How can anyone deal with Braum's E?

Nebuul·May 14, 2014·2 votes·971 views

I know I am only a silver iv solo queue, and this is my first season, but I still believe I'm qualified to say that 's E is really, really toxic. Its cooldown is lower than a lot of champion's major pokes, so in-lane he can 100% negate their big attacks plus an additional 40% damage reduction for a few seconds after the engage. I mean, it gives an incredible 40% damage reduction for 4 seconds at max rank. With 40% CDR, it only has a 6 second cooldown. I don't know if the cooldown starts when the ability ends or when he first casts it, but I do know that this ability would still be considered a strong ability if it had a 24 second cooldown.

It is far, far superior to Yasuo's wind wall. I know that each champion is a unique snowflake and all, but this thing in its current form is toxic.

/rant over, thanks for reading my rambling, sleep-deprived writings.

11 Comments

Hyrum GraffMay 14, 20142 votes

I was Karma, laning with Caitlyn against Braum and Ezreal. From lvl 1, we just harassed him over and over - I'd auto, so he'd negate the damage from my auto, then cait would auto, and we'd both use our respective pokes. Won that lane pretty hard.

Bisous de moiMay 16, 20141 votes

The player you had in front of you didn't play well by using this ability to block your karma AA.. so you basically crushed a noob Braum

CaptainWednesdayMay 14, 20141 votes

I'm inclined to agree; Braum is really strong right now. Almost too strong for his own good. I think the shield should break after sustaining X attacks. It's smaller than Yasuo's Wind Wall, but it can be moved. I thing the kit is good, but the numbers and cooldowns need to be brought in line.

the Anarchit3chtMay 16, 20141 votes

Yasuos wind wall also COMPLETELY blocks every projectile fired at it. Braums only blocks the first one and from thereon out merely reduces the damage. And that's only to him. Any number of attacks that penetrate it or get behind it essentially nullify his shield's usefulness.

CaptainWednesdayMay 16, 20141 votes

But Braum can move his shield around and reposition. Yasuo's remains in one place.

the Anarchit3chtMay 17, 20142 votes

That's exactly my point.

He can move his shield, but it is stuck in the direction that he casts it in. The fact that he can move it, is what makes up for the fact that it doesn't completely block projectiles. Braum's shield is meant to protect his teammates, if it becomes stationary, its useless in that regard. It only blocks from a single direction, he can't block from the side or behind him or anything like that. Plus, he absorbs the CC from the move, so if he, for example, blocks a Sona Crescendo, it saves his teammates, but he still experiences the disable, unlike a windwall which blocks that and all the damage entirely.

KladdisMay 15, 20141 votes

The problems you're talking about are mid-late game. A braum should not have 40% cd with a max rank sheild in lane ever...unless you're lane is losing to him regardless. The cool-down late game I feel is necessary so that he could protect multiple times per team fight. He is easily countered though, waste his shield then go all in. I think his ult it much more toxic than the shield.WAY too much cc for one ability. Great sized AOE knock-up with a HUGE slow that lasts an entire HALF of a team fight. He is too stronk for his own good right now. I'm anxious to see how Rito attenps to fix Braum, leave him being an AMAZING support, or drop him so low that he is not even worth playing.

NebuulMay 15, 20141 votes

The CDR issue is definitely a mid-late game thing. However, that shield is too strong even during laning. For example, beginning at level 3, Tristana should never land another E against the bottom lane. It counters her E completely. For Vayne, Condemn is potentially countered starting at level 1, though admittedly that one would be harder to react to.

I think the new preferred bottom lane team is going to be Sivir/Braum, because the combination of Braum and Sivir's E abilities will basically negate the ability of the opposing bottom lane to use special abilities against them. That, along with Sivir's attack reset on W (allowing for a super-fast stun following Braum's passive) will spell death to any other team-up since they will not be able to peel them away from the doomed target.

VaurenMay 16, 20141 votes

A good support and adc should be able to position themselves such that Braum will not be able to block both attacks/pokes easily. Also, bush control will be essential as well, if the Braum's enemies have control of the bushes, it makes it much harder to react quick enough to the bush than to visible enemies. I think it will be fantastic to have something like this in bot lane, it will make people think more and try to play smarter, not just harder. Is it potentially op, sure; will it be the most annoying thing since teemo to lane against, absolutely. When faced with new challenges it will always be frustrating at first. If it ends up being too frustrating even after people have time to try and deal with it, then Riot may nerf it, so be it.

Poro PrincessMay 29, 20141 votes

First, Yasuo's windwall blocks everything. Absolutely everything. Braum's E blocks the first and everything else is directed at him with damage reduction. Which means that you can kill him if he's not playing well.

Second, no one in their right mind will play Braum with 40% cdr. As I mentioned above, using your E would just get yourself killed everytime because you wouldn't be able to tank the damage.

Third, playing against Braum in lane is like playing against Morg support. Have you noticed her spell shield? It's terribly annoying. What you have to do is scare her to waste it before you engage. This same tactic applies to Braum. Get him to waste his shield before you go full on engage.

NebuulMay 29, 20141 votes

First, Yasuo's wind wall blocks all projectiles. Braum's shield blocks 100% of the damage of the first "source of champion damage," no matter what type of ability, that hits it, even something like Nasus' Q. Afterwards, it redirects with up to 40% damage reduction all ranged abilities that originate in front of Braum.

Second, CDR is defense on Braum's entire team -- you get more W and more E. Every Braum should be getting high amounts of CDR, even without considering E. W alone is worth maxing CDR. However, W+E combo is ridonculous.

Third, you can't effectively bait his abilities. What if you get him to waste E. Ok, what then? Either his adc falls back, and he W's to him, or he just stuns you when you engage by Q->auto + ADC auto. Either way, his W to adc insures you will lose the trade. And the kicker is, as soon as W is wearing off, E is available again thanks to the low cooldown.

Riot has already said he's too strong, though, so I'm just curious to see how they fix him. I do like him conceptually, I just think he's a bit too powerful right now.