/dev: Runes in Patch 2.3

Hey again! Mike “RogueFool” Breese here ready to chat about the upcoming Patch 2.3 rune update. In our last post, we mentioned that we were going to be updating Wild Rift’s runes so that each rune has clear strengths and weaknesses.

READING THE RUNES

The rune system exists for players to customize their champion or play style before the game starts and to adapt to the early game. Conversely, items are a way to adapt and evolve over the course of the game.

Before we get into specifics, I want to share some of our high-level goals that guided us to the changes we made:

• Better develop the choice structure for runes. Each rune has a use case and shouldn’t fit every situation; runes can still have synergies with certain champions, but they should be open to change if they are in a particularly tricky lane.
• Rebalance runes that were over/underperforming when compared to their competition.
• Reshape overly narrow runes with unclear value.
• Avoid added complexity. This means we didn’t increase the number of total runes but adjusted/replaced existing ones.

KEYSTONE RUNES

Keystone runes (the primary rune type that shapes your playstyle) have largely been doing a good job. We think each class of champion should have 2-3 reasonable options when it comes to what keystones make sense for them, and ideally, each champion should have reasonable options as well.

However, two keystones have been underperforming. We are replacing one while reshaping the other.

KLEPTOMANCY REPLACED BY PHASE RUSH (BURST MOBILITY)

[REMOVED] Kleptomancy: After using an ability, your next ability hit or attack on an enemy champion will grant you a random item effect.

[NEW] Phase Rush: Hitting a champion with 3 separate attacks or abilities within 3 seconds grants a large burst of Movement Speed and resistance to slows.

Kleptomancy has run into some trouble finding a home for any champs, and even trickier for players to take advantage of. Not every rune needs to be popular, but Kleptomancy has been FAR below the pick rate of other keystones (0.5%). We like the idea of a situational big-brained keystone that clever players can take advantage of so we’re replacing it with something a bit less chaotic: Phase Rush.

Phase Rush is a rune from League PC, giving you a burst of movement speed and slow resistance every third hit against enemy champions. If you’re a Galio looking to keep pace with your target, or looking for some hit and run Aurelion Sol gameplay, this rune is for you.

FONT OF LIFE REWORKED (TEAM HEAL)

Before Patch 2.3: Impairing the movement of an enemy champion marks them. Allies who attack marked champions heal over time.

After Patch 2.3: Hitting an enemy champion with an attack or ability marks them. When you or allies damage marked champions, heal those allies and yourself. Each ally can trigger this healing once per mark.

As it exists today, Font of Life is a bit too narrow to be worth taking; we're expanding the ways you can apply this mark so that more champions can feel good about taking this rune. You now just need to deal damage to apply thes mark, and each ally only needs to deal damage once to proc it, rather than needing to repeatedly hit the target.

DOMINATION RUNES

These runes, aimed at increasing damage output, have done a good job of catering to their unique situations so we aren’t making any large adjustments here. You’ll see some small balance tweaks for those that are standing out as too strong or too weak.

RESOLVE RUNES

The Resolve runes, targeted at improving your defensive capabilities, have had a bit too much overlap, and not delivering on the idea of picking the right rune for the right situation. We’re reshaping some existing runes to fit into niches that we feel we can better deliver on.

BACKBONE REPLACED BY BONE PLATING (ANTI-COMBO)

[REMOVED] Backbone: Gain bonus Armor or Magic Resist, based on whatever stat you have less of.

[NEW] Bone Plating: After taking damage from a champion, the next 3 champion abilities or attacks against you deal reduced damage.

Backbone was a confusing rune, as it often gave you the defensive stat you didn’t need. If you were laning against a Yasuo, you likely built Armor early, and then this would give you Magic Resistance. We’re replacing this with Bone Plating and turning this slot into the rune of choice for surviving your opponent’s string of combos.

REGENERATION REPLACED BY SECOND WIND (ANTI-POKE)

[REMOVED] Regeneration: Periodically regen your missing health or mana based on whichever percentage is lower.

[NEW] Second Wind: Gain increased health regeneration. Also, after taking damage from an enemy champion regenerate a portion of your missing health. This effect is doubled for melee champions.

Regeneration really didn’t feel like a Resolve rune, and it was unclear when you should take it or Manaflow Band to solve your mana issues. By removing mana from the equation, we sharpen Manaflow Band’s identity as the “I need mana” rune.

So Regeneration is changing into Second Wind: the premiere rune for when you need to survive lane harassment. You will still be getting a constant boost to your Health Regen, but you will now gain increased Health Regen after taking damage.

SPIRIT WALKER REPLACED BY ADAPTIVE CARAPACE (BRAWLING)

[REMOVED] Spirit Walker: Gain bonus max health and slow resistance.

[NEW] Adaptive Carapace: Gain bonus max health, and also gain increased defense when below 50% health.

Spirit Walker’s Slow Resistance is hard to feel and the rune was often taken just for the health on its own. Introducing: Adaptive Carapace—this rune keeps the bonus health, but shifts the power out of Slow Resistance and into some last-minute defense when your health is low.

CONDITIONING BUFFED (DELAYED ARMOR/MAGIC RESIST)

Before Patch 2.3: Gain 8 bonus Armor and Magic Resist after 5 minutes of game time.

After Patch 2.3: Gain 8 bonus Armor and Magic Resist after 5 minutes of game time. Every 2 minutes after this gain 2 bonus Armor and Magic Resist.

Conditioning has been a bit weak, but it has a clear use case. We are doubling down on this by buffing the rune the longer the game goes.

INSPIRATION RUNES

These runes, aimed at adapting your playstyle, have done a good job of enhancing their unique situations but we have had a couple stand outs that could use some adjustments.

MASTERMIND NERFED (OBJECTIVES, GOLD)

Before Patch 2.3: Deal 10% bonus true damage to epic monsters and turrets. Earn an extra 100 gold and 500 XP upon taking or assisting in taking these objectives.

After Patch 2.3: Deal 10% bonus true damage to epic monsters and 10% bonus damage (Adaptive) to turrets. Earn an extra 120 gold upon taking or assisting in taking these objectives.

Mastermind has been outperforming other Inspiration runes with a bit of hidden power gained from the extra experience acquired. We’re changing the damage to turrets from true damage to adaptive, increasing the gold reward, and removing the experience gained.

SWEET TOOTH BUFFED (HONEYFRUIT, GOLD)

Before Patch 2.3: Increases Honeyfruit healing effect, each fruit also provides bonus gold.

After Patch 2.3: Increases Honeyfruit’s healing effect, each fruit also provides bonus gold when you or a nearby ally eat Honeyfruit.

Sweet Tooth has been a very fun rune... unless you’re a support looking for a snack. We’re making a slight adjustment to Sweet Tooth so now it grants you gold when you or a nearby ally eats a fruit. This means that if you’re a support who needs health and your marksman needs some cash, you can chow down without fear of leaving your partner out of pocket.

RUNING WILD

We will be monitoring these runes' impact closely, and making adjustments as needed. But we want to hear your feedback too, so please keep sharing your thoughts and builds with us!

That’s all from me for now, I don’t want to drag on, I'll be back, guns blazing, for another critical item update in a future patch. We'll be lending some support to other roles, and healing some gaps in the current item pool.