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Is Buying RoA After Boots Okay, Reddit? A Deep Dive for Aspiring Mages

Yes, buying a Rod of Ages (RoA) after boots is generally acceptable, and can even be strategically optimal, on specific champions and in particular game states. However, it’s crucial to understand the nuances involved, as prioritizing boots first impacts your early game presence and roaming potential. It’s a decision rooted in understanding champion scaling, lane matchups, and overall team strategy.

The RoA Rush Dilemma: Boots First or Delay?

The age-old question of whether to rush Rod of Ages or prioritize boots first continues to spark debate among League of Legends players. There’s no universal “right” answer. It hinges on a complex interplay of factors that require careful consideration before locking in your build.

The Case for Delaying RoA for Boots

Early Game Mobility: Boots provide crucial movement speed, enabling you to dodge skillshots, position effectively in lane, and respond to skirmishes in the river or jungle. This increased agility can be vital for surviving tough matchups or capitalizing on opportunities.
Enhanced Roaming Potential: Boots allow you to roam to other lanes more efficiently, providing support to your teammates and potentially securing early leads. A gank at the right time can snowball a lane and swing the momentum in your team’s favor.
Improved Wave Clear: For some champions, early boots combined with basic abilities can significantly improve wave clear speed, allowing you to push the wave and create pressure on the enemy laner.
Cost Efficiency for Immediate Impact: Boots are a relatively inexpensive item that provides immediate and tangible benefits to your gameplay. This is particularly valuable in fast-paced games where early advantages are crucial.

The Case for Rushing RoA and Delaying Boots

Scaling Power: RoA is designed to provide increasing stats over time. Delaying it means missing out on valuable stacking time, ultimately reducing its effectiveness in the mid-to-late game.
Sustain in Lane: The Catalyst of Aeons component of RoA provides mana and health sustain, allowing you to stay in lane longer and farm more efficiently. This can be particularly beneficial in passive or farm-heavy matchups.
Champion Synergies: Some champions, like Kassadin, Ryze, and Aurelion Sol, benefit disproportionately from RoA’s stats and stacking passive. For these champions, delaying RoA can severely hinder their scaling potential.
Lane Dominance: In favorable matchups where you can safely farm and scale, rushing RoA can allow you to outscale your opponent and dominate the lane in the mid-game.

Understanding Champion-Specific Considerations

The decision of whether to buy RoA after boots should be heavily influenced by the champion you are playing and their individual scaling patterns.

RoA-Centric Champions

Champions like Kassadin, Ryze, and Aurelion Sol are inherently designed to benefit from RoA’s unique scaling and sustain. While boots are still important, delaying RoA significantly impacts their power curve.

Champions with Flexible Builds

Champions like Viktor, Anivia, and Twisted Fate have more flexible build paths and can adapt their itemization based on the game’s situation. These champions can potentially delay RoA for boots if they need more early game mobility or roaming potential.

Champions Who Don’t Typically Build RoA

It’s important to note that some champions, like LeBlanc, Zed, and Ahri, generally don’t build RoA at all. These champions prioritize early game burst damage and mobility, making other items more suitable for their playstyle.

Analyzing the Matchup

The specific matchup you are facing in lane should also influence your decision.

Against Aggressive Opponents: If you are facing an aggressive opponent who constantly looks to trade damage, buying boots first can help you dodge their abilities and avoid getting poked down. This is especially important against champions like Syndra, Xerath, and Zoe.
Against Passive Opponents: If you are facing a passive opponent who focuses on farming, you may be able to safely rush RoA without sacrificing too much early game pressure. This can allow you to outscale your opponent in the mid-game.
Against Roaming Opponents: If you are facing an opponent who likes to roam, such as Talon or Twisted Fate, buying boots first can help you match their roams and prevent them from snowballing other lanes.

Game State Awareness

The overall state of the game should also factor into your decision.

Behind in Gold: If you are behind in gold, buying boots first can be a more cost-effective way to stay relevant in the game and avoid getting further behind.
Ahead in Gold: If you are ahead in gold, you may be able to afford to rush RoA and further snowball your lead.
Even Game: In an even game, the decision of whether to buy RoA after boots should be based on your champion’s scaling potential and the specific matchup you are facing.

RoA Alternatives and Adaptations

In some cases, alternative items might be better suited than RoA, even on champions that traditionally build it.

Lost Chapter Items (Ludens, Everfrost, Liandry’s): These items offer immediate power spikes and can be more effective in situations where you need to deal damage early.
Defensive Items (Zhonya’s Hourglass, Banshee’s Veil): If you are facing a lot of burst damage or crowd control, prioritizing defensive items can be crucial for surviving team fights.

Ultimately, the decision of whether to buy RoA after boots is a complex one that requires careful consideration of various factors. By understanding these nuances, you can make informed decisions that will help you maximize your effectiveness in the game.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Is RoA still a viable item in the current meta?

Yes, RoA is still a viable item, particularly on champions that synergize well with its scaling stats. However, its effectiveness depends on the specific champion, matchup, and overall game state. It’s not a universally optimal item and requires careful consideration.

2. What are the best boots to buy if I’m delaying RoA?

The best boots depend on your champion and the enemy team composition. Sorcerer’s Shoes are generally good for damage, Mercury’s Treads for magic resist and tenacity, and Ionian Boots of Lucidity for cooldown reduction.

3. How much does delaying RoA impact my scaling?

Delaying RoA delays its stacking passive, which means you’ll have less health, mana, and AP in the mid-to-late game. The extent of the impact depends on how long you delay it and how much your champion relies on RoA’s stats.

4. Can I build RoA after a different item besides boots?

Yes, you can. Building RoA after a Lost Chapter item, for example, is a common strategy on some champions. This provides early game mana sustain and damage before transitioning into the scaling power of RoA.

5. What if I’m behind in lane? Should I still build RoA?

If you’re significantly behind, prioritizing more cost-effective items or defensive options might be better than RoA. RoA is designed for scaling, and if you’re struggling to survive, it may not be the best choice.

6. How does RoA compare to other mana-sustain items like Archangel’s Staff?

RoA provides both health and mana sustain, while Archangel’s Staff focuses primarily on mana and AP. RoA is generally better for champions who want more durability, while Archangel’s is better for champions who prioritize damage.

7. Is RoA good on champions who roam a lot?

Not particularly. RoA requires time to stack, and roaming often delays farming and reduces your stacking efficiency. Champions who roam frequently might benefit more from items that provide immediate power spikes.

8. What’s the best way to track RoA stacks?

The game displays the number of stacks and the remaining time until the next stack on the item’s tooltip. Pay attention to this information to optimize your gameplay around RoA’s scaling.

9. Are there any new items that have replaced RoA in certain situations?

Items like Everfrost and Crown of the Shattered Queen can sometimes be better alternatives to RoA, depending on the champion and the enemy team composition. They offer different utility and defensive capabilities.

10. Does delaying RoA make me more vulnerable to ganks?

Potentially. Without the early health and mana sustain from RoA, you might be more susceptible to ganks. Proper warding and positioning are crucial to mitigate this risk. Boots can help you escape ganks, so it’s a trade-off.

11. How does RoA affect my late-game team fighting potential?

A fully stacked RoA provides a significant amount of health, mana, and AP, enhancing your survivability and damage output in late-game team fights. However, other items might offer more specialized utility or burst damage.

12. Is it ever worth selling RoA late game for another item?

In very specific situations, selling RoA late game for a more impactful item can be beneficial, especially if you need more burst damage, utility, or defensive stats. However, this is a risky decision that should only be made by experienced players who understand the implications.