I rarely ever make to level 18 so I am wondering if these runes are even woth it. I went on some pro gamers build site and it showed that the pros' rarely ever get full builds either. I have not watched a pro game. I am just wondering if they are just lp syncs, if most games are over by level 15.
I'm curious about this as well! I find they are mid to late game for me. But thoughts from others would be cool to read on this?
I am thinking a good stategy may be to split the difference? Ie: get 5 standard runes, and 4 scalling just incase the game is a long one?
Any opinions would be welcome, I am just a new player trying to be efficient.
As long as you get to the break even point, they are. For example, scaling hp seals break even at about level 9 or so with flat hp seals. Considering majority of games you're generally going to always be past that point, scaling hp pays off more. That doesn't mean scaling hp is the must, you could just prefer the early benefits of having 72 HP from the start. It's preference really, do you want more benefit later into the game? Or is having that early advantage right off the bat more important to you?
Typically, scaling runes beat flats by lv6, so they are especially good for solo lanes or anyone who has a passive early game.
Scaling HP runes are standard vs AP mid/top, scaling CDR or MR glyphs are standard for mages. Armor, mPen, aPen are the commonly used flats i can think of, outside quints.
If you play a lane bully or someone who needs an advantage pre-6 to snowball, flats provide more of a benefit.
If I recall, scaling is equal or better from level 6-8 (depending on type of rune) onwards for scaling runes compared to the flat version, and while getting to level 18 might be rare in pro play (and maybe rare-ish on supports in regular play...although I find many solo queue games do drag on to level 18 full build slugfest since people are bad at actually ending), it'd be extremely rare for someone to not get to level 6.
The trade off is you're weaker pre-6 of course, which at some levels of play is enough of a difference for the enemy to get an early lead and snowball off of. If you do believe you'll get through to 6 without issue, then scaling is probably the better choice (although consider you might be better able to start snowballing sooner if you had the flat version).
Another thing to consider is how much you actually need the raw stats early on. You almost never see scaling AD runes on adcs for example, since people want to be able to last hit effectively early on
I don't feel mixing flat/scaling of the same type is worthwhile. I'd rather plan for the snowball or plan for late and actually be good there, rather than be just ok. (Although tbh the impact of runes onm the whole is probably pretty small compared to raw skill differences.)
Quints are generally viewed as most useful as flat bonuses, just since the size of the raw stats given by a quint makes a relatively big impact on early game more so than the smaller numbers involved with the other rune types.
edit: For those with lots of rune pages for micro-optimization, scaling versus flat defenses can eb a choice made based on your lane opponent(s). If you're against an AD opponent, you're probably better off with scaling mr instead of flat mr for example since by the time teamfights (involving an AP opponent) start, you'll be past the cross over point, and similar for versus an AP with armour runes.
Some of them break even at level 9
So it depends on your play style and the predicted pace of the match.
Scaling MR Blues are the best types of runes for Junglers, It breaks even at 9 and the monster does AD damage exclusively so you don't need them at all while clearing and lets you skip MR until much later so you can go for armor or HP.
The rest of the scaling are Meh on the Junglers, go for flat on everything else since is teh early game that gives trouble on the jungle. For other lanes I can't say much since I don't know much. When I play support I pick mixed MR as well (half flat/half scaling) but aside from scaling Mr I don't use others.
I rarely ever make to level 18 so I am wondering if these runes are even woth it. I went on some pro gamers build site and it showed that the pros' rarely ever get full builds either. I have not watched a pro game. I am just wondering if they are just lp syncs, if most games are over by level 15.
it depends
some scaling runes level out at level 5, others at level 3 (I think theres a few), others at level 10
Its all a matter of what you need and where and when you'll need it.
you use scaling runes in solo lanes. cuz you level faster there fore get greater benefit from them. as jungler or bot lane duos you dont level as fast and need the early boost to base stats so ideally scaling runes are best for them...
however on some situations as jungler or adc/support i will take a mix of scaling and flat runes on blues like a flat 4 flat mr runes and the rest scaling mr runes
or flat cdr runes with scaling cdr runes...
and the way most games drag out every one gets to lvl 15+ if not lvl 18
most of the scaling runes break even around lvl 7-lvl 9 with flat runes
I always take scaling MR Glyphs on adc, since you dont gain more MR as a ranged champion.
