League of Legends XXXVIII: Featuring Mumble, The Giant Halibut

[Teron]

Putting it in terms of % damage seems a little bit misleading to me, and you have to consider things in terms of resource costs. That 20 ArPen is strong early game but once you've got a last whisper you'll only be getting 12 or so actual effective armor pen out of it, compared to the amount of Armor Pen you have with just Last Whisper.

On the contrary, the damage percentages show the actual effects of ArPen. Your bolded statement is the misleading one; despite the fact that both items' combined ArPen is lower than the sum of their individual values, the actual damage gained is about equal to the sum of their individual gains. Basically, the "flat before percentage" rule doesn't hurt the combination -- it just prevents them from amplifying each other.

Incidentally, sonofzeal, I should point out that, due to the way penetration works, the Sorcerer's Shoes and Abyssal Scepter combination is stronger than the sum of its parts. 40 MPen (well, 20 shred and 20 penetration) increases your damage by more than twice the gain from 20 MPen (assuming your target has at least 40 magic resistance, of course).

[Eldariel]

Mmm, I can see that. I still think some degree of CDR is good, especially to get that ult up more often since its heat-less. And even Overheating isn't that bad - if your last skill was Flamethrower, you've now got massive melee-range beatdowns for the next few seconds, and you still have summoner spells to get you out of trouble. I'm not saying Overheating can't be dangerous, but doing it intentionally helped me secure at least one kill in the game I was in.

I'd definitely want MPen too though, which is why Abyssal was on my list. ...perhaps I could get MPen from boots and that little bit of CDR from Deathfire?

Overheating isn't dangerous but it doesn't meaningfully increase your output either. My point was that you don't really gain anything by building CDR; your damage remains about the same due to heat management. CDR is kind of a zero-sum investment on him.

If I wanted CDR on Rumble, I'd go Deathfire Grasp. Which is probably a good idea anyways.

[TFT]

So, I just had an interesting game:

Spoiler

Show

Double ad. But I think what this really shows is what lacking tankiness on a team does to you. Aka everyone building triforces is a bad idea.
I know someone will set up an all triforce game off of this.
Also, I need to farm better in jungle. But I guess going 5/1/2 early makes up for that.

[PersonMan]

After a bot-trolling game during her free week, I've started playing top lane Vayne. My build is different than that one (for better or for worse, I generally stack AS), but it's cool to see that I'm not the only one doing that.

[sonofzeal]

LOCATION: Dominion

SCENE: Poppy has just captured the enemy mid. Jax, Tristana, and Teemo are moving to retake.

Tristana: "I wanna shoot her!"
Jax: "Let's do this!"
Teemo: "Swiftly!"
Poppy: ".........bring it on."

Jax leaps bravely right into the middle, with Tristana opening fire from the boundary, as Teemo works to suppress the turret... but Poppy is ready and Jax, the master of the counter strike, takes an exhaust to the face and Poppy invokes Diplomatic Immunity. Dismayed at the sudden turn of events, Jax turns and flees.

Poppy stands for a moment, just a moment, her invulnerability still with over seven seconds left. Her eyes meet Tristana's, then Teemo's. A smirk crosses her lips. She raises her hammer. And the turret behind her hums back to life.

Seven seconds later Tristana is dead, Teemo has fled at 10% health, and the turret is still on the side of angels.

....damn I love playing Poppy!




(edit) Oh, and I calculated that in my last game, with her ult up, Poppy's Q was swinging for something in the neighbourhood of 1500 damage. Plus 11.2% of max health. Just her Q alone, nevermind her charge. I Q'd a fed Cho'Gath that way towards the end, for 1800+ damage pre-resist, and 40% MPen. Not sure what the final damage was, but watching a fed Cho'Gath's health bar just turn RED was a lovely sight.

Damn I love playing Poppy!

[Recaiden]

So, anyone else in PBE want to test out if the new champ's hidden passive? Just give me a call.

What is his passive supposed to be?

[Qwertystop]

What is his passive supposed to be?

The hidden one? Free evolution point if he pentakills.

[Kairaven]

The hidden one? Free evolution point if he pentakills.

did we find out if it's true?

[Qwertystop]

did we find out if it's true?

No, that's why they're testing it.

[Kairaven]

I only ask because Silver posted that invite yesterday, and I thought maybe it already have been tested.

on the lol front.

suffering horrible string of lost games as I start on solo ranked. At least it seems that I get my rating. 1102..........
This will be a horrible climb to gold (if ever)

[MCerberus]

Game I was in: Annie claimed that Anivia countered her because of Anivia's ult. I am assuming this is the backwards universe where Anivia wears a goatee.

[McDouggal]

Hahaha! Yi is awesome! I just backdoored 8 towers and 4 inhibs in one game!

Speaking of Yi, I've been building him kind of a combination AP (to maximize his Alpha Strike and his Meditate) and AD lifesteal. What I ended up with last game: Berzerker's Greaves, Nashor's Tooth, Youmuu's Ghostblade, Guardian Angel (which I decided I didn't like. The only times I died were in the middle of a huge-ass gank, and it was just "Oh, kill him again."), Executioner's Calling, and Zeke's Herald.

Suboptimal? almost certainly. I definitely want damage and not speed first thing, which means an AP or AD item. Also, I maxxed out attack speed... WITHOUT Highlander, which was slightly annoying.

There also seems to be a definite trend of CDR added in there as well.

[PersonMan]

Speaking of Yi, I've been building him kind of a combination AP (to maximize his Alpha Strike and his Meditate) and AD lifesteal.

It's generally a better idea to go for one or the other - the great damage/healing via Alpha Strike/Meditate's great AP ratios gets really insane if you stack AP, and Yi's other strengths are from a more normal AD build, but building him hybrid can work. It isn't, as you said, the most optimal choice, but the added damage on his Q and added healing on Meditate is almost always useful, so it isn't the worst, either.

[Math_Mage]

So, so, so, skin idea: Physicist Veigar. It's practically canon anyway, what with the spell names. Lab coat or shirtsleeves, depending on what sort of physicist we're talking about. Throws lab equipment at people.

[MCerberus]

So, so, so, skin idea: Physicist Veigar. It's practically canon anyway, what with the spell names. Lab coat or shirtsleeves, depending on what sort of physicist we're talking about. Throws lab equipment at people.

What about Physics Professor Veigar in a coat with patched elbows firing term papers at people?

[mrcarter11]

I don't personally own any skins, but do the champion animations or what they say change when you put a different skin on? Or are skins purely cosmetic?

[Eldariel]

I don't personally own any skins, but do the champion animations or what they say change when you put a different skin on? Or are skins purely cosmetic?

Depends on the skin. Legendaries generally change everything from animations to voices. 975 generally contain changes (or additions) to animations and cosmetics. 520 skins are generally just altered models.

[Temotei]

I don't personally own any skins, but do the champion animations or what they say change when you put a different skin on? Or are skins purely cosmetic?

You get Nunu Bot for the laugh. HA. HA. HA. HA. HA. HA. HA. HA. HA.

[Triscuitable]

You get Nunu Bot for the laugh. HA. HA. HA. HA. HA. HA. HA. HA. HA.

Arcade Sona has arcade sound effects, and her abilities look significantly different.

[Silverraptor]

I only ask because Silver posted that invite yesterday, and I thought maybe it already have been tested.

on the lol front.

suffering horrible string of lost games as I start on solo ranked. At least it seems that I get my rating. 1102..........
This will be a horrible climb to gold (if ever)

Well, I was suddenly unable to test it out yesterday, but might be able to do it today.

[Mephit]

did we find out if it's true?

I'd be surprised. Hidden passives are usually insignificant stats that will almost never impact the outcome of a game. An evolution point on Ka'Zix is a big deal. Pentas are rare, but not that rare that they wouldn't mention it and pass it off as an easter egg.

[Silverraptor]

I'd be surprised. Hidden passives are usually insignificant stats that will almost never impact the outcome of a game. An evolution point on Ka'Zix is a big deal. Pentas are rare, but not that rare that they wouldn't mention it and pass it off as an easter egg.

Pentas are pretty damn rare. I wouldn't be suprised if this is a hidden passive.

[Eldariel]

What the hell? EUW site is down, server is down and yet they both claim to be up on the Twitter and what-not. O.o

[endoperez]

I don't personally own any skins, but do the champion animations or what they say change when you put a different skin on? Or are skins purely cosmetic?

Yup, but not always. For example, these are quite different:


Gentleman Cho'gath
Corporate Mundo
AstroNautilus


There's videos like that for pretty much all skins, so you can check them out before buying.

[Godskook]

What I ended up with last game: Berzerker's Greaves, Nashor's Tooth, Youmuu's Ghostblade, Guardian Angel (which I decided I didn't like. The only times I died were in the middle of a huge-ass gank, and it was just "Oh, kill him again."), Executioner's Calling, and Zeke's Herald.

Nashor's tooth is the only one on that list that screams "NO" to me. Everything else is at least niche/trolly on him. CDR is not a great stat on Yi, thanks to his ult resest mechanic(its not bad, just not great), and Nashor's gives too little AP to justify it as an "AP item". You're basically costing yourself a PD when you build it, and that's definitely not worth the trade.

As I understand Yi, there's 3 ways to build him:

AD Yi, which builds survivability + AD carry(ranging from glass to Atmogs, I'm sure)

AP Yi, which builds like an AP carry

AD conversion, which starts AP by stacking doran's rings, but converts to AD with his major purchases, capitalizing on AP Yi's stronger laning phase.

[Chess435]

I don't know why Nashor's Tooth gets such a bad rap. It's ridiculously Gold-efficient, gives tons of CDR, and quite a few champs can at least decently benefit from all of the stats it gives. I personally like building it on Bruiser Taric, spam all the heals.

[Winthur]

I don't know why Nashor's Tooth gets such a bad rap. It's ridiculously Gold-efficient, gives tons of CDR, and quite a few champs can at least decently benefit from all of the stats it gives. I personally like building it on Bruiser Taric, spam all the heals.

Doesn't satisfy anyone. AP carries don't care for the Attack Speed, bruisers don't get any resistances from it (which is a big deal especially for jungle bruisers that don't get a lot of money and usually need to spend what they have on tankiness and wards), the CDR often becomes superfluous when there are items like Shurelya's, Frozen Heart, Deathfire Grasp and the blue buff, isn't a great late game item and there really are no characters that benefit hugely from Attack Speed *and* Ability Power (that I can think of at 5:42 AM anyway). You could run it on Teemo. Or you could get a better, cheaper on-hit item such as Malady or Wit's End, or go full AP.

It's just severely outstripped in damage and utility. If you wanted better heals on bruiser Taric, you might as well buy Spirit Visage if you focus heals on yourself or go something like Abyssal Scepter (I dunno lol)

It's a bit like Ghostblade which is also quite gold-efficient (especially if you let Avarice Blade sit for a while) but doesn't work too well because Brutalizer is actually the most attractive on AD casters like Riven or Pantheon. That, plus melee carries are rather easily countered. That, and the aforementioned lack of tankiness problem. You might as well run Phantom Dancer if you wanted Ghostblade stats.

[McDouggal]

Actually, on AP Yi into AD Backdoor, it's been working OK. AP boost and AS boost early on, and if it's useless, sell it later.

[Godskook]

I don't know why Nashor's Tooth gets such a bad rap. It's ridiculously Gold-efficient, gives tons of CDR, and quite a few champs can at least decently benefit from all of the stats it gives. I personally like building it on Bruiser Taric, spam all the heals.

I said nothing about Nashor's in general. Just on Yi. CDR is not an efficient stat on him, more so in the case mentioned, where he had 30% CDR from other items(Zeke's and Youmuu's, which are both better items on Yi)

In general, Nashor's a glass DPS item that doesn't give much AP. The problem with that conceptually is that very few people want AS, CDR, and tiny bit of AP without gaining survivability from the deal. I could actually see Taric building it, aside from the fact that Reverie+Zeke's = 30% CDR already, and I don't think most Tarics could justify forgoing them.

[nhbdy]

Well, just did my first PvP match, ever, my friend carried us through it as graves. I played Kayle and mostly hung around a Tryn and only really separated to help with the bigger pushes.

I ended with 0/9/10 so I say I fed, and was pretty bad, but not totally worthless, and there were a few times I escaped a gank. Any good resources for making that transition from Co-op vs AI to PvP? (still level 11 so not planning on PvPing a ton, but prep is nice)

EDIT: on nashor's tooth, it seems to work well with Kayle, for the CD reduction for her "e" and the fact that she uses all of it's stats...