So, I've been out for a bit, a lot of a bit actually, so I was hoping to get the highlights of changes since, oh, march or so? I know, big skip but didn't get much choice. Any new core items? Anybody new worth talking about? Anybody get Trundle'd? Stuff like that would be awesome to know about before I jump in blind.
Yeah last whisper is kind of shit now, crit is even easier to come-by, keystones are currently shit until patch 5.25 only thunderlords is really worth taking. Tanks were OP as shit but are slowly getting nerfed. Games start sooner and you can no longer start a camp then TP top lane and be lvl 2. Games are also more snowbally in the mid game. Turrets are worth a shit ton of gold right now and hold far more value than dragon and rift herald right now. Oh and Dyrus retired. :)
Well Salz, first thing is first; we're in the preseason. A lot of items have been changed and some new ones are in. ADC's (or marksmen if you prefer) are currently getting the tag-along to help boost them up, while Mages have been regretfully ignored. Juggernauts and Tanks in general are still powerful, and Assassin's are here to stay. With the changes to most items, AD builds up faster but does overall less damage directly. They have larger utility to them, though nothing extravagant.
Key things to note: 
is still strong as it takes him 2 items now to cap his crit. (His passive doubles crit chance, Statik Shiv is now 30% crit, and Infinity Edge is now 20%, so there's that.
The new champion 
is a thing, though not a very dominant one. She plays a very direct playstyle that, mostly, just kind of walks up to you and does big damage, but she has no serious CC to worry about. Just don't hope you can kill her 1v1 and keep your distance where possible.
Onto items; as stated above, crit items got a massive change. Firstly, 
has a new playmate; the 
. It stacks up like the shiv and deals bonus damage, however when it reaches max stacks, you gain bonus auto attack range for your next basic attack, and it's burst lightning thing only hits the one target. They both stack together, so building both or either is a good option.
The 
is another decently changed item. It now makes duelists and split pushing adc's stronger, as it's passive now makes them take reduced damage from the most recent champion they've damaged, so it works. Personally I don't find it that useful over many other items, but it's there.
The 
is also changed. Now not only does it give you the same magic shield, but it also gives you some bonus lifesteal as well while the shield is up, so that's pretty nice. (It also gives spellvamp and attack speed, but I don't know anyone that would benefit from spellvamp that would build this AD/MR item so I felt it unnecessary to mention. o_o)
The jungle has changed a bit, but that's nothing too large to discuss. Mostly the removal of some of the smite's like the poacher's knife cause practically no one used it. There is a jungle item that gives you wards though, which I personally use every time.
Oh and supports got some pretty nice items. The 3 support items can build into 2 things; the old one that has it's usual effects, or they can combine their support item with a sightstone to have the passive gold income and a vision ward together, but they don't get the other active effect, obviously.
And the last 2 things I can mention that I have personally thought of right now; Last whisper now has 2 forms. 1 of them does more damage the larger the gap between you and your opponents health is, and one that applies grievous wounds. (Yes, finally an AD item has that now!)
And second; the big one. 
is overpowered. Any hybrid carry, and heck, even most others, can build this for hyper damage. Watch out for Jax, Yi, Xin Zhao, Kog'Maw, I've even seen Irelia and Akali using it. Just, be careful.
