@Riot If you aren't going to nerf damage at least inject a bit of everything else into the game.
A smart thing Auto Chess Mobile did recently (from Drodo Games, the creators of DotA Auto Chess) to counteract their new hyperaggressive pieces is to forcibly give players defensive items throughout the beginning stages of the game instead of multiple random items (or no items). IMO it has out worked spectacularly for them. This replacing of game characters with overloaded ones is exactly what has happened in LoL over the years via reworks etc. as well - minus, of course, the compensation.
This situation has caused three different roles to go sour:
1.) Most top laners build pure damage. Many top laners do not invest in a defensive item all game whatsoever. The best it gets for non-tank toplaners is BC on melees which mainly helps heavily amplify their damage over longer fights. Not only does this make the lane extremely volatile but it forces many of the champions competing there to be extremely gimmicky and one-dimensional as well.
2.) Bot laners rush BORK and other on-hit items way too efficiently.
This wouldn't be a problem if it weren't for the likes of 
either being meta or constantly threatening to be meta. The amount of raw, consistent damage that on-hit items give marksmen early game is frankly insane. Marksmen should be forced to invest in either crit or some form of CDR early on, neither of which are quite as easily abusable for most of them.
3.) The vast majority of junglers one-shot and do little else. No utility, no survivability; nothing but dashing from across the river and instagibbing. If there were a role that deserves better trinkets it should be junglers. If there were a role that deserves to be forced to drop money on the likes of a Ruby Crystal early on it is DEFINITELY junglers.
Supports are fine, only because so many of the more traditional ones do so much damage and/or hook that it's hard to justify walling out mages/etc from the role. The role is no longer a pure utility role. At least they still build ward items for their team; that's really something considering how powerful mage items are.
Mids typically build mostly damage and are a carry role, as they should be. The likes of Galio mid are still being played showing that tanky champions can have presence in the role as well - really anyone that scales well into midgame can be here. Champions are played mid to play to their strengths, and being left free to build whatever items they so choose would continue to support that notion.
The previous jungle role idea would be easiest to implement; throughout the game they could get less gold per 10 but be compensated with a free defensive/utility item; alternatively all jungler items could have health or a defensive stat added to them, Cinderhulk aside. Bot and top would be a bit harder to "force" items upon.
Any thoughts on this?
