Why the Teleport Totem should replace the Teleport Summoner Spell in League of Legends
League of Legends has seen a shift in the top lane meta with the rise of the teleport summoner spell. However, this has led to a predictable and stale gameplay. Teams heavily rely on teleport to make map plays and react to objectives, limiting the strategic options available. In order to add more depth and variability to the game, I propose replacing the teleport summoner spell with a consumable called the “Teleport Totem.”
What is a Teleport Totem?
A Teleport Totem is a consumable that functions similarly to the teleport summoner spell. It can be purchased in the shop like any other consumable item. Instead of having a cooldown, the teleport totem is single-use and can be bought as frequently as desired. However, each purchase increases the cost for the entire team, creating a cost-gating mechanism.
Implementing the Teleport Totem
There are a few potential ways to balance the cost of the Teleport Totem. One option is to start with a low cost, such as 25 gold, and double the cost with each purchase (25, 50, 100, 200, 400, 800). This allows for relatively inexpensive teleports in the early game but becomes increasingly costly in the late game.
Another option is to start with a higher cost, such as 0 or 100 gold, and increase the cost by 100 gold with each purchase. This creates a stronger gate in the early game but keeps the teleport totem accessible for a longer period of time.
Why a Consumable?
Currently, the predictability of the teleport summoner spell stems from its cooldown and the knowledge of which player will use it. By making teleport a consumable, teams can change which player uses it throughout the game. This opens up the possibility for different strategies and reduces the binary nature of the game. For example, a team can have their ADC split push while the rest of the team dances around objectives, creating a new threat and forcing quick action from the opposing team.
Why not a Summoner Spell?
As long as teleport remains a summoner spell, top laners will feel obligated to take it due to its value in macro strategy. Removing teleport as a summoner spell would allow for more diversity in top lane champion picks and shake up the current tank meta. Champions that rely on all-in aggression and ignite can make a comeback, increasing the potential strategies and playstyles in the game.
Why no cooldown?
The current cooldown on teleport makes it predictable and limits early-game snowballing strategies. By removing the cooldown, teams can build compositions that focus on early game aggression and frequent map plays. However, the scaling cost of the Teleport Totem adds a risk-reward dynamic, as players will eventually be unable to teleport if they use it too frequently. This tradeoff adds strategic depth to the game.
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