I'm happy about Runic Echoes, but...
I feel like having both would be better.
Don't get me wrong, Runic Echoes is great. It'll bring back into viability all the AP junglers who suffered when Magus was removed (Karthus and Fiddlesticks, anyone?), but removing Runeglaive brings its own problems. It'll be a big nerf to the junglers who DID benefit from Runeglaive (Evelynn and Diana are the first who come to mind).
IMO the best choice would be to have both so that both types of AP jungler have a good option, and champions who could utilize both can have the option to choose which one is best for the situation. Strategic diversity, right?
actually deals more damage for lower cost with Echoes + Lich Bane than with Runeglaive + Ludens.
and this just pisses me off. i used to buy luden's on eve is i was snowballing super hard, but in the current meta you have to build tanky or you just get out tanked and die too quickly. forcing me to spend money on a mini jungle ludens AND having to buy lich bane just takes up more slots. yes, i'll do more damage, but i can't build as tanky as i would like to because of the extra item slot lich bane will now take up. people say "just play AD eve". .... i hate ad eve with a passion. ap eve is just way more fun to me.