The Game has become too explosive, here's why and ideas and how we can fix it

*****TLDR = Runes Reforged has brought a ton of damage into the game. While the design and choices are far more interesting we should adjust for the new power creep into the game by increasing survivability of all champions. This can be done by fixing defensive itemization(specifically for tanks), but more importantly buffing the base health and resistances of all champions across the board so fights aren't a one shot fest. ****

So over the years there has been a steady power creep in the game. The meta gradually has shifted to more and more damage. Tanks are almost non existent in the meta and adc agency is probably 2nd lowest only to the patch that essentially gutted adcs and made them unviable for a patch.

It is very clear that even going defensive in either runes or build genuinely isn't worth it. Carries have answers to this problem through defensive/offensive item options like Zhonya's hourglass, Guardian Angel, and Phantom Dancer. Even Cleaver Steraks is built more often than pure tank items I Feel.

Every lane is all about damage. Carry tops, carry junglers, carry mids, burst damage in bot lane. The only champs that aren't geared towards burst damage in the meta right now are engage supports who are dominant because they are both tanky and deal ridiculous damage relative to their survivability. However, even they become paper thin later in the game.

So what changed that shifted the game? Well you have to go all the way back to Runes Reforged. Champs lost -9 armor, -12 magic resist, and some lost 216 health at level 18 from scaling runes. However this wouldn't be as big of an issue as you would think at first glance. Magic Damage also lost the 8 magic pen from flat reds as well. So what was the issue?

Well the new runes have implemented a ton of free damage relative to the old mastery systems. Thunderlords Decree, for example was the main burst damage mastery of the time, giving you 10-180 damage based on level. (30% bonus ad and 10% ap ratio) Electrocute by contrast does 30-180 damage with (40% bonus AD and 25% AP) damage that is ADAPTIVE.

The CD for Thunderlords was 25-15 and Electrocute is 25-20 based on level. So both are similar but Electrocute is clearly stronger early and deals way more damage .

But Electrocute is not the ONLy damage rune. There is Comet, Aery, Press The Attack, and Aftershock. All adding DAMAGE to the game in some way or another. Press the Attack adds 40-180 damage to a combo based on level and makes you take more damage. There was literally no equivalent to this in the old masteries.

Now this is starting to sound like a rant of "well the new runes are too good". And no, they aren't too good. That is not the problem. By and large the new runes are BETTER overall in terms of design and interest. The issue is that the game is not properly balanced around the new amount of damage in the game.

Tank items have been gutted since the awful Sunfire/Iceborn meta of eons ago and there is essentially so little of value in them that defensive items are not an option. People are squishier than ever. In years past you had GA as a hybrid MR/Armor defensive item. You could build banshee's when it was a tank item as a last item on an ADC and you weren't trolling. Tanks could front line vs magic damage without exploding and sustained DPS, usually an ADC would be the one who had to take them down in those late game teamfights.

How do we fix this? Well there are a couple options I'll suggest:

1.) Fix Defensive Itemization

------Proper defensive itemization. Not hybrid offensive damage items, but fix tank items. Especially Magic Resist items right now which are so incredibly underwhelming that tanks can't even begin to tank magic damage without completely melting in a team fight. Once upon a time Magic Resist items gave 70 mr in an item, now you are lucky to see 55 with only 300 health. By giving tanks good magic resist options they won't explode in team fights. Fixing defensive items in general will give tanks a fighting chance against damage dealers early on, which is when they should shine.

2.) Buff every single champions Base Health, Armor, and MR by an amount that makes less squishy. It should be even across the board and not just to squishies, but I think this would help make fights not end in two seconds. The Meta revolves way too much around bursting everyone down right now, and front to back fights just seem to be a thing of the past. Giving every champ more survivability across the board will mean fights just inherently last longer without throwing game balance out the window since every champ gets the same buffs. Obviously some champs with shields and damage reduction tools will benefit a bit more than others, but that's ok.

Every other option seems either too radical (like nerfing damage in rune across the board) or putting a band aid on the problem (implementing new items that add survivability) The reason I feel new itemization won't work is because it means champions RELY on these items to have survivability. Its why I lean towards option 2 in terms of an answer to the explosive meta. I am NOT advocating that Runes Reforged gets gutted or removed/reverted. By contrast, I love it, I just think the game needs to be rebalanced around the increased power creep its come to.