What purpose do Tier 1 and 2 runes serve other then trapping new players?

mi ramfan·3/23/2014, 6:07:00 PM·15 votes·731 views

I mean, it's great that you're gonna run a rune sale in April, but the elephants in the room are still there. T1 and T2 runes are still useless competitively and only exist to trick new players into wasting their IP. The Rune Combiner is even more useless and is only used by people who stole accounts to destroy all the runes on an account before it gets returned.

What is the timeline on T1/T2 runes being phased out and their owners being refunded?

Why are the rune price changes taking the form of a temporary sale instead of a permanent decrease, when it's well acknowledged that runes are an incredibly large IP investment that don't create nearly as much enjoyment as buying more champions but are required to be competitive?

11 Comments

Tsiddique3/23/2014, 8:43:27 PM17 votes

Maybe implement a system in which all the runes tiers cost the same, and you are automatically upgraded to the next tier when you hit the appropriate level?

Pyrrasu3/23/2014, 8:39:52 PM15 votes

I've seen others suggest the ability to upgrade lower tier runes directly into T3 runes, if you pay the difference cost. That would allow new people to buy T1/2 runes, which are better than nothing, then upgrade them when they can afford to do so.

Azlagor3/23/2014, 7:29:51 PM8 votes

T1 runes are a nice low cost alternative for new players to get used to the rune-system, they realy don't cost alot.

T2 runes are just plain pointless

Zhugan3/24/2014, 9:58:56 PM5 votes

But... but... Rune combiner?

They don't. They're a newb trap plain and simple. If the combiner worked in a predictable way then they'd be less of a trap, but that's not the case.

HailToTheViktors3/23/2014, 10:44:24 PM4 votes

I agree, I recommend to all my friends who are brand new to Lol to fight the urge to buy into Tier 1 or 2 runes until they are level 30. I even say fight the urge to buy any champs (maybe 1 or 2) until level 30 so by then you have so much IP saved up you can buy practically buy two whole solid standard AD and AP rune pages, and a third of your choice. Then you can start buying up champs that you have discovered along the way that like the most.

Angry Monster3/23/2014, 10:13:51 PM3 votes

learning how to play to lvl 20 without runes is a powerful learning tool. Also when people wait til lvl 20 they notice the power of runes. It make people appreciate them.

I personally would like to see lvl 1 and 2 deleted from the game. Just make runes available at 20

ModCaptainMårvelous3/24/2014, 1:49:38 AM2 votes

Well T2 serve no purpose at ALL, but T1 fall into the category of "So cheap you'd be silly not to buy them".

TBH everything should be cut to T3 but with T2 prices. As it stands, specializing is stupidly expensive.

Whyu3/24/2014, 9:05:27 AM1 votes

I think that either Tier 1 and Tier 2 runes need to removed and Tier 3 runes need to be available at Summoner level 1.

Or Tier 1 and Tier 2 runes need to be upgradable as long as they don't end up costing more than buying Tier 3 runes straight away would be.

Truth be told, I doubt Riot is going to do anything on this issue. It's been a problem since launch.

Chun Chun3/25/2014, 3:06:06 AM1 votes

Actually the rune combiner can be pretty useful. I mixed 2 glyphs and saved about 200 ip cause i got the one i needed

Meatybag3/28/2014, 4:20:13 AM1 votes

Tier 1 and Tier 2 runes I agree serve no purpose in the game. There should be level 1 runes that turn into level 30 runes when you get there. The amount of rp/ip that someone could waste on runes before level 20 is just catastrophic to their enjoyment of the game.

Look at someone who just had their liked champion rotate out of being free for a week, and they are under level 20. They could spend 3150ip for that champion or get a set of 5 tier 1 or 2 runes that will cost just about that much as well.

I think the whole reason why these runes exist is to allow someone who wants to pay to win through the early levels would waste rp on these runes before tier 3 while a real player would just wait until tier 3 unlocks and get them instead.