[FFT] Food For Thought 1: In-Game Economy

Over the years, League of Legends has changed drastically. In earlier years, the game gave limited income to players who weren't doing well or didn't have a steady income (GP/10 items, farming lane minions). As it progressed, it rewarded players that had superior low economy gameplay. Making the right item choices was more important because not all items were equal and required commitment down a single build path with little flexibility. If you were smart with what little gold you were given, you often felt like you weren't far behind the enemy because optimal situational stats filled the raw stat/gold gap.

Currently, I feel like making smart choices with your gold has been mostly eliminated. Flexible build paths, cheap item components, increased focus on item efficiency balance, and well-rounded team gold income makes smart choices far less important.

But, this is just food for thought. Any other opinions?