Defender Emblem

Bonus Attack Speed makes a unit attack more often per second, which means more auto-attack damage and faster mana generation toward the next ability cast. Some carries scale beyond that — their ability itself fires more hits when they have more Attack Speed (e.g., the number of swipes in Aphelios's onslaught). Stacking AS items and traits on these units compounds: faster autos, faster casts, and bigger casts.

The physical-defense stat that reduces incoming AD damage. Tank items, the Defender trait, and champions or items that grant flat Armor all feed into this mechanic, alongside the handful of effects that scale a bonus off a unit's Armor value. Sunder is its inverse — a debuff that reduces enemy Armor.

The magic-defense stat that reduces incoming AP damage. Many sustain items, the Defender frontline trait, and "Gain X Armor and Magic Resist" effects grant or scale off it; Shred is its inverse.