As we know, after MSI 2022, Riot Games released a substantial patch 12.10 that adjusted the durability and damage output for all League of Legends champions. Simply put, with this update, all champions have become significantly tougher, meaning crucial roles like Marksmen and Mages can no longer be taken down as easily. Consequently, strategies and item/rune selections in League of Legends have also undergone major changes.
For instance, in the Mid Lane, we’ve suddenly seen a “flood” of the Headbutt Rune. This rune is even being utilized by many Top Lane champions like Jayce and Gangplank in professional tournaments. In a recent interview, Weibo Gaming’s Mid Laner – Angel explained that the meta’s increased focus on farming has made this rune exceptionally strong.
Question: Hello Angel, do you think Ahri is still a strong champion after the meta changes?
WBG Angel: Of course, Ahri remains the top champion in the Mid Lane. Ahri proves to be extremely strong in both large team fights and in picking off enemies in the side lanes.
Question: Recently, we’ve seen many people using the Headbutt Rune. You yourself use this rune when playing Azir. Why is that?
WBG Angel: Thanks to Riot’s update, champions have become much harder to kill, so runes that provide extra damage are no longer as valuable. Instead, the significant gold gain from the Headbutt Rune fits perfectly with the current farming-heavy meta.
Since its release, the Headbutt Rune has typically only been used by champions with ranged abilities who can activate it easily. Furthermore, this rune is also a perfect solution for champions that are not well-suited for other super runes. Jayce and Corki are prime examples of such champions as they can easily trigger the Headbutt effect and gain a significant amount of gold.
However, after patch 12.10, the value of runes that provide additional damage, such as Comet or Dark Harvest, has significantly decreased. As a result, players are gradually abandoning them in favor of the Headbutt Rune, which offers a more comprehensive effect as it provides both gold and a considerable amount of damage. Perhaps in their upcoming updates, Riot should pay attention and adjust this rune so that it is not abused as much as it is now.