Season 3: Movement Speed

A heck of a lot is changing in Season 3, so much that it overwhelms even detail-mongers like myself. To help you digest the metaphorical mountain of information I'll be zeroing in on specific topics for analysis and explanation. Today's subject: Movement Speed.

In Season 3 Boots of Speed will only provide 25 Movement Speed, and to compensate all champions' base Movement Speed will be increased by 25. With Boots of Speed being only half as effective, other items will rise in viability. This change also gives junglers a break, as the new jungle severely limits which junglers can safely start boots. If the lanes all still had a 50 Movement Speed boost ganks would have been impossible past Bronze. In many cases picking up boots is going to be an afterthought, something you can put off a few minutes in order to pick up an important early item.

In addition, Season 3 has five "enchants" for boots which can be applied to any Tier 2 boots. They are:

• Alacrity: +15 Movement Speed (475g)
• Captain: Allied champions running toward you gain 8% bonus movement speed. Nearby minions gain 25% bonus movement speed. (650g)
• Distortion: Decreases cooldown of Ghost, Teleport and Flash by 25%. (475g)
• Furor: Whenever you deal damage with a single target attack or spell, you gain 12% movement speed that decays over 2 seconds. (650g)
• Homeguard: Whenever you are at fountain, you instantly gain full health and mana, and gain a 200% movement speed boost that decays over 8 seconds (4 seconds on Crystal Scar). (475g)

There's something for everyone here, though some are more specific than others. Alacrity is an all purpose enchant, something that any champion can make use of (though champions with % Movement Speed boosts will benefit slightly more). Captain is obviously designed for pushers, initiators, and supports. Distortion is useful primarily for Flash-dependent initiators, but would be also be a favorite of Singed or Hecarim players. Furor is useful both for carries who need to kite, and the assassins and bruisers who need to stick to them. Finally, Homeguard is good for sprinting back to lane/jungle in the early-game, or defending in the late-game. All in all, these help make boots an item slot that isn't entirely forgotten past 10-12 minutes into the game.

Movement Speed items in general have seen vast reductions in their effectiveness. Phantom Dancer, once the proud bearer of 15% Movement Speed, will only sport 5%. All Movement Speed items will fall between 5% and 8%, save for those with actives/temporary boosts. In short, the days where half the champions on the field sprinted around at 450+ Movement Speed are numbered, and having a % Movement Speed boost should be more effective than before.

Movement Speed masteries are also being shifted and heavily modified. Initiator will be replaced by a mastery which reduces the effectiveness of slows. The 2% Movement Speed mastery in the Utility Tree is moving to the first tier, but only works out of combat. At the very bottom of the Utility Tree is a new mastery which will grant 3% Movement Speed called Nimble, but obviously will require a full investment. It will be very difficult to be both tanky and mobile simply from masteries.

Overall, the champions dependent on %-based items for their speed will be slower when moving from place to place, but everyone else will hardly notice. In-combat effects like Furor will preserve the battle between those who kite and those who are kited. Mobility Boots will still be a way to catch unsuspecting lanes off guard, especially with the addition of Alacrity. As with all things Season 3 the Movement Speed changes are both alien and familiar, and it will take time to adjust.