Deathfire Grasp: League's Legendary Item Removed After 8 Years
Deathfire Grasp was a powerful magic item in League of Legends, primarily used by burst mages and AP assassins. It was removed from the game in Season 5 due to balance concerns.
Deathfire Grasp active effect
Key Features:
- Built from: Needlessly Large Rod + Fiendish Codex
- Total Cost: 3000 gold
- Stats: 120 Ability Power, 10% Cooldown Reduction
- Active Ability: Dealt 15% of target champion's maximum health as magic damage and increased subsequent magic damage by 20% for 4 seconds
Strategic Use:
- Ideal for initiating fights
- Amplified magic damage from all sources, not just the item holder
- Particularly effective on burst mages like Veigar and LeBlanc
- Valuable when team composition included multiple magic damage dealers
Removal Reasoning:
- Originally intended to help AP champions deal with tanks
- Instead became too effective at eliminating squishy targets
- Forced certain champions into unintended playstyles
- Replaced by Luden's Echo as the primary burst AP item
Historical Changes:
- Initially released in V1.0.0.61 with different functionality
- Part of a "sister items" group including Randuin's Omen, Shurelya's Reverie, and Youmuu's Ghostblade
- Underwent multiple balance changes before removal
- Briefly returned in experimental game modes like Nexus Blitz
- Finally removed in patch V13.23
Legacy:
- Inspired the second track on Pentakill's album "Smite and Ignite"
- Its mechanics influenced later items like Liandry's Torment
- Remains a significant part of League of Legends' item history
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