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Why get ____ when you can get ____?

ABlueQuaker··4 votes·1,096 views

This is, essentially, a thread to comment on the logic behind getting certain items when you can spend the same/slightly less/slightly more gold and get something arguably better. Some of these may be based off personal opinion so explain your statement if you feel it needs context.

Why get item 3087 when you can get item 3046 ? Spend a little more gold and get something that scales so much better. In this meta especially.

Why get item 3068 when you can get item 3717 or item 3143 ? Challenging Smite + Cinderhulk is better in-combat and Randuin's Passive and Active is a more-than-worthy tradeoff for Sunfire's Immolate damage.

Why get item 3083 when you can get item 3800 ? You snowball so much harder when you're ahead if you have the option to engage at will which is what RG is designed for.

EDIT: item 3072 vs. item 3508 is a big thing for me too. I'd actually get Essence Reaver if it gave me raw stats that were on par with BT.

item 3072 +80 Attack Damage +20% Life Steal

UNIQUE Passive: Your basic attacks can now overheal you. Excess life is stored as a shield that can block 50-350 damage, based on champion level.

item 3508 (how it should be) +80 Attack Damage +20% Life Steal

UNIQUE Passive: Restores 2% to 8% of the damage dealt by basic attacks as Mana. This effect increases based on missing Mana.

The only difference between item 3072 and item 3508 should be their Passives.

21 Comments

Hard4Hamsters3 votes

For everything there is a reason. All of these items have tradeoffs. You could compare any two items that are somewhat similar and say that one is better than another, but there are situations when the "weaker" item is better.

Shiv for instance builds out of Avarice Blade, which can help ADC's build up farm if they are playing the farm game for 20 minutes. It also helps with waveclear and spreading out damage in teamfights. It adds burst on top of all of that. PD on the other hand will do more single target damage.

Sunfire has a stronger aura than Cinderhulk and gives resistances which makes it a better early game item against AD opponents. Many champions like the pushing power it gives as well. Champions with a lot of lockdown to begin with can make great use out of the damage and they don't really need Randuin's for the slow. On the other hand, Randuin's is more cost efficient in terms of stats and adds CC to any champion who buys it.

Warmog's has a shit ton of regen to help against sieges. It also gives more health. Champions who do not use mana do not benefit as much from RG. On the other hand, RG is REALLY good for engaging and is one of the best items on Maokai with his point and click root to completely lockdown a target.

Essence Reaver has CDR and mana sustain for ADCs and can be useful if you are looking to take down as many towers as possible early in the game. Bloodthirster is just better all around. It has so much lifesteal and a shield on top of high AD. \

So those are some reasons to get blank over blank.

Wînter Fox2 votes

Why get item 1006 when you can get item 2003 x5 and actually recover health.

50000000000000001 votes

Add potions to build path Rito pls

Silent Cal1 votes

Cool thread. I was thinking why get item 3056 when you get any other item in the game lol.

FooDang1 votes

item 3056 passive not too bad, helps you get back into the fight quicker after homeguards wear off, ball of stats for 2600 gold...niche item though with a useful active...never bought it myself but maybe ill try next time i support...

Flying Buntcake1 votes

Why get item 3091 when you can get item 3065 item 3102

unless you are teemo, kayle, or cho

Rand0mH3r0X1 votes

[{quoted}](name=Flying Buntcake,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=5AmtqF7L,comment-id=0001,timestamp=2015-05-17T03:44:43.302+0000)

Why get item 3091 when you can get item 3065 item 3102

unless you are teemo, kayle, or cho

Rammus and Skarner scale well with it, too.

LordGeovanni1 votes

because wits end is made for sustained fights to make your opponent more susceptible to damage its highly under rated and was op in certain champions from it had 42% attack speed

Silent Cal1 votes

Rito why get item 3508 when you can get item 3042 .

Even on champion with non-spammable abilities the tear is still better. Essence sustain is pretty terrible.

ABlueQuaker1 votes

Why get item 3508 when you can get item 3072 ?

Its LS is worst than BT and the CDR you get from it isn't worth the tradeoff.

FooDang1 votes

Ezreal with item 3042 doesn't mind item 3508 at all...

ABlueQuaker1 votes

He minds item 3072 even less.

item 3278 item 3143 item 3042 item 3078 item 3072 item 3035

FooDang1 votes

Not every build is cookie cutter ;)

ABlueQuaker1 votes

This build is just personal preference. I used to love blue build, then TriForce got a substantial buff so I started building it on as many champions as it was viable on. But since Ezreal's Q applies On-Hit Effects but doesn't crit so Muramana > IE.

catastrophicSkil1 votes

Why get item 3041 item 3141 because you're a troll

janna is maybe the only exception i give to item 3041

50000000000000001 votes

Soraka Live! (so you can give me assist)

thePandev1 votes

Shiv is actually useful in a lot of cases. For example, ADCs with no waveclear Draven or Vayne can make use of it's power because it's just effective in pushing lane. Also, in teamfights, all 5 enemies are hit, and with the crit magic damage it can hurt a bit.

Sunfire is for champions who don't have much pushing power, much like Shiv. So champions like Shen benefit a lot off of it's passive. Also, I think the sunfire passive is better than that of Cinderhulk's, especially if you aren't a jungler.

Warmogs just gives more HP and for Champions like Zac or Shyvana who don't benefit off the mana it's a good alternative. Also gives more HP, so if you're into that sort of stuff (Volibear), why not get both?

ABlueQuaker1 votes

  1. Yeah, I was going to add more to my explanation about Shiv because there are situations where it's a better option. Though, in general and as an Old School player who has been around for several years now, I'm a bit of a purist when it comes to itemization. I still build as though I'm playing for ultimate late game every game because that's how Season 2 was with hypercarries running wild in all of the lanes.

  2. Sunfire COULD have been in a really good spot if Riot didn't nerf Cinderhulk like they did. It would have been good to see them try to rework Sunfire so it had more of an identity.

thePandev1 votes

[{quoted}](name=A Blue Quaker,realm=OCE,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=5AmtqF7L,comment-id=00050000,timestamp=2015-05-17T04:13:42.950+0000)

  1. Yeah, I was going to add more to my explanation about Shiv because there are situations where it's a better option. Though, in general and as an Old School player who has been around for several years now, I'm a bit of a purist when it comes to itemization. I still build as though I'm playing for ultimate late game every game because that's how Season 2 was with hypercarries running wild in all of the lanes.

  2. Sunfire COULD have been in a really good spot if Riot didn't nerf Cinderhulk like they did. It would have been good to see them try to rework Sunfire so it had more of an identity.

To be honest I find it stupid on Riot's part that the new abyssal will stack with Cinderhulk, while Sunfire will continue not to.

Just make Cinderhulk do no damage to minions and let Sunfire stack with Cinderhulk and I think it would be fine.

And actually, I failed to mention that IE coupled with Shiv has one of the most overpowered burst potentials evar, since the magic damage crit is now dealing 250% damage. Now imagine that with 3rd true bolt stack or a Draven Q and you are dealing stupid damage.

Come to think of it, Shiv is also useful against armor stackers since now you have a magic dmg aspect in your kit, so, definitely has it's benefits over PD, although I still think PD is better on most champions.

ABlueQuaker1 votes

I'm really mad with Riot for mishandling Challenging Smite Cinderhulk.

lB2kGRlc8y1 votes

Why get compensation buffs when you can get gutted!?

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