Every shield in the game is instant cast except for Lux's W

TastyMmmYum·Sep 2, 2015·3 votes·1,535 views

Neglecting abilities with additional effects (for example Shen's Stand United, which has a teleport effect in addition to the shield), Lux's W shield is the only one in the whole game that has a cast time and requires her to stand still to cast it. However it's also the one that actually needs an instant cast the most, because it's the only one that can "miss." Every other shield is targeted or self-cast and therefore cannot miss.

It just doesn't feel good when you're trying to shield a moving ally, which is already difficult by itself, but then they keep moving while you have to stop, making you miss the return portion of your shield. Not to mention how just shielding herself while running away exposes her to even more damage since she stops running, which is counter-intuitive to shielding in the first place and is something which no other champion has to deal with on their shield.

It's just inconsistent and is an unnecessary cost that only she pays for an already unreliable ability.

21 Comments

LarasoSep 3, 20153 votes

Lux's shield can block almost 200 damage at level 1, shield an entire team - twice - and honestly the last thing she needs is for her shield, which is quite likely the strongest shield in the game, to be buffed. What she needs is mana cost reduction on her E.

TastyMmmYumSep 3, 20153 votes

People like to talk about Lux's shield as if it always gets the maximum benefit, but it doesn't work like that. Yes, it can shield an entire team...if they happen to all be standing in a line with Lux at the very end. Yes, it can shield them twice...because each shield is a half shield that doesn't stack but only refreshes, and requires people to still be standing in its path the whole time. And if the enemy is focusing a single team member, being able to shield your entire team is moot if you can't even be sure that you're going to shield the one person who actually needs it.

And of course it can miss entirely and not shield a single person at all. In terms of functionality, being a skillshot means it actually needs an instant cast more than any other shield because every other shield is targeted and unmissable.

There's a reason why other shields aren't skillshots - you don't want to be fighting your own team when you're trying to help them. Why do pro players pick support mages like Orianna and Lulu over Lux if her shield is so much better than theirs? It's because they are much more reliable and better at supporting, and you can guarantee that your shield will shield its target.

People always forget that that's a huge cost in reliability that Lux pays with her shield and throw out stuff like "But it shields the WHOLE team and it's TWO shields. That's like 10 shields!!" that's completely meaningless in practice. It's like saying Zyra's snare is OP because it can snare the entire enemy team. Lux's W is no more a 5 man shield than Zyra's E is a 5 man snare. The cost of a cast time on Lux's W is just unnecessary.

SiytherSep 3, 20152 votes

its also like the only shield that can shield the entire team thats why its not instant

Valderis VandalaSep 3, 20151 votes

Karma, her shield is also easier to shield your whole team with. It also grants 60% bonus movement speed.

RogueWillSep 3, 20151 votes

It requires her ult thou, meaning she won't be able to do as much damage if she shields the team.

Valderis VandalaSep 3, 20151 votes

She's a support so damage isn't her focus anyway.

This gives the whole team a shield and allows them to engage due to the speed boost, if you have the right item they will even get attack speed from it. All this at the right time can be far more important/devastating then the damage she can do IF she can hit enough people IF she can aim IF the enemy doesn't dodge or is shielded/immune.

It's situational but Karmas shield can be crazy powerful and turn a team fight, her Q not so much unless you build full mage, and even then it's a smaller area, IF the enemy is dumb enough to keep standing in it.

But none of this is relevent, it's a team shield that has no cast time and does not interrupt movement, that was the point, with extra move speed on top and its point and click.

CindikleSep 3, 20151 votes

Karma isn't support-only. She can work in overall any roll but ADC(which is funny to do BTW with her passive+hurricane).

Valderis VandalaSep 3, 20151 votes

It doesn't matter how you build her or what role she is in, that shield is easier to use and has a higher chance to be more impactful during a team fight.

CindikleSep 3, 20151 votes

And what is wrong with her shield not being the same as Lux's? Why does this mean Lux's needs to be instant?

Valderis VandalaSep 3, 20151 votes

I never said that, take that up with TastyMmmYum.

I just pointed out that Lux's shield is not the only shield that can shield an entire team while still being an instant ability.

Then all these random people kept piling on and useless drivel ensued.

Blade of JusticSep 3, 20151 votes

[{quoted}](name=Valderis Vandala,realm=EUW,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=1FBLEbyY,comment-id=0000000100000000,timestamp=2015-09-03T03:05:16.683+0000)

She's a support so damage isn't her focus anyway.

What? Look at her most purchased items and most used summoner spells.

http://www.lolking.net/champions/lux

Even when Luxs play support, they rush damage items.

Valderis VandalaSep 3, 20151 votes

We are discussing Karma not Lux, please note that Lux can not ult her shield.

RogueWillSep 3, 20151 votes

Again she has to spend her ult to shield it.... is not whether how impact it is, is that you are comparing a basic ability with an ult ability. If you want to be fair you would have to compare it with her base shield (No mantra) and then your argument would be valid.

Valderis VandalaSep 3, 20151 votes

No, we are comparing a karma damage ult ability with a karma shield ult ability. So the ult part is irrelevant.

The original comparison was between two shield abilities of different champions, then you jumped in and it moved to just karma talk.

RogueWillSep 3, 20151 votes

The original comparison was that lux could shield the whole team while karma could do it as well (but better) without the cast time. You went into detail what would be best to use your ult in your shield instead of the damage from her Q when I was just pointing out that in order for karma to shield everyone she must sacrifice her damage output.

Lux can shield everyone with at least one part of the shield even if they are not on a straight line while still be able to fire her laser and use her AoE damage, what does she sacrifice for her multi target shield? exactly her cast time.

warpenguin555Sep 3, 20152 votes

ekko?

BlastermineSep 3, 20151 votes

Lux's W has an insanely wide hitbox.

CrossetteSep 3, 20151 votes

Lux really needs her shield to be instant. (sarcasm)

I would really love to have my damage negated AND be CCed/nuked at the same time instantly.

CindikleSep 3, 20151 votes

How would you change it then?

It's a very powerful shield. Even if it only hits 2-3 people.

How many other champions can AoE shield in general? Karma, Which requires two cooldowns, one being her ultimate. And Thresh, who cannot fully control who he shields, and it's multi- as in himself and his ally. Like Sona's heal.

What are you willing to give up on her shield for what you are asking for? The range? Cap on targets shield-able? It's shielding power?

Just because you find it inconvenient doesn't mean it needs to change. To me it's perfectly fine. I prefer it than another boring instant targeted shield.