Why are Runes Locked until level 15? And why are only two pages available in total?

WastedHalfHour·Jul 13, 2018·12 votes·11,157 views

Been asking this for a while and nobody seems to have an answer.

What is the point of keeping these talents locked when you don't even give us a chance to learn about them ever? At no point between level 0-15 have I been given so much as a single tip about Runes, and I can't see any good reason to keep them locked like they are. None of them are inherently better than the others, they're just options to fit playstyles, playstyles that I have no opportunity to try until level 15 for whatever reason.

Why?

21 Comments

MalrothDragoniaJul 13, 20186 votes

I believe the reasoning is that you should be focusing on learning about builds, positions, which champions you like and not have to worry about the micro-decisions of which runes. As for the two free pages, the idea there is that generally you have enough time to change them in champ select, and that if you want the additional convenience of many preset pages you pay BE or RP. Hope that clears some of it up?

Stray KatJul 13, 20185 votes

The level locked part is kind of goofy, but it's to give you time to learn other aspects of the game before they're thrown at you - Not that I feel it's necessary.

As for only two pages... Well, I've got like.. 16? Pages unlocked, but I only ever use one. The new runes are so quick to set that I literally remake one rune page ever single game, to fit the current matchup. Haven't seen any reason at all to "pre set" pages with the new runes.

PoskeJul 13, 20184 votes

$$$$$$$

heroikcJul 13, 20183 votes

One thing at a time; learn the champs, roles and builds first, for the main dish, then add the runes like a zesty sauce. Also, pages are for profit. It's better this way because of how messy the last rune/mastery system was, economic wise.

Mari De BonaJul 13, 20181 votes

Would be possible to actually do that if Riot had tutorials explaining all those things...

As it stands now new players are pretty much thrown into a pit with 0 direction or understanding and quite often just do everything wrong forever until they find some streamer to watch.

heroikcJul 13, 20181 votes

[{quoted}](name=Mari De Bona,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=UOBZJsA1,comment-id=00030000,timestamp=2018-07-13T16:29:37.866+0000)

Would be possible to actually do that if Riot had tutorials explaining all those things...

As it stands now new players are pretty much thrown into a pit with 0 direction or understanding and quite often just do everything wrong forever until they find some streamer to watch.

Don't they have tutorials in League? And if people refuse to learn from mistakes or take time to study before hand, that's their problem, not Riot's.

WastedHalfHourJul 13, 20183 votes

They have a basic tutorial where they had me build item 3075 on Ashe on the ARAM map, then another one where they had me on SR with a bunch of bots that kept running under towers while a Nasus stood still and let me hit him.

So you tell me

heroikcJul 13, 20181 votes

{quoted}

They have a basic tutorial where they had me build on on the ARAM map, then another one where they had me on SR with a bunch of bots that kept running under towers while a stood still and let me hit him.

So you tell me

Maybe. Still, there are bots to expand lessons.

WastedHalfHourJul 13, 20181 votes

What lessons?

heroikcJul 13, 20181 votes

{quoted}

What lessons?

Like a more generalized version of "What can I build on this champ" or "How do I combo my skills?" or "What items work with them?" Honestly, everyone takes bots for granted and I find it disgusting. Sure they don't offer the same challenge as human players but at least they offer the foundation to learn.

Warlord RhinarkJul 13, 20182 votes

I'm not so much bothered about it only having 2 pages. I can always just edit them in champ select.

However, I will admit that them being gated until level 15 sucks dick.

It made leveling on my alt a living hell.

ModWulf HelhammerJul 13, 20187 votes

It made leveling on my alt a living hell.

Riot doesn’t exactly care if smurf leveling experiences are annoying.

They limit access to the runes at early levels because actual new players won’t know what they all do, and at that stage, they would be better served learning general game mechanics like CSing or playing in general.

rayzoJul 13, 20181 votes

They can still choose the default rune pages without it being forced on them.

XdoomknightXJul 14, 20181 votes

there arent new players in this game lol i smurfed and all are smurfs no new players

rayzoJul 16, 20182 votes

that's one of the stupidest things i've ever seen on this forum.

bloodyboi194Feb 3, 20191 votes

i am XD

Flawless FetusJul 14, 20181 votes

That's part of OP's point, though. At level 15 players still have no idea of what they do - there is no guidance in learning runes from levels 1-15.

HügöJul 13, 20181 votes

Why even need more then one since you can change them in the champ select?

WastedHalfHourJul 13, 20182 votes

Why keep them limited and inconvenient when people can switch them instead of getting more?

At that point it's not them caring about sales it's just them being petty

Flawless FetusJul 14, 20181 votes

{quoted}

None of them are inherently better than the others, they're just options to fit playstyles, playstyles that I have no opportunity to try until level 15 for whatever reason.

Lol. That was the idea, yeah. Irl, though, there is a definite best for most classes, and there is a definite best for all champs.

Iceborn PippinJul 19, 20181 votes

Hey Riot if you are reading this and I know you are, how about instead:

Level 1: Preset Rune Page based on what the player selected as their first champion. Level 2: Player gets to choose a new preset Rune Page (OR another is unlocked because of completing one of the champion shard missions) Level 3-5: Same as Level 2. Level 6: Unlock the ability to Edit Runes pages fully and they get +1 Free Blank Rune Page. Level 7: +1 Free Blank Rune page.

Its pretty much the same progress with new champions and levels. That way they new player is still leraning but each new level would be the player learning more about the runes.