Wouldn't League of Legends Be Better Without Runes?

Chimp Joker·Nov 26, 2018·18 votes·5,249 views

It just seems like less of a headache to not have runes than to have them. It's like if electrocute was just too good, they nerf it. Then predator is too good so they nerf that. Then the same thing happens to any offense runes leaving the defensive ones untouched. Then those become too good and the cycle continues. I cant tell if runes are supposed to make the game more fun or it's just one of Riots' main ways to give the developers an extra need to balance the game in order to add more work hours in their days.

18 Comments

WalkingInACircleNov 26, 201810 votes

Yes. Should have more item variety.

JamareeNov 26, 20183 votes

No, because people would complain about lack of customization.

LatoyaFromTheBXNov 27, 20183 votes

{quoted}

No, because people would complain about lack of customization.

youre everywhere

StephenizgodNov 27, 20183 votes

I have been saying this for awhile, at first I thought they were really fun and cool... that wore off quickly.

The only good tree is the Inspiration Tree imo, except Klepto it needs to go too. They should just go back to Old Runes (talking old school runes and masteries, before Keystones and shit were made) or make every tree more like the Inspiration Tree.

SangreDeNocheNov 27, 20181 votes

{quoted}

I have been saying this for awhile, at first I thought they were really fun and cool... that wore off quickly.

The only good tree is the Inspiration Tree imo, except Klepto it needs to go too. They should just go back to Old Runes (talking old school runes and masteries, before Keystones and shit were made) or make every tree more like the Inspiration Tree.

I don't think klepto would be as bad if they just picked items or gold to get. Having both makes it over the top.

StephenizgodNov 27, 20183 votes

Klepto follows the same flawed logic as Electrocute or Dark Harvest, you are rewarded for no reason just for doing what you are supposed to do. But instead of Damage you are rewarded with Gold, still the concept is the same you are rewarded with something completely uncounterable and without strategy. The enemy can not do anything about the Bonus Damage from those two runes and they can't do anything about the Gold you get from Klepto, similarly you don't pay for either nor are you forced to make a decision based on the circumstances. You simply hit your abilities and get free rewards. The Gold is just like the Damage you get from Electrocute, Dark Harvest, Predator, etc. but in a different form.

Doge2020Nov 26, 20182 votes

We need more “game breaking” runes in the style that inspiration does. Doesn’t add damage but adds more utility, or maybe even very low damage with the trade off of a fairly reliable effect.

It could be general keystones/runes that have the Inspiration theme of “game breaking/rule bending” or Riot could go in the direction of the Odyssey Augments, like 2-3 unique keystones/augments per champ that is balanced towards the champ’s top playstyles or builds. They don’t add a lot or any damage but they bring unique utility effects and interactions. This might be easier to balance because instead of changing runes because one person abuses them, Riot can balance the numbers of an overpowered champ’s kit.

This wouldn’t cuck users of a rune just because one champ abuses it easily, and the game won’t be as snowbally because there isn’t a ton of damage that comes out at lvl 1 just because of the keystones and runes.

Sorry for the initial giant wall of text, I tried searching for a place to break it up before I posted it but couldn’t find a good separation of ideas to create a break. Now that I edited it I created some breaks.

StephenizgodNov 27, 20183 votes

Its Augmenting the way you play the game, not so much as Breaking the Game. That is what I like about that tree, they augment the way you play the game and its effectiveness depends on you the player, the champion, and the situation you are in. Its not free anything and everything requires you to make a decision on how you use it.

All skill trees should be like this, no free damage for landing abilities... you are SUPPOSED to land your abilities, don't need a reward for it...

KelgNov 27, 20182 votes

I would not be playing this game without runes

There needs to be more variety in effects and less "do more damage" runes

AbsoluteMadmannNov 27, 20181 votes

Because it means you have to get good without crutches? xD

KelgNov 29, 20181 votes

{quoted}

Because it means you have to get good without crutches? xD

No, because champs like Morde(who I play 99% of the time btw) would be absolute dogshit, same goes for the other 80% of champs who aren't meta. The only reason some of these outdated champs are even viable is because there are runes that help them. Without runes you're banking on riot balancing the champion pool well, which they've shown to be pretty bad at.

Cptn Han SoloQNov 26, 20181 votes

It would be way easier to balance but if it would be the same fun for people who play 1 or 2 games a week? I don't think so.[sg-lulu]

ZackTheWaffleManNov 26, 20181 votes

I would like it if every rune was moved into Inspiration and all damage was removed from runes

ArfBarkBoofNov 27, 20181 votes

{quoted}

It just seems like less of a headache to not have runes than to have them. It's like if electrocute was just too good, they nerf it. Then predator is too good so they nerf that. Then the same thing happens to any offense runes leaving the defensive ones untouched. Then those become too good and the cycle continues. I cant tell if runes are supposed to make the game more fun or it's just one of Riots' main ways to give the developers an extra need to balance the game in order to add more work hours in their days.

Yes and no; While you could argue that certain runes are mandatory as a damage dealer in the Pre-Season cough Dark Harvest_cough_, runes still serve as more of a match-up based system in League. Take the player Risti, for example, He's a Garen OTP and he has maybe four rune pages he'll use based on whatever champion he's facing. Against Singed he'll take Glacial Augment and rush something like item 3800 for the massive AoE slow in team fights.

Then you have what Valve did in Dota 2. Adding personalized talent trees that unlock at levels during the match and allow you to choose between two options ( Usually damage versus utility ). While this idea sounds good in practice, you have absolutely bonkers stuff like Brewmaster having a max level talent that gives him 435% crit damage on his E and 80% per auto to crit during its duration.

It all depends on how you view Runes, really.

DarkTree1Nov 27, 20181 votes

they refuse to diversify items and want epic flashy outplays as soon as possible instead of them being gated behind item purchases, so runes are the best we have for game-to-game diversity right now (even though people take the same runes and build the same items every game with no real difference but y'know)

AbsoluteMadmannNov 27, 20181 votes

They should do what Dota does with Talents.