For Such a Fundamental Change, Turret Plating is Receiving Little Analysis
Laning in League of Legends has been partly defined by a single turret since the game was imagined. The turret was either destroyed or not. The basics of laning were founded on the notion that turret damage was a cost to be paid for lengthy roams or losing lane control, and conversely a way to punish both. A laner who damaged his opponent’s turret severely but died had still ‘lost’.
Furthermore, the only gold ever available was passive generation and last-hits. A laner’s income was defined by their creep-score, with differences comparable across matchups and among players. Combined, these fundamental facts encouraged laners to push early, only to ‘bounce’ the wave off the enemy turret and ‘freeze’ it just outside theirs. The purpose was to deny income and set up ganks.
But now, with plating offering gold for turret damage, laning is fundamentally different. A laner could have a lower creep score but more gold by having destroyed plates. Two plates offer the same gold as a solo kill. Pushing the wave for a chance to break plates is now the simplest strategy, and ones such as defensive freezes may emerge to counter it.
How do you guys think it will change fundamental lane meta—the best things to do in lane? What do you plan to do differently now?
