Can we agree the mastery overhaul was a failure

Ramza Paradise·12/22/2015, 12:16:17 AM·103 votes·4,162 views

Did nothing to make the game more diverse, same cookie cutter choices as always
Nerfs of champions benefiting from keystone runes, despite the later nerfs to the keystone
None of it feels like it has any effect on the game, "hidden power", bland choices

Honestly besides Thunderlord's Decree being the best choice right now, it also has the most satisfying animation.

This is, what, the third or fourth time i've seen Riot re-do the mastery system....and each time ends the same.

83 Comments

Quepha12/22/2015, 12:21:44 AM29 votes

Still not as bad as runes.

originary9112/22/2015, 12:20:32 AM27 votes

Yeah, seeing at least 8 Thunderlords in every game is hardly the diversity that Riot never shuts up about.

LadyRenly12/22/2015, 12:19:25 AM18 votes

Yeah, I feel there really isn't much "choice".

Oh, you have heals? Looks like you are taking Windspeaker's. Like Crit? Go take a corner in the warlords camp

Miku Lv9912/22/2015, 12:45:57 AM18 votes

Yeah, new system was a failure for many reasons. There are drastically fewer options than before. And supports really seemed to have gotten the short end of the stick with them, too.

PickleBabah12/22/2015, 2:12:38 AM17 votes

[Warning: Unpopular Opinion] I do not think it as an entirety is a failure, but right now it feels like a failure since there's no diversity, but I feel like this mastery tree has more potential than the old one. The old one had just as much (if not more) invisible power. I think there is more room for diversity, and gameplay choices. Right now all we can do is sit back and hope it goes right.

pinkyblossom12/22/2015, 5:04:25 PM10 votes

I do like some stuff about them and i dont like some stuff, but you just sound like you are on a witch-hunt...

... How is this change a failure compared to the old masteries?

Is the in-game impact from masteries not stronger than before?

Compared to what are the new masteries a failure ? Your overblown expectations (you expected ulti-like affects from every key-stone)?

I do not feel like I'm the one that can criticize the new masteries much; I play only mages and tanks and I dont play every day and i play mostly ARAM (ex: I heard assassins ware left out a bit...). So i came here thinking I was gonna learn something from this senpai's insights: Turns out he is some random angry summoner... Your post is a failure.

In short; You may be right - But I dont see an argument in your post, just a judgment.

Bladerunner777712/22/2015, 3:23:19 AM8 votes

{quoted}

it also has the most satisfying animation.

Wrong

Grasp of the undying

http://i3.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/facebook/000/006/077/so_good.png

AdanYEva12/22/2015, 12:28:21 AM7 votes

i just wish runes were looked at, runes make this game a bit-stale, it's been 5 seasons with no rune changes

Nagma12/22/2015, 12:27:51 AM6 votes

10 thunderlord decree , thats what i see

Hawkefire12/22/2015, 6:50:54 AM6 votes

The only thing I like about the new mastery system is the keystones, and honestly if they just kept the old mastery system and added keystones to it, I would be quite happy.

HamburgerJunior12/22/2015, 3:32:36 AM5 votes

Yes, the new mastery system is a train wreck, i agree.

jaymc113012/22/2015, 6:29:27 AM5 votes

I think its pretty safe to say at this point that every change made since after patch 5.21 has been a disaster and is bad for the game. The mastery changes are just one of a multitude of failings in the last three patches. 6 seasons, and I gotta say this is the worst state the game's ever been in.

Ecodeath12/22/2015, 2:45:10 AM5 votes

better than it was at least

Lovely Pants12/22/2015, 3:18:13 AM5 votes

I don't think the entire system is worse off. The last tier keystones just have too much synergy with individual champions to allow any choice. Cut those off entirely and I think the trees would feel more meaningful right now (barring some numerical outliers like precision). Lower down the options would allow you to tailor for different roles and lane just fine without the big impact masteries. The idea of having multiple levels of trade offs within a tree is something worth exploring.

JedenVojak12/22/2015, 7:50:17 AM4 votes

Will not upvote even though I have a strong emotional desire to do so as I do feel the keystone change accomplished much of the goals Riot set for themselves rather than the game at large.

I will say that I vastly preferred the old mastery system, as the bonuses were more granular and I felt I had much more overall control over the benefits I got for my champions of choice, and individual points in nodes felt much more satisfying - I mean, if I don't like any of the keystones on a given champion, putting 1 point in some random non-keystone node is kinda garbage.

MrSlowDie12/22/2015, 12:20:41 PM4 votes

I don't think the new mastery has "hidden power" I feel like, the old system had more "hidden power", at least with keystone you know it's there. Thunderlord's decree's animation, grasp of the undying's animation. And soon stormraider's surge will very noticeable too with its slow resistant.

Yfrappefort12/22/2015, 1:14:10 AM4 votes

Yeah, I don't like that many dots mages got nerfed because of one keystone that pushed them over the edge.

Guyy Fieri12/22/2015, 1:44:20 AM4 votes

Nope. I am having more fun in trying to strategize what I want to do each game.

ShadowParker12/22/2015, 2:05:06 AM4 votes

Although this is probably the unpopular opinion because people don't like to accept change. That said.

I disagree entirely.

Right now I know it feels like it was a failure due to everyone carrying thunder lords right now. But next patch all of that will change. The other masteries are getting buffed to a point where they are on level with Thunderlords.

The mastery system affecting champions this strongly is entirely new, so it will take some time to balance it. But once they do, there will be plenty of diversity. Not too mention they'll continue to add masteries to support more classes. Just give it time before calling it a failure.

I mean look at the new hud, everyone was upset over it, a few patches later and I see almost no posts on it. At this point, everyone's satisfied and used to it.

Transgressor12/22/2015, 4:44:42 AM4 votes

Nerfs of champions benefiting from keystone runes, despite the later nerfs to the keystone

Rengar Tryndamere Yasuo Shaco Nice joke.

OrganicT12/22/2015, 12:25:15 PM4 votes

They removed alot of good masteries in cost of thèse Keystone, yet either they are broken with X champions, or they fit only à small pool of champion. So there is à good number of champion stuck with more than useless Keystone to pick. I also feel that game when you are low level (10-) and you get against someone level 20+ , in worst case 30, make the difference even more larger than it was before... Im not à fan of the new masteries to be honest .

Durzaka12/22/2015, 3:48:07 AM3 votes

I like the new system overall.

But the power of individual talents in the system are just broken as hell. Like 90% of them.

M15TAH JAY12/22/2015, 5:46:26 AM3 votes

Does everyone want to keep playing the same game that I hear most people are saying is getting boring? eventually something has to change or this game will end This is when it gets interesting when the real brutal stuff comes out they just need to buff some and do some tweaking but now there's masteries that feel awesome not hey every point of this gets you 0.3% armor mmkay yay...no Let's see the real stuff man Let's see some masteries that make an impact embrace whatever keystone your champ would be best with

ABlueQuaker12/22/2015, 3:19:21 PM3 votes

I remember back in like Season 3 where 15-15-0 Mastery Pages were viable and 21-9-0 vs. 9-21-0 wasn't just a matter of 'what's FotM right now?' but I have to say that I've seen at least a bit of keystone variety.

iainB8512/22/2015, 5:29:25 PM3 votes

Right now it's a failure.

HOWEVER, I do like the CONCEPT of key stone masteries. They just need to buff up other key stone masteries to feel as impactful as Thunderlord's currently does.

chide da jungler12/22/2015, 3:12:24 PM2 votes

the existence of runes and masteries just messes up balance. they should ditch them and just focus on champion abilities

Carpe Victoria12/22/2015, 6:43:41 PM2 votes

I'm only disappointed with tank mastery paths. Early game seems much more difficult. Maybe also a combination of jungle changes. The rest is a tiny bit boring as far as options goes but it feels relatively balanced (after a few fixes) as power goes among the different types of champs.

Vanjie12/22/2015, 12:48:24 AM2 votes

I feel like some of the keynote masteries are to powerful and other ones are just useless. That one where it gives you health for killing a minion or jg minion . . . when your ally does or something . . . that seems useless. There are no options for assassins really . . . . besides one mastery they just added.

ScurvyNave12/22/2015, 8:43:22 PM2 votes

What good have these new masteries even done? I honestly want a rioter to come out and give us an example of one good thing that arose from these new masteries. The bloody things are more powerful than most champion's passives for pity's sake!

All they've done is made balancing a nightmare and systematically made certain subsets of champions OP since they synergies to well but instead of blaming the mastery Riot nerfs the champions (Anivia and Swain for example) who were never strong. Im sick of Brands, I was sick of Yasuo and Trynd spam. And I'm sick of thunder lords. All these new masteries do is give us one or two OP picks for the patch and make every other champions life a living hell.

Passionlip12/22/2015, 9:50:07 AM2 votes

Mh, I disagree o/

OurLestrade12/22/2015, 12:25:50 PM2 votes

All that's really different for me is that everything feels squishier... Coming from someone who liked to run full on tank early game masteries and runes on Thresh for maximum bullying, it's a bit disappointing being as strong as a bit of damp cardboard early game as him now. And what keystones even work on him honestly? :O