(Reference https://www.leagueoflegends.com/en-us/news/game-updates/2024-gameplay-preview/ for the changes)

So currently with the slated tank item changes, we’re getting two new dedicated MR options but only one new dedicated armor option. The problem with this lies in the fact that two existing armor items are not able to be run by all champions, unless you waste stats.

The below options are what I believe will be the live dedicated armor/MR items:

Armor

• Unending Despair (New, like sunfire but not?)
• Dead Man’s Plate (MS + auto slow. Chase down item. Only good for champs that run at people)
• Sunfire (damage/wave clear)
• Randuins (anti crit / AA dps)
• Thornmail (anti heal, unreliable)
• Frozen heart (anti AA DPS, mana-bound)

MR

• Hollow Radiance (New, MR sunfire variant)
• Kaenic Rookern (New, anti-burst)
• Force of Nature (anti-burn)
• Spirit Visage (heal / shield buff)
• Abyssal (MR steal)

Most of these items are situational, which is fine - being able to adapt itemization to the enemy team comp is a good thing. The problem is, two armor items aren’t really usable by all champs whereas the MR items are all universal. Dead Mans Plate is only good on tank champs that run at people, and Frozen Heart is only stat efficient on champs with mana and it also somewhat fills the same niche as Randuins in being anti-AA dps, meaning you won’t always want to build both.

This means that on a champ like Zac for example, there are 5 viable dedicated MR options every game, but only 4 dedicated armor options. Which doesn’t feel great when most of the time, team comps are AD heavy. I think we really need another generalized armor item added in to balance things out.

An armor version of Kaenic Rookern would be decent, since anti-burst is a niche covered in the MR items but not covered with the armor items. But I’d also be happy with something else. Do you agree, and if so what do you think the one additional armor item should do?