How is Zoe copying and using active summoner spells and items not going to break the game?

Oleandervine·Nov 6, 2017·1 votes·1,185 views

When I read this ability in her reveal, that opponents leave orbs when they use summoner spells and items that allow her to use them when she collects them, it sounds incredibly busted. How on earth do you plan on balancing a spell that allows her to double flash, use extra summoner spells like barrier or heal, or copy absurd items like Edge of Night, Frost Queen's Claim, Redemption, Locket, and not be super overpowered? I get that it is a new concept to the game, but I can only see her getting beaten into oblivion with the nerf bat like Kalista, Yasuo, and every other CertainlyT champ before her.

7 Comments

Meep ManNov 6, 20173 votes

I feel like the same thing was said when they revealed that Ornn could buy items out of base.

Nick Da ChipNov 6, 20171 votes

That's exactly what I was thinking. :P

nm1010Nov 6, 20171 votes

Don't forget that minions occasionally drop them too :^)

WarlockDDNov 6, 20171 votes

Because the new season has an ability were u can constantly switch out summoner spells as well as reduce the cooldown by 50% And nowhere does it say the drops will be all the time. Also, the new meta will have a lot of abilities that may or may not be broken when used in conjunction to the right champs.

AnastaeciaNov 6, 20171 votes

I'm guessing that she will have to be in close proximity for the drop like Coin. Also, summoner's are on a long CD. I bet she will be using it a lot less than the avg W. That is probably the reason for minions to drop them, because they are infrequent.

HalcyonDwellerNov 6, 20171 votes

It seems to me that the ability slot is useless otherwise. Giving up an entire spell slot in order to have a spell is going to cost her a bit.

Maybe the cooldown should be high if a higher cooldown spell is used for it. I could see that being a potential problem. But on the other hand, Riot will be able to tune the ability by making certain spells rarer to find or put spellthief on a longer cooldown like I suggested at first. I expect that it could be problematic on release, but the tuning levers exist for Riot to balance it as needed.

KloqdqNov 6, 20171 votes

1 - We don't have a single number so it could actually be pretty bad.

2 - It relies heavily on your opponent and random chance from minions to get the most out of it. Most of the items you listed are not even that worrying.

Edge of Night is just not good to begin with and the active is far from as OP as it was. Frost Queen is interesting but not amazing. Redemption is the scariest one so far because of it's power. Locket would not be that amazing because you won't have that much HP to max it.

You'll also need to be there to pick the item up to actually get something which means people can easily punish you as you go to pick up the ball. The copying summoner spells can equally be dangerous but I don't think it's going to be massive. This seems like it can be hit or miss. It's a powerful spell, no doubt, but I don't believe it's going to break the game. Just like how Ornn didn't.