The current boots are just really boring design.

Bârd·Mar 29, 2018·28 votes·4,562 views

Seriously, they're all just... bland.

All of their price points total to either 900 or 1100 gold. They're all just stat sticks that we're forced to buy every game in order to not be simply outrun.

Seeing as they're bought by every champion bar Cass every damn game, It'd be really great to see these items improved.

Maybe some of them could have a more interesting blend of stats. Maybe some of them could have late game upgrades. Maybe some of them could have passives that you can actually feel. Maybe some of their price points could be changed to be something other than 900 or 1100. Maybe some of them could have active effects (Predator can be reworked to a button above the hotbar like Kindred passive).

70 Comments

JustMonika13Mar 29, 201821 votes

Rip boot enhancements early season 6 too many people bitching about “mobility creep” and being unable to land skillshots

MelledoneusMar 30, 201818 votes

item 3086 What are you talking about there's no mobility creep here.

JustMonika13Mar 30, 20184 votes

{quoted}

What are you talking about there's no mobility creep here.

Shenpai pls.

I'm not denying that mobility creep doesn't "exist," I'm simply complaining about the people that complain about mobility.

I'm a mobility addict soooooo

Zeal bonus MS needs to be made unique though.

MelledoneusMar 30, 20182 votes

Listen man.

I just need a little Monika in my life.

Velzard of KozMar 30, 20182 votes

And little bit of Erika by your side

abca98Mar 30, 20181 votes

[{quoted}](name=Velzard of Koz,realm=EUNE,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=YgpHEt9z,comment-id=00000001000000000000,timestamp=2018-03-30T18:50:27.497+0000)

And little bit of Monika by your side

FTFY

LordGeovanniMar 30, 20182 votes

whispers in item 3113

MelledoneusMar 30, 20182 votes

*wisp-ers

LordGeovanniMar 31, 20181 votes

Tomato -Tomato English - American English

SpiritOfOdysseusMar 31, 20181 votes

{quoted}

Rip boot enhancements early season 6 too many people bitching about “mobility creep” and being unable to land skillshots

I miss these so damn much. It was a godsend for immobile melees Nightmare on Lucian and Kassadin Meanwhile Cassiopeia cried

wildfox99Mar 29, 201811 votes

talking about mandatory and boring items : item 3020

just replace this Mpen with something else and buff APs since this item is actually broken but APs rely on it for doing some damage

SõnaMar 30, 20183 votes

That item is just resembling to duskblade, if they remove that Magic penetration, then mage will be really weak. I would honestly like to see something like (increase ap skill/skill damage to 10%) or something.

RiotRiot MapleNectarMar 30, 201810 votes

We were talking about the potential of a bit of a larger boot exploration recently. I'd agree that the choices aren't exactly exciting, though they do allow you to make meaningful choices to support your champions strengths or to shore up weaknesses for your champ specifically, or based on the team comp you were facing. Atm it's hard to just be like "omg rework all booties", since they serve a pretty important role in your itemization decisions, but if you were given a blank slate to work on them, what would some of your ideas be?

ZelorxonMar 30, 20182 votes

How broken would it be to have the old furor on boots but with a windowed duration? I was thinking of a 2-3 seconds duration with a 3-5 minutes cooldown just like flash or similar. It activates like predator.

Sahn UzalMar 30, 20181 votes

Then how would you activate Predator?

ZelorxonMar 30, 20181 votes

Usually you're not going predator on an adc/low cd mage like ryze/cassio/eve/swain or on someone that needs in combat mobility, that would be like saying then how you make use of predator if you pick magical boots and you're locked out of predator until 10 mins.

Sahn UzalMar 30, 20181 votes

A shitty decision, but entirely possible. Hell, to roll with your examples, Predator has been taken on Vlad before. And even then you wouldn't want to lock people out of the option, designwise.

Teridax68Mar 30, 20182 votes

I feel the issue being criticized isn't simply that current boots are bland, but that the core notion of an item that permanently increases your movement speed is not all that interesting in itself. Items don't have to be boots to synergize with strengths, shore up weaknesses, or react to both team comps, and in fact that's the central purpose of all itemization. Even though choosing whether or not to buy boots or some other kind of power is a choice, it's ultimately not a choice that has as much depth as most other facets of itemization, since boots are essentially mandatory in all but a few cases.

Given a blank slate, I'd personally go in favor of eliminating boots altogether, and instead granting movement speed growth on champions, as well as adjusting the base stats of champions who purchase movement speed early on. It would allow the map to become progressively smaller, instead of lurching from state A to state C, and could thereby allow for better tuning of champions who need different speeds at different stages of the game. As an alternative for players who would want movement-enhancing items, I'd personally go for a baby Youmuu's item that would build into Youmuu's, Righteous Glory, and Shurelya's Reverie, and would provide a burst of movespeed on activation. You could also build on this to develop other movespeed items, for example one that would provide a much shorter burst, but that would recharge quickly upon hitting enemies with spells (i.e. a kite mage item).

ModThe DjinnMar 30, 20181 votes

[{quoted}](name=Maple Nectar,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=YgpHEt9z,comment-id=000d,timestamp=2018-03-30T22:31:27.902+0000)...but if you were given a blank slate to work on them, what would some of your ideas be?

By blank slate, I'm assuming you mean "generate some ideas in the knowledge that they might cause some shifts in the ecosystem." So this is all more akin to white-board ideas, and I'm well aware that the suggestions in this vague form likely have numerous downsides.

Allow boots to opt you into rune options. Specifically things like Fleet Footwork, Phase Rush, Aftershock, Sudden Impact, Celerity, Water Walking, Relentless Hunter, Hextech Flastraption, and Approach Velocity could be offered by boots, letting you opt into some interesting combinations the system couldn't normally support.

Have boots that have some sort of identifier ("Skirmisher's Boots," for example), and tie other item availability or strength to the boots you have -- or even ability outputs, ala Kai'Sa's style of mechanic. Could help you differentiate differing playstyles of similar champions (or the same champion) through opting into specific aspects of items. Could also (likely) end up super awkward.

Rework Predator, add actives to boots -- things like breaking Roots, or brief invulnerability to CC (not breaking it), or activatable dashes, or the ability to bypass walls briefly. This is a REALLY deep design area, but while Predator exists in the current form it can't really be done. Could also help some long-term problems -- Ninja Tabi might become a much stronger defense against auto-attacks with a long cooldown, for example, which strengthens the highs but gives it some corresponding lows to go along with it.

I think my biggest area of interest is the loss of constant stats in general -- boots that offer no stats other than MS inherently, but bring utility options to your character to fill in weaknesses or increase strengths relative to the enemy team. I think you'd see less "buy these boots" situations and more "which boots are best against this team" if you didn't have static stat boosts but instead had to decide between a 2 second AA-dodge, a dash that shields you if you pass through an enemy, the ability to walk through walls, or a 0.75 second immunity to CC effects.

HaIlMonitorMar 31, 20184 votes

I always thought it would be amazing if we could pay, idk say another 800 gold, and get the another set of boots. That way if I rush Mobi's, but then the game doesn't close out fast enough I could just upgrade to Mobility Tabi's instead of selling and re-buying other boots. Although I feel like the current go to would be Mercs + Tabi which is kind of boring.

The LexerMar 31, 20181 votes

We could allow all boots to have a Mobi or Swiftie (maybe Lucidity?) upgrade, and have Mobis/Swifties have an upgrade for all the other types of boots. That way, we can have two-type boots without causing a tanky-carry scenario.

######important to note that this will add to mobility creep

SonicÐeHedgedawgMar 31, 20183 votes

[{quoted}](name=Maple Nectar,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=YgpHEt9z,comment-id=000d,timestamp=2018-03-30T22:31:27.902+0000)

We were talking about the potential of a bit of a larger boot exploration recently. I'd agree that the choices aren't exactly exciting, though they do allow you to make meaningful choices to support your champions strengths or to shore up weaknesses for your champ specifically, or based on the team comp you were facing. Atm it's hard to just be like "omg rework all booties", since they serve a pretty important role in your itemization decisions, but if you were given a blank slate to work on them, what would some of your ideas be?

So, I know it's easy to look at what's WRONG with boots, but I want to make sure to emphasize something that their current design gets right: they are a low cost item that you are expected to have in every game with multiple perhaps non-ideal but varied stats.

That means it's a nice, low cost item sink to let you customize your build vs the enemy team. Even Ad and AP carries can endure the minor non-optimal stat sink of swapping out damaging boots for Merc Treads, Ninja Tabi or Swifties if the situation calls for it, whereas switching out other items in their build to counter the enemy team has a much higher cost to overall build efficiency

DraehlMar 31, 20181 votes

I'd further diffentiate them by making them stronger. It would be great if you could tell what someone was using based on how they move around. Maybe Merc Treads actually negated the base Boots movespeed but gave crazy tenacity and some hitpoints to really emphasize tankiness.

KaìjuMar 31, 20181 votes

Why not make boots have some sort of old enchantment style upgrade but make them stats rather than effects. Like one that increases HP by 3% or one that turnes 5% of your autos into AP, things that make choices more important so you can look at what the game has and make decisions that aren't just "what does this champ buy."

For example if you have no way to deal with tanks as an ADC because you don't have any % damage or tank busting, you could get the AP auto converter boots to give you a little mixed damage on autos. Or if you want to make a play as a support you can get boots that leave a tiny trail like iron elixer, or maybe one where it gives a positional buff of some kind based on proximity, the closer you are the more health regen you give off like a tiny walking med station for teamfights that last a long time.

Options like these would give more depth to boots than "I'm playing Ashe who only ever gets Grieves/I'm playing Xerath who only ever gets spell pen."

InTheoryMar 31, 20181 votes

I wanted to make an own post some time about that but now that you already ask I give you the short version:

Since boots are already a very slot inefficient item, I'd consider upgrading the boot system to be more of value for players and their needs. I imagine a system of where boots have sort of 2-3 slots and you can buy items and effects for each slot.

Slot A) is the simple one: get a cloth armor, long sword, an amplifying tome and get the stats from that.

Slot B) is all about what is the passive of boots today, e.g. Ninja Tabi's basic attack damage reduction. Buy'em - get'em. That also gives you more leavers to balance boots based on stats or their passives like in the current Ninja Tabi discussion. Is it too strong because of the raw stats? Is it because of the passive? You can then balance just whatever you think is a balance problem without touching the other effect. At this point one will most likely need to find more fitting passives because not all boots do have one atm. Revisiting old boots enchantments could be a viable option for this slot. [OPTIONAL] Completely overhaul boots' passives to work like the old enchantments instead.

[OPTIONAL] Slot C) can have another niche spot, but I haven't worked that out specoificaly. I thought about giving that slot the active component to buy, similar stuff to the movement speed boost from Predator even though that'd overlap and I'd consider to find different options for the predator rune instead. Having a warding totem effect (not a sightstone one thou) could be helpful for champions who'd usually rely on having a sweeper with them. Using this slot for consumables like Elixir of Iron or Control Wards is also an option that I thought about.

Important things to mention here are that opponents need to get information about what the enemy choose. Clicking on an enemy champion needs to show them what stats and passive's they choose for their boots - including the visual work. First one can be adapted from the standard look of boots, while you could choose the old enchantment symbols for the 2nd slot. Third one get's a little tricky, especially to organize the icons in a way they are still easy to read. What I forgot to mention: Upgrading the boots just from their movement speed would be another option just on the side. Easieest way is to make the upgraded version a requirement for the whole or partial chance to gain slots. Like T1 boots having the first slot only, tier 2 having 3 slots. I think such a "rework" needs especially two things: code the whole slot-within-a-slot-mechanic and find a fitting solution to visually make it clear what options one bought.

I'm aware that this makes boots somewhat difficult to use, but I usually don't get why people don't understand easy stuff like that. I wrote this in a hurry because I'm leaving soon for Easter. See you then!

TykennMar 31, 20181 votes

I'm not sure if it's just me, but I like how the boots currently are. You have enough options to adapt your build to any scenario, and it isn't overwhelming with choice.

spicystatsMar 31, 20181 votes

I think boots themselves are only bought because they are cheap sources of MS + some stat.

An interesting change would be to remove all tier 2 components of boots, and have boots build into items that give MS.

I.e. it builds into aether wisp / zeal / etc which then builds into other high cost items.

You could just make new items that give stats that are desirable, if you want tenacity maybe you can buy it without getting MS, or make a new tenacity item that gives MS with some other stats.

The biggest problem with this idea is I don’t know how you’d get a mobis equivalent out; I’m not sure how to make it pricy but valuable for jungler / supports by tacking stats on it.

I want to find some way where boot items can be roughly priced the same as other items, but not strictly outclass them, so that you can have a game where you can spec into other stats if you really want to, and to do this one option is to treat it like other stats or have it build into something else. You can currently do this, but it’s not done, and I’m not sure if this change would encourage it. All it really does is change the price factor as for why people buy shoes.

It doesn’t feel bad to buy shoes at all, but it’s very centralizing. If there was an item called “Doran’s shoes” which gave only MS but you couldn’t build anything with it, I wouldn’t be surprised to see it be popular despite offering no combat stats.

I don’t even know if this idea is good honestly and it might be too radical... but I want to ask if it’s possible to make boots or speccing into MS not mandatory.

VaVahikMar 31, 20182 votes

Well, how about making Shoes similar to smite items? You pick up t1 shoes, a basic component, then combine them and pick one of the few recipies adding other effects. Definitely makes them more flexible and interesting (Hate how MR is tied to Tenacity and vice versa, or SS CDR is tied to normal CDR. It makes Tabis AND Mercs feel both suboptimal vs f.e Sion, and makes both Sorcerers and Ionians suboptimal on flash reliant mages, like Annie)

Examples of items (excuse my bad naming of those)

**Sorcerer's Shoes of Determination ** Shoes + (a new magic pene item) + recipe nr 1 = +45 MS, 13 mpen, 25% tenacity shoes.

Berserker Greaves of Kiting Shoes + (dagger) + recipe nr 2 = +45 MS, 25% ASPD, +10% MS away from enemies for 3 sec after dealing damage to them.

Ninja Tabis of Stickiness Shoes + (cloth armor) + recipe nr 3 = +45 MS, +20 Armor, +15% MS towards CC'd enemies

Mercury Threads of Enlightment Shoes + (magic resist) + recipe nr 4 = +45 MS, +25 MR, +15% SS and items CDR

Booty Boots of Mobility (lmao) Shoes + Shoes + recipe nr 5 = +60 MS, +50 additional MS when out of combat.

Ionian Sandals of Nimbleness Shoes + (a new CDR item) + recipe nr 6 = +45 MS, + 10% CDR, -35% slow strength.

This doesn't stop you from adding shoe ingredients, should you ever feel that you want to add a HP/5 or MP/5 shoes, or the upgrade that adds the old Captain enchantment, etc. I just added the 6 usual shoes and separated their passives (aside from Tabi ninja's , because those are inherently strong against AA champs, which doesn't fit the bill of a mobility item I think) into interchangable choices.

Sorcs of Enlightment would be great for Annie, but Ahri would prefer Sorcs of Kiting.
Against Irelia or Udyr, you might want Tabis of Determination, but vs GP or Illaoi you would prefer Tabis of Nimbleness.
Against Zed or Fizz, you might want (whatever) of Enlightment, but they can opt for (whatever) of Mobility.
On Nasus or Skarner, you might want Ionians of Stickiness, but Determination or Enlightment wouldn't be bad too.

The list goes on and on. Flexibility of those shoes would reduce the problem with them being quite slot-ineffective, without adding extra late game- power or raising the gold cap for the winning team, like the old enchantments did.

Also, since it is 1th April, can we change the name of T1 boots to Smelly Socks? PLEASE.

Gets filled with determination

StinrygarApr 2, 20181 votes

[{quoted}](name=Maple Nectar,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=YgpHEt9z,comment-id=000d,timestamp=2018-03-30T22:31:27.902+0000)

We were talking about the potential of a bit of a larger boot exploration recently. I'd agree that the choices aren't exactly exciting, though they do allow you to make meaningful choices to support your champions strengths or to shore up weaknesses for your champ specifically, or based on the team comp you were facing. Atm it's hard to just be like "omg rework all booties", since they serve a pretty important role in your itemization decisions, but if you were given a blank slate to work on them, what would some of your ideas be?

Not everything has to be SUPER OMG SO INTERESTING. There's something to be said about quality fundamental gameplay and I think there's a decent amount of choice between the boots. Although, most players will prefer the more direct power of Mercs, Sorcs and Ninja. The others require more of a game plan.

Illâoi Evê SiônApr 3, 20181 votes

Please don't fix what isn't broken while there are things that could be fixed much more easily in the meantime.

InTheoryApr 5, 20181 votes

As I announced: this is my long version: https://boards.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/c/gameplay-balance/4E1n2sVF-maple-nectar-boots-long-response good night!

I Main SwainMar 30, 20189 votes

ionian boots used to be good, back when cdr wasnt flowing out of everyones buttholes and it didnt have a totally garbage ability

5000000000000000Mar 30, 20182 votes

You mean the 10% summoner spell CDR? I like that passive.

I Main SwainMar 30, 20181 votes

{quoted}

You mean the 10% summoner spell CDR? I like that passive.

dont get me wrong its nice, but in comparison to everything else its just not good

LordGeovanniMar 30, 20181 votes

item 3111
Summoner spell cooldown is better if only you didnt need the magic resist as a tank /bruiser.

I Main SwainMar 30, 20181 votes

{quoted}

Summoner spell cooldown is better if only you didnt need the magic resist as a tank /bruiser.

not better than the tenacity

LordGeovanniMar 31, 20182 votes

I meant what i said and i said what i meant https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ubZR6RBg8Q

flibitydooMar 30, 20181 votes

they used to be annoying as hell because they gave 15% cdr with the only other item that gave 15% being iceborn gauntlet unless you rounded it off with runes.

wildfox99Mar 30, 20182 votes

they used to be annoying as hell because they gave 15% cdr with the only other item that gave 15% being iceborn gauntlet unless you rounded it off with runes.

old item 3041 ,and there were a mastery that gave you 5% CDR

especially as mage having 35% CDR with 2 items ( morello + ionian) then going full damage was nice,since there weren't so much CDR items

VØIÐMar 29, 20187 votes

Well I think the Predator interaction with boots was definetely a good step in the right direction in terms of interaction with boots, but it's always good to see more interactions get created.

The thing that I don't like...

Berserker's Greaves

+35% Attack Speed

No unique passive, just plain attack speed. Quite a boring choice.

Ninja Tabbies

+30 Armor

UNIQUE - Passive: Reduces incoming damage from all basic attacks by 10%.

There's boots against AD champions, granting a unique passive which ignores 10% of basic attack damage. While there's no boots against mages, besides that grant magic resistance and some form of tenacity, instead of some form of unique resistance to magic damage like has.

I would want to see new boots made against mages, and these boots item 3111 converted into a tenacity boots. Granting some different kind of stat besides magic resistance.

My Idea:

Voidless Edge

+25 Magic Resistance

UNIQUE - Passive: When blinking, jumping, dashing, skipping the next enemy hit magic ability will deal 15% less damage.

Archangel Treads

+40 Bonus Movement Speed after getting immobalized, for 1.5 seconds (refreshed upon being stunned again)

UNIQUE - Tenacity: Reduces the duration of all crowd control effects by 30% (except for Suppression, Stasis, and Airborne Displacements).

Berserker's Greaves

+25% Attack Speed

UNIQUE - Passive: After landing 5 consequetive attacks on the same enemy, the next basic attack will critically strike but only deal 10% bonus damage.

Example: Caitlyn has 80AD

With this being triggered she would deal: 80 x 210 ÷ 100 = 168

Since all critical strikes deal 200% dmg, this would add on 10%, but it's probably a bad idea. I need suggestions to improve this.

(maybe give this item a target cooldown? Like Yasuo E has? So that'd it couldn't always get proc'd)

wildfox99Mar 30, 20182 votes

Voidless Edge

+25 Magic Resistance

UNIQUE - Passive: When blinking, jumping, dashing, skipping the next enemy hit magic ability will deal 15% less damage.

it could work if APs (except for the BPS mages) wouldn't be already countered so hard by MR and HP,if you add it you basically killed every AP who's not rumble,cassiopeia,azir and ryze

i mean,this 25 mr from item 3111 already counter them harder than the armor + passive of item 3047 (or at least as much as they do),a 15% damage reduction would be insane

when armor will be as effective as MR then they can make something like this,but atm it can't work

Berserker's Greaves

+25% Attack Speed

UNIQUE - Passive: After landing 5 consequetive attacks on the same enemy, the next basic attack will critically strike but only deal 10% bonus damage.

once you get some crit it'd be a damage debuff on your 5th AA so nobody would take it

VØIÐMar 30, 20181 votes

Ofcourse a change like this would still have to be tweaked but it was just a raw/scrap suggestion.

LordGeovanniMar 30, 20181 votes

+25 Magic Resistance

UNIQUE - Passive: When blinking, jumping, dashing, skipping the next enemy hit magic ability will deal 15% less damage.

I love this one as long as you only get the damage resistance while dashing and not after (sorry blinks but being instant is a very powerful thing) and it wasnt limited to magic abilties rather all damage while you dash. (please dont need mages crying that another thing counters them When their high burst at safe range killing things is a counter to assassins.) and it has a 30 second cooldown.

VØIÐMar 30, 20181 votes

That is a rather fair point.

InfernapeMar 30, 20183 votes

BRING BACK BOOT ENCHANTMENTS

RainXBladeMar 30, 20181 votes

Pls Rito. Bring back Alacrity and Furor.

LordGeovanniMar 31, 20181 votes

Captain. On mages ( the ones who stand in the middle of the team an rarely move from their spot. dont need extra movement speed like tanks who need extra to get to their target and run back to peel.)

flibitydooMar 30, 20182 votes

As a soraka player, I kinda wish we had boots that cost 900 gold, give +45 movespeed and provide grievous wounds on damage dealt. Then take out the other items that provide grievous wounds. It would create a genuine trade off instead of "well my mage kinda can't afford 3k gold to buy this item and needs CDr" or "my tank wants to go randuins to negate crits too".

xelakerMar 30, 20182 votes

they had little upgrades and apparently nobody bought them? I loved the little extra ms one personally :/