Why are there so many AD bruisers but almost no AP bruisers?

AyyLmaoZedongXD·Nov 1, 2017·3 votes·1,013 views

I realized this last game. Like the only ones who really go for a mix of an AP and a tank build are Gragas and Amumu because they often buy Runic Echoes and even then it could be argued that they are tanks anyway. Then that there is Singed, Elise and maybe someone else I can't remember right now. But besides those all of them either build 5 AP items with boots or full tank, never a mix of the two.

Now compare it to the endless masses of AD bruisers, there are easily more than 10 times as much as the ones I mentioned above.

Why is that? Are there just not enough AP bruiser items? Is there an inherent difference between AP and AD that doesn't allow you to build AP off-tank? Any other reasons?

20 Comments

archerno1Nov 1, 20174 votes

Ekko used to be but people lost their shit about it

Radiant SeraphNov 1, 20177 votes

That wasn't a "bruiser" it was a tank that just happened to deal tons of damage

IcyPepperNov 1, 20172 votes

"Tank Ekko" was the thing that people lost their shit over.

Don't try to downplay it and make it what it's not.

PennsNov 1, 20171 votes

He was a bruiser if he didnt go full tank, but he built item 3078 , so he basically just was an AD bruiser that did some magic damage.

archerno1Nov 2, 20171 votes

{quoted}

"Tank Ekko" was the thing that people lost their shit over.

Don't try to downplay it and make it what it's not.

Talking about fervor+triforce ekko

Subject 5Nov 1, 20173 votes

AD Items = Generalist Items AP Items = Niche Items

Generalist Champions: You seem them play a ton of different roles Niche Champions = You don't see them often.

AD Items are just so much more diverse and blatantly better than AP items that you don't exactly have a reason to have a bruiser building AP.

InfernapeNov 1, 20173 votes

AP itemisation is in the shitter. All AP champions (regardless of their class) tend to build the same items with some exceptions (like Gunblade). Unlike their AD counterpart, which has itemisation for different classes of champion like Lethality existing for assassins, Crit and AS for ADC (and some sustained damage champions), items like Sterak's and Titanic Hydra for bruisers.

Diana was intended to pretty much be an AP version of Hecarim (a tanky fighter), Mordekaiser is meant to be an AP juggernaut (the same class as Garen, Darius and Illaoi), and champions like Swain, Vladimir, Rumble, etc are meant to be bruiser(ish) champions.

Professor WardNov 1, 20172 votes

Theres a 1500 page essay i could write about this, that includes adcarries use and effectiveness, but it basically boils down to one mechanic.

Auto attacks, the fact that they are unmissable, and cooldown free. Plus the fact that they scale with ad, is basically what causes this.

For instance

Darius vs Swain

Both could be considered bruisers of similar use, but swain just isnt going to compare late game in auto attack ability with a decent ap build, which instantly cuts his damage HARD!

Throw in these items item 3748 item 3071 and its rough to compete as an ap bruiser.