After 12 seasons of developing League of Legends, the game has changed significantly over time. Along with those changes, many items have been removed and added to the game. Recently, a survey was conducted to identify the most remembered items from the past, and here are the 5 names that were mentioned the most.
5. Old Guinsoo’s Rageblade
Old Guinsoo’s Rageblade had a truly interesting mechanism, providing players with attack speed, physical damage, and ability power. The more you attack, the more these stats would increase, making it suitable for champions that deal sustained damage, interacting with both attack damage and ability power. There was even a version of Guinsoo’s Rageblade that could deal damage to surrounding targets.
Old Guinsoo’s Rageblade was much stronger than the current one!
Compared to the current Guinsoo’s Rageblade, the old version was far superior in both stats and effects, not requiring interaction with other items, and many more champions could build it. The removal of old Guinsoo’s Rageblade was a disappointment for many champions, such as Kayle or Master Yi.
4. Rod of Ages
For mages needing a bit of durability, Rod of Ages was an incredibly powerful item. It provided enormous value when fully stacked. Additionally, the abundant health + mana + ability power allowed players to feel more confident in fights. In summary, everything from Rod of Ages was only missing a cooldown reduction stat.
Who remembers Leblanc’s Brushy Brushy Tactics with 6 Rod of Ages?
Therefore, the removal of Rod of Ages left many champions in dire straits, such as Ryze, Kassadin, Twisted Fate, etc. Essentially, the items that replaced Rod of Ages, like Everfrost or Crown of the Shattered Queen, cannot compare. Thus, the community’s fondness for Rod of Ages is not without reason.
3. Statikk Shiv
Statikk Shiv appeared in the past and was preferred over other similar items such as Youmuu’s Ghostblade (when it was still crafted from the Gold Sword) or Blade of the Ruined King. It was strong early, pushed lanes quickly, and was always favored by players when playing as an ADC, even when most players built Bloodthirster before Infinity Edge.
Statikk Shiv used to be an overpowered item, especially with Yasuo!
Thus, it’s no surprise that Statikk Shiv was a favorite among players. Currently, items that play a similar role to the old Statikk Shiv, like Galeforce or Kraken Slayer, are not highly regarded, and Kraken Slayer is even criticized for being too weak.
2. Athene’s Unholy Grail
Athene’s Unholy Grail belongs to the category of mage items from the time when Faker still played in the mid lane. Over time, Athene’s was relegated to the support position. The purpose of this item was to provide mana, ability power, and magic resistance, helping players sustain better in lane. At that time, Athene’s was a must-have item for most mages in the mid lane alongside Morellonomicon.
Anyone who played mages back in the day is familiar with Athene’s Unholy Grail.
Now, Athene’s has been removed and replaced with various mage items from the Mythic items pool. Remembering this item brings back memories of the time when Faker was dominating the mid lane, a period when the game was not as strict, and the gameplay was more flexible than it is now.
1. Iceborn Gauntlet
Taking the top spot is Iceborn Gauntlet, an incredibly strong item with a low cost, suitable for most fighter champions in the top lane. This item provided up to 700 health and 30 physical damage for 3100 gold along with the ability to continuously slow enemies. Given its cost and stats, Iceborn Gauntlet was extremely popular among players and suited many champions in League of Legends, especially those lacking necessary mobility.
And finally, Iceborn Gauntlet truly suited many champions!
When Iceborn Gauntlet was removed, many players felt regretful because currently, there is no item that provides control effects as good as this one; the slow from the Trundle’s Chilling Smite cannot compare. Therefore, Riot’s removal of Iceborn Gauntlet left players like Gnar, Trundle, etc., feeling very disappointed. We can assert one thing: “If Iceborn Gauntlet still existed, it would definitely be a favorite among players today.”