In the vast, complex world of League of Legends, the difference in defensive items for ADC (Attack Damage Carry) and APC (Ability Power Carry) characters has stirred up quite a discussion. Reddit user ‘keynak’ recently developed — literally — a mathematical dissection between the two.
Summary
- The ability of an ADC to defend itself when built with defensive items as compared to a full Damascus cannon build is 60%
- The same calculation for an APC points towards an 80% resultant
- This tallies with the APC’s defensive utility being better due to the shorter cool-down times, or the period during which particular moves are "recharging" and unavailable for a few seconds or minutes
- There’s a call for more suited critical defense items for ADCs that would only sacrifice 20% damage, as opposed to the current almost 50%.
Deep Dive Into Defenses
A Void where the user keynak articulates, that AP items increase AP while offering defense, as opposed to ADCs which lose considerable crit chance, attack speed, and lifesteal in the defensive set up.
The Crux of the Comparison
One insightful comment by Careless-Mouse6018 brings balance into the equation. The user points out that the difference is part of game balance. Supporting their argument by emphasizing that Lux, an APC champion, doesn’t have constant damage output and performs poorly against tanks.
The ADC Advantage
Another user, TakinR, argues that ADCs enjoy an advantage due to their infinite range, making them highly gold-efficient. The limited defensive options prevent ADCs from being overly potent and maintain game balance.
Thoughts On Trade-Offs
Last but definitely not least, user Better_Mode_1046 brings an interesting concept to light about the trade-offs each champion type has to make. On one hand, an ADC can deal continuous damage, but the onus falls on APCs to make every strike count, given their cool-down periods.
While the debate around defensive capabilities in League of Legends is far from settled, it’s safe to say that each gamer’s strategy boils down to their preferred playstyle, champion, and respective abilities. Wouldn’t it be a boring game if there was a one-size-fits-all approach?
