A Modest Proposal: Is it time for a third summoner spell?

TerraRising·Oct 18, 2015·2 votes·477 views

I'll try to make this short:

Currently, the Summoner spell "Flash" is nearly a requirement for any game of League of Legends, at any skill level (From professional play to below bronze). Riot encourages this, because it allows for spectacular, game changing plays (Flash-Tibbers, for instance) and exciting gank escapes.

However, this fact does make the rest of the options rather limiting. Ignite is rarely used these days, double-teleport has become a standardized thing, and who really uses Clarity outside of ARAMs?

So, is it time to have Flash as an automatic spell and allow for two extra summoner spell selections?

7 Comments

EnvironmentalistOct 18, 20152 votes

I don't think so. Summoner spells are two extra spells to help you out, it's your choice which two you choose. If you think you need teleport and ignite for example, you're going to have to go without flash. Everybody has 2. Nobody benefits more than others.

TerraRisingOct 18, 20151 votes

{quoted}

Everybody has 2. Nobody benefits more than others.

But... everyone would have three instead of two. Nobody would benefit anymore than anyone else.

EnvironmentalistOct 18, 20151 votes

That's true. but you could say that about 10 summoner spells as well. I'd still say two is a good number. I honestly don't have an argument as to why, but 3 would just be too many.

Most of the game should be skill around your abilities anyways. The more summoner spells brought into the game the less abilitiy oriented it gets.

TerraRisingOct 18, 20151 votes

{quoted}

That's true. but you could say that about 10 summoner spells as well.

Heavens, no. This is League, not a MMO!

I'd still say two is a good number. I honestly don't have an argument as to why, but 3 would just be too many.

I'd guess "tradition," mostly. It's not a good reason, but it is one. :)

Most of the game should be skill around your abilities anyways. The more summoner spells brought into the game the less abilitiy oriented it gets.

That would be true, but there are so many instances of "Flash-Ult" plays turning games around. I'm just thinking "If Flash is almost a mandatory spell to take for the escape/engage, why not make it mandatory and allow summoners to pick two more?"

Thanks for the conversation, btw.

EnvironmentalistOct 18, 20151 votes

Hmm, I think a good reason to not make flash mandatory is because it would make certain champs who would otherwise take two other spells a bit ridiculous. I know I'm arguing against myself in what I said earlier, but take this as an example. I play rammus jungle occasionally, and a lot of the time I'll take smite and teleport. I'll get homeguard mobi's and teleport to a ward behind the enemy with major move speed for ganks. When I play this tactic, I give up flash, and at certain parts of the game it would've been nice to have flash.

If you're allowed 3 spells, you could run teleport, smite and flash on rammus, and that'd be a bit much I think. You could flash taunt, at the same time as being able to tp gank.

Some people take smite / ghost on hecarim / olaf or teleport / ghost on singed etc. Adding a flash to that would make them impossible to catch / get away from. I think it would add too much gap closing and change the game considerably.

Also, ADC's could then take heal / barrier / flash, making them almost impossible to kill when all 3 are up. I think it would be too much of a safe haven.

Athenes LuluOct 18, 20151 votes

The idea of having "different smites" would then be useless.

TerraRisingOct 18, 20151 votes

[{quoted}](name=Cancerous Lulu,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=srpKZIV1,comment-id=0001,timestamp=2015-10-18T02:59:34.685+0000)

The idea of having "different smites" would then be useless.

The different smites come from the upgraded items.