One of the reasons we keep coming back to play League of Legends is the game’s depth level. The game might seem quite simple at first, and indeed it is. The learning curve in other games in the same genre is a lot steeper. League makes it easy for new players to set in with its system of leveling up and match-making. But once you have reached, say, level 30, you begin to realize there is a lot more to League of Legends that meets the eye.
With so many different champions to play with and other styles for different champions to play with, there’s a lot to experiment with while playing League of Legends. This keeps the game exciting and makes us want to keep coming back for more action on the classic 5v5 match.
What makes up all the depth in the game?
Firstly, there are the champions themselves. Riot keeps adding new characters to the selection each session and often at different events during the season. These champions are constantly re-worked, bringing new life to old classics such as Urgot, which got remastered recently and is a real challenge to play against.
Then there are all the items and the builds that are derived from these items. Depending upon your team composition and the enemy team, you can always change your play style, and item builds that go alongside it. Summoner spells are a small but crucial choice to make before the start of each game. Then, of course, there are rules.
What are Runes in League of Legends?
Riot takes care of the big questions and the little nitty-gritty details as well. While on the learning curve, you get to know the significant aspects and dynamics of the game. But when you want to play competitive, Runes can be critical. Runes, in League of Legends, enhance or add to your champion’s abilities. They boost your champion’s statistics and can only be chosen before a match begins.
You can also configure your Runes page while browsing around the League Client. In earlier League seasons, you had to select each Rune and associated masteries individually and fill your Rune page accordingly. The result was that novice players thought it was too complicated, to begin with. You could buy Rune pages by spending Riot points or using influence points (IPs), which was replaced by Blue Essence.
Riot did simplify things in season 8; Runes are divided into five broad categories, which you must choose from before the beginning of any match. You can’t go into a match without your Runes. So it’s good to keep an eye on the Rune page you have equipped before the countdown reaches zero. The Runes can be selected by a button that’s right beside the Summoner Spells.
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The Various Types of Runes:
After season 8, Riot has divided Runes into five broad categories. They include:
- Precision
- Domination
- Sorcery
- Resolve
- Inspiration
And within these five categories are further “steps” to build up your champion’s strengths. You can edit and have a standard Rune page for each champion you play. Alternatively, you can have some Rune pages set for each role you play and then choose your champions accordingly.
With over a hundred different champions to choose from, the Rune pages add a layer of depth to the game that’s not visible at first. Which Rune page is best for which champion depends entirely on the player. There are endless combinations to choose from, combining Champions and Rune pages with play style.
What is Glacial Augment?
One could literally write a book about all you can do with different Runes in League of Legends. After all, each rune can have a different kind of impact on each champion you play. Let’s focus on Glacial Augment and what it can do to boost your gameplay. Glacial Augment is a rune that can slow enemy champions. It comes with two passives.
With the first passive, i.e., the Glacial Augment, basic attacks slow enemy champions on hit by 45% initially and up to 55% for melee champions and 30% up to 40% for ranged champions. This effect cannot occur more than once every few seconds on the same target.
That seems very useful in the laning phase, right? Whether you are a fighter or a tank in the top lane or the AD carry in the bot lane, slowing your enemies after every few seconds and really turn the tide of battle in your favor.
The other passive that comes with this rune is the Freeze Ray. With the Freeze Ray, slowing an enemy champion with an item active creates a 600-unit frozen line in their direction for about 5 seconds. This will slow all other enemies within by up to 60%.
The Freeze Ray itself doesn’t have a cool-down, but it activates when you use item actives. Another interesting fact is that the slow does not increase linearly. For example, 40% of the slow effect’s ‘potency’ is applied after 1 second and 100% for the last 0.5 seconds. Competitive players keep these subtle differences in mind when applying these effects with the Glacial Augment.
Which Champions are best with the Glacial Augment?
While it is difficult to answer this question in the absolute as each player has a different play-style and champion preferences, we can still make some broad generalizations. Jax could be a very good choice with the Glacial Augment Rune. Jax specializes in toe-to-toe combat, and very few champions can match him. He can also stun with his Counter-strike. With Jax’s stun coupled with the slow, it can become challenging to escape Jax’s clutches.
Similarly, Darius is also an excellent choice to go with the Glacial Augment. Darius needs to bring in enemy champions up close to inflict maximum damage. With the slow thanks to Glacial Augment, Darius wouldn’t have to worry about enemies escaping before he can destroy them with his Noxian Guillotine. And of course, there is a lot of variety to choose from among the ranged AD carriers, who can benefit from the Glacial Augment Rune and Freeze Ray.
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Which Runes are best with the Glacial Augment?
The Hextech flashtraption can be a good choice at the 1st slot in your Inspiration Rune Page. It helps either evade enemy abilities or surprise them with a quick movement, after which you can slow enemy champions with the Glacial Augment.
The Approach Velocity Rune at the third slot lets you approach enemy champions that are delayed with enhanced movement speed. In other words, with Glacial Augment, you can slow enemy champions, and then it will increase your movement speed as you move towards them to inflict further pain.
Final Thoughts
Rune pages add a layer of depth to the game. The champions you prefer to play with dictate the category of Runes you’d want to use. The Glacial Augment is a very versatile Rune as both melee and ranged champions can use it.
