For tanks, there aren't many good MR options, but diverse armor options.
vs 
When we look at carry itemization, MR itemization is better than armor itemization.
compared to 
Why the discrepancy? Not trying to complain, just trying to learn the game.
ChaddyFantome2 votesfor balance reasons
the idea behind Magic damage is that it should, unless it is present in over abundance, be harder to mass mitigate because the abundance of AD and Armor forces armor stacking to mitigate that instead. Carries have options for MR but it isn't enough to completely negate the importance of magic damage chucking via AoE spells being thrown into a teamfight, whereas AD theoretically relies on DPS and such, and will muscle through the Armor over time.
Whatsmore is that unlike AD, HP counters AP more than AD, because unlike AD, AP damage is mostly flat chunks, so HP stacking means more to chunk through, making the need for more MR tank items not really all that needed really.
AD on the other hand has DPS via autos and in some cases, crits, which will eat through HP slowly but surely.
50000000000000001 votesWell yes. I guess I'm curious about how the different itemization helps balancing.
Edit: ty for adding in depth explanation
Zone of Endless2 votesWell yes. I guess I'm curious about how the different itemization helps balancing.
So to balance tanks so they dont just go one path and soak up all kind of damage.
ChaddyFantome1 votesWell yes. I guess I'm curious about how the different itemization helps balancing.
Edit: ty for adding in depth explanation
no problem. I hope i did an adequate job wording it tho.
This why AD assassins are generally weaker than AP assassins, because they generally don't have the DPS to actually supplement this dichotomy. They deal damage in flat chunks like a Magic damage dealer would.
So to balance tanks so they dont just go one path and soak up all kind of damage.
more or less.
it's mostly to keep all forms of damage relevant, and to force tanks to have to dip into one resistance so they don't wall all your damage all together.
If their were more Tank MR items, Magic damage would be rather pointless right now and teams would go full AD. The benefit of magic damage to begin with right now is that it is harder to mitigate in the first place, meaning it is always relevant at all stages of the game.
You will hear Mage my fellow mage mains complain tho about MR items when in fact, these items aren't even stopping them from dealing all that much damage. Stop them from effortlessly 1 shotting, sure, but they aren't doing no damage unless the deal has an abundance of Magic damage dealers and thus the enemy starts mass stacking MR.
And whatsmore, even then, Full AP teams do better against MR stacking than Full AD teams do against Armor Stacking, as Magic Penetration options are more potent and all encompassing while you have to choose between which kind you want and need when AD.
Well, unless you have someone like Yasuo, Vayne, Kog or Fiora who laughs at tanks.
A bunch of Crit champs and ADC's would theoretically eat through tanks just fine, but they don't have the protection to keep the DPS up long enough to do so unless it is a 1v1.
Carries usually can't afford to stack AP defensive items without making a significant sacrifice in their builds.
Ralanr1 votesHonestly I kinda dislike the notion that HP counters AP better. I understand it because durability beats burst, but there are moments where I feel I need to grab a banshees over a warmogs on top of my Visage to better mitigate the damage.
With the change to Locket I think we only have 2 health and MR items while we have 3 armor and health items. I kinda wish we had another (if we do then I guess I don't notice).
One stupid idea is to have an MR item that builds from cinderhulk so I can have the sunfire effect against heavy AP comps.
ChaddyFantome1 votesHonestly I kinda dislike the notion that HP counters AP better. I understand it because durability beats burst, but there are moments where I feel I need to grab a banshees over a warmogs on top of my Visage to better mitigate the damage.
Thats kind of a shallow way of reading what i said.
I didn't say HP counters AP. I said it counters AP more than AD.
Ofc you would still need MR else you would still get blasted to kingdom come. But Flat HP means more to burst through. Crits eat through HP just fine.
The only AP item to deal with HP stacking in Liandry's, which does it's job just fine, but not nearly as effectively as the AD options of crits and LDR.
Which is perfectly fine.
AD and AP need their strengths and weaknesses distinct form eachother, which is why i shake my head at people claiming "we need X version of Y AD defensive item for mages" or We need X version of Y AP defensive item for AD champs"
No we don't. That would homogenize the game.
Nothing is realistically stopping you from getting Zhonya's on MF for example except for the sacrifice you are making in damage (even tho MF does have AP scalings anyway), but if you want the item to begin with, you want it for defensive reason anyway, one Mages are making, even if not as much as an AD champ.
With the change to Locket I think we only have 2 health and MR items while we have 3 armor and health items. I kinda wish we had another (if we do then I guess I don't notice).
We really don't need one. Magic damage dealers are supposed to deal damage that is harder to mitigate, else they wouldn't be relevant in the first place.
One stupid idea is to have an MR item that builds from cinderhulk so I can have the sunfire effect against heavy AP comps.
That sounds pretty stupid alright. xD
Ralanr1 votesFair point. I can function fine honestly, I just get frustrated in niche cases where there's no item to help defend against sustained magic damage like Cassiopeia or Azir.