Major Changes Coming to Crit Items in League of Legends
Marksmen in League of Legends have experienced numerous changes in recent seasons, but it seems that more change is on the horizon. Critical strike items, in particular, are receiving updates that will have a significant impact on the game. While some of these changes may feel familiar, there are plenty of new features being introduced as well.
Key Changes to Crit Items
- Cloak of Agility [NEW]: This item returns and offers some crit chance. It can be built into Infinity Edge and Essence Reaver.
- Infinity Edge: Provides crit chance and increases crit damage, though not as significantly as before.
- Essence Reaver: Reverts back to being a crit and CDR item, removing Essence Flare.
- Phantom Dancer: No longer reduces damage from the last champion hit, but now grants a shield when at low health.
- Spear of Shojin [NEW]: A new AD and health item designed specifically for bruisers. It includes Essence Flare.
- Stormrazor: Now enhances Energized effects.
- Zeal item components: Kircheis Shard and Zeal will be cheaper.
- Zeal items: Rapid Firecannon, Runaan’s Hurricane, and Statikk Shiv will have adjusted cost and crit chance, with Statikk Shiv granting more attack speed.
- Last Whisper: Offers more AD and armor penetration, with finished items also receiving increased AD.
To understand the impact of these changes, let’s delve deeper into some of the major updates:
Infinity Edge
The most notable change is that Infinity Edge will now become a viable early game option. In the previous system, Infinity Edge boosted crit chance but didn’t provide any of its own. This made it unsuitable as a first-item choice. However, the updated Infinity Edge now offers 25% flat crit chance and no longer converts crit damage to true damage. Instead, it boosts crit damage by 25%, compared to the 50% it provided previously. The flexibility of its build path has also improved, allowing players to build it with a B.F. Sword, Pickaxe, and Cloak of Agility. While it may be a strong early option paired with boots, its late-game potential is slightly diminished.
Last Whisper
Riot Games is enhancing the un-upgraded Last Whisper to provide more power without requiring a fully completed item. The additional 10 AD and 20% armor penetration make it an attractive choice for marksman looking to pack a punch. The fully upgraded Lord Dominik’s Regards or Mortal Reminder will also benefit from a slight AD boost. These changes mean that marksman players will need to consider when and how to mix different items into their crit builds.
Phantom Dancer
Both Phantom Dancer and other Zeal items are undergoing significant reworks to fit into the crit item category. Phantom Dancer, in particular, will undergo noticeable changes. While the current version provides a 12% damage reduction, it is challenging to gauge its impact in-game. The updated version, however, grants a shield at low health, which could prove to be impactful. This change may benefit champions like Yasuo and Tryndamere, who rush this item and thrive in all-in fights. However, it remains uncertain whether the updated Phantom Dancer is a superior early-game option compared to other Zeal items. Late-game survivability may also be better served by Guardian Angel or Maw of Malmortius.
Essence Reaver and Spear of Shojin
Essence Reaver is being reworked to offer more CDR, crit chance, and mana. This will benefit ability-based marksmen such as Ashe and Sivir. The Essence Flare effect, now known as Awakened Dragon, will be featured in a new item called Spear of Shojin. Spear of Shojin, which was previously introduced in Nexus Blitz, will now be a valuable early- or mid-game choice for AD casters and bruisers like Renekton or Riven, who rely on their ultimates for all-ins. It may also have significant synergy with Lethal Tempo Yi.
Stormrazor
The original Stormrazor became a mandatory rush item for crit-based ADCs. If one ADC built it, others had to follow suit to avoid falling behind in lane. The reworked Stormrazor, however, is intended to serve as a utility item that bolsters Zeal effects and is more suitable for mid or late game inclusion. This change allows for more diversity in item builds.
Zeal Items
The updates to non-Phantom Dancer Zeal items are relatively minor. They will be slightly cheaper, have reduced crit chance, and Statikk Shiv will grant more attack speed. Players will now need to rely on four crit items to reach 100% crit chance.
These adjustments to the critical strike items are expected to have a significant impact on the bot lane meta and the viability of crit-based marksmen. However, based on past experiences, it is likely that more changes will follow in the near future.