The one time i started a LoL game with the health pendant (Tryn) instead of boots + pots, it was cool because my health regen was great... but i was SO SLOW. Champions seem to move even slower than heroes did, I just can't bring myself to get anything other than boots first pick.

Boots first was the biggest sign of a noob in DotA, and still is. I hate to be mean, but it's really true.

Boots are second priority for me, once the ganking phase of the game begins, but there is absolutely no reason to pick them over regen for early-game laning.

edit: Juggernaut was my one exception to this rule, for first-blood.

Dont agree with pudge getting boots first. Rot slow is strong enough to keep just about any hero in your aoe. (I may be a noob in LoL, but trust me I played pudge enough ;P)

It is a unique passive each champion has, like Annie's Pyromania. It cannot be leveled but it either scales automatically (like Annie's Pyromania) or levels automatically (like the old Soraka's passive did).