Role Specific Itemization

Parceval·Apr 5, 2016·4 votes·439 views

Right now we have one role that has specific itemization: Jungle.

Why aren't other roles on the table for this type of treatment?

Currently, one of the meta-breaking-issues for hybrids, i.e. damage/tanks, is that we can create these monsters with little counterplay.

Why don't we consider limiting itemization for particular roles? That way we could flex more creativity within those roles given more particular constraints (just like Jungle). I imagine, for example, that Support could be far more interesting with such a consideration in mind.

8 Comments

ErockandrollApr 5, 20162 votes

I guess Talisman, frost queens, and FotM arn't support specific then.

The key problem is, Top and mid lane arn't fundamentally different. They are both Solo lanes, giving you lane gold and solo XP. And many champs can flex between the two. ADC is similar, just with less XP. and all three of those are based around CS.

And the Jungle and support itemization are there mainly as a crutch. The other positions don't need items specified to them. (With exception of the Doren's items)

ParcevalApr 5, 20161 votes

Frost Queens is often picked up by mid laners, while smite-specific items can only be acquired by junglers (effectively), though fair point.

And, I'm not talking about lanes, I'm talking about roles. This would allow Riot the flexibility to experiment with more variety of itemization since they wouldn't have to be so concerned about cross-pollination disrupting the balance.

Again, we have an example of this with the jungle item. It's a truly unique tier with multiple build strategies around the variety of types of junglers. You could experiment with similar variability. It could be incredibly engaging and dynamic, AND easier to balance.

ErockandrollApr 5, 20161 votes

{quoted}

FotM is often picked up by mid laners, while smite-specific items can only be acquired by junglers (effectively), though fair point.

And, I'm not talking about lanes, I'm talking about roles. This would allow Riot the flexibility to experiment with more variety of itemization since they wouldn't have to be so concerned about cross-pollination disrupting the balance.

Again, we have an example of this with the jungle item. It's a truly unique tier with multiple build strategies around the variety of types of junglers. You could experiment with similar variability. It could be incredibly engaging and dynamic, AND easier to balance.

I think you mean Frost Queen's, FotM (Face of the Mountain) is really only good if you have a partner.

It's kind of problematic to trying to stat bind items to a particular role, even among Jungle items. (Runic echo is good on APC Junglers like Nidalee, but it's also good on AP Bruisers who only buy it as their sole AP item. like Gragas.) And that's simply a result of the different roles having cross over in the stats they need. For example, Bruisers tend to need a mixture of damage and defenses, But then, so do Juggernauts. Which is why a lot of Bruisers will pick up items made for Juggernauts. You could try adjusting Juggernaut items to be further dependent of health stacking. But that just might shift the optimal build for a Bruiser, and you have the same problem.

ParcevalApr 5, 20161 votes

Yeahh..... Edited. But that's true, it's a complicated problem.

EndlessSorcererApr 5, 20162 votes

Jungle has specific itemization for two main reasons:

To provide core purchases which can be tweaked to affect jungle balance
To discourage laners from building/abusing jungle items (which was a major problem in previous seasons)

Support has specific itemization for two main reasons:

To provide core purchases which can be tweaked to affect support balance
To provide them a reliable source of gold income so they could actually afford to purchase items (instead of sitting on Boots and Wards the entire game as they did in Season 3).

Mid-lane and top-lane have an extremely diverse pool of champions, so limiting specific items to those roles would be difficult. Specific champion archetypes have already had a great many items designed for them, so there is really no need to restrict them more.

ParcevalApr 5, 20161 votes

I'm not talking about lanes, I'm talking about roles. The same roles Riot is already identifying with their "S" classes.

And we have an identified problem with assasins picking up tank items. There is a need to restrict them more. This type of overlap requires them to either a) nerf the item (which as a byproduct nerfs a lot of champions) or b) nerf the champion. When, instead, they could flex the champions more aggressively around more intelligently tailored itemization.