I can't help but be sad seeing Aatrox still being picked in pro post nerf.

Ragnaveil·Mar 17, 2019·10 votes·7,696 views

The champ was pretty much ripped limb from limb from constant nerfs because they didn't want him so pick ban in pro, which is fine. Issue is he's still being picked because end of the day, most toplane picks that are good are high risk high reward, which puts him still at a high value (especially with the ability to flex him). Pro play meta is basically kicking him while he's theoretically dead imo. Hopefully the changes he's slotted to receive at some point will fix that.

18 Comments

Sir SaltarinMar 17, 20194 votes

That's why I always say that he CANT be buffed just like that, he needs larger tweaks because his rework was awful.

GelsominoKillerMar 17, 20194 votes

Honestly at this point I don't even know why he's so contested in competitive.

What do proplayers like about Aatrox? What's good about him?

The fact he can revive? The oneshot potential with flash+Q3?

This really leaves me perplexed.

Aatrox received the worst rework to date, that's almost a matter of fact now. He received enormous changes to his personality, his playstyle became unrecognizable, and now he's a bigger balance problem than he has ever been. His old playerbase is beyond tilted, toxic and salty (rightfully) because of the rework. Even his aspect was subject of controversy for some time...

FlashesMar 18, 20194 votes

{quoted}

Honestly at this point I don't even know why he's so contested in competitive.

What do proplayers like about Aatrox? What's good about him?

The fact he can revive? The oneshot potential with flash+Q3?

This really leaves me perplexed.

Aatrox received the worst rework to date, that's almost a matter of fact now. He received enormous changes to his personality, his playstyle became unrecognizable, and now he's a bigger balance problem than he has ever been. His old playerbase is beyond tilted, toxic and salty (rightfully) because of the rework. Even his aspect was subject of controversy for some time...

Because he has 3 aoe knockups. That's insane in pro play. Add on the damage he has early game in this early game meta, and you have someone pros can use and abuse.

NyarlathοtepMar 18, 2019

{quoted}

Because he has 3 aoe knockups. That's insane in pro play. Add on the damage he has early game in this early game meta, and you have someone pros can use and abuse.

Are you sure its because of his interruptions and dmg? Because his "aoe knockups" are 0.25 and hardly aoe. And his dmg, unless he lands all of his q is pretty bad. Said q is also easy as fuck to evade and im pretty sure since i can evade them, pro's can do it too.

Sir SaltarinMar 18, 20191 votes

I dont think you are doing it on purpuse but you are Gameplay Boarding on that comment.

If all you said was true why would the best players in the world keep playing him at the highest competition level ?

NyarlathοtepMar 18, 20191 votes

Shit, i indeed did that. Im just not used commenting on subboard that is not gameplay.

And well we might be going a bit off topic but, i was geniously curious as to why aatrox is popular in pro play. I understand in the past where his early was better, but now? He is but a shell of his former self.

FlashesMar 19, 20191 votes

{quoted}

Are you sure its because of his interruptions and dmg? Because his "aoe knockups" are 0.25 and hardly aoe. And his dmg, unless he lands all of his q is pretty bad. Said q is also easy as fuck to evade and im pretty sure since i can evade them, pro's can do it too.

Pros also have great coordination, so his zoning power is nearly unparalleled, because 0.75 sec of knockup spread out over 3 bursts is still insane. The main point of the aoe aspect of the knockups is that it brings great versatility to how he can zone. 3 different hitboxes allow for huge micro plays.

Celestial Lion12Mar 24, 20191 votes

{quoted}

Because he has 3 aoe knockups. That's insane in pro play. Add on the damage he has early game in this early game meta, and you have someone pros can use and abuse.

also his safety, where jungling is mostly based around top lane the ability to survive ganks is huge in pro play

Abibyama IIMar 18, 20191 votes

Because the game is early game focused, and A-Atrox is good in the early game

MarshbouyMar 18, 20191 votes

He has a strong early game and is super easy to zone opponents with his Q. This is all on top of his revive ult which is just insane, adding GA onto it and he basically has a whole extra healthbar that you need to kill him through, if he chooses to go that route. Towerdiving him is basically suicide unless ult was popped earlier.

MankeyMadnessMar 17, 20192 votes

Koreans are notoriously slow to adapt. They spent a good year+ training 2 or 3 players on AAtrox, theyre not replacing him the moment he falls off a cliff. Give it time and theyll be ready with new picks

Sir SaltarinMar 17, 20191 votes

He's being played on LCS and LEC too, for LPL idk.

The point of OP is good: he's gutted on soloQ and he's still sees most play on pro games than most champs.

That means that his rework was terrible.

Aatrox AirlinesMar 18, 20192 votes

Honestly just revert him and end our suffering

JaspersMar 18, 20192 votes

The issue with many pro picks that are crap for the rest of us it what they offer pros vs what they offer us. We just want to fight, have fun. Pros are looking on getting the right team comp and power and not just the op cheese pick. It's why Ryze is picked at all, great wave clear, safety with movement and shield and porting around the map.

I think this new Aatrox will sadly always have a problem because of what he offers. That is safe waveclear and safety while building damage. They aren't out for straight up tanks sitting on the front line absorbing damage when you can be Aatrox or Urgot on the front line dealing damage and absorbing it because of shields and healing. I mean they changed his free GA to be a press of a button instead of a reward for doing well.

Look at what pros have done to Tahm Kench for example, all because he has a free QSS. Pros don't pick him because he's strong, great for his ult, they pick him for the free QSS. He'll never have a high win rate as long as this exists and they could nerf it to be a minute and they'd still pick him.

The solution? Make it so he has to stack again to get the GA. Each ability/auto landed on a enemy champ/large monster stacks his revive, 5 stacks and he can revive, like it used to be. Pressing R to live isn't skillful or rewarding.

Serika ZeroMar 18, 20192 votes

Actually, Tham is garbage design. if he was a free qss that would be fine.

But he is a free: you will not damage(burst/assassinate) my team mate!!!

With an ult that helps collapse on the slit pusher in a 1-3-1 or 4-1 scenarios. Oh and 2 fucking health bars, just to make sure you don't get to touch that carry.

It's like a kayle ult, but on a tank champion.

JaspersMar 18, 20191 votes

True but I use the QSS term as it's quicker than "But he is a free: you will not damage(burst/assassinate) my team mate!!!" :P

That said if the meta wasn't so burst orientated maybe he wouldn't be such high priority.

They've nerfed and changed his ratios, ult and healing a lot over the time he's been out but all recent changes are just because of his W. Solution to that would be to remove being able to use it on allies and make it so on 3 stacks be can eat buff monsters, then they can rebalance him for the rest of us as pros won't care anymore, they've lost what they want when all we want to do is eat the enemy because it's fun.