League of Legend's Identity Crisis
Like a Tinder date gone wrong, a typical blind match-up in League of Legends begins with squabbling, continues with bickering, and ends with name-calling and suggestions to quit the game (or life itself) entirely. The reasons are numerous, from bad choice of champion to gamers playing poorly. But as often as not, the reason for so much discord can be described in two words: Last Hit.
Haven’t you heard, at least once, both mid and top Laners flame the Jungler for stealing “their” minion? As reasonable as their lament sounds, it does beg the question as to how a resource common to all can be “theirs” exclusively. This assertion baffled me when I first started playing League of Legends, its very self-centeredness flying in the face of everything I knew about team dynamics stemming from my experience in MMORPGs, which MOBAs such as LoL resemble: In several MORPGs, it doesn’t matter who scores the last hit on the monster or enemy—only that it dies. Indeed, why should it? And why should LoL be any different? The Last Hit mechanic in LoL imposes itself upon the game artificially, resulting in unnecessary arguments which take away much of League of Legend’s entertainment value.
And what do ADCs and Support quarrel over? Exactly the same thing, of course. As primary damage-dealers, ADCs feel they have first priority over support for gold so that they can have more powerful weapons, ultimately so they can do their job better. Understandable, of course. However, nothing about playing support changes that necessity for us, either. As gamers, support wants to do the same things every gamer does: kill shit, get gear, and win, win, win. But to win, support are asked to sacrifice the joy of gaming itself so Laners can get theirs, first. Not killing enemies, not getting gear, that’s not fun, it’s frustrating. Imagine holding back on potentially damaging support characters, who can be just as punishing as their ADC counterparts. Such courtesy handicaps them. Personally, I would prefer to obliterate minions by the score, wouldn't you? Now let me ask you this: how often do people fight over support? In comparison to lane positions, rarely. Why that is, is no mystery.
Not that Last Hit is exclusively a problem of Support mains. It's everyone's. Imagine going toe-to-toe with an enemy champion and nearly killing them, only for a so-called teammate to steal the last hit. Hardly seems as if you're on the same team, does it. The fact is, LoL is designed to reward selfishness. It is a game for individual glory, not teamwork. Being on the same side of a win is a mere coincidence.
The problem is, League of Legends suffers from a crippling identity crisis. It touts itself as an e-sport, like basketball or football, which are likewise competitive games but also team games, cooperative in nature. However in LoL, players playing together is often not helpful; it is an interference. It’s all about “my minions,” “my kills,” and “my gear,” when it should be about “our team” and “our victory.” Should it not? Stealing Baron Nashor is one thing, but LoL treats all stealing as equal, whether it is from the enemy team or your own, casting doubt as to whether it truly is a teamsport.
The issue runs deeper, though. Riot does spend considerable effort in nerfing this champion and buffing that for a better MOBA. They’ve been doing this for years, but to no substantive avail, because while those inequities are real, it is the game itself that is unbalanced—and unfair—that is the underlying problem.
Fairness serves as the basis for a well-designed game, that much is self-evident. Doesn’t it stand to reason then that an unfair game is, well...a bad game?? Perhaps, and the solution is obvious: get rid of last hit, and let everyone be rewarded equally—and without penalty—in terms of exp., gold, the works. It’s only fair. League of Legends is fun, imaginative, addictive, and popular on a worldwide scale. But it is, even at first glance, a fundamentally flawed game on a design level, not quite ready for prime-time—yet.
