Why does RIOT not have auto updated builds for champs every patch?

LAYWASTE86·Mar 20, 2019·2 votes·1,464 views

Curious as to why RIOT does not implement something that updates builds every patch to the most popular builds by that champion? I know tons of champions, such as with who isn't recommended building guinsoo's, that would benefit new players by recommending it as an important item.

For example, it should take statistics based on which items are built the most and recommend it, rather than old items that are no longer useful on the champion or not as effective on the champion as other items. It saves time from having to update recommended items for 1-2 champions every patch, and is much more convenient for the players who would have to set up builds in the client items option.

Thoughts on this? Seems like a little update that adds quality of life changes.

9 Comments

JobriqMar 20, 20195 votes

Small indie company

Silly NeekoMar 20, 20191 votes

That sounds like a lot of work seeing as builds change based on the person, meta, patch, etc.

Plus, where are they going to get that info from? How deep into the history of her being played should it come from? There are many many many factors that would make that change SOOOOOO much that it provides 0 consistancy for new players and it would be like changing the free champion rotation literally every day. It will not benefit new players at all. It will only confuse them.

LAYWASTE86Mar 20, 20191 votes

They already get enough data to manually change recommended builds based on popularity.

If a site like Op.gg can take data from the LoL client, in which RIOT has direct access to, and show me which items are the most popular for (X) champion, I wouldn't figure it's that hard to take the most popular items and have them recommended for the company that has literally all the data they possibly can gather from it's players.

And it will most definitely assist new players. The number of teammates I've had that build off of items in recommended that are terrible is ridiculous - Tryndamere's for example. Not only is it noob friendly, its just plain easier on all players.

Silly NeekoMar 20, 20191 votes

How often is op.gg or whatever updated? It does not seem too much.

Also, then it would be changing all over the place. For example Neeko used to be more AP, now theres quite a few that are going on hit.... so which will they choose? Etc.

Changing too much and too often makes things quite weird for new players. Like i said, it is like having free champion rotation changing every day. It would change way too much depending on what whatever people choose.

Then, are the builds based off the last week? Last month? Last year? Though i can see how it can work, i just do not see it being successful at being helpful.

LAYWASTE86Mar 20, 20191 votes

Op.gg updates every few days to include items that are recommended by the percent of players using it (win rate is not accountable unless you select the option to show items based on win rate). The same may apply to builds on champions, which could recommend items based on popularity based on the lane the champion is being played in. The game already changes up builds depending on where I play a champion, such as if I want to play Brand: I'll be recommended different items that accommodate each role. The problem with this is that the most effective items for said champion are >>usually<< different from the ones the in-game shop recommends.

As an example, Twitch Jungle vs. ADC possesses some differences between the build recommended between the two, thought it is only a minor variation. Regardless, the system takes into account the lane the champion was selected in, similar to how it already functions in the client. I will say I have found issues with the site in general; sometimes updated builds for champions will only show in the items category of the champion page, rather than on the overview for some odd reason.

In regards to builds changing, I can understand the point you're making there. My only argument would be - using your Neeko example - the builds that are changed are usually better than the ones that were previously used. As confusing as it may seem for new players, I'd opt to have the new player adjust to better builds they aren't used to than use crappy ones that they are. The reason for recommending the most popular build is to allow for new players to maximize the potential of the champion rather than building items that aren't nearly as effective as the ones that are being utilized.

My frustrations stem from me identifying someone on my team building their champion wrong, and then telling me "they're building from the recommended build" that they have in item shop. Obviously if I could take the time to refine my suggestion a bit more, I would, but this thread isn't really gaining traction... So IDK.

TL;DR: Riot has the data to be changing builds based on popularity, and it would keep new players from relying on incorrect builds from item shop's recommended section.

But yeah - just an idea I was throwing out there.

Silly NeekoMar 20, 20191 votes

That is complete role changes however.

As someone who plays in bots to play with some new players and I even use a smurf account to play with some new players as well.... one thing that i keep getting asked about or needing to explain is things like Item builds.

So yes, I do agree that item builds could be updated a little more..... but most of the recommended items stay pretty true to how they should be built.

Remember AP tryndamere? AP rengar? AP Yi? One of them supports your arguement, one is iffy, and one is against.

AP Yi got changed and that made him more of an AD user, while he can still be annoying as AP.... is nearly never used. For that, a recommended build change was needed.
AP Tryndamere comes up from time to time and has proven to be a fairly good build on more than one occasion. So has his AD. One is a little more newbie friendly while the other is more of a "if you know what you are doing, this will do better in quite a few situations as well". It is two complete and viable builds. (Same with Neeko).... show both of them to a newbie and then you will be having them building a infinity edge with a ludins and nashors tooth. So that is kinda iffy....
AP Rengar was played quite a bit but more as a meme, his core was still very AD oriented and it outshined the AP in nearly every way except for in top lane in very certain circumstances.... mostly DFG. It never was really a "good build" but it could be played well enough to make it seem like it. Changing the recommended build to that for him? I dont think so.

There are many other examples of these, but those three are some fairly well known ones (though Yi is kinda iffy on the well known now, its been like 8 years xD).... dont get me wrong, the builds could be updated for sure, but there comes a time to think of what is just the "in" thing for the moment (like Miss Fortune Support) and what is going to be something that could last a while (brand becoming support). Things change, and there is no point in changing the builds if it is going to be literally irrelevant in about 2 weeks. (God forbid they changed the recommended for Diana into being 6 wits ends).

LinksAwakeningMar 20, 20191 votes

"They took yer job!"

Titanium70Mar 20, 20191 votes

Efford > Reward

It's simple as that.

QuephaMar 20, 20191 votes

The suggested items screen is not meant to give players the best possible build for their champion. It is primarily targeted at players new to the game and/or champion who don't know what to build, why to build it, or how it should be built. That means the best build to show on the "suggested items" screen should provide a clear path towards victory based on the champion's most obvious build path.

Changing this screen often will create confusion for players who use it regularly and wonder why an item disappeared and was replaced with something different, giving players items that are popular in high level play due to esoteric interactions or particular strategies that are dependent on high level macro decisions will cause new players to build items they won't actually benefit from, and giving items for off-builds that depend on a small, specific part of the champion's kits (like on-hit Neeko) when new players generally go for a more direct strategy (most will play AP Neeko if they haven't heard of on-hit) may cause them to build items that don't benefit their playstyle.

If you are a high-tier player who is focused on using the most optimized builds based on the top players and their strategies, then you are already someone who is going to be scrawling pro-builds and op.gg and lolalytics, checking the wiki for esoteric interactions and gold value efficiencies, and probably has clicked off of the "suggested items" screen long ago and either learned how to quickly get the items they need from just their components or has set up custom build pages which they update far more quickly and accurately than Riot will ever be capable of doing using a clunky algorithm.