League of Legends – Suddenly! Aegis! Locket!

Released to the Public Beta Environment a few hours ago, there have been changes to the largely discussed, largely used, and largely adored items Locket of the Iron Solari and Runic Bulwark (or rather its component, Aegis of the Legion).

On the PBE, Runic Bulwark has been removed from the store in Summoner’s Rift, and Locket of the Iron Solari has been retooled into a newer advanced item with Aegis of the Legion being the primary component in its build. As many things on the PBE are an eventual sign for change on the main servers, this is a major change upcoming for several roles on a League of Legends team.

The Stats

Aegis of the Legion

• Total cost reduced to 2000 from 2150
• Health lowered to 200 from 250
• No longer gives MR
• Aura now gives 20 MR up from 15
• Aura no longer gives armor.
• No longer gives stats to minions.

Locket of the Iron Solari
( Reworked to build out of Aegis )

• Now builds out of Aegis of the Legion + Recipe Cost
• Total cost 2600
• Grants 300 health, 20 armor, 10% CDR.
• Grants Unique Aura – Legion: Grants Allies 20 MR and 10 Health Regen per 5
• Grants Unique Active: Grants a shield to nearby allies for 5 seconds that absorbs up to 50 ( +10 per level ) damage ( 60 second cool down )

The Impact

It used to be discussed between teammates as to who may or may not buy the Locket or the Aegis, typically such items being relegated between two primary roles: Jungler, and Support. Between these two roles, unless the laning phase of the match snow-balled favorably for the Jungler and Support champions with team objectives and successful ganks on opposing players, currency in a match was slim-pickings. Jungle camps give inefficient gold relative to the gold laners receive on a resupplying wave of minions every 30 seconds.

A Jungler and a Support could only efficiently choose one or the other to build to suppliment the team. Each item however on its own was very gold efficient, and Runic Bulwark itself was largely contested as an overpowered item, given its large Magic Resistance buff for an entire team. Now, with Runic Bulwark removed and Locket of the Iron Solari made its replacement with modified statistics, it frees either the Jungler or the Support player into spending their minimal cash on other options.

Do you feel the removal of Runic Bulwark is a good choice? Do you think that this new Locket is a suitable replacement that will better the options for a majority of Jungle and Support champions and players? Discuss below in the comments.