Is ap mage in bad position now?

EK Kimozzi·May 4, 2015·3 votes·626 views

I am adc player, and i have noticed that tanks lately get mercury's treads and get full armor items except if mage is getting all the kills.

For example, nasus with frozen heart mercury treads and raduin or maokai with righteous glory frozen heart mercury treads and thorn mail.

It is just impossible to kill them without last wisper, but i need ie or bt and as item before lw because tanks have decent amunt of health usually.

Also mages somehow seem to have hard time killing tanks although tanks only have +25mr item.

11 Comments

IcyPepperMay 4, 20151 votes

Tanks are supposed to resist burst damage particularly, and take awhile to shred by the adc.

Don't rush BT, depending on your adc. I'd recommend your main damage item (IE or Botrk), then your main dps item (PD or Shiv), then LW as your third item. Boots anywhere in between.

As for APC, they shouldn't be solo killing tanks. They're supposed to provide either barrage in teamfights or delete squishies off the map. They can soften them up, but they should not be in the front line. item 3151 item 3135 are good for softening them up, but it's up to the ADC to actually shred them.

EK KimozziMay 4, 20151 votes

problem is armor itmes are so cheap :( by the time when i get last wisper they already get thorn mail I hurt myself more

IcyPepperMay 4, 20151 votes

Armor items are cheaper because defense is best early-mid game when tanks dominate, while attack damage items scale best into late-game.

ADC's are supposed to be the weakest class early game, and the strongest late game (in terms of damage). Be like me: pretend that everyone can and will burst you down, so if you can survive in teamfights for at least five seconds you're out-damaging everyone.

MagicOfLightMay 5, 20151 votes

Ap mage has always been really really weak against tanks, they made liandrys torment to "compensate" and deal bits of damage over time, but its really insignifigant. Void staff is still a better option for ap vs tanks, but if ur ap and you have no escape and a tank catches you, say goodnight. But adc can lifesteal through thornmail, thats why they build vs the adc. Riot favors adc more than any other position for sure. Spell vamp is a unique passive, and lifesteal isnt. That speaks for itself.

Mandang0May 5, 20151 votes

Yea, they're probably weak right now because AP doesn't kill tanks easily. In a meta where %HP damage and sustain are huge, AP's itemization offerings are weaker than AD's too.

DreadlocksMay 5, 20151 votes

I've been seeing item 3151 a little be more than usual.

Linna ExcelMay 5, 20151 votes

Mages can always buy Void Staff. IMO it's the lack of HP shred that is the problem. Liandry's is nice, but it is no bork.

Meep ManMay 5, 20151 votes

Matters which Mage. Control Mages are a lot better since they are about crowd control and that's pretty often now since Burst Mages need much higher skill currently to work properly.

Basically the likes of: Anivia Annie Chogath ... are pretty good right now. I'm waiting for people to pick up Galio since he counters the rest of the currently "OP" Assassins that are in Middle Lane (Katarina and LeBlanc). Brand is probably to rise in popularity with his passive + item 3151 combo and Rylai's provides decent control with his Q stun and passive.

ModKnightsKemplarMay 5, 20151 votes

Mages are bursty. Tanks survive their burst. This is the natural order of things.

LilxPaprikaMay 5, 20151 votes

This might be of interest to some of you regarding marksmen http://boards.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/c/gameplay-balance/EpmIKqEr-grand-vamp-scepter-idea-primarily-for-bt Adding a newmid grade vampscepter would help. It would help attain a better distribution of stats earlier. In fact armor pen drastically improves your ability to lifesteal vs a tank. So if your team requires that you rush last whisper before BT as they expect you to do damage, preferably without killing yourself, then having a more midgame lifesteal item to sit on would help with this. Since BT can be quite expensive. And for early game if you can't beat em join them. If you can't kill a tank as he outdps s you with his high base damage! At least now the tank will have a harder time taking you down. An adc shines at kiting and staying relevant by being able to sustain and rejoin the fight as opposed to having to fight or flight and recall if anything goes sour.

lB2kGRlc8yMay 5, 20151 votes

Depends on the mage really, mages like Veigar are incredible in team fights but shit everywhere else. I can see bruiser mages having trouble due to the issues in getting around frontline, but that's a personal skill issue. Poke mages are good in this meta because tanks are typically fairly limited mobility wise and are often the sole initiation for their team, so whittling them down before the fight starts will often push them back or lead to them being offed early and allow for you to reach the backline easily.