Your 'math' appears a bit fuzzy to me.

for example, you say that <"30 armor = 600g">.
No doubt, you are using the item "Cloth Armor" which costs 300gold and provides 15armor points as the standard for your 'math'.
Thus, using math: 300 / 15 = 20. Thus, 30armor x 20gold per armor pt = 600gold.

However, your math doesn't take into consideration the "Chain Vest."
The Chain Vest costs 720gold and provides 40 armor pts.
Thus: using math: 720 / 40 = 18.

For each point of Armor and/or Magic resist these items, the Chain Vest and Negatron Cloak, provide a 2gp savings.
Over the course of a game, that 2gp will certainly add up.
Which proves that there are items in the game with provide Armor and Magic Resist at a far cheaper cost. Thus, proving that your 'math' is 'fuzzy math' at best.

And since I'm concerned with my overall build, and not just 'slot efficiency', those items will not only provide savings, they'll also provide flexibility, as they build into other items that provide greater benefits.

Lets use more Math.
Using "Giants Belt", the "Chain Vest", and the "Negatron Cloak" as the standards for gold to Armor/MR/HP values.
400hp at 2.5g per pt = 1000
30armor at 18g per pt = 540
60 magic resist at 18g per pt = 1080
Total: 2620 gold.
If 2 Rejuvenation Beads are added to provide the 10hp regen per 5 secs, that's an additional 360gold
bringing the total to 2980gold. (Whereas the Runic Bulwark costs 3200gold to build)

Proving, that overall, considering other valuable factors, the Runic Bulwark is Overpriced, and provides the least 'value.'

that's copypasta from lolwiki on my end

And of course you completely throw out the value of the aura. And the value of having so many strong defensive stats in one slot. Bulwark is literally capable of being the only defensive item in a build, or allowing you to reduce you defensive item slots down to two (the other being GA preferably) while retaining functional takiness. No other defensive item in the game offers as much functionality as bulwark, and that's before considering the value of the aura.

You can choose to not build bulwark, and while you do that the enemy team that HAS a bulwark on it will be thousands of gold ahead of your team in teamfights.

He's chosen to ignore teammates in a team game.

Downvote and move on.

lmao

The Tank that wants to stay alive during a fight has decided to 'ignore his teammates'. Must be why Jungling is so popular, one person PvEs while 4 others PvP.

And now you show that you don't understand what jungling is about.

Because it's an aura which is also always applying to yourself.

I'm sorry, are you an idiot? If you're playing Maokai and you're dying, that is good. You're not carrying your team. Let them focus you all they want. When I play Maokai (or any tank) I stay in fights until I die. You should be rooting and knocking back people going for your carries so they can deal damage.

This is a team game. Teammates are more important than you if you are playing support or tank. If you don't want to support, don't play a support.

Ideally as any tank your team should be dangerous enough that you don;t need to die to win the teamfight.

Though as Maokai I rarely have a"dying" issue. Mostly because mao hits like a truck.

You want to know how to get the most gold efficent MR? Stack 6 Negatron cloaks for over 250 MR, and only costing about 5000 gold total. Good luck Void staffing that!

What, you want to build into things? I thought you wanted gold efficency. Components are always more gold efficent, recipies are always more SLOT efficent.

By SLOT efficency, Runic bulwark gives more selfish MR than any other SINGLE ITEM, as well as a powerful team aura.

Question: Why are you buying this item over your standard support? Aura items are generally more support items because they don't have to recall every other minute to heal, as many of the supports (especially squishier ones) don't run in and soak damage. There are of course more cost efficient items to buy then bulwark if you're not satisfied with the extra value of the aura.