Riot Games Shares Update on League of Legends’ New Keystone Rune

The first new Keystone Rune to be added to the existing options in League of Legends is still being developed, and a recent update from Riot Games gives an idea of some of the potential directions it’s heading.

While the Keystone Rune doesn’t have a name just yet, two things that are known are where it’s likely going and who will use it. The current idea is to put it into the Resolve rune path, an optimal choice for bruisers and the like, but players are still waiting to find out exactly what it’ll do. However, a discussion in a recent Gameplay Thoughts post mentioned that dual percent penetration might be one element it includes.

“We’re still working on that new keystone for the Resolve tree (probably) previously mentioned,” said Riot Meddler. “Some aspects of it are still in flux, one thing that’s looking promising (though also not yet guaranteed) is having some of its reward be some dual percent pen (both some % armor pen and some % magic pen). That makes it appealing on champs with mixed damage types, helps out its users against tanky front lines and helps distinguish it from other sustained damage keystones.”

Though the rune is geared more towards the tankier bruiser champs, there is the issue of keeping it balanced for both those champions as well as others such as ranged champions who could abuse it. Considering it may have a dual penetration effect, champions like Corki and other ranged mixed damage dealers are the most obvious candidates who could deal some serious damage if the rune was an attractive enough option.

“One challenge that goes with that is then ensuring that keystone’s best users aren’t exclusively ranged champs, getting another % scaler on already high offense builds, and/or champs building full tanks looking to multiply their base damages. We’re looking at mechanics like a trigger on proximity to enemies, scaling with offensive stats etc as a result.”

Riot Meddler did add though that the rune isn’t intended to be bruiser-only rune and that the path it goes in could change, though Resolve still seems like the most likely option at the moment.