SPRINT - Possible Improvements

PREAMBLE:
Firstly, I love the inclusion of sprint to the game. But it's super clunky and in a lot of maps, it's drifting turn speed makes it functionally unusable - especially on WASD where you only have 8 directions to work with.

To my understanding, the design purpose of sprint is largely to give us a way to navigate the huge expanses of map that exist when we have cleared ourselves into a dead end. It seems like an over-engineered response to make it so that you can move faster, but only with a wide turning radius and that you can get stopped by the slightest collision with the environment.

SUGGESTION:
Why not implement something like league of legend's "out of combat" movement speed mechanic? Say if you and your minions have not interacted with a foe in the past 4-8 seconds, you get bonus movement speed that ends 0.5 seconds after interacting with a foe? Numbers off the top of my head, there would be many levers you could use to adjust this, and a mechanic like that seems ripe for a supporter to create a unique around accessing the mechanic in other ways in-combat.

PROS:
-Automatic
-Intuitive
-Solves the "slog"
-Easily accessible to new players as it isn't another somewhat complicated mechanic to learn

CONS:
-Removes a mini-game that maybe some people enjoy (MASOCHISTS XD)
-I suppose there is some skill expression with using sprint as there is a risk vs reward tradeoff available when trying to use it in-combat (especially as a minion build where you can often sprint around packs and still map clear)
-Might confuse new players at first why their movement speed randomly changes

Sprint is a bandaid to a deeper movement problem. And the current implementation is bad in all ways. You can't even toggle the thing off to remove it.

What I mean about a deeper problem is the feel. If map sizes were half the size and mobs didn't have 150% movespeed, etc. Not to mention sprint, even if it had no downside, doesn't solve one of the bigger problems which is how the economy is effected. Movespeed is king, which means if you find a rare that doesn't have movespeed it is trash. Now maybe the new essence helps with this, but why not solve all the problems with inherit movespeed on boots that goes up with item base.

I think when they finally sit down to address an issue they try to think of something they can implement with a big, frustrating downside. And that crap needs to stop. I'm sure when they finally address performance they'll find a way to add a downside. Hey, your game runs great now but you have to pay a monthly subscription for this version of the game...