My biggest issue with Runes
No, it's not that Resolve is lacking (Seriously Riot this tree could be a lot better).
My main problem with the new Runes is how some of the major Runes cross the line of being too similar in design. This mainly comes from 4 major problem setters.
Lethal Tempo vs Press the Attack Aery vs Arcane Comet Fleet Footwork vs Phase Rush
Now why I want to point this out is because it these two highlight a major issue I have with Runes that I can for sure see becoming a larger issue in the near future and that's cross overs. Basically, cross-overs are when 2 items/runes/champions/etc begin crossing over one other and being almost too similar. This leads to the issue of not what is the best rune for the time or what works best for my champion, but rather - what is the strongest option.
We are seeing this pretty heavily now with Aery vs Comet as Comet is less reliable, and proves to have somewhat less overall damage compared to Aery which proves a ton of extra damage while being reliable and faster to proc. Part of this problem comes from this cross-over, where the two are occupying the same gameplay space, but Aery is just doing the same job better. As we look forward and possibly add more Runes to the overall mix, this problem can begin to grow and we'll see more options pushed out in favour of the strongest option.
So how do we solve this? Simple, we already have!
"B-but what?" is probably what some of you are thinking right now but shhhh, I gotchu fam. Let me explain.
To find the answer we will look no other than the Resolve tree itself with a perfect explain of how we get similar results - in this case survivability - but achieved in different ways that are interesting and result in not what is the best option, but rather what is the Rune that will work best for me and that I can use best here.
Aftershock and Grasp of the Undying
Now for those that don't know what these two are, they both have two aspects to them. Damage and survivability. However, the way they go about these two aspects are different enough to warrant an interesting interaction. Aftershock focuses in on the raw resistances a champion sas, pushing it's survivability based on a person's Armor and Magic Resistance while also having it's damage be focused on around that aspect. Grasp on the other hand narrows in on a champions Health, dealing damage based on Health, healing based on Health and finally gaining small amounts of max. health. What is good about this idea in particular is it gives the player a variety of options and choices to play with. Do they want to focus on their health or their resistances, do they want to focus on sustain vs tankiness, dealing more raw damage or % damage.
Unlike the above Runes, the answer isn't Black or White and what you want is based on a large variety of things while being rather freeing. They are achieving the same goal, increase a champions survivability, however, they approach this from different angles, following the true goal of this Rune update, give the player choices and increase pre-game choices.
What I hope Riot does moving forward is look at these great examples they have already set for themselves and try and offer players choices to achieve a goal, but offer it in different ways that are based on what they need, what they can best use and what works best in this match-up - not on what is the best default option.