Season 3: Say Sayonara To The Boots and Pots Start

We in the midst of an upheaval, the pre-season changes have been implemented and the fields of justice will never be the same again. You can continue playing the game as if nothing has changed, or you can take the first step and embrace a new era for League of Legends.

The days of the Boots + Pots start are long gone; to compensate each champion's base movement speed has been increased by 25. Whilst it’s imperative to purchase a set of tier two boots early, ‘Boots of Speed’ is no longer a starting item.

AD Carry
If you’re looking to abandon your dependence on boots, consider picking up a “Long Sword” instead. You’ll have an additional 10 Attack Damage and the money for 2 health potions, your trades will improve whilst still maintaining a decent sustain in lane. Upgrade it into a Vampire Scepter as early as possible, to increase your odds of survival.

Bear in mind that most AD Carries have some sort of escape mechanism, Caitlyn has the 90 Caliber net, Corki has Valkyrie and Ezreal has Arcane Shift, to name a few examples. These more than make up for your speed deficit, use them to reposition when necessary. Champions like Ashe and Varus can depend on their slows, stalling opponents when cutting a hasty retreat.

AP Mid
If your full build includes Athene’s Holy Grail, consider starting with 2 Faerie Charms, boosting mana regen and allowing you to spam spells more often. It’s a decent start for champions like Orianna and Zyra, known for spell spam.

More reserved champions like Karthus who hold back and farm, should start with an amplifying tome and a single potion. This allows you to farm more successfully and harass your opponent; however the lack of lane sustain makes it a definite no for melee champions.

 

Jungler
Odds are that Hunters Machete will be your bread and butter starting item, for the extra damage dealt to jungle camps. If you’re looking for sustainability and have a decent wave clear, you can start Cloth Armor, but this is down to personal preference.

Support
It was incredibly rare to see a support start boots in Season 2, this trend will continue in Season 3. You’ll find a level 1 inventory that’s full of biscuits, potions and wards, but not boots.

 

Top Lane
Like the AD, top lane champions can start with a Long Sword, providing the same benefits it would give a carry in bot lane.

Otherwise consider opting for an elixir, wards and potions. This will give you an advantage over your lane opponent and prevent the enemy jungler from pulling off a successful gank. This will prevent your opponent from snowballing and allow you to push your lane more effectively.

You’ll most likely pick your tier 2 boots up during your first recall and rightly so, but with Season 3 bringing so much more to the table. I think it’s time we experiment with our item build just a bit, after all we don’t want to get left behind.