Riot clearly hates Karma

Koechophe·Jul 7, 2018·3 votes·1,179 views

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DhZIbNZWAAEOOpA.jpg:large

These are the changelists that riot has at the moment to "buff" Karma. They're doing so by nerfing her mana, nerfing her mana regen (it is better at levels 1-6 and worse from there on out) nerfing her Q-R at early levels (HUGE issue, that's her only real power point at that stage), and giving slight buffs to her E mana cost (literally 5 less mana) and armor, as well as an increase of the detonation range of the un-mantra'd q.

Does anyone else read these changes at net nerfs? It feels like her damage takes a hit, and her compensation are things that don't really matter too much for Karma. Definitely not a buff, at any rate.

I seriously feel for hardcore Karma mains. Their champion has just been shunted over and over again.

11 Comments

Edge of DaybreakJul 7, 20182 votes

I couldn't fathom reading those as nerfs even if I was high out of my mind. Mana regen early matters a lot more than mana regen late game so that is definitely a buff. The damage trade for a wider hitbox is fine with me I would much rather hit more targets than do 15 more damage. Base mana change is definitely not important with her gaining 3 more mana every 5 seconds. Also her shield is dropping 5 cost anyway so she spends less mana over time while gaining more over time. BTW here is 6 more armor out the gate.

IllabetheJul 7, 20181 votes

Karma has never had mana issues lol. So buffing her Mana regen does NOTHING.

The Hitbox for Q isn't changing lol. It still only has a narrow beam hitbox which frequently misses on Normal Q. That's the same. It's the aoe IF it hits that goes up. And not by much.

It's literally the difference between hitting 4-5 targets and hitting 5-7. It's going to mildly affect her wave clear...... which was already okay if she just R >Q'd Minions, meaning she really never needed it for that purpose anyways. In Champ fights a regular Q will still only hit 1-2 people, if it doesn't miss.

Edge of DaybreakJul 7, 20181 votes

It is still a buff regardless of your perception.

I didn't think anyone would actually nitpick the language I used since it was pretty clear I was talking the aoe effect itself after you hit since that was in the notes and regardless hitting more targets even potentially is a buff.

IllabetheJul 7, 20181 votes

Tell you what. You go try that larger aoe on PBE and see how it helps you.

I'm Annie Oakley with Karma, and I don't tell any difference. Still minion blocked. Still misses many, and early game lost damage.

MetaVolcaJul 7, 20182 votes

You need to get some fucking glasses if you think for a second that those are nerfs.

IllabetheJul 7, 20181 votes

They literally all are. The only change is 1 more armor at 18, and a larger basic Q if it hits.

It's going to be the difference between hitting 4-5 minions with Q and 7. It's not going to have a huge impact on champ fights.

The lowering of mana is going to result in less AP from Seraph.

You think 1 more armor and a slightly larger AOE is a buff? lmfao.

0 HogapuJul 7, 20181 votes

gettting 26 armor lvl 1 instead of 20 isnt a buff XD? losing around 20 mana will change something for Seraph XD? 3% of 20 mana = less than 1 ap anyway lmao mana nerfs, but mana cost reduced as well as mana regen/5 increased

i'm still wondering how you can consider this being a nerf tbh XD

IllabetheJul 7, 20182 votes

Karma never had mana problems! In other words, that's a wash. On Karma a 20> 26 Armor Level 1 and only 1 at level 18 is a rounding error.

20 Armor = 16.66666% Phys damage reduction.

26 Armor = 20% Physical damage reduction.

Then you apply that to low level adc/support damage of between 56-70 (Mean 63).

20 Armor: 52.5 Damage 26 Armor: 48 Damage

And then by level 18 this bonus has disappeared entirely, and is prone to the almighty armor penetration/lethality.

I want you to look at this:

http://leagueoflegends.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_champions/Armor

There isn't a single mage with a kit which generally requires close contact (her W) who has lower Armor.

Literally every mage who has Armor as low as hers is COMPLETELY a poke kit (The only exception being Karthus, who does mechanically have some risk range skills)

It's also not like Armor does much atm with True damage. I'd be more impressed if they added HP rather than Armor, because Karma's primary purpose USED to be a Yasuo MasterYi Vayne counter. Now the first 2 shred her and the last one isn't even being picked.

And then they are taking 15 of her early game damage away. That's the big part of the deal. She doesn't have that much on board damage to begin with.... WIth her Barrier Nerf + Damage nerf, she's going to feel like Sona Sona early game: The target of 4v1 gangbangs.

0 HogapuJul 7, 20181 votes

She loses 15 dmg on her RQ spell which is not the whole part of it. She gains armor early game that is crucial in early trades, especially for karma with her W that now draws creeps' attention. This might not affect her too much overall as a support, however karma top and mid are having a great buff there tbh. + the Q radius on explosion will feel much smoother imo.

IllabetheJul 7, 20181 votes

Karma has never had a bad early game..... unlike other champs her sustain is pretty much flat across the game..... it doesn't scale much. So in early game she has one of the most powerful self heals in the game.

It's her middle/late game that is bringing her win rate down. She can't survive.