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@Riot - Could we please get a detailed definition of the term "power budget"? :)

Sir Choingler·12/30/2014, 8:28:03 AM·6 votes·725 views

As I read through the rework threads, patch notes, and champion Q&As, a term that continues to pop up is "power budget."

I believe I have a grasp of the basics of this term from the contexts I have read it in; power budget refers to how strong a champion's kit is in reference to other champions. But I have been unable to find a definite description of what this term means, and I would like to have a concise definition from a Rioter rather than just work from my assumptions based on textual context.

Could someone from the balance team explain this term and give some examples of how it has influenced balance decisions in the past? Could you provide some examples of champions which have a good power budget and some who need some work? A detailed description of how a power budget is applied to a champion would be greatly appreciated. :)

Thank you for all your hard work. This game is great, and I love to play it. You all do a great job.

Sir Choingler

4 Comments

Kowe The Ewok12/30/2014, 11:19:09 AM2 votes

Definition: Power budget

Excuse to take core features from underpowered champions when "buffing" them (e.g. Sejuani ), while Riot's favorited may stay unharmed - even with multiplie dashes, extreme burst, LeeSinFizz Zed , the ability to 100-0 champions and invincibility packed in their kit Fizz Zed , possibly even while having infinite lane sustain due to not using mana Zed .

Uiru12/30/2014, 2:16:16 PM2 votes

Power budget got used up by Lee Sin, Zed, and a couple of others that Riot won't nerf because reasons, so everybody else gets shafted.

"I KNOW LET'S FUCK OVER ALL MAGES" /does nothing about energy champs ~Uiru

The Storm Dragon12/30/2014, 6:48:48 PM2 votes

Power budget is... hard to explain without an example, so TIME FOR AN EXAMPLE.

You have 100 'units'. Say, a 100 base damage targeted skill uses up 20 of those, but a 100 base damage skillshot would only take up 15. On another skill, a blink on a high cooldown uses up 25 units while a blink on a low cooldown uses up 35 as a basic skill, or only 20 as an ultimate. And eventually you put enough stuff in a kit that it comes out to 100 units.

I explained that poorly but yolo.

Riot's problem historically has been undervaluing mobility in this system, but lately they've been getting better about it. (Rek'Sai has two mobility skills, so she only has two offensive skills and both are melee, for example)

ƒæµ12/30/2014, 11:22:30 AM1 votes

I assume you're correct and it is just self explanatory. The team comes up with a power budget which is a cap of some form that they agree on (based on champion averages) and make sure to stay under, but close to, the budget cap. For example, they could be talking about new skills, and the CC they may inflict; maybe the ult is a knock up AoE and the E also applies a stun. while thinking of ideas for the W skill, someone suggests it also applies a slow, the team would assess if this would exceed the power budget, making the champion too powerful. Or maybe the other way around the champ lacks CC and someone explains adding some form of CC to one of the skills, seeing as they would still have space in the power budget. Same theory can apply for base damages, steroids, statuses, etc :)

IF you're wondering how they form the "budget", I would guess that they base it off a few very average champions with consistent pick rates and average win rates; seeing as some are blatantly more powerful than others.