, in today's match of TSM vs FLY, TSM had 3 heavy AD champions. FLY had an Ornn who build almost entirely armor, and a Yuumi. Yet only Dardoch and Broken Blade built item 3071. Dardoch did get a last whisper technically, but the game was already over when he did get it (it was already pointless to get it because there was no possible way TSM could contest FLY at that point with Elder buff and Bjerg dead with 0 nexus towers). But no armor pen on arguably the champion who would need it the most, the ADC. 4 of 5 members of FLY had at least 1 armor item. I get Aphelios has some armor pen built in, but it is that really enough? Also, only Pantheon had heal reduction too, vs a Yuumi who spam heals, an MF with a BF, and a Lee Sin who has built in healing. Not to mention FLY had a Mountain Soul. Is it just not a possible item for ADC players to build in PRO games?

5 Comments

JustA kleo2/17/2020, 12:14:57 AM2 votes

if i had to guess because pro scene is way more organized than thus stuff like adcs dont die within 2 seconds of a fight (lul) so black cleaver has a stronger outcome.

Bulshlaka2/17/2020, 12:38:59 AM2 votes

because aphelios and senna already overkill by damage output to not care about the penetration

MF is a caster that is mainly used for her Ult if you watch MF games they ult and then they are pretty much useless

varus doesn't care about the physical damage as much because of 2 things his W is his main damage output for tanks anyway his onhit build shreds tanks anyway and it's low on physical

ie current meta adcs either are too busted to care about armor or function in a way that they don't care about tanks anyway

they would probably spec into armor pen as a 5-6th item if 2 or 3 people are building armor and heavily ie something like ornn top leona supp and a half/half jungler like lee or j4 that goes into defense after 1-2 items

Minimac20002/17/2020, 1:45:31 AM1 votes

^This, basically there's no need. Tanks already die in 4 autos anyway, so why bother building an item to make them die in 3 when you can build an item to help you kill the rest of their squishy team at the same time instead

MrFawknSunshine2/17/2020, 1:55:30 AM1 votes

hmm not a lot of pure tanks being played where its really needed

Bastilean2/25/2020, 2:08:53 AM1 votes

I lol'd. Most responses don't even watch pro play obviously. Also the MF comment made me laugh as if crit will help MF's ult much