What makes an Item Over Powered?

Dreadlocks·Apr 12, 2015·4 votes·814 views

I would really like to know what the community thinks about this question^

16 Comments

Cloud273Apr 12, 20153 votes

When it's named BOTRK

Kariu RenaApr 12, 20152 votes

item 3157

basically any ap itemization is op

Teridax68Apr 12, 20152 votes

I think an item becomes overpowered when it distorts a range of champions so heavily that their kits need to be nerfed to the point of being lackluster without that specific item, which then becomes mandatory. Pre-nerf item 3100 was overpowered because it forced most autoattack-based AP damage-dealers to have mediocre scalings to their on-hit effects, in case they ever picked that item (which they had to, because it was essential in giving them proper damage). Pre-mana regen nerf item 3174 / item 3028 were overpowered, I feel, due to how they negated mana issues on most mid laners, and now that those items got brought down in power we have champions whose costs have been bloated so much by those items that they have trouble functioning as best as they could (hello Lux and Fiddlesticks ).

In general, though, I think it's difficult to gauge the power level of an item versus that of a champion, because some items are mandatory due to how they fit a certain niche ( item 3031 for all marksmen, for example). Some items can also be okay in general while seriously skewing the balance on a select few champions (such as item 3146 on Akali ). If an item ends up being picked even in situations where it's not appropriate ( item 3153 against an all-squishy team, for example, which isn't as common now but which happened a lot after its release), that's probably a sign that it's a bit too good.

DreadlocksApr 12, 20151 votes

The main reason I ask this is for various reasons but the main one being about BoTRK.. Personally I feel it overshadows too many other items that could be considered on champs that would benefit from other items. One example is Hechtech Gunblade, This item finally got the buff it needed, and is now a pretty solid option on a few more champs that have other wise passed it up (evelynn) However, I think this item is still out classed on champions such as Jax for the reason being.. attack speed. Which is 100% fine.. i'm not suggesting we overload gunblade with attack speed. However.. I do think items like Guinsoo's rage blade and Wits end should be viable options on champions like Jax..

To add to this.. a champion like Zed, is still picking up BoTRK, a champion who's kit doesn't really call for attack speed. Imho BoTRK is overloaded.. it has Lifesteal, Active slow, 8% of current health as damage, lots of attack speed, and damage.. This item should favor 1 type of champ not everyone.. It just seems to me the typical bruiser build is BoTRK Tri-force full tank... its a staple..

Meep ManApr 12, 20152 votes

When it gives an extremely high amount of stats or abilities for its price. Basically, the more cost efficient, the more OP. It also depends on how rough the build path is and how much synergy the stats have.

ReikkenApr 13, 20152 votes

An item is overpowered when it is centralizing. The game revolves around it. Everyone who can use it gets it since it's very clearly better than any alternatives. It prevents build choice since not getting it is straight up gimping yourself.

djjomonApr 13, 20151 votes

{quoted}

An item is overpowered when it is centralizing. The game revolves around it. Everyone who can use it gets it since it's very clearly better than any alternatives. It prevents build choice since not getting it is straight up gimping yourself.

I'd go with this. Back in Season 3, the item Runic Bulwark was OP as hell. See here: http://leagueoflegends.wikia.com/wiki/Runic_Bulwark It was so strong that all junglers had to take it in competitive play. (Soloq too, but not everyone follows trends). So strong, that all other early options were nullified, and the meta was defined by its existence.

Hasztalan2Apr 13, 20152 votes

In Lol there are 2 types of op items:

the majority like 99% of the times which are op because the current itemisation lacks profitable alternatives to pickup

and the

when the item is so good that even champs buy it who cannot make full use of the item but they still purchase it for 1 or2 particular effect ( )

SirsirApr 13, 20152 votes

When it wildly overperforms

Killer of PorosApr 12, 20151 votes

When there's very little to no reason to not get it on a majority of champions that can use its stats.

Z StatisticApr 12, 20155 votes

Boots op. Red sodas op. Doran items OP. Wards OP.

GooberpApr 13, 20152 votes

Doran's items ARE incredibly powerful, that's literally the entire purpose for their existence. People will occasionally buy 3 Doran's Rings (Ahri etc) because the cost-efficiency of Doran's items outstrips every single other item in the game by a mile.

They're balanced by not building into anything and thus trading late game power for early game power, but given the importance of early game in the current meta, they are in fact dangerously close to becoming OP on certain champions. (AD caster-carries like Talon/Graves/Lucian for a quick example would, if Doran's Blades were slightly stronger, be able to buy 3 + LW, ignore the "carries in early game are weak" tenet of the game and dominate)

Miku Lv99Apr 13, 20151 votes

To me, an item being op is very different than what anyone else has said. I'd say an item is op when it is so good that it is still worth making even when some parts of it aren't very useful to your champion, or are just bad in your current situation. So take an item like Zhonya's for example. Katarina should not want to be building defense, and yet, even with that, it's still a super good item on her. This means that a similar champion that could actually use everything said item offers would benefit too much from it, and it's because of that other champion that leads to the item being OP.

KougaApr 13, 20151 votes

I have a problem with your example, sir. Katarina easily benefits from Zhonya's. Defenses are always a good idea on any champion - building a full 6 item tank build, maybe not, but having at least one Armor/MR item in your inventory is a very good idea no matter who you're playing. It is quite common on carries even to build one defensive item, usually 5th or 6th item, but still.

Your definition does make sense for other examples, though. Trinity Force might be considered slightly 'OP' on a variety of fighters who don't use AP at all in their kit, or are manaless, but still build TF regularly. They can't use all of the item's stats, but the item is so strong itself, that they will build it anyway because its strengths make up for what they lose.

GooberpApr 13, 20151 votes

Trinity Force is not OP because, even though you're right, bruisers will buy it regardless of unused stats, (AP, mana, sometimes crit and AS) the cost is extremely expensive. There's a reason they're called "Triforce builds", because you eschew other items for the early and midgame and get ONE. Trinity Force is fantastic for bruisers because it adds all-around power to all-around champions, but it won't ever give as much damage as a damage item or tankiness as a tank item. TF is bought for the utility. (movespeed, Sheen proc, Phage proc)

CindikleApr 13, 20151 votes

When it's existence pushes almost all other options out.

Example being BoRk after it's rework.

It was so strong that AP's would pick it up. And the team that bought the most won.

I would still stay it outshines BT in almost all cases as most ADC's don't pick up lifesteal that early anymore, and BoRK is stronger late game. But it's not an all-demanding buy. Melee can clearly choose between Hydra and BoRK. Ranged AA'ers can too depending on their kit and the enemy team.