What is lethality in League of Legends?

League of Legends (LoL), a cornerstone in the world of esports, continually evolves to keep its vast player base engaged. One of the mechanics that remains crucial for attack damage champions is Lethality in League of Legends.

If you’re a LoL enthusiast or a gamer intrigued by the intricacies of this game, you’ve undoubtedly come across this term. But what exactly is Lethality? How does it function? And why is it so important for certain champions? Let’s delve into these questions to provide a comprehensive understanding of Lethality in League of Legends.

Learn more about the different features of League of Legends in our guide section.

The birth of lethality

What is Lethality in League of Legends, it was introduced to League of Legends in the 2017 season. Prior to its introduction, the game only featured armor penetration as a percentage stat. While effective, percentage-based armor penetration often created balance issues, particularly in how certain champions could scale into late-game scenarios. Riot Games aimed to address these issues by introducing Lethality—a statistic designed to provide flat armor penetration instead of a percentage—thereby making it easier to balance and more intuitive for players to utilize.

What is lethality in League of Legends?

In essence, Lethality is a statistic that provides attack damage champions with flat armor penetration. This means that instead of reducing an enemy’s armor by a percentage, Lethality reduces it by a fixed amount. For example, if you have 20 Lethality, it directly reduces the enemy’s armor by 20 units. This change allows champions to cut through armor more effectively, especially in the early to mid-game stages.

How lethality works

Lethality scales with both the champion’s level and the items they build. The formula to calculate the effective armor penetration provided by Lethality is as follows:

Armor Penetration = Lethality × (0.6 + 0.4 × Champion Level ÷ 18)

This formula indicates that the effectiveness of Lethality increases as the champion levels up. For example, if a champion with 20 Lethality reaches level 18, the calculation would be:

Armor Penetration = 20 × (0.6 + 0.4 × 18 ÷ 18)

Armor Penetration = 20 × (0.6 + 0.4)

Armor Penetration = 20 × 1.0 = 20

Thus, at level 18, the champion would gain the full benefit of 20 armor penetration from their Lethality stat. This scaling mechanism ensures that Lethality remains relevant throughout the game.

What does Lethality do in League of Legends

Lethality plays a crucial role for attack damage champions, particularly assassins and ADCs (Attack Damage Carries). These champions rely on bursting down key targets quickly, and being able to bypass armor efficiently is integral to their gameplay. Here are a few reasons why Lethality is vital:

1. Early Game Dominance: What is Lethality in League of Legends and does it provide a flat reduction in armor, making it particularly powerful in the early game when enemy champions have lower armor values. This allows champions to secure kills and snowball their leads.
2. Item Synergy: Several items in League of Legends provide Lethality, such as Youmuu’s Ghostblade, Duskblade of Draktharr, and Edge of Night. These items synergize well with the playstyles of assassins and ADCs, offering not just armor penetration but also additional offensive and utility stats.
3. Target Squishies: Lethality is highly effective against champions with low base armor, typically squishy targets like mages and other ADCs. This makes assassins with Lethality builds formidable threats to the enemy backline.
4. Scaling: As mentioned earlier, what is Lethality in League of Legends and how does it scale with a champion’s level. This ensures that as the game progresses, the effectiveness of Lethality items doesn’t dwindle, allowing champions to remain a threat throughout the match.

Notable champions that utilize lethality

Several champions in League of Legends are designed to make optimal use of Lethality. Here are a few notable examples:

1. Zed: The Master of Shadows is an assassin who thrives on bursting down his targets. His abilities, combined with Lethality items, allow him to eliminate squishy enemies swiftly.
2. Talon: With his ability to leap across the map and silence enemies, Talon benefits greatly from Lethality, making his burst combos even more lethal.
3. Miss Fortune: While traditionally played as an ADC, Miss Fortune can also be built as a Lethality user, utilizing her ultimate ability to shred through enemy teams.
4. Kha’Zix: The Voidreaver excels in isolating and assassinating targets. Lethality enhances his ability to delete high-priority targets from the battlefield.

Optimizing your lethality build

To make the most out of Lethality, it’s essential to understand which items to prioritize and how to synergize them with your champion’s kit. Here are some tips:

1. Core Items: Start with items like Youmuu’s Ghostblade and Duskblade of Draktharr, both of which provide substantial amounts of Lethality and useful passive effects. This core will allow you to maximize your burst potential early on.
2. Situational Items: Depending on the game, consider situational Lethality items like Edge of Night for a spell shield or Serylda’s Grudge for armor penetration and slowing effects.
3. Runes: Choose runes that complement your Lethality build. Electrocute or Dark Harvest can amplify your burst damage, while Sudden Impact provides additional Lethality after using dash or jump abilities.
4. Playstyle: Adapting your playstyle to your build is crucial. Focus on picking off isolated targets, roaming to secure kills, and using your mobility to escape after engaging.

What is Lethality in League of Legends, it is a fundamental mechanic in League of Legends that significantly enhances the power of attack damage champions. By providing flat armor penetration, it allows these champions to cut through enemy defenses more effectively, particularly in the early to mid-game stages. Understanding how Lethality works, which champions benefit the most from it, and how to optimize your build can give you a considerable edge on the Summoner’s Rift.

Whether you’re a new player looking to grasp the basics or a seasoned veteran aiming to refine your strategies, mastering Lethality can elevate your gameplay and help you dominate your opponents. As the meta continues to evolve, staying informed about such mechanics will ensure you remain competitive and impactful in your matches.

So next time you’re gearing up for a game of League of Legends, consider the power of what is Lethality in League of Legends and how it can transform your champion into a formidable force. If you want to learn more about Lethality and other essential mechanics in League of Legends, stay tuned for our upcoming guides and tips.