My thoughts on the proposed AP item changes

So I took a look at the proposed AP itemization changes posted on the pbe forums (I would post this response there if I had a pbe account, but I don't; I did just apply for one so maybe that will change in the future?)

As someone who used to main mid lane, and typically played mages there, AP itemization is a subject I know a lot about (I mained mid back in season 3, to give you idea how long I've been playing AP champs mid lane), and I feel I can give good input on what is needed.

Overall I don't like what's being proposed: Too many items are losing AP for effects that just won't be as valuable to the VAST majority of champions that would want to build them. That said, there are some things I like: -Zhonya's being cheaper, but also having less AP -Easier access to health sustain early game (this is one of the glaring disadvantages to being AP versus AD during early game, and it's finally being addressed) -Better access to CDR

So how to build on these good things to get to a world where AP itemization is roughly as nice as AD itemization currently is? (I love the AD and ADC itemization this season, best it's ever been, even with the balance issues that are present; e.g. crit is a bit too cost efficient, atm)

I think the problems with the proposed item changes is that you are designing components first instead of full items first. It's far easier to conjure up sound component items once you have an idea what sort of complete items they are going to build into. Moreover, it will be easiest to settle on what core stats the item will provide and what champs should be using it before trying to design appropriate passive/active effects to give the item a unique identity and solidify why the champions that are supposed to build it would want to build. To that end, we first need to roughly categorize AP champions into broad archetypes. This can actually be done from the perspective of what stats they would want (or more precisely what their priorities would be).

I see three main classes of AP champions: -Assassin/Nuker: These are champions such as and . Above all, they want AP, and LOTS of it. Their job is to delete that very important squishy, and the best way to do that is to have a lot of burst damage (these champions are prone to being game health problems, so, handle them and their itemization with care) -Control/Artillery: These are champions such as and . They don't quite have the burst of assassins or nukers but what lack in burst damage they make up for in crowd control, AoE, and general utility. They favor achieving high CDR with high AP to maximize burst damage, damage over time, and utility output (CC, shields, etc.). -AP Fighters/Mage Tanks: These are champions such as and . These champions typically might build some pure tank items alongside some AP items and especially like items that have both AP and defensive stats (CDR is also desirable).

Note that most AP supports would typically fall under the Control category, and they have the 'blue-line' for starting items meant for being played as a support (the Control/Artillery itemization should suite their subsequent itemization desires well enough).

Assassin/Nuker mage champions don't mind CDR, but it's not as important to them as it is on other AP champions, hence items designed with them in mind should eschew CDR in favor of providing more AP and having passive/active that synergizes with what they are designed to do, and how they play. So of these items should have mana stats but others should not (so both mana users and manaless champions of this type have options to pick from).

Control/Artillery mage champions definitely want CDR, in fact, they very much want to cap it by the time they reach full build, they also want lots of AP like Assassin/Nuke mages. Items meant for these champions should offer lots of AP and some CDR, but not as much AP as pure AP items meant for Assassins/Nukers. Mana stats are quite important to mana users of this type, but there are also manaless champions of this type, so at least a few AP CDR items without mana stats should exist.

AP Fighters/Mage Tank champions want AP, CDR, and defensive stats, and they are willing to sacrifice quite a bit of AP to get adequate defenses, they will likely sometimes build AP+CDR items meant for Control/Artillery mages along with full tank items, but having a few dedicated hybrid items meant specifically for them is important to ensuring that they can itemize effectively. Items meant for these champions should have lower AP values, (think roughly half what an Assassin/Nuker AP item would have), but a lot better defensive stats than any item meant for either of the other two types would have.

With all the above in mind, I am going to propose example items (without passive/active effects, which I trust that riot would have the creativity to come up with something decent for), but before I do, there is one more thing I want to talk briefly about, and this is Deathcap, and magic pen. Deathcap has been a longstanding problem for AP itemization, it's an important, in fact, essential multiplier, but it's also the only item that provides it. This makes deathcap mandatory in all AP builds (literally if you're not building deathcap by 3rd non-boot item on a typical non-tank mage, you're doing it wrong), this has to be addressed, and I have a solution to this: Make deathcap's passive a named unique passive, and have at least one other item with that effect. The result is a situation similar to IE versus current ER but better, Deathcap can remain the #1 choice for raw AP (e.g. only 120 AP item), but the other item could have less raw AP in exchange for some CDR (would be more appealing to Control/Mages, and AP Fighters/Mage Tanks who can afford a pure offense item). Similarly, Void Staff has been a must if the enemy is building MR (and even if they aren't it eventually ends up being worth it anyways by 6th item), VS being the only % magic pen item isn't necessarily a problem, but since there is so little viable flat magic pen itemization is currently available, it's been almost mandatory to get VS at some point. This problem can be addressed by improving flat magic pen itemization (which I will do with the proposed items).

Proposed items:

Rabadon's Deathcap: (currently too expensive) Theme: Assassin/Nuker 120 AP Unique named passive: +35% AP ~3400g

-new item-: (deathcap relative) Theme: Control/Artillery 100 AP Unique: 10% CDR Unique named passive (shared with deathcap): +35% AP ~3400g

-possible new item-: (2nd deathcap relative) Theme: AP Fighter/Mage Tank 400 health 60 AP Unique: 10% CDR Unique named passive (shared with deathcap): +25% (? bad idea to make this lower?) ~3000g (?)

Zhonya's Hourglass: (currently too much stats and too expensive because of it) Theme: Assassin/Nuker and Control/Artillery (their version of Mercurial Scimitar) 80 AP 35 Armor Unique named active: 2.5 sec Stasis, 90 sec CD ~3100g

Liandry's Torment: (passive dmg being gated by target being CC'd pigeon holes this item, fixing that) Theme: Control/Artillery 70 AP 300 health 10% CDR Unique passive (named?): +20 magic pen. (up from +15) Unique passive - Eyes of Torment: current health damage is now always 4%/sec for 3 seconds (instead of 2% doubling if target is CC'd) ~3000g

-new item-: (Liandry's cousin; alternative upgrade for Haunting Guise) Theme: Assassin/Nuker 90 AP 300 health Unique passive (named?): +20 magic pen. (unique passive/active tbd)

Rod of Ages: fine as is imo

Archangel's Staff/Seraph's Embrace: fine as they are, though it might make sense to find a method of doing the Tear stacking that isn't preferential to spell-spammers (maybe base max mana gain on amount of mana expended to cast the spell?). Also, Seraph's could perhaps have magic damage version of Muramana's on-hit damage (this might be in place of shield active, would give mages something better late game than their shitty basics when their spells are on CD). Note: if riot decides to eschew mana regen in favor of flat mana for AP itemization, then Insight passive might become OP.

Rylai's Crystal Scepter: (Always has had the potential to make a great AP Fighter/Mage Tank item, but has been typically tuned to give manaless AP champs a good damage item, when they should really have an item of their own) Theme: AP Fighter/Mage Tank (contrast with Liandry's and it's proposed cousin item) 60 AP 500 health 10% CDR Unique passive: Same slow it has now ~2900g

Morellonomicon: (Too much CDR, too cheap, mana regen can be converted to flat mana if desired) Theme: Control/Artillery 80 AP 10% CDR Mana stats: either 100% base regen or 400 mana Unique Passive: current Grievous Wounds effect (?New unique passive/active?) ~2600g

-new item- or retooled Iceborn Gauntlet: (alternate build path for Seeker's Armguard) Theme: AP Fighter/Mage Tank 50 AP 50 Armor 10% CDR (and/or mana stats if retooled IBG) (unique passive/active) ~2700g

Abyssal Scepter: (mostly fine as is, but some small adjustments would help solidify its role) Theme: AP Fighter/Mage Tank 50 AP 50 MR 10% CDR Unique Aura: no longer affects minions (still affects monsters and enemy champions) ~2700g

Closing remarks: This list is not exactly complete in the sense that there are probably more items needed (in an ideal world) than I have listed, but I think I've done enough to illustrate the basic ideas behind what I am proposing. One thing that might be advisable, is the give Void Staff the same treatment that Last Whisper got, maybe not convert pen to bonus pen, but making it cheaper and having two upgrade paths (one of which gives an amp based on health difference), could help mages perform better against tanks without being oppressive to squishies. The alternate build path could fulfill the pen desires of AP Fighters and Mage Tanks (perhaps grevious wounds would still make sense here sustain tanks like mundo, or maybe a stacking debuff that stacks off of you dealing magic damage to an enemy and that amps subsequent magic damage taken by that enemy for a short duration)