Let's Polarize Itemization!

ImThatJGuy·3/22/2019, 10:07:26 PM·2 votes·1,523 views

I think a way to solve many of the balance issues in League is to take a look at itemization. Currently, it is a mess. Full-tank items are terrible, it feels bad to build anything that isn't straight-up damage on carries, and bruiser itemization ranges from being ubiquitous on all top laners to being almost completely ignored.

My idea is to return the itemization back to how it was in the past, with some changes. Obviously I cannot go through and give you a perfectly balanced version of every item in the game, but I will share my ideas:

  1. AD/AP damage items now have more damage. This is limited to things such as Deathcap and Spellbinder for AP, whilst things like Rylai's Crystal scepter and RoA will not receive damage buffs. Other things may include re-buffing Bloodthirster to maybe 90-100 AD. These changes will make full damage items stand out as the ones to buy in order to... well.. deal more damage, obviously.

  2. Current Zhonya's and GA will be transferred to being fully tank items, with slightly below average tanky stats. These items have super great active and passive defensive capabilities. They should offer a bit of health, a bit of armor, and a bit of MR each, to allow carries the ability to have these great items, but not receive damage alongside, while not making these feel bad to purchase on tanks who may appreciate the active/passive. (Also, maybe make their passive/active unique to prevent stacking?)

  3. Bruiser items (both AP/AD) now have more balanced out stats. They will have middling AD/AP and middling tank stats, making choosing a bruiser item be a sacrifice in damage from the full damage items and a sacrifice in tankiness from the full tank items.

  4. Full tank items get buffed. Right now, it feels like tank items are cheap, but also ineffective, in general. If the items were made slightly more expensive, but greatly more cost-effective, it will not only allow tanks to actually feel a bit tankier, but also give carries the option to opt out of damage (making choices!) and get some actual tankiness for the damage they're sacrificing.

The main idea here is to make the items more clear in their intention, rather than having weird options like having Morellonomicon being a bit low on the AP side with some pen, while having Liandry's offer the same amount while both have clearly different purposes. The other main difference these changes would overall make is that there would be actual choices to be made when purchasing items. You either pick damage or tankiness (or in the case of bruisers, you won't be receiving the best, or worst, of both worlds). The final thing that is improved, in my opinion, is that items will be easier to balance. With these changes, you can more directly compare damage items to damage items and so on, allowing Riot to see if a bruiser item is being picked by carries, or so on and so forth.

Anyway, this all is my humble opinion, let me know your thoughts/ideas.

1 Comments

MagicFlyingLlama3/22/2019, 10:17:21 PM1 votes

Dont break a working system.