Edit on Nov 15; a follow up is available here http://fotmop.blogspot.com/2011/10/arpen-is-better-against-squishy-targets.html
What runes will give my auto attacks the most damage?
This is an important question to be able to answer
before you start your item build in game. You first need to know what runes to select. For the purposes of this article, we will use two talons auto attacking each other at various levels and item values. Critical hits and attack speed will not be taken into account.
Applicable masteries: Sunder and Brut force.
Runes: Talon A will run with Armor Pen, Talon B will run with flat AD.
Talon A - Level 1 (Doran's Blade)
Attack Damage: 63 (Hits B for 63)
Armor: 15 (Effective vrs B: 9 or 8.3% reduction)
Armor Pen: 31
Talon B - Level 1 (Doran's Blade)
Attack Damage: 78 (Hits A for 71.52)
Armor: 15 (Effective vrs A: 0 or 0% reduction)
Armor Pen: 6
Advantage: Flat AD by 12%.
Now, where does that advantage switch? Not long after level 1, really. By the time they hit level 6, Talon A will have reversed the advantage completely. And He will maintain it until penetration items are purchased.
Now hitting eachother, that's great and all, but what about high armor targets later in the game? What armor point does Flat AD with a last whisperer overtake ArPen with a ghostblade?
Well, Talon A has 45 more armor pen than Talon B, once Talon A finishes his ghostblade, and Talon B has 40% more penetration than Talon A. Obviously 40% will eventually yield more penetration than 45.. and that point is approximately 115 armor. So, on all targets
Higher than 115 armor, Flat AD has the advantage once again.
So, which one is
better? I personally have both pages set up. At my Elo people pretty much
always have more than 115 armor, so I find myself typically going for flat AD. But if their team is very squishy, I'll take out my ArPen runes and have fun.
-Breaku
(Discussions either below, or at
http://na.leagueoflegends.com/board/showthread.php?t=1316571)
