Starter tier 2 runes to go on 1 IP sale

Riot·Apr 20, 2016·7 votes·69,722 views

Back in patch 6.5, we halved the experience required to reach Summoner level 30 and saw positive results across the board.

We also mentioned that last year’s permanent discount on Tier 3 runes was necessary preparation to ensure new level 30s could afford viable rune setups. Then we thought about it and realized we could do better, so…

We’re doing that.

On 5/18/2016 at 1PM PDT, we’ll be putting all tier 2 runes on sale permanently for 1 IP each*.

Additionally, Tier 2 runes will be accessible at Summoner level 1, and all Tier 1 runes will be permanently retired.

It’s also important to note: we will not be offering refunds for runes purchased prior to the sale, which is why we’re announcing it almost a month out. See you then!

x
*We can’t make these runes free because of the way the store is coded (and the League Client Update team isn’t taking a break just to update an old shop), but hopefully you’ll be able to afford the extravagance.

216 Comments

Zephyrous XApr 22, 2016129 votes

The real problem is that tier 3 runes are absurdly overpriced. A good rune page costs about 19k Ip. which is 3 6300 champions. if you are going to reduce the prices of runes, at least do it for the ones that people actually use

HajrudinApr 22, 201623 votes

They already reduced the price of the most commonly used T3 runes by 50% about half a year ago. The price of a full page before the price reduction was about 8k to 12k and now it's half that, not even close to 19k.

http://na.leagueoflegends.com/en/news/store/sales/starter-t3-runes-permanent-discount-2-weeks

Cat SecretaryApr 22, 201628 votes

It still cost a ton for just a few minor stats.

saferskyApr 23, 201610 votes

Still overpriced for other runes.

tplegs0708Apr 25, 20169 votes

how do u figure? some quints costs 2k each...thats 3x2k 6k with some runes being ALMOST 1k for mathematical purposes armor pens etc id say roughly 18k is a fair price for top notch 1 rune page

The0racleApr 26, 20163 votes

This isn't even considering the 6300 ip to actually buy an extra rune page.

CämelApr 22, 20166 votes

Agreed [zombie-nunu-tears]

Kussanagi444Apr 22, 201624 votes

This is to help the new players. Long timers can eat it.

Die AreaApr 23, 2016132 votes

If they really wanted to help them they'd get rid of rune tiers and just have the t3 runes.

skooterpoopApr 23, 201635 votes

But won't new players eventually need tier 3 runes...? Sounds like you're telling everyone to eat it.

CloateyApr 23, 20163 votes

Tier 2 runes and Tier 3 runes don't have a major difference, it's very small. I doubt it's going to be the difference between life and death in game 95% of the time.

TMan10000Apr 25, 201611 votes

Nobody ever thinks, "WAIT! Look at this. The quintessence are actually a lot better in the third tier. Oh and look! There are tons more rune types in the third tier that will greatly improve my gameplay!" Just thought I would mention that since it seems you are a little in the dark there. :D

starsteezApr 24, 20164 votes

for real lol, but its a lovely time to begin playing league.. and maybe make a smurf account

Die AreaApr 23, 20164 votes

They can basically charge w/e they want, since it's either that or paying RP for runes, which IMO would kill the game because ten it'd be pay-wo-win basically. The problem is they have to "balance" this so they don't get "too overpriced"...ah who am I kidding they want to make money so they could keep going up and we'd never pay IP for anything but runes. Basically "mandatory" rp spending on champs. Yup, totally free to play game guys.

ĘbbAndƒloweyApr 23, 20165 votes

I mean, they've addressed that it's an issue they are looking to fix. I've played for 3 and a half years and just now have every champion, but the rune pages for them are extremely stream lined. AND I only have 5 pages. So I have to main an extremely low amount of champs of those 120+

SchmegendaryApr 23, 20164 votes

you would have to play all day in order to maintain a very worthwhile level of skill on more than a couple of champs imo. 5 runepages lets you have 2-3 options for any 2 types of champion (ex: 2 pages for your ap mid with health seals vs ap and armor seals vs ad) or basic pages for each role. ive been playing since s3 and enjoy that i can still grind to get a new rune page and some of the more unique setups for an oddball champ i am interested in.

TwistedAttitudesApr 23, 20169 votes

Nice troll M8

freight train722Apr 23, 201620 votes

[deleted]

Shiny HapApr 23, 20169 votes

Logged in to upvote this person =D

ĘbbAndƒloweyApr 23, 20168 votes

And getting all the runes is extremely hard to accomplish if you are obtaining champions too.

Oopsie BearApr 22, 201634 votes

Riot, do you have any concerns with this becoming a pitfall for newer players? When starting out its very hard to feel the difference between a few AD over the course of the game. I don't want to end up playing with people who have all t2 runes because they're 250 to 2150 times cheaper than their tier 3 counterparts?

This doesn't feel like it removes any of the barriers of getting a new player into this game. This really just gives you reasonable early game stats to make champions more effective at summoner level 1 while still not impacting the barrier for new players to get into the game. Its like... its kinda nice, but its kinda not. I appreciate it, but at 30 I all of a sudden don't again... ya know?

Final Raid BossApr 22, 201644 votes

Why don't they just remove Tier 2 completely..? Makes no sense. They're useless at 30.. It IS a pitfall even if they are 1 ip. Remove tier 2, make tier 3 the only runes. Give out free basic starter packs of basic ad/ap runes to all new players. There you go Riot. An essential feature of the game shouldn't be behind an outdated IP sink. You play without runes you lose.

And let us edit runes in champ select, again an outdated paywall to make people buy more pages to have more of a selection in champ select.

halokiteApr 22, 20164 votes

That's like complaining that a card game tournament has a paywall because you can't edit your deck just before/in between matches in accordance to what other players have, so you need more decks

ElphrihaimApr 23, 20165 votes

In most TCG tournaments you are allowed to change your deck with a sideboard (for example, 40 card deck and 15 other cards that you can switch in and out of that 40 card deck), however.

And the thing is, this capability (editing runes in select) has a significant chance to increase diversity in player picks-- you no longer have to have an arbitrarily large number of rune pages because you have pages XYZ which are all the same as page A except in one category.

Your analogy would work better if you went with the fact that the cards themselves are expensive, so you can't switch out between tournaments, in my opinion.

I7A6X2v2Apr 23, 201630 votes

What about the T3 runes? 2000 IP for 1 mov speed rune (+1.5%) is way too expensive.

Dark Star ChoApr 22, 201620 votes

Thank you Riot, havn't had a new account in ages, are rune slots unlocked sooner now and will their be another round of price reductions for t3 runes? (would give people better chances to imperilment with off meta runes and perhaps develop new strategies)

ruggedmonkey99Apr 22, 201615 votes

get rid of tier 2 and 1 then lower the price of tier 3 to 1 ip a piece also make rune pages cost like 200 ip instead of 6300 that's a price of a champ and that's absurd

Kussanagi444Apr 22, 20165 votes

GEEZ, 30's don't read what they don't want. THIS IS TO HELP PEOPLE GET TO 30. Then they can buy the runes with the IP they've probably saved up.

ElphrihaimApr 23, 201616 votes

What saved IP?

It likely gets spent on Champions so that they can actually try much of the fun of the game (PLAYING DIFFERENT CHARACTERS).

EvidenceApr 23, 201614 votes

Bring out the Tier 4 runes![slayer-pantheon-popcorn]

kaltenashesApr 22, 201613 votes

why you dont you just delete both tier 1 and tier 2? they're waste of ip, new players are better off saving ip for champs and/or tier 3 runes

TurquoiseYoshiApr 22, 201617 votes

It's a way to get into runes and understand how they work and generally what they give you without actually dropping them into the grinding frenzy. Also, did you read it? 1 IP per T2 rune. That's less than any existing champion to get all of them.

kaltenashesApr 22, 20163 votes

yeah i read the article, but i still wouldnt waste ip for tier 2 runes, even if it was 0 ip

my first account i wasted ip in all kinds of runes and there was even the rune combiner or something like that... this account i didnt waste ip with runes below tier 3

MagearnaApr 23, 201610 votes

Waste IP? You're talking about 30 IP a page. All you need are the 2 basic pages of runes. After that, you can save for the T3 Runes.

Are you telling me 60 IP (actually 51 since armor seals overlap) to get about 75% effectiveness of a normal rune page is a waste?

Human DragonairApr 23, 20166 votes

Literally "First win of the Day." covers that

SukishooApr 22, 201613 votes

Riot stop the trolling and just make runes free.. ALL THREE TIERS.

Sonicblaster33Apr 23, 20169 votes

"*We can’t make these runes free because of the way the store is coded (and the League Client Update team isn’t taking a break just to update an old shop), but hopefully you’ll be able to afford the extravagance."

TyreeHarrisApr 23, 20169 votes

THANK YOU RIOT, THIS IS WONDERFUL AND WE ARE GRATEFUL!!! Guys chill and say thanks plz

Overhill1Apr 22, 20168 votes

This not only helps the newer players and those opening new accounts , but also allows the 30th level accounts to try new rune configurations (albeit a weaker version but still) at virtually no expense . Thank you .

= )

NoobLearninGameApr 22, 20168 votes

Is there a way to get rid of Tier 2 runes when you have enough Tier 3 runes to replace them? The old Rune Combiner you retired was good for that.

ChibiKamisamaApr 23, 20168 votes

Its great that there is going to be a permanent sale on tier 2 runes, but can we have a sale where we can buy back Graves 's Cigar??

orangepuffityApr 24, 20164 votes

They should make it a skin. Cigar Graves.

JakzaApr 23, 20166 votes

One of the main problems I see is that you cant even use all of them there are lvl barriers on using the runes. Also it would be nice to see the removal of the leveling of to unlock flash etc.

Holy BondsApr 22, 20165 votes

While we're on the topic of runes, it would be great if you increased the % on spell vamp runes since you're removing spell vamp.

DivineCobaltApr 23, 20165 votes

Why not refund the tier 1 runes, they only add up to 1035 Ip,I'm sure those of us you purchased them would like to get the Ip back to purchase the lowered cost tier 2 runes.

Ev ÁngelApr 24, 20162 votes

I spent all of my saved up on their 1 runes cause I thought they would be useful -_- I like this guys logic

staticX26Apr 22, 20164 votes

it's done to increase the amount of 30 level solo noobs in dynamic Q.

JollywatsonApr 23, 20164 votes

if you want to help noobs make all runes free at level 30. Riot even said that they don't want the game to be a grind when they halved level 30xp. it's still a huge grind for all champions and ruins.