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Okay can anyone actually explain to me why tier 1 and 2 runes exist?

1010001010001001··50 votes·9,506 views

Never mind the awful new player experience everyone has when first trying out league Due to smurfs rofl stomping them all game, EVERY game. But then they get to the point to were they can finally buy tier 3 runes , you know the ones that are actually worth enough for you to keep and use for the rest of your league of legends career that's when you realize something....And that something is "WOW look at all these champions who are worth all this super high priced IP!!!!!!! I sure am glad that from levels 1-20 I was burning all the ip I managed to get on these tier 1-2 runes instead of on champions and actual runes I intend to keep! I mean okay let's be honest sure from levels 1-20 you won't even understand the importance of runes But what about when they are learning the game being taught by a friend "which is usually the case need I mind you" who's trying to teach them the game and they get cheesed not because of the hardcore smurfing action Because of those one of a kind League of legends QUE's but because the guy/girl has a tier or 2 ahead of them? that doesn't seem very fair does it? I really feel like the entire thing is whacked out and no one is actually looking into this problem! I mean just getting from levels 1-30 Is soooooooo hard. I just feel like new comers should have the exact same opportunity's as some of our older veterans, Except the skill//mechanical experience Which makes league of legends fun. I'm sorry if I went a little all over the place with this forum. So what do you guys think?

32 Comments

67chrome31 votes

So what do you guys think?

Considering rune pages have 30 slots that progressively unlock with levels, it makes no sense to add an arbitrary power ladder to something with a smooth power curve in the first place. Especially if there isn't a super-obvious break between level 9 and 10, 19 and 20 players being matched together.

Tier 2 runes flat out shouldn't exist.

Tier 1 runes should be free, so you can at least try out a lot of positions/rolls/rune set-ups for a verity of purposes. Like not having the IP, having back-up pages so you can switch to a roll your team needs, and so you don't feel like playing nothing but Ashe levels 1-30 and can actually get a good feel on how the 6 major archetypes and 5 lane positions generally operate.

There is no advantage to purchasing T1 or T2 runes at all. They're simply a false choice and waste of IP.

chumbler17 votes

Runes should not exist at all. They are literally only an IP sink and nothing more.

Quepha4 votes

{quoted} Runes should not exist at all. They are literally only an IP sink and nothing more.

and because people typically buy their rune sets and then declare themselves done with runes and start buying champions, it fails even at this.

Linna Excel7 votes

Noob traps. Particularly tier 2 runes.

Kanoko Tohsaka7 votes

I personally believe that tier two runes are quite worthless compared to their tier three counterparts, and should really just not exist. On the other hand, tier one runes should be super cheap(er) or just plain free, just so new players can get a handle on what runes will be useful for whatever role they will eventually main. For example, if a week Malzahar is free, and they are aiming toward Magic Damage casters, they'll realize that Atk Spd runes are virtually useless. Or if they want to play ADC champs, they'll most likely have Ashe, and will probably figure that Mgc Pen. Runes aren't really what they need.

SmokingPuffin4 votes

Tier 2 runes are dumb.

Tier 1 runes are incredibly cheap and will take the prressure off buying full tier 3 rune pages as you level. A full page of tier 1 is quite helpful at level 1 and costs like 200 IP.

no1cur1 votes

{quoted} Tier 2 runes are dumb.

Tier 1 runes are incredibly cheap and will take the prressure off buying full tier 3 rune pages as you level. A full page of tier 1 is quite helpful at level 1 and costs like 200 IP.

A full page? You mean that one single rune that you get to place?

Yeah, that's a game changer.

SmokingPuffin1 votes

{quoted} A full page? You mean that one single rune that you get to place?

Yeah, that's a game changer.

Ugh. There's supposed to be a '0' there. "A full page of tier 1 is quite helpful at level 10"...

In any case, I would recommend any new player buy AD red, hp/level yellow, mr/level blue, AD quint tier 1s. They help noticeably and you'll use them up to level 20 for the price of a single cheap champion. Once you get to 20, start replacing them with tier 3 as you can afford.

Onegarion1 votes

Just checked them and they are super cheap. Really everyone should have a page filled of these since something is better than nothing. At least until you can buy your tier 3 runes.

This would give a new player a pretty big advantage early over his enemies.

Onegarion4 votes

Can you say noob trap?

Kratos2633 votes

Thing is, it is quite obvious from the start tier 1-2 runes will get replaced by tier 3, since you see them all in the shop. No matter how noob someone is at the game, he should understand that, so he either actually made that choice himself, knowing he is gonna switch runes at lvl 20 or 30, or the guy is just stupid (sorry, but it's not hard to check google on runes tips).

However i completely agree, lvl 20 and above have a very unfair advantage over those at lower levels, and the prices are also ridiculous. It's unfortunately one of Riot's ways of making money --> player wants runes AND champions, but since runes must be bought with IP, he'll need to buy champs with RP if he wants them, so they probably won't change anything.

N080DY2 votes

at least runes cant be purchased via RP that would make it real unfair

Awestruk2 votes

{quoted} Thing is, it is quite obvious from the start tier 1-2 runes will get replaced by tier 3, since you see them all in the shop. No matter how noob someone is at the game, he should understand that, so he either actually made that choice himself, knowing he is gonna switch runes at lvl 20 or 30, or the guy is just stupid (sorry, but it's not hard to check google on runes tips).

However i completely agree, lvl 20 and above have a very unfair advantage over those at lower levels, and the prices are also ridiculous. It's unfortunately one of Riot's ways of making money --> player wants runes AND champions, but since runes must be bought with IP, he'll need to buy champs with RP if he wants them, so they probably won't change anything.

You don't actually get to see the tier 2 till you are a certain lv, and the tier 3 till you're lv20.

Eljin3 votes

I like T1 runes. They give me a little boost right now for minimal IP cost, and let me play around with combos and set-ups for the few champions I own.

T2 make no sense to me. Overpriced for the limited time you will actually use them before swapping to T3.

Rune Combiner makes less sense. I mean, I understand it's supposed to help you take those outdated runes and make them into something more valuable, but 5:1? Seems a bit steep.

Jamnon1 votes

Agree about the rune swapper. Lame, overpriced.

Leti the Yeti2 votes

tier 1 are cheap and AD marks make early last hitting more bearable

WolfBV2 votes

I would really hate tier 1 runes to be gone, tier 2 runes I'm fine with though

ALEKWB94Vz2 votes

Yesterday I got Quequed up with a level 13 a level 15 2 golds and a silver......... Me and my whole team were at least diamond 3 myself being d3 I was so confused so sometimes it happens rito why?

KidKaiser2 votes

""" ** [TL;DR] T2 runes needs to get removed. T1 runes on the other hand will save yourself a ton of IP until you manage to get the champs you want. then the nice* upgrade feels of 400IP~ a piece into T3 runes.**

*can be debatable/ but would be like mini goals to achieve. i'd call it a plus. """

=

seriously. T1 runes are worth what.. 5 -> 15 ip ?! gives pretty decent stats for it's low cost. 2 hours are a whole week. probably managing 3 games a day. with first win bonuses its roughy 350ip per day. x7 = roughy 2500ip a week.

thats basically both starting rune pages filled out with basic AP and AD runes.

then if anything. once you start your rotation from T1 -> T3 runes.

it's highly suggest to complete the AD set first. cuz everyone can benefit from that extra last hitting power.

9 FLAT AD Marks [red] can sub ONE for 1% crit. cuz RNG Gods are OP. 1% more of a chance in winning your lane.

9 FLAT ARMOR Seals[yellow]

9 FLAT MR or MR per/lvl Glyphs[blue]

  • special note for MR Glyphs. 6 MR/lvl + 3 FLAT MR gives decent early game MR and scales nicely into late game.

3 FLAT AD Quints[purple]

=

but i get how new players fall for the trap. usually higher tiers should give better rewards. but honestly. T2 runes are a literal waste. the jump in IP cost for more stats from T1 -> T2 is just not worth the effort. if you really wanted T2 runes just cuz. you'll be looking at 2 weeks are farming at the rate i shown above, just to get ONE page set.

Jamnon1 votes

MATHMATICAL

Rebonack2 votes

T1 runes should be free.

T2 runes shouldn't exist.

That's all there is to it.

chumbler3 votes

{quoted}

T1 runes should be free.

T2 runes shouldn't exist.

That's all there is to it.

All runes should either be free or not exist. That's actually all there is to it. They are literally only an IP sink and absolutely nobody should defend them. If you do, you are a complete and utter idiot.

Budupops1 votes

Riot does it so you waste your ip and are forced to continue playing so you can get ip for the 6300 really cool looking champs.

Tough Guy1 votes

Problem is that if you remove a certain type of runes Riot will have to refund everyone who bought tier 1 or tier 2 runes.

DrCyanide3 votes

Nonsense! Riot can just put them in the trash can Rune Combiner for you!

Laughing Fish2 votes

Or they could upgrade all Tier-2 runes into tier-3 runes

Strawberrycocoa1 votes

It keeps new player's IP pool low so they put themselves in a position where they have to buy RP if they want new champions since their IP has to go to runes.

RoyceRollin1 votes

because **** new players

S1rF33dsAl0t1 votes

I just hit level 30 the other day, and hadn't bought a single rune up until that point. Now that I have tons of extra ip i can buy them, but up until now I used ip only for champs.

Diljic1 votes

Tier 2 runes are an IP trap and shouldn't exist. Tier 1 runes however are extremely cheap and not bad at all to use while leveling to 30 assuming you aren't boosting XP and will have quite a few games to play.

ofart1 votes

It's probably just so people waste IP on them and buy boosts when they realize what they've done.

Similarly, if you waste IP on T1 runes, you won't have IP to buy champs and may want to spend real money. Why do you think you can't edit rune pages in the lobby? It's not hard to program. They just want you to spend money and buy rune pages. If masteries weren't so complex, they'd probably not let you edit them either.

Urdnot Entar1 votes

Because Riot likes to troll its player base.

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