Like any other MOBA title, damage is an indispensable factor in League of Legends as it serves as the tool for champions to take down opponents and secure victories. Due to this importance, characters or champion classes designed with high damage output always influence the gameplay and strategies in League of Legends. It’s no coincidence that playstyles such as protecting the Marksman, focusing on the Mid Lane… have emerged to strengthen the team’s damage output.
However, the unfortunate reality in League of Legends currently is that the damage output of all champions, positions, and classes is excessively elevated. Even a long-time player like former pro Nemesis recently had to bitterly exclaim that the damage in Season 12 is now 2-3 times higher compared to previous seasons. He even opened a video from earlier seasons to prove this absurdity.
Nemesis: “I don’t know what season this video is from, but if it’s Season 12 with Veigar being chased by Olaf with the Black Cleaver and Sterak’s Gage, you’re definitely going to die. I’m not joking, with those items in Season 12, Olaf can take down Veigar in a heartbeat. Meanwhile, looking at Olaf in previous seasons, he dealt very little damage to Veigar. It’s insane that the damage potential in Season 12 can be 2-3 times higher than in previous seasons.”
So what’s the cause of this situation? The answer lies in the new item system of League of Legends, especially the Mythic items. Essentially, Riot has created Mythic items that are too powerful, comprehensive, and make champions incredibly strong right from the first major item. Moreover, these items also provide additional effects with each major item built, causing the damage output of champions to only increase over time.
Here, many might wonder if having more damage to take down opponents is a good thing. However, the truth is not so simple, as damage output also affects factors such as champion durability, strategies, and team composition. The fact that all champions deal massive damage will gradually replace characters that lack the necessary durability or versatility.
For example, in the recent Season 11, we saw a plethora of Fighters causing extreme damage like Gwen, Viego, Camille… rising as strong carries that are also incredibly hard to take down. As a result, gameplay revolving around the top half of the map became extremely popular, leading to Marksmen being gradually overlooked in team compositions. Consequently, a series of traditional Marksmen have been sidelined in tournaments, while champions that provide high versatility like Jhin, Varus (Critical Damage), and Ziggs became favored.
Because the damage potential in League of Legends is becoming excessively high, the influence of the Marksman class is gradually diminishing in the current meta. In fact, some older characters designed for durability, crowd control, and who struggle to deal damage have been completely forgotten, like Skarner, for instance. It’s suggested that Riot Games needs a systematic adjustment in the Mythic items to balance out the damage output that League of Legends currently possesses. Otherwise, this game will soon become “One Shot League”.
