What I think riot needs to do with keystones.

This isn't a keystone hate thread. If you came for that, you'll be very disappointed.

No, this is a thread about how I personally see them, and how I think they can be improved upon thematically.

I think there should be 3 types of keystones, and each tree should have one of each type.

NOW! Let me be clear that we are currently not far off from my vision as we speak. Cunning in fact has all 3, and the other 2 trees have 2 out of 3. So only some minor changes need to occur.

Here we go. All 3 trees need to have these archetypal keystones. Sustain, skirmish, and utility. Sustain keystones keep you in the fight longer or allow you to come back up between fights. Skirmish keystones directly make you a more powerful fighter within your class by increasing stats or allowing you to inflict more damage. Utility keystones can be tilted towards skirmish or sustain, but they offer some other benefit to you that isn't damage or healing.

Currently in the offense tree we have sustain in warlord's and 2 skirmishing abilities in fervor and DFT. And DFT is incredibly situational with its terrible base damage. Suggestion for DFT replacement? The most recent enemy you damaged is slowed 10% when moving toward you. Utility used for kiting, has no effect on fleeing opponents and being in the offense tree, it's a debuff to the opponent instead of a buff to you. Thematic.

In the cunning tree, we have stormraider's, utility for bursty champs, Thunderlord's, skirmishing power that's a little more burst. Windspeaker's which I think could be more powerful for self-application of healing, but whatever, it's alright by me. Cunning works out.

In the Resolve tree, we have skirmishing power in both grasp of the undying and Courage of the colossus and utility in Bond of Stone. I think courage of the colossus was a mistake when they could have just given the monster/cannon heal from Strength of the Ages to give it the sistain niche in the resolve tree.

Tanks don't have much in the way of lane sustain unless it's built into their kits, at least until they pick up a Warmog's. And I don't mean bruisers like Trundle, Olaf, Nasus, or Mundo. I'm talking your Nautilus, Sejuani, Amumu, or Malphite. The strong initiators.

Anyway, have fun summoners.