Runes , Should they be free

gihad·Jan 8, 2016·61 votes·5,103 views

So Im a fairly new League of Legends player having just hit level 30 several days ago and I love the game however a big flaw that is see is runes. Runes can give veteran players a huge advantage in lane and jungling without a leash is almost impossible with out a full set of tier 3 runes. Lets also talk about the tiers, tier 1 runes are cheap but complete trash as soon as you unlock tier 2 and tier 3. But tier 3 quints cost almost as much as a champion, so saving up IP just to buy tiny stat boosts really takes away the satisfaction from buying a new champion. But in ranked runes are necessary to do well so I suggest two options. 1) make runes free, give every player a full set of runes at level 30 to build champs how ever they please but no more buying with IP. If IP inflation is a problem then tone down the amount given per game. 2) take away runes from the game, I love league of legends for somewhat fair and very exciting gameplay but a player that owns runes will 9 times out of 10 win to a player who does not have so please my dear rito dont make me grind for the next 6 months to build a rune page to make ranked playable. Fix the obvious balance flaw that is wasting new players time.

122 Comments

Jas3BaeJan 8, 201625 votes

Maybe just make them cheaper?

coeurloyalJan 8, 201618 votes

I think they need to be cheaper. It helps that they made the basic set half-off, but I don't think that's quite enough yet. I don't think there's enough strategic choice in runes to warrant the need to earn them, so they should pretty much all be 100-800 ip imo.

I don't think they should be free because having that delay bakes in a learning & adjustment period, but they shouldn't be as pricey as they are.

XonraJan 9, 20162 votes

{quoted}

I don't think they should be free because having that delay bakes in a learning & adjustment period, but they shouldn't be as pricey as they are.

I think this is a very good point.

SeenanJan 9, 20161 votes

{quoted}

I think they need to be cheaper. It helps that they made the basic set half-off, but I don't think that's quite enough yet. I don't think there's enough strategic choice in runes to warrant the need to earn them, so they should pretty much all be 100-800 ip imo.

I don't think they should be free because having that delay bakes in a learning & adjustment period, but they shouldn't be as pricey as they are.

Especially not with some quints being literally 2k IP...Looking at you, 1.5% MS quints...

And the hybrid penetration marks are 820 each iirc.

coeurloyalJan 11, 20161 votes

The hybrid pens are stupidly expensive. Over 7300 IP for a set of runes with a tiny niche? I can understand that they'd want them to be a bit more expensive to make them seem distinct from the normal rune sets, but seriously?

goldestsexyJan 9, 20161 votes

{quoted}

I don't think they should be free because having that delay bakes in a learning & adjustment period, but they shouldn't be as pricey as they are.

TBH I feel tier 1 and 2 runes shouldn't even be existent, and tier 3 should only be available to level 28+ for ranked preparation in that case. With that being said, out of champions and name changes, that's basically where all IP is spent, I don't see why not lower them.

coeurloyalJan 11, 20161 votes

I agree that T1 and T2 runes are pointless. The numbers they offer are so minimal that it's difficult to gauge a real difference in their performance; especially for newer players that aren't in tune with minute adjustments like that.

Shrek LuigiJan 8, 201611 votes

Firstly, tier1 and tier2 runes are a newbie trap-buy designed to get new players to cave and purchase Champs with RP. It's absolutely disgusting that Riot is still doing this, and they need to go.

Secondly, I think that players should get a handful of tier3 runes once they reach level thirty. Something like 9 flatAD marks/flatArmor seals/flatMR glyphs, two movespeed quints and a flatHP quint--a bunch of runes that will work to some degree of effectiveness across a ton of different Champ pages

Finally, I think that the effectiveness of some runes need to be amended. Most of them are in a pretty decent spot (I'm actually making good use of scalingHP5 stuff this season lmao, good stuff) but others like scalingAD/gold5/bonusexp%/mana are going completely unused, and could use a generous boost.

Runes are expensive, but to slash prices on them across the board would be grossly unfair to the folks who have already bought them. Since Riot would be reluctant to compensate people who did with a pile of IP--and for the same reason as stated above: to increase their revenue from RP purchases--I don't see it happening anytime soon.

Runes are a disproportionally-punishing IP sink in general, but I like the concept of how they add flexibility to champion builds. In a perfect world they'd be free, but I can make due without such a thing.

KarKzzJan 8, 20163 votes

T1 are so cheap that they are worth it. T2 aren't.

I think T3 prices should be reduced a bit, and that every type of runes should cost the same. (205 a rune, 515 a quint) Or maybe, be able to get runes with the incoming crafting system, so they can be kept with a highter cost ( 410 - 1050), without hurting new players to much. So they have to chose, getting skins with the craft, but buying runes with Ip, or buying skin with RP and getting runes with the craft.

XIII VanitasJan 9, 20161 votes

You have to admit tho that some runes are completely flawed in their concept. For example, you mention AD scaling runes, but they're garbage because once you reach level 6 armor pen becomes more effective than just raw AD. They would be useful if they changed armor pen and made it effective only on the bonus armor (like the current item 3035 ), but right now it doesn't work like that.

TransgressorJan 8, 20165 votes

I like runes as is

Runes should be free
Get rid of them

Very limiting options. How about: 4. Changing the system in general? 5. Rebalancing runes 6. Make them more accessible 7. Make runes cheaper 8. I don't care about runes

If you're going to make a poll, give me options.

I love league of legends for somewhat fair and very exciting gameplay but a player that owns runes will 9 times out of 10 win to a player who does not have so please my dear rito dont make me grind for the next 6 months to build a rune page to make ranked playable. Fix the obvious balance flaw that is wasting new players time.

You accumulate IP while climing up to level 30. Under no circumstances should you jump straight into ranked after reaching 30 however, because you simply don't know what you're doing. The accumulated IP should be enough to get you a nice generic page for either AP or AD. And since you're still pretty darn new to the game even at 30, a generic page that fits all, is what you really need. Specialization should be reserved for when you have some solid experience and accustomed yourself to a main or two. If pro players can pull it off without specialization, you sure as hell can.

Secondly, there is no such thing as an unfair disadvantage over new players, there's no such thing as "veterans having a huge advantage". Runes are earned with ONLY in-game currency. The only way to earn IP is by playing the game, no other way. Since there's no means of purchasing IP, we've eliminated any possible way someone could somehow get an advantage. Boosts are not pay to win, they are pay for convenience. Big difference. And if a "veteran" has more IP, it's simply because they've played the fucking game. Why don't you invest some time as well, instead of devalueing their work? IP don't grow in the trees, everyone has to grind game after game with shitters, trolls, afkers and flamers, to get them. Nobody's special or superior to someone else in this game, in any way but actual legitimate skill.

Once again, if you're playing ranked without experience and proper equipment(good runes+masteries)then that's your own choice and responsibility, nothing to do with some sort of hinderance stopping you from making runepages. After all, you're level 28, why are you worrying about ranked play?

AATTRROOXXJan 8, 20165 votes

Runes don't need to be free, but rune pages do. Having to pay a champion worth of IP for the ability to pay more IP to create a new page. Pyramid schemes.

Yxion the YordleJan 9, 20165 votes

I think runes need to be overhauled. For the years I have been playing a VAST majority of runes are virtually useless. I own every rune I will ever need and dump IP into the rest just for the sake of owning them all. (I am actually hoping that eventually the system will be revamped and I will get a "refund" of IP towards the new system for having every single one including the useless ones).

It is kind of silly how the system is not only tiered but have so many unused runes at tier 3. I would remove the tiered system all together and streamline runes remove all the unused ones and add in some runes that offer some kind of unique diversity. For example they could add in runes that give bonus gold when a ward is placed/destroyed. Or they could add in runes that give bonus stats vs specifically minions/monsters/turrets. There is a lot they could do including unique rune passives etc.

I would just like to see more alternative choices that are still viable.

RuffmanJan 8, 20164 votes

i disagree because it rewards players who have grinded ip for the runes and almost serves as a certain type of initiation

fééd l0rdJan 8, 20163 votes

They should be a LOT cheaper. Hybrid pen runes for example are so damn expensive and I kinda understand why but it takes so long to get them... It is especially terrible for new players.

WoodakoodashoodaJan 8, 20163 votes

I have done the grind for just about every rune I will ever need and I hate them! I hate runes! I could have purchased a number of champions with the amount runes have cost me. The only purpose they really serve is to make optimizing your account so incredibly difficult and tedious that it ought to dissuade players from creating new accounts. But runes do not accomplish this at all.

XenomancersJan 8, 20163 votes

[{quoted}](name=Chocolate Frost,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=zJuX8VH8,comment-id=0009,timestamp=2016-01-08T18:02:31.901+0000)

I have done the grind for just about every rune I will ever need and I hate them! I hate runes! I could have purchased a number of champions with the amount runes have cost me. The only purpose they really serve is to make optimizing your account so incredibly difficult and tedious that it ought to dissuade players from creating new accounts. But runes do not accomplish this at all.

Nope they don't - because the standard AD and AP pages are easy to get and work fine for the most part.

MunchCrunchLunchJan 8, 20163 votes

they should be just a LOT cheaper than they are right now. they made seals marks and glyphs cheaper. at least some of them. then they should make them all cheaper. 2k ip for quints is stupid i have tier 2 quints. it just seems too much to buy tier 3 and they give me like 2 more armor and MR. which isn't a lot for 2k.

Clockwork MadokaJan 9, 20163 votes

As someone who hates having to choose between "Being on-par" with anyone else with a select number of champs, or being able to play a champ you like...I wish runes were either cheaper, or easier to obtain.

It Is I EmotoJan 8, 20162 votes

I heard, riot will rework runes in future too, because the invisible power they give is kinda very slight. Not sure anymore if they'll really do that, but stat boosting runes are really unfair when one of the player dont has runes yet..

OMGItsJasonBorneJan 8, 20161 votes

If you are talking about for ranked, you REALLY shouldnt be playing ranked without runes. Honestly, the cost efficiency for the base runes "flat AP/AD, Armor, Scaling MR, etc", is so great but quints are the problem. My strat when levleing was buy any champs i liked from 1-20 save IP from 20-30, get any runes i needed, then just buy champs since i started in season 3 I have all characters, (only bought a few of them with RP for the skin bundles) When you get to a point when you have all the champions you want maybe then buy more specialized runes?

Supreme Senpai69Jan 9, 20161 votes

My strategy was save IP from 1-30. I'm level 29 now and I think i finished a rune page around level 26.

Though, that rune page is meant for tanks. Now I have to start saving for mages, assassins, supports, and ADCs.

Maybe in a few years ._.

8Hz98hmIDGJan 8, 20162 votes

You're supposed to start buying the tier 3 runes at level 20 (Which is when they become available to buy unless they changed that to 30 which would be stupid). By the time you're level 30, you should have played enough games to get enough IP for either a basic AD or AP rune page. Maybe even both!

I don't think they should be free. Maybe some cost reductions would be nice, but definitely not free, would almost make them kind of pointless. I do agree that Tier 1 and 2 runes are a noob trap and should never be purchased. Should just be removed imho. Like I said, start buying tier 3 at level 20, ignore runes until then.

BlitzedlegendJan 8, 20162 votes

I think a rework to something where different combonations of runes would make something completely new, kind of like item 3211 unique passive is changed when upgrading to item 3065

CanidaeJan 8, 20162 votes

Coming from playing mmorpgs, the rune system for meh is an enjoyable way to feel like I'm grinding something. I play games and am rewarded by being able to develop unique stats for my champions.

QuephaJan 9, 20161 votes

{quoted}

Coming from playing mmorpgs, the rune system for meh is an enjoyable way to feel like I'm grinding something. I play games and am rewarded by being able to develop unique stats for my champions.

You are also grinding for champions, are you saying you find new runes at least as enjoyable as new champs?

CanidaeJan 9, 20162 votes

In short, yes. The feeling when U finally finish grinding 9 hybrid pen runes and then immediately wrecking a normal game with them is nice.

QuephaJan 9, 20161 votes

{quoted}

In short, yes. The feeling when U finally finish grinding 9 hybrid pen runes and then immediately wrecking a normal game with them is nice.

I will never, ever understand you. Winning a game only because I have played longer makes me feel sick. I use good rune setups only because I assume other players also do the same.

CanidaeJan 9, 20162 votes

It not like I was playing against pre-30 players. Their support was a higher rank and had been playing for years longer than meh >w>

And prior to finishing the set (I have VoD to prove this) I was playing normals with no marks to make the transition from armor to hybrid pens.

Rabbid999Jan 9, 20162 votes

Get rid of runes would be the best option.[slayer-pantheon-thumbs]

XonraJan 9, 20163 votes

{quoted}

Get rid of runes would be the best option.[slayer-pantheon-thumbs]

If riot got rid of runes, they would have to compensate a LOT of things in a lot of ways that would completely throw the balance of the game out of whack. It would be virtually impossible to compensate properly given the amount of different combinations some people use.

For example, my friends use runes all very differently, but I wouldn't say any are wrong or right, just preference. One friend likes some attack speed, while another uses some life steal, another more ad for early last hitting, and so on. Riot couldn't then give every champion extra life steal, attack speed, and ad and so on.

While it would be more convenient for you not to have to buy runes, it would break the game with how tied to it they currently are without you even realizing it.

QuephaJan 9, 20161 votes

{quoted}

If riot got rid of runes, they would have to compensate a LOT of things in a lot of ways that would completely throw the balance of the game out of whack. It would be virtually impossible to compensate properly given the amount of different combinations some people use.

For example, my friends use runes all very differently, but I wouldn't say any are wrong or right, just preference. One friend likes some attack speed, while another uses some life steal, another more ad for early last hitting, and so on. Riot couldn't then give every champion extra life steal, attack speed, and ad and so on.

While it would be more convenient for you not to have to buy runes, it would break the game with how tied to it they currently are without you even realizing it.

No, it wouldn't, increasing every champion's base stats by their most common rune setup would feel so close to the way things are now that they could disable runes today and implement that in the background and 98% of players wouldn't even notice.

XonraJan 9, 20161 votes

{quoted}

No, it wouldn't, increasing every champion's base stats by their most common rune setup would feel so close to the way things are now that they could disable runes today and implement that in the background and 98% of players wouldn't even notice.

You are assuming there is a "most common rune setup" and maybe for pre 30 there is, but in ranked play, that is rarely the case. I mean hell I sometimes have 3 different rune pages just for ap mids or adcs, or supports, and so on.

I think YOU wouldn't notice perhaps, and there is nothing wrong with that, but for those of us that do notice it now, it would only hurt us just to help you. That seems just as unfair as anything else, and seems rather selfish.

QuephaJan 9, 20161 votes

{quoted}

You are assuming there is a "most common rune setup" and maybe for pre 30 there is, but in ranked play, that is rarely the case. I mean hell I sometimes have 3 different rune pages just for ap mids or adcs, or supports, and so on.

I think YOU wouldn't notice perhaps, and there is nothing wrong with that, but for those of us that do notice it now, it would only hurt us just to help you. That seems just as unfair as anything else, and seems rather selfish.

It is impossible for there not to be a statistical mode for rune setups.

WoonStruckJan 9, 20161 votes

{quoted}

It is impossible for there not to be a statistical mode for rune setups.

It is. CDR.

CDR runes are some of the most common runes, and if every champion has their CDs lowered to compensate, CDR would be even more powerful. Imagine Vlad with effectively 55/60% CDR.

Another thing is the difference between bonus and base stats. Tanks and bruisers would become monsters. AD assassins would be a lot worse off early, as well as many ADCs. Taric and nasus would become OP, since the most skilled players obviously recognize the potency of a full armor rune page on them. They would be starting games with nearly 80 base armor.

QuephaJan 9, 20161 votes

{quoted}

It is. CDR.

CDR runes are some of the most common runes, and if every champion has their CDs lowered to compensate, CDR would be even more powerful. Imagine Vlad with effectively 55/60% CDR.

Another thing is the difference between bonus and base stats. Tanks and bruisers would become monsters. AD assassins would be a lot worse off early, as well as many ADCs. Taric and nasus would become OP, since the most skilled players obviously recognize the potency of a full armor rune page on them. They would be starting games with nearly 80 base armor.

Reduce the cdr cap take 2 armor off all the tanks and bruisers WOW SO HARD

WoonStruckJan 9, 20162 votes

{quoted}

Reduce the cdr cap take 2 armor off all the tanks and bruisers WOW SO HARD

Reduce the CDR cap...so instead you'd gimp all of the champions that rely on high CDR.

2 armor off of all of the tanks and bruisers wouldn't address any of the outliers, of which there are many.

You also didn't address AD at all, which would be a huge upset with the amount of total vs bonus AD skills there are.

Try again, kiddo. Think it through this time.

QuephaJan 9, 20161 votes

{quoted}

Reduce the CDR cap...so instead you'd gimp all of the champions that rely on high CDR.

but their cooldowns were already reduced, remember? they'd still have the same cooldowns in the end

2 armor off of all of the tanks and bruisers wouldn't address any of the outliers, of which there are many.

You also didn't address AD at all, which would be a huge upset with the amount of total vs bonus AD skills there are.

Try again, kiddo. Think it through this time.

So deal with those situations, riot makes sweeping changes to all champions usually about once a season, the mage update is coming up soon which would probably be much more difficult than a stat rebalancing around rune removal. this isn't meant to be some half-assed change, but an integral improvement to the game to improve the satisfaction of older players and the accessibility to newer players and that deserves the effort it would take.

WoonStruckJan 9, 20162 votes

{quoted}

but their cooldowns were already reduced, remember? they'd still have the same cooldowns in the end

If you think this is true, you're terrible at math.

Think about it, lets say you have a 10 second CD on a spell. You get 10% cdr, you have 9 seconds now. You get another 10%, that doesn't become 8.1 seconds, it becomes 8 seconds.

Each point of CDR is more effective than the last because its working off of the base CDR value, not the current value. You would be reducing the efficiency of CDR, especially on extremely high and low CD spells, since low optimizes via the rounding, and high basically requires that little benefit when CDR common on the champ.

Lowering the base CDs of the spells while lower the CDR cap gimps a large number of the roster.

So deal with those situations, riot makes sweeping changes to all champions usually about once a season, the mage update is coming up soon which would probably be much more difficult than a stat rebalancing around rune removal. this isn't meant to be some half-assed change, but an integral improvement to the game to improve the satisfaction of older players and the accessibility to newer players and that deserves the effort it would take.

There are many, many more things that Riot has to worry about at the moment, like fixing their latest changes, which ostracized a huge portion of their player-base, while the only ones made 'happier' for the most parts are the ones that don't care or aren't dedicated in the slightest. They'll get there, I'm sure, but its still a much bigger issue than runes.

After that is champions. Again, much bigger deal than runes. And after that still, more itemization and more champions.

Also, more things that make they significant income, which the rune change would not, even considering the slight satisfaction a few players would have vs the current system, as intimidating as it can be at times.

Think. Things. Through.

QuephaJan 9, 20162 votes

{quoted}

There are many, many more things that Riot has to worry about at the moment, like fixing their latest changes, which ostracized a huge portion of their player-base, while the only ones made 'happier' for the most parts are the ones that don't care or aren't dedicated in the slightest. They'll get there, I'm sure, but its still a much bigger issue than runes.

So you agree that it is possible to remove runes and rebalance around them, and you agree that it would be a good idea to do so, you just disagree that it would be a good use of Riot's time right now?

WoonStruckJan 9, 20161 votes

{quoted}

So you agree that it is possible to remove runes and rebalance around them, and you agree that it would be a good idea to do so, you just disagree that it would be a good use of Riot's time right now?

No, I don't. You're stuffing words in my mouth because, again, you refuse to think things through.

Runes should remain in the game. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. They provide an interesting and dynamic way to approach early, mid, or late game with a champion, depending on set-up. Some champions absolutely rely on their rune-page, while for others its an adjustable bonus. It definitely makes hyper-scaling champs more interesting, especially older ones like Vlad, Mundo, and Ryze.

There is absolutely no benefit to removing them. The only thing that needs to be removed in this game are keystone masteries.

The current 'introduction' to runes be shifted to accommodate new players more easily, and in due time they should be made free entirely, but not until more IP sinks are in place.

QuephaJan 9, 20161 votes

{quoted}

The current 'introduction' to runes be shifted to accommodate new players more easily, and in due time they should be made free entirely, but not until more IP sinks are in place.

At that point they're a free, customizable benefit that you manage before entering a game. How is that not exactly the same as the mastery system?

WoonStruckJan 9, 20161 votes

{quoted}

At that point they're a free, customizable benefit that you manage before entering a game. How is that not exactly the same as the mastery system?

Except masteries aren't hitched by the IP system. Runes are basically the only thing controlling IP for the majority of players. Some even have all of the runes already, without even trying.

The current ways to spend IP would be thrown extremely far out of balance if you made them free on a whim. They need to come up with another good IP sink; preferably one a bit more permanent than the purchasing of runes until they dry up. (like skin boosts, but greedy Riot...)

Before you mention upping the price of champions again, remember that basically everyone would throw a fit. Nobody would be happy.

P.S. Didn't downvote your last point because it wasn't a terrible assumption or question. Try to think a bit more like that rather than state your ideas as better when they're ill thought-out.

QuephaJan 9, 20161 votes

{quoted}

Except masteries aren't hitched by the IP system. Runes are basically the only thing controlling IP for the majority of players. Some even have all of the runes already, without even trying.

The current ways to spend IP would be thrown extremely far out of balance if you made them free on a whim. They need to come up with another good IP sink; preferably one a bit more permanent than the purchasing of runes until they dry up. (like skin boosts, but greedy Riot...)

Or just increasing champ prices. But my point was that once the IP sink portion was removed, there would be nothing to meaningfully distinguish runes from masteries and they should just be rolled into one system where players make choices to add small, yet interesting amounts of power to their champions instead of simply choosing from a large pool of boring stats who's differences in effectiveness are hard to gauges and most of the more bizarre runes (gp/10, energy, lifesteal, death timer) have to be nerfed to trap-tier options because it's so difficult to balance around that many options.

QuephaJan 9, 20161 votes

{quoted}

Runes you cannot adjust freely before a match; masteries you can. That's the distinction I get from them, not runes costing IP and masteries being free.

I think everyone should be limited to 5, maybe fewer, mastery pages.

To speak on this topic, I don't think that's a very good distinction to go with, because it's something that heavily favors champion/role mains who can afford to have rune setups tailored to every matchup for one small group of champions while players that are willing to fill any role would have to settle with generic pages just to be able to have something proper for any champion they could end up playing. IMO, champ/role mains are pretty toxic and that type of player shouldn't be encouraged strategically.

A LiberalJan 9, 20162 votes

I don't understand the entire purpose of them like... free stats? Why? They really detract from the skill level of the game.

R.I.P: My elo after playing all my ranked games without runes. I finally got some but now i'm so over the idea of ranked.

PaladinNOJan 9, 20162 votes

If Tier 3 runes ever gets available for free, then I want refunded the 142729 IP (that number is accurate; I've kept track) - thereof 44100 IP on runepages - I've spent on the stuff so far.

Also, the "most used" Tier 3 runes got a permanent discount some months ago: http://eune.leagueoflegends.com/en/news/store/sales/starter-t3-runes-permanent-discount-2-weeks

...which should be enough. And I didn't even see any refunds happening there...

The rune system has been the same way for a long time - best leave that beast in peace.

Modl Ryden lJan 9, 20161 votes

Sure why not. Because the opinion of a 'new' player named leftwardpenis is very important to consider..

i am sparttaJan 9, 20161 votes

my opinoin is make them cheaper

forrestoJan 9, 20161 votes

I can honestly say that having only 3 rune pages and the expensive rune costs in this game was one of the main things that limited me in my first year with this game. It's one thing to have a steep learning curve, and another thing to have everyone else have a stat advantage over you when you're first starting out. those 2 things don't mesh well. honestly I didn't feel satisfied until I had 7 rune pages, and I think playing in ranked needs at least 4 or 5 in order to be ready to fill whatever role you need.