Gold value of Executioner's Calling and Bramble Vest is ridiculous against Soraka
http://leagueoflegends.wikia.com/wiki/Executioner%27s_Calling
You pay 375 gold for the passive. Soraka's W heals mid-game around 300 HP. Executioner will reduce it by 40%, by 120 HP which is worth 320 gold.
Executioner is basically already worth when it reduces one W and you will usually use it multiple times and don't forget the Q heal, the R heal, the summoner heal, redemption heal and ardent censer drain.
In mid diamond 8 out of 10 games the enemy adc buys executioner on the first back.
Bramble Vest is even worse where you only pay 200 for the passive (which is GW and reflecting 20 damage).
Taking a look at a typical teamfight: https://youtu.be/1r7YpckIL_I
It reduced 4 W heals, R (on 1 target) and summoner heal (on 1 target), equal to 780 Health or 2000 gold value. Yeah you read right 2000 gold value of a 375 gold item passive making the passive 533% gold efficient in a teamfight against Soraka (one of the most gold efficient items rageblade reached 160% only at max stacks). This is not even counting other heals on the team like Maokai passive, Kayn Ult, Ardent Censer, Vlad Q W, ADC lifesteal.
I don't know how GW can be considered a soft counter when it is so easy available (even a core item on mages) and has so much impact.
isn't in the GW mechanic itself... It's in its application
- Application REQUIRES YOU to autoattack the Champion carrying it (Anyone smart will realize it and won't autoattack the wielder if they want to heal back up) 900 Gold, 1 second GW duration.
- Very expensive. Application requires you to bring the target down below 35% Health to even get the GW on them. 2900 Gold, 8 seconds GW duration.
- Let's not start talking about this one...
basically got GW added to his Taunt with