Design Flaws of Armor Items Vs MR Items
- Disclaimer : I am not a mage main. I main AD Top and AD jungle champs.
TLDR;
Armor items are more specialized than MR items, as you must take two layers of context into consideration when buying armor; how your opponent utilizes AD and which type of champion you are using.
AP users seem to be less defined in comparison to AD users. This provides many of them with multiple roles, Burst often being one of the two+.
Perhaps due to above issue, MR items work too well against all types of AP users, requiring much less thought to build than armor items.
AD champions fall into a few categories. Clearly, this example list isn't absolute and is quite malleable, as champions have different build options and/or evolve over the course of the game.
- Skirmish Casters -
- Burst Casters -
- AAers -
Armor items are designed to counter these specific sub-categories of AD users as well as to be built on certain types of champions.
Considering Your Opponent
Vs. AAers -
Vs. Burst -
Vs. Skirmishers/General -
Considering Your Champion
As Tank -
So you must keep in mind two layers of context when building armor; your opponent's utilization of AD and the champion you're playing. If you're an ADC against Trynd for example, Randuin's or Guardian's. However, this 'layering' effect has been harsh on non-tank AP users.
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None of the armor+HP items provide CDR or AP (besides Ohm, but I mean..)
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None of the armor+CDR items provide HP or AP (that Ohm though)
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The _one _armor+AP carry item provides no CDR or health and requires an expensive and delayed build path.
Yes, there are AP+HP items, but none of them provide armor or CDR, and many AP champs do not synergize with them as they require raw AP and CDR (Lux, Ziggs, LB, Ahri, etc.)
MR items, however, are much less demanding of context by design. AP champs fall into a few categories as well, but it's a bit messier.
- DoT -
- Poke/Siege -
- Burst -
- Dive -
A design flaw worth mentioning; AP champions are much more prone to cross genres.
Side Note - Let's not argue about the definition of Burst. I'm defining it as being able to kill a carry within one spell rotation. Whether that takes 2 seconds or 0.5 seconds is trivial.
Xerath, Liss, and Lux, for example, can fall under Burst or Poke. Malz and Brand can fall under DoT or Burst. Build contextual, Fizz and Cho can fall under Burst or DoT/Skirmisher. Amu and Galio are Dive and Tank. Kennen is Dive and Poke. Diana, Kat, and Akali are Dive and Burst. This is one of the underlying reasons of the next issue. Let's look at the aforementioned two layers of thought, but this time in regards to MR itemization.
Considering Your Opponent
Vs DoT -
Vs Poke -
Considering Your Champion
As Tank -
In general, MR items provide a blanket-style defense against AP. This means that you don't have to think very hard against which type of AP you're against. You just have to keep in mind which type of champion you're playing. Now let's look at the TLDR issues and propose solutions.
Armor items are more specialized than MR items, as you must take two layers of context into consideration when buying armor; how your opponent utilizes AD and which type of champion you are using.
- Inclusion of more of these specialized choices. Ex., a 3rd armor+AP option, a 2nd armor+HP+CDR option.
- Inclusion of more general choices like Deadman's.
AP users seem to be less defined in comparison to AD users. This provides many of them with multiple roles, Burst often being one of the two+.
- Mages will get an update soon I hear. This may resolve this issue.
- In general, AP users need more clearly defined roles/styles, akin to current AD champs.
MR items work too well against all types of AP users, thus require much less thought to build than armor items.
- Cannot be thoroughly examined/fixed unless AP users are more defined. I believe the current scope of MR items' power is derived from the all-around-ness of AP users.
** In regards to Maw Vs Zhonya's**
I get that Maw has a more useful, all-around, impossible-to-fail, no-drawback passive while Zhonyas is more expensive, must be used correctly, and has significant drawbacks. Maybe this means Maw should get a price increase, Zhonya's should get a price decrease, or both. However, this is really just a symptom of the aforementioned design flaws. So let's look at this particular issue with this thread in mind, specifically the specificity of armor items in relationship to AD users and MR items in relationship to AP users. This issue could be resolved if;
- AP users had a 2nd option vs AD Burst outside of Zhonya's
- AP users had more penetration options
- Maw provided less offensive stats, making it more specialized as an 'Vs AP Burst' item
- Seekers had higher base armor with less reliance on stacking, making it more specialized as 'Vs Armor Burst'
- If above, combine cost of Zhonya's includes the AP taken away from Seeker's
Etc. They all involve the design flaws mentioned throughout this thread. If these design flaws are examined and taken care of, I believe issues like this shouldn't arise in the future for longer than a few patches. Anyway, those are my thoughts on the matter.