Legends Of Runeterra: The Problem With Legends Of Runeterra

Look, I get it. It's hard to make a game. Trust me I know. I went to school for it and dropped out because it wasn't what I thought it was. I also understand that it's hard to create a card game. So I wanna preface what's about to come with this. I understand all these things and respect and appreciate the ones that create the things that I enjoy and am passionate about. However, non of any of this change the fact that I'm a consumer, that I have my own thoughts and ideas, and that some times one just has to be blunt with the powers that be.

Furthermore, I know quite a few of you might not agree with some of things I'm about to say, and I open the forum for healthy discussion in the chats. But you can be assured that this isn't just sour grapes. But a study of the game since it's inception and a realization that there are a few things that could stand to be way better.

It all culminates from a lack of consistency. There are a ton of cards in this game and I promise you. I've used almost all of them. And even the ones I haven't used, you can compare it to another card and see how it stacks up pound for pound.

And cards just don't add up. And it has nothing to do with cards needing to be more powerful than others. Or have benefits that others don't. It has to do with what could arguably be the live team having too much on their plate. Or just not being as invested in the game as they should be. I read a lot of the Rubin interviews and he never seems to get it. For example the fact that they have some "spicy plans" for EZ in the pipeline is frustratingly disappointing. Where EZ is now is great. To put him back in a place of an easy win will be greatly disappointing.

However, I digress. Consistency or the lack there of has run rampant. Lets start with Sejuani and Lucian. Two very different cards with very similar text. When they are leveled their part of their text reads: "Each round, the first time..." X happens, I do Y. For Sejuani (Sej) she Frostbites ALL enemy units on field. For Lucian, he activates Rally. However, in order to to level Sej she needs to do damage to the nexus 5 times (which is already a LOW requirement for something so powerful), and when you're in the round she levels in, after you've done damage to the enemy nexus, you can then damage the enemy nexus again to activate Frostbite.

This is in STARK difference to Lucian who needs to SEE a Senna or 4 ally units die in order to level. However, if Senna or the 4th unit dies and you level. You can't then proc Lucian's effect with is "...the first time an ally dies, Rally." When comparing it to Sej. Lucian should be able to Level and proc it's effect the same round. Or Sej shouldn't and the fact that no one at testing this game has caught it shows either incompetence or a lack of care. And I'm sorry to be this blunt but it's true. This should have been addressed months ago.

And even assuming it was an honest miss. Players of the game, big ones and little ones have brought this up countless times and we STILL don't have a fix. It's just like when they released the card Sleight of Hand without realizing it could steal champs from your opponent if they were in spell form. All it would take is a few matches and someone would have spotted that. You wanna know who did bring it to their attention though. Me. And that's all I'm hoping this article achieves. Some quality changes.

Now lets look at a card like Anivia. A 6 drop that does 1 damage every attack, 2 if its leveled. And has a last breath effect: "Revive me transformed into Eggnivia." which is a 0/1 unit that turns into Anivia at round start if you're enlightened (having reached max main mana). And I know what you're going to say. You have to be enlightened. The egg was nerfed. You can just Hush and Kill her now. Obliterate handles her no problem and you'd all be wrong.

And I understand that people have beaten and are beating Anivia decks. I have done it often. However, that doesn't change how frustratingly unfair the card is. Because all your opponent has to do is get 1 to the graveyard and he has an army of them thanks to Harrowing, Mist Walk, Rekindler, etc. And Anivia is so paired with Shadow Isles that when I was looking for the card to fact check some thoughts I was looking in Shadow Isles wondering where my card was. That's a problem.

And then you look at a card like Thresh. Harder to level, with arguably a weaker effect. And a single Thresh can only do it ONCE a match, and I know this starts to get technical with revives and etc but still the appearance of fair is still better than the lack of fair. And I can understand why summoning a Champion every attack feels like it's a big deal. But it's really not. Not in comparison to a Unit that never dies basically and does a potential 2 damage to EVERYTHING every attack. Her effect needs to have some kind of max out. Otherwise, what's the point.

And now with the amount of ramp running rampant (pun). It's easier than ever to get her out, leveled, and problematic. The amount of healing in the game is fine. I've come to terms with that. It's a healthy part of the game. However, some of the cards are, again, not as thought out as they should be. Lets look at Astral Protection. A burst speed 4 cost spell that heals 4 and then grants 4. In what universe is this an okay card. Because if you play this game. And you don't see a problem with how powerful that is for what it cost. Then you don't play this game. Sorry not sorry.

A card that heals and then grants at burst speeds for 4 mana in a game that allows for reserve mana of 3 means trouble. It also means that for a deck running Targon this card is an auto include. Regardless of whether or not it synergizes with the deck it's in.

Then you have Star Springs. A landmark card that wins you the game if you've healed 22+ damaged from ally units during the game. A) That should have been a higher cap as the official healing number I've seen it reach is 34. And it does this easily. But here's something i don't think Riot has thought about. Who wins in a Star Springs tie? Because my partner and her opponent both satisfied Springs' requirement but somehow she lost at the end of round. Why? Should the game have not ended in a tie? And then if the card is working as intended then how is the ruling met.

It's small things like this that makes the game inconsistent. And I can go on. Like how there shouldn't be 0 cost cards that you didn't work to get there (not counting spinning axe, which has a requirement to attain might I say). Or about the fact that all damage done from spells is relative to their cost regardless of their secondary requirement needed, yet Ravenous Flock does 4 damage to a unit for 1 mana. About what does "Target" mean exactly. Because if a card TARGETS the highest attack unit, and that unit is Fizz. Then how come his effect doesn't work against it? About how if Hush now cost 2 and can Silence champions...then by proxy to power purify should cost 1. And I'm not advocating for a 1 mana Purify. But I'm making a point.

I'll end this by saying this. Apprehend is a Noxian card that Stuns an Enemy and allows you to Rally is Darius is on the Field. It's slow. It cost 2, which is 1 more than Guile which is another card that Stuns only. This is a great card, with a beautiful design. Nopeify, Pale Cascade, Shatter, Lounging Lizard, Mist's Call, Rimefang Wolf, and Strafing Strike are all great cards to name a few.

I'm not all doom and gloom. However when the only decks on the ladder is Aggro variation or Ramp variation. There is something wrong with the game. It's stifling competitive creativity. And putting the game is a join us or lose state that causes you to use decks everyone else is using or remain at the bottom. Now I know a future patch is on the way, but I wanted to write this to not only vent but in the hope the people behind the game get a chance to read this.

I'm not just some Reddit troll complaining about losses. I brought to their attention the Sleight of Hand flaw, when I was the one benefiting from it. I pointed out the fact that Tail of the Dragon didn't turn back into Concussive Palm when my opponent used Shadowswift on it. I defended beat down Aggro back when Crimson Disciple was doing 2 damage. And still think that Nerf to her was a horrible Idea. Yet, it's like the developers knew the game was going to hit this point and got the jump on her. I also defended the "Yoink" mechanic when players SWORE it was breaking the game. This isn't sour grapes. This is a plea to the people in charge to look at the game objectively. To hire people like me or seek volunteers to play test the game extensively.

I think the number one thing the rational community complains about is consistency. Legends of Runeterra is lacking it and its impacting the game. I make no assumption of how easy it is to make these changes. I make no assumption of easy it is to hire play testers. Honestly, I'm not even aware if that's something they're not already doing. But this is my voice, this is what I think, and this is what I believe would help the overall life span of the game.

I would love to hear from the the Rune Nation though. Am I being over the top. A spoiled player just mad at the game? Or do you agree with some or all of what I said here and what do you think would make the game better? Sound off in any comment section of Runeterra Unhinged and let's talk about it.