It looks like ADCs in pro play are opting to not finish boots until after 2 or 3 items

Akali is SO HOT·Apr 8, 2018·15 votes·1,220 views

Maybe it's time to revisit how much ms they get from the zeal items. You'd think classes like Assassins or Bruisers would have a lot easier access to ms as they are more susceptible to getting kited. Considering that ADCs have the safety net of being ranged and have the advantage of having so much protection from the rest of their team it doesn't make that much sense that they get to be so mobile as well.

16 Comments

FOR JUSTICEApr 9, 20188 votes

But what pro games are you seeing this happen? Citations badly needed.

BattalionApr 9, 20186 votes

This is a non-issue due to the fact that champions that are designed to be Assassins, not those just simply built as an assassin, have gap closers in their kit. An ADC may have faster movement speed, but an Assassin has a much faster burst speed via ground gained from their gap closer. Assassins are all about going in hot and then getting out ASAP. ADCs have to stay in combat for extended periods of times, so with every tank having some fort of CC or small gap closer, there needs to be a way for the ADC to kite them and not get caught out.

All of these assassins have gap closers or the ability to gain ground while ignoring normal circumstances.

Ahri Akali Ekko Evelynn Fizz Jax Katarina Kayn Khazix Leblanc Pantheon Rengar Shaco Talon Zed

That being said, mobility creep is a real concern. It's born out necessity with the introduction of juggernauts, fighters, skirmishers, etc. Speed is not meant to save an ADC from an assassin and generally doesn't. It does however allow an ADC to stay in position while getting off Auto attacks while trying to dodge League of Chain CC.

saltranApr 8, 20184 votes

Which pro adc does that? I just checked NA Finals and:

Game 1: Both adc have item 3006 before first item

Game 2: Ezreal buys item 3158 at the same time that his first item, and Tristana bought item 3006 just after her first item.

Game 3: So this is the one you talk about since they both delayed the boots: Cait bought item 3006 after 2 items and Jhin didn't even upgrade the boots.

I mean, I could do the same for more games but in majority of the pro games the adcs upgrade the boots pretty fast and a Jhin ending with item 1001 is an exception.

saltranApr 8, 20182 votes

{quoted}

Which pro adc does that? I just checked NA Finals and:

Game 1: Both adc have before first item

Game 2: Ezreal buys at the same time that his first item, and Tristana bought just after her first item.

Game 3: So this is the one you talk about since they both delayed the boots: Cait bought after 2 items and Jhin didn't even upgrade the boots.

.

I mean, I could do the same for more games but in majority of the pro games the adcs upgrade the boots pretty fast and a Jhin ending with is an exception.

Let's see how it was on EU Finals:

Game 1: Both adcs rushed item 3006 Tristana before Longsword and Jinx just after it.

Game 2: Rekkles as Sivir had at min 6:06 item 3006 item 1054 item 1036 and item 2003 , and Varus bought item 3111 after 2 items, and the items were item 3091 and item 3124 : not zeal items that give ms.

Game 3: Hjarnan's Sivir had item 3006 item 1054 and item 2003 at min 5:00 and Rekkles Tristana bought at min 9:00.

That's enough?

Akali is SO HOTApr 8, 20181 votes

I'm not saying it happens every single game, but I've noticed it a lot more lately. I've noticed it a lot in regular play as well so I probably shouldn't have made the title pro play only.

vgamedudeApr 8, 20182 votes

Adc mains downvoting you.

There is alot more to look at then their movement speed as well.

saltranApr 9, 20183 votes

{quoted}

Adc mains downvoting you.

There is alot more to look at then their movement speed as well.

Don't you get tired of saying always the exactly same bullshit?

PhantomPranksterApr 8, 20182 votes

... its never been a good idea to finish boots before items.

Akali is SO HOTApr 8, 20183 votes

You usually finish boots after your first item. ADCs get to finish their boots much later on because they get a ton of MS from just building the zeal items. Other classes don't have this advantage.

Edit: Not to mention Fleet Footwork gives them a good amount of extra ms as a cherry on top.

BroLaneApr 8, 20181 votes

{quoted}

... its never been a good idea to finish boots before items.

Sometimes I'll finish mobility boots after my first item if I'm ahead just to roam. Only if I'm ahead though.

VoraciousXApr 8, 20182 votes

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Fleet Footwork should not be working on minions at all for the move speed or anything else. Make it only work vs champion hits. Of course other things could be done but I feel like this is what makes Fleet Footwork so much more used vs all other runes for ADs.

{quoted}

... its never been a good idea to finish boots before items.

Boots second used to be the standard. Akali is so HOT is saying that they're not even finishing them until it's their 3rd or 4th item now.

I Main SwainApr 9, 20181 votes

i will say that i think it would be perfectly healthy for adc's to be fast IF they were true dps champions, not the bps that they currently have. additionally, theres WAY too much diversity in AD items, an adc can build for basically any situation without having to sacrifice much because of the sheer number of viable options they have.

GrokmirApr 9, 20181 votes

The only zeal item that might actually be an issue ms wise is PD.

Even on the fastest adc's shiv and rapidfire TOGETHER only give around 32 ms. Which is a good bit less for a whole lot more gold than you'd get from boots.

The reason people don't like to rush boots is just because they aren't impactful items, not because they get more ms from other items. The adc with zeal/ie is gonna beat the adc with boots/ie in damage. The boots adc will be faster, but who cares if you can't compete with the damage.

JackMcSnipeyzApr 9, 20181 votes

Idk what you're talking about, last game both rushes it before completing even 1 item.

HópeApr 9, 20181 votes

[{quoted}](name=Akali is SO HOT,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=V7Jr1Vct,comment-id=,timestamp=2018-04-08T22:30:59.830+0000)

Maybe it's time to revisit how much ms they get from the zeal items. You'd think classes like Assassins or Bruisers would have a lot easier access to ms as they are more susceptible to getting kited. Considering that ADCs have the safety net of being ranged and have the advantage of having so much protection from the rest of their team it doesn't make that much sense that they get to be so mobile as well.

All 3 games they finished boots before their half point in the second item. So around first item boots are finished.

Not sure what anecdotal game you chose

Modl Ryden lApr 9, 20181 votes

Finishing boots first should only happen if you don't have the gold to any crit.

Crit is relatively expensive combo to purchase in terms of power budget. Sacrificing constant damage output for pseudo-loaded bursts. Rushing these crit items are only good if you're set up to purchase item 3031 item 3086 in tandem. as 40% crit yields a more reliable chain of strikes than 20%.

As far as DPS goes item 3006 rush is a good investment as it is only 100g cheaper than item 3086 but offer the same attack speed stats as item 3087 .

Outside of combat stats and DPS, hving those boots finished also offer a better and less clunkier feel for attack-moving or orb-walking. That way you can participate as much as possible in a fight and still be mobile. Because as an ADC you don't HAVE to get kills you just need to be participating and your team will thank you for it.