Last pre-season saw a ground-up rebuild of masteries with the goal of making mastery choices more about individual playstyle than numerical buffs. Though we’ve had a few balance challenges over the season, the basic premise has held up over time. We’re filling in the remaining holes in each tree with an eye toward further sharpening this ‘playstyle-first’ vision, and addressing two of the ‘problem children’ remaining in the system.
Side-note: we recently shipped an article sharing most of the information in this section, so if you get deja-vu, you’re not crazy (or psychic).
Re-added Runic Affinity
BABY GOT BUFFS : Buffs granted by jungle monsters last 15% longer
We're updating the mastery system to offer focused, high-impact choices rather than a slew of nuanced micro-math optimizations. Each tier of decisions now successively grows in importance, ending in your final 'keystone mastery' which fundamentally impacts how you play your champion.
No longer just 'Utility', Cunning is the tree for those living in the moment. Want extra speed for that clutch save on an ally? Perhaps you're looking to dive in and take out a low health target instead. Cunning's your go-to tree for both! Buyer beware: unlike Ferocity's offerings, Cunning's benefits are really only effective against softer targets, so think a lot about who you'll be fighting before spending your points!
Runic Affinity
BABY GOT BUFFS : Buffs granted by jungle monsters last 15% longer