User blog:Lukeatlook/Pyro's Item Overhaul 9 - The Carry Project


 * What is "Pyro's Item Overhaul"?

It's a set of custom patch notes that are meant to enhance and/or fix the problems with itemization in LoL. Previous episodes were a hit or miss, sometimes correctly predicting items implemented by Riot, sometimes being far off (...almost everything else).


 * What is the scope of the overhaul?

Pretty much everything. The idea is to increase diversity in item builds by rebalancing the current items, possibly introducing few new ones when necessary. Keep in mind while assessing this part of the project that more or less all item categories will be affected, so this is far from over.


 * Why?

TL;DR here would be: To have more than top 3-5 champion picks for every role in LCS with cookie-cutter builds. Item builds should be more reactive, not predefined for a whole class of champions.


 * Previous episodes


 * The Tank Project
 * The Support Project

Premise of the Carry Project
Rightclicking people to death isn't a particularly complicated task. In most cases, marksmen use their spells to add some extra burst or reposition, sometimes in order to avoid damage. When it comes to dealing damage, however, they're all about using basic attacks to shred their enemies to pieces. And that causes their item builds to go rather stale, since there's only one optimal way to build for glass cannon ADC.

The project consists of implementing three main parts:
 * Critical Strike rework
 * Armor Penetration rework
 * DPS Specialization rework

Changes to Critical Strike
With the removal of dodge, this is the last truly RNG-based element in the game, although the calculations take the previous results into consideration, so the chance isn't truly random. This has been the object of lots of criticism from players, especially since one lucky crit in lane can unfairly turn around a trade.

One argument for preserving crit in trades is that without it, AA trades have no variance. When mages fight, there are some skillshot spells casted randomly and it's often a hit or miss scenario, especially when the caster doesn't have vision of the target. Stats like crit chance and dodge give some variance to basic attacks as well. Degree of uncertainity can be good for the game health. It adds a risk assessment factor to some actions - while crit enhances your overall DPS, you can't count on single basic attacks to always strike at a certain level. This adds to the "unsafe" design of carries. If you flash in with 100 AD to finish a 120 HP target, one basic attack is not guaranteed to take down the target, even if you have a chance to critically strike. And please don't tell me that without crit there would be no damage spikes. I'm not gonna believe that you keep track of Statikk Shiv stacks or Caitlyn's passive on the enemy.

Here are the changes to Critical Strike:
 * Critical Strike runes and are removed from the game
 * This is to remove "lucky crits" from lane that build up due to the nature of pseudo RNG system.
 * Overall critical strike becomes something that you use once you get more than one item.
 * Critical Strike no longer causes you to deal 200% damage
 * Instead, you deal bonus damage equal to your Critical Modifier
 * The default modifier is 100% base AD (so without the bonus AD)
 * Items can grant you alternative modifiers - only the highest modifier will apply
 * Different core crit modifiers for different types of carries
 * For example, brings crit th the old 200% AD functionality (not 250%).
 * Some other builds are possible, and having more than one item with crit modifier is not a good idea
 * Overall, though, critical strike oriented builds should be a little bit stronger in tha lategame
 * Simple as that - champions building crit are hard carries and are supposed to stomp the lategame as hard as currently Vayne does, paying with the price of weaker early gsme.
 * Crit items are all around 30% crit chance to make 100% a possibility, but stacking more than 3 crit items should overload the stat and bring diminishing returns
 * Overall, carries are expected to crit more often in late, but for less damage. This way the damage will be a bit more consistent and less spiky.

Items with Critical Strike Damage modifiers:
 * / - 150% bonus AD
 * - 100% armor
 * - 100% total AD (down from 150% total on Live)
 * - 50% AP
 * - 200% base AD

Items that work with Critical Strike:, , , , , , ,

Changes to Armor Penetration
New penetration system:
 * % penetration applies to bonus armor only
 * Last Whisper becomes a carry item with Attack Speed and 50% bonus armor penetration
 * Other methods for carries to work around armor stacking (crits reduicing armor or dealing damage equal to armor rating, etc.)
 * Flat penetration can still shred through base armor
 * Flat penetration is reworked to be suited better for melee AD casters (rework of Phage and Brutalizer)
 * With LW weaker on the likes of Pantheon and Zed, items with flat armor penetration can be buffed without fearing about the overwhelming synergy

DPS Specialization
Long story short, things like BotRK are supposed to be response items, not core items. Current BotRK costs a lot and is so good in all conditions that it doesn't even matter if the enemy builds health or not, which in return invalidates building health.

Changes to Components

 * Removed.
 * Removed.


 * Removed.
 * Removed.


 * +30 attack damage (+5)
 * +10% cooldown reduction
 * Armor penetration removed
 * Builds into:, , and
 * This is labeled now as "AD Caster item" for both melee and ranged champions. Separating armor penetration and cooldown reduction helps smooth out power curves of AD champions.


 * +25% critical strike chance (+10)
 * Builds into:, , , ,
 * Important note: critical strike chance is at a different gold value now. Used to be 8% for 400 gold, now it's a bit more than 10% for that same price. By itself, Cloak of Agility scales only with your AS and base AD, not bonus AD - unless you've already completed one of the crit items.


 * +20% attack speed
 * +20 bonus magic damage on-hit
 * Builds into:, , , , and
 * This item could be summed up with "We fix Wit's End", but it also gives foundation for on-hit as an item class. If the on-hit synergy becomes too strong, this passive could become unique.


 * +20 attack damage, +200 health
 * +10 armor penetration (new)
 * Builds into:, , and
 * This change resembles how Haunting Guise works. You dump part of the gold into not-so offensive stats. Flat armor penetration now doesn't stack between the items, allowing for high amount on one item without having to account for a full build - resistance penetration is more effective the more of it you have.


 * +30 attack damage, +25% base mana regeneration
 * Your basic attacks restore mana equal to between 2% and 8% of the physical damage dealt, based on your missing mana.
 * Component for the reworked Essence Reaver. Provides mana regen when it's needed instead of way later.


 * Removed.
 * Removed.


 * +30% attack speed
 * Basic attacks grant 20 movement speed for 2 seconds on hit. Minion, monster, and champion kills grant 60 movement speed for 2 seconds. The movement speed bonus is halved for ranged champions.
 * Builds into:, and
 * Doubleswords are now truly doubleswords. Or doubledaggers, to be precise. The Rage passive moves here from Phage. Zeal still increases your damage output by the same amount.

Critical Strike items

 * Melee only
 * +25% attack speed, +25% critical strike chance
 * Your critical strikes deal bonus damage equal to 150% of your bonus AD.
 * I'm not gonna hide it - I'm trying to make melee carries a thing. I don't have a clear genius idea how to do it, but this is a good start. This crit modifier is inferior to IE until your bonus AD is twice as high as your base AD.


 * Melee only
 * +50 attack damage, +30% attack speed, +30% critical strike chance
 * Your critical strikes deal bonus damage equal to 150% of your bonus AD.
 * Your next 3 critical strikes deal bonus damage equal to 150% of your total AD. 45 second cooldown.
 * While the item is active, your crits will deal damage equal to the IE on Live (250% total AD).


 * +30 attack damage, +30% critical strike chance, +15% lifesteal
 * Basic attacks against enemy champions below 35% health have doubled chance to critically strike and inflict Grievous Wounds for 1.5 seconds.
 * The healing reduction now works only below a certain threshold, allowing the item to become a little more slot efficient.


 * +80 attack damage, +30% critical strike chance (+5)
 * Your critical strikes deal 200% of your total attack damage. (nerfed from 250%)
 * When you do the math on old IE, its crit chance and passive increases your DPS output by about 35%. This build is fairly similar, but since the amp is lower, so is the price.


 * +30% attack speed, +30% critical strike chance
 * Your basic attacks deal magic damage equal to 50% of target's armor. This damage can critically strike.
 * A different way to work around target's armor. Doesn't scale that well into lategame since it's magic damage, not physical - but should be a very good response against early armor stacking.


 * +50% attack speed, +30% critical strike chance
 * Basic attacks grant 20 movement speed for 2 seconds on hit. Kills and critical strikes grant 60 movement speed for 2 seconds. The movement speed bonus is halved for ranged champions. (new)
 * Your champion ignores unit collision.
 * Crits now grant you full speed from Rage like kills do. Phantom Dancer is defined as a mobility item with highest crit chance in the game.


 * +50% attack speed, +30 on-hit magic damage
 * Basic attacks grant 20 movement speed for 2 seconds on hit. Minion, monster, and champion kills grant 60 movement speed for 2 seconds. The movement speed bonus is halved for ranged champions.
 * Your critical strikes deal 60 magic damage to up to 4 targets.
 * Moving increases your critical strike chance by 1 per 10 units moved. This bonus is reset once you critically strike.
 * The effect is very similar in work, but occurs more often with critical strikes. The item, however, doesn't grant you any critical strike chance unless you move around.


 * +30 attack damage, +30% critical strike chance, +10% cooldown reduction
 * Critical strikes reduce this item's cooldown by 3 seconds.
 * Gain 40% attack speed and 20% movement speed for 6 seconds. (60 second cooldown).
 * Higher crit chance makes up for the loss of armor penetration.


 * +50 attack damage, +30% critical strike chance
 * Your critical strikes reduce target's armor by 15% for 3 seconds (effect stacks up to 2 times).
 * Keep in mind this item brings diminishing returns with Last Whisper now that LW penetrates only bonus armor.

AD items

 * +50 attack damage, +10% lifesteal
 * Drains target champion, dealing 10% of the target's maximum health in physical damage (min. 100) and healing you for the damage dealt. Additionally you steal 20% of their movement speed for 3 seconds - 90 second cooldown. (450 range)
 * No longer builds into or.
 * BotRK gets split into two items. This one retains its active part. Should be probably still used by assassins like Zed, since it contributes to their burst.


 * +50 attack damage, +300 health (+100), +10% cooldown reduction
 * +15 armor penetration
 * Dealing physical damage to an enemy champion reduces their armor by 5% for 4 seconds. This effect stacks up to 5 times.
 * Now with a smooth buildpath. Reeeeeally smooth. Health goes up by 100, cost goes up by 200. Since LW is gone and the flat armor penetration doesn't stack between the items, it shouldn't be too much.


 * +80 attack damage
 * +20% lifesteal
 * Your life steal overheals you, converting the excess healing into a shield that absorbs up to 50-350 damage and decays when out of combat for 25 seconds.
 * I'm not entirely sure if the item deserves such a smooth buildpath past the BF Sword, but it seems to make sense.


 * +80 attack damage, +10% cooldown reduction, +50% base mana regeneration (new)
 * Your basic attacks restore mana equal to between 2% and 8% of the physical damage dealt, based on your missing mana.
 * Disable Mana Leech and gain 10% lifesteal and 10% spellvamp.
 * The item should now appeal to those who need it: champions who want to cast spells and use mana. You have to choose between restoring health and mana, though. The spellvamp is purely experimental and can be scrapped.


 * +30 attack damage, +600 health (-100)
 * +10 armor penetration (new)
 * Your basic attacks apply a 20% slow and reduce the target's armor by 10 for 2 seconds.
 * Doubles the strength of this item's passives for 5 seconds. 60 second cooldown.
 * This is suited more for fightersa than carries, but I guess it could still be utilized when in need for high health.


 * +80 attack damage, +30 magic resistance (-5)
 * Removes all debuffs from your champion and grants +50% movement speed for 1 second. 90 second cooldown.
 * With QSS significantly cheaper, this item is actually stronger now. The tiny MR nerf is part of the MR compartmentalization.


 * +30 attack damage, +30% attack speed, +30 ability power, +300 health, +300 mana
 * +10 armor penetration
 * Basic attacks grant 20 movement speed for 2 seconds on hit. Minion, monster, and champion kills grant 60 movement speed for 2 seconds. The movement speed bonus is halved for ranged champions.
 * After using an ability, your next basic attack will critically strike. 2 second cooldown.
 * Your critical strikes deal 200% of your base attack damage.
 * Trinity Force now has 3 components, 4 passives and 5 statistics. Spellblade procs are functinally unchanged by themselves, but they don't stack with crit chance now. Higher crit modifiers will be applied, though, so if you have IE, Spellblade will deal 100% of your bonus AD if it's higher than 200% of your base AD.


 * +50 attack damage, +10% cooldown reduction
 * Grants nearby allies +10% lifesteal. (1100 range)
 * Reduces the armor of nearby enemies by 20 and grants nearby allies 10 atack damage per enemy affected. (700 range)
 * A giant "WE GO IN" signal. The range of the effect isn't enough to reach your AD Carry, but for a pair of diving fighters it's helluva effective.


 * +50 attack damage, +50% attack speed, +10% cooldown reduction
 * Basic attacks grant 20 movement speed for 2 seconds on hit. Minion, monster, and champion kills grant 60 movement speed for 2 seconds. The movement speed bonus is halved for ranged champions.
 * Reduces the duration of crowd control by 35%.
 * Reduces the strength of slows by 25%.
 * Without 10% MS bonus it shouldn't be a boots replacement anymore, but the anti-CC passives should be a really nice bundle for melee champions.

Overall this part is overlapping with The Fighter Project. A few other item changes are planned with that one - more on that in the next episode.

Other DPS items

 * +30 attack damage (+5), +30% attack speed (-10), +15% lifesteal (+5)
 * Your basic attacks deal 5% of the target's current health in physical damage (60 max vs minions and monsters). This damage can critically strike.
 * The item is cheaper, the % health damage is higher when you have crit chance, but the active is gone. No longer a first item for ADCs, but a very strong situational anti-health item nevertheless.


 * +30 attack damage, +30% attack speed
 * Your basic attacks and abilities ignore 50% of target's bonus armor.
 * A big flag "This is for the carry. Don't you touch it, Mr. AD Assassin". This allows the fighter items be better without having to take this one into consideration every time.


 * Ranged only
 * +70% attack speed
 * Your basic attacks fire minor bolts at 2 nearby targets, each dealing 10 (+50% AD) physical damage and applying on-hit effects. If no secondary targets are found, the bolts fire at the primary target, dealing 10 (+10% AD) physical damage. This damage can critically strike.
 * I don't really think the usage of this item on Teemo and Kayle shoul dbe all there is. Scaling with crit could make it wirthwhile in a 6 item build outside of ARAMs.

And again, there are few other DPS items like and  that will be covered later.

Polls
Is the Critical Strike rework acceptable? Yes, it's a step in the right direction No, it's not done right No, crit chance needs to be completely removed

Are the changes to armor penetration in place? Yes, this should help the fighter-tank-carry system I don't like some of the changes, but overall the idea is good No, this is not the way to do it

Up Next

 * The Fighter Project - a retelling of the Tank and Carry parts, with a few additions (Atma's Impaler and such)
 * The Mage Project - taking a close look at items like DFG and trying to put an end to the everlasting war between {{ii|Athene's Unholy Grail and {{ii|Morellonomicon}}.

As always, I remind that any sort of feedback, especially the critical one, is helping the project grow. Go on and nitpick :)