Home
Most items don't alter how you play a champion. Most items don't differentiate you from every other player in solo queue. Most items don't have different effects depending on the champion.
But then, most items aren't Rune-Etched Hourglass.
At first glance, this appears to be an early to mid game item that falls off when everyone has their full build. It only costs 1300 gold, but it doesn't build into anything - like a slightly larger Doran's. And the stats are very mediocre for the cost. But the active ability is where things get interesting.
Reducing your cooldowns by 5 seconds, while always useful, does wildly different things on different champs. Abilities with short cooldowns can be used twice in a row, while champions dependent on long cooldowns can recover faster and keep fighting. Sustained damage becomes burst and burst damage becomes sustained. I won't go into specifics on every champion, but imagine unloading your skillset with your favorite mage, then reducing your cooldowns by 5 seconds. The increase in damage and utility is massive, but unlike simply buying AP, it changes the order and way you cast your spells. Discovering unintentional interactions and abilities that "combo" with this instant cooldown reduction adds a whole new level to the gameplay.
Building the Hourglass changes the way you play your champion, and in a way that is noticeable to both your allies and your enemies. It isn't always the best choice, but it leads to unexpected alternate builds that make you unique from other players of the same champion. Even on AD carries and tanks that don't benefit directly from the ability power, Rune-Etched Hourglass gives you an edge that your enemies won't be accounting for. And it does so in a way that changes everything.
But then, most items aren't Rune-Etched Hourglass.
Rune-Etched Hourglass
Amplifying Tome + Rejuvenation Bead + 650 Gold Pieces (1265 Gold Pieces total)
+25 AP, +12 Health Regen/5 seconds
UNIQUE Passive: 10% Cooldown Reduction
UNIQUE Active: Each of your champion's basic abilities have their cooldowns reduced by 5 seconds. 60 second cooldown.
At first glance, this appears to be an early to mid game item that falls off when everyone has their full build. It only costs 1300 gold, but it doesn't build into anything - like a slightly larger Doran's. And the stats are very mediocre for the cost. But the active ability is where things get interesting.
Reducing your cooldowns by 5 seconds, while always useful, does wildly different things on different champs. Abilities with short cooldowns can be used twice in a row, while champions dependent on long cooldowns can recover faster and keep fighting. Sustained damage becomes burst and burst damage becomes sustained. I won't go into specifics on every champion, but imagine unloading your skillset with your favorite mage, then reducing your cooldowns by 5 seconds. The increase in damage and utility is massive, but unlike simply buying AP, it changes the order and way you cast your spells. Discovering unintentional interactions and abilities that "combo" with this instant cooldown reduction adds a whole new level to the gameplay.
Building the Hourglass changes the way you play your champion, and in a way that is noticeable to both your allies and your enemies. It isn't always the best choice, but it leads to unexpected alternate builds that make you unique from other players of the same champion. Even on AD carries and tanks that don't benefit directly from the ability power, Rune-Etched Hourglass gives you an edge that your enemies won't be accounting for. And it does so in a way that changes everything.
