The primary things that bother me about this game.

Obviously, these are just my opinions on this game. I dont really play that much and when I do its almost always 3s and I assume that this game is and never will be balanced around 3s. I think the key word for 3s lately has been diversity. I just dont see how diversity is possible in 3s due to the tank/bruiser heavy meta always seeming to dominate. I think that comparing just a couple items can show why diversity doesnt exist and why 3s will always be tank/bruiser heavy. Im focusing on items as opposed to champ kits because I think for a lot of champs its the items that end up making the kit work.

Athenes Unholy Grail VS Black Cleaver 60 AP ---------------------------------------- 40 AD 25 MR -----------------------------------------400 health 20% CDR -------------------------------------20% CDR 200% Mana Reg
Bonus: Mana reg------------------------ Bonus: armor pen and move speed cost: 2700----------------------------------- cost: 3000

The reason I am comparing these items is because they seem to be well rounded items in that they give offense, defense, and utility. Like I said earlier, I dont really play that much and I dont play ranked games. I am not trying to act like I am a good player. I just believe that at the games core there are some big problems with game balance and these items sum it up for me. I am starting to see this game more as a game that forces you into choices instead of giving you actual viable options.

Back to these items and why I have problems with them. For 300 more gold black cleaver seems to me like most bruisers and AD tanks wet dream. I would say that 40 AD feels more effective than 60 ap due to auto attacks and most AD bruiser/tanks abilities also scaling with AD. A mage or support is getting 60 AP which only really scales into abilities for damage, unless you Lichbane of course. Early game and for late game 25 MR seems like a horrible investment when compared to 400 health.

25 MR is low and it is magic damage specific where as 400 health equals mitigation vs all damage types and its the only real defense vs most true damage.

I feel that CDR is an important stat for most casters and that its easier to build for casters because they sacrifice having a constant source of auto attack damage. I would usually see maybe an AD jungler with 10 or 20% cdr and no other AD really seemed to invest in it to a high degree which I thought was by design due to them having a good sustained source of damage through auto attacks. Shaco is a good example of a champ I thought would have little CDR in bruiser or AD builds and high CDR in AP builds. Now with this item a bruiser shaco is tossing 2 shivs as often as an AP shaco.

I dont even like talking about mana regen because a lot of champs that will make use of cleaver simply dont care about their mana regen where as this stat is simply standard for mages. The unique passive of chalice also seems to be a cop out in my opinion. Its like you arbitrary tie mages sustained magic damage output to a stat when a lot of champs simply dont have this problem and its not even tied to these champs in what I would consider a logical fashion. In my opinion I would consider a mage with super high base damages and scaling to probably have a super high mana cost on those abilities to keep their damage per second output under control but to be honest I see no evidence of this. I just see arbitrary mana cost numbers that are high on mages and usually super lower on non mages with no rhyme or reason other than non mages dont stack mana regen. Zed is a good example of the AD caster who isnt arbitrarily tied to mana whos razor shuriken has a huge base damage of around 400 without counting AD scaling at like as 6 second cooldown all for like 55 energy. Man that seems like some random energy cost number for such a potent ability on a low cooldown...

Now black cleaver gets an armor shred and move speed passive. Talk about a stacked kit for a melee champ. Melee is supposedly prone to being kited and to counter this weakness they simply buy an item? I mean doesnt most if not all melee based champs have a decently high base move speed and usually a dash? So a high base move speed and a dash with multiple items that grant 20 move speed on an assist and 60 on a kill, because when you are chasing someone smashing a creep on the way to them is hard to do to get that 60 extra move speed advantage?

Maybe its just me but in 3s it seems like most bruisers kits are simplistic and easy to manage where a lot of mages and support are more skill shot based with less mobility. You add an item like black cleaver that gives a significant defensive stat (400 health), three forms of damage scaling (40 AD, 20% CDR, and an armor Shred), and a mobility boost. When you ponder a champ like Riven that CDR alone gives her extra mobility, damage, defense, and CC.

I just dont see an AP item that is such a jack of all trades like Black Cleaver. I mean seriously can you get any more easy mode than Wu with a hydra and cleaver. Such easy harass while being able to stealth and use that move speed to either run away or run deeper into the enemy. That aoe ult which already gives move speed drops a creep giving you another 60 move speed to make sure whoever you knock up is not getting away. The crushing blow into ult which reduces the enemies armor by 60%, that is if its additive. I mean shit, where is the mage or support that gets an item that synergizes so damn well. I also want to compare blade of the ruined king to liandrys torment since they both seem aimed at killed bruiser/tanks but man I dont feel like there is really a fair comparision between the two and ive already typed to much as is, heh.

/end rant