Azir v Xerath

SpongebobIsLife·Apr 28, 2015·1 votes·871 views

Soooo, awhile ago Riot nerfed Azir's early game because they said he was a late game carry with too much lane bully potential..yet there's Xerath who has a much stronger laning phase, more bully potential, easy late game carry potential, along with being a safer overall champion. I don't understand why Azir was nerfed, when Xerath is allowed to be a strong lane bully with a strong late game. This thought has been plaguing me ever since they nerfed Azir awhile back. Can someone please explain this to me?

14 Comments

GengarApr 28, 20152 votes

Xerath barely has any escape. I think you're only looking at his strengths, which is ranged poke. If you get in close he likely stands little chance unless he is very skilled with hitting his stun. Even then if you're the right type of class, you'll do fine. Also, he's very mana reliant, forcing him to go in for auto-attacks to regain mana. You should take advantage of this predictable behavior. Although I do agree with the fact that Azir isn't as strong right now as I feel he should be.

SpongebobIsLifeApr 28, 20151 votes

Xerath doesn't really need an escape with that ridiculous range, but the point of my post was to highlight why riot nerfed Azir, and how other mids have those same issues yet they haven't been addressed.

KillstradoApr 28, 20151 votes

I agree with the other guy, but the reason they nerfed azir is because he was far to oppressive. The thing with azir is if you are well practiced with him his damage isnt going to be what wins the lane, it's his great utility in making sure others can't farm or engage

SpongebobIsLifeApr 28, 20151 votes

that's not what they stated in the patch notes. They said they nerfed him because he is a hyper carry with lane bully potential, what im trying to say is how is Xerath any different?

KillstradoApr 28, 20151 votes

No offense but in league a hyper carry with lane bully potential is the exact definition of oppressive. If you want opinions don't say that we are wrong when you're clearly the one that doesn't understand why riot nerfed someone and not someone else xerath is way to easily counterable to get nerfed

SpongebobIsLifeApr 28, 20151 votes

I never stated anyone was wrong, just that you weren't addressing the point of my post. The first lane of your post is what im trying to say, both xerath and azir have hyper carry potential while having a very oppressive laning phase; yet one was nerfed, while the other wasn't.

KillstradoApr 28, 20151 votes

Omg THE POINT IS THAT JUST BECAUSE AZIR NEEDS NERFED DOESNT MEAN YOU HAVE TO NERF EVERYONE......Every comment I've posted states this by explaining the differences between the two, they are nothing alike and because you can't play against a xerath effectively you think he needs a nerf too

Sinister SnailApr 28, 20151 votes

[{quoted}](name=Its Spongebob,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=4NA6BjY6,comment-id=0000000000000000,timestamp=2015-04-28T12:38:44.580+0000)

that's not what they stated in the patch notes. They said they nerfed him because he is a hyper carry with lane bully potential, what im trying to say is how is Xerath any different?

It's really difficult for a mage to hypercarry, especially if they're skillshot based. Unless they have a reset like Kat, they'll blow their cd's, do massive AOE damage, then... they're pretty much wide open for a while. Any form of hard engage will ruin the "hypercarry" at that point, and a single target stun will not save him. Non bruiser carries need a team to protect and peel for them.

Azir, however, is AA based, dealing heavy sustained AOE damage, with the mobility and insane peel to get his own ass out of a bad spot: or set up a few kills. Azir is a very different beast from other mages because he has such great carry and outplay potential, and he can capitalize on won teamfights by taking towers quickly, unlike other mages.

He's like an adc mage, come to think of it. Probably why I like him so much.

SpongebobIsLifeApr 28, 20151 votes

yeah I love azir, but I would argue that xerath is a hypercarry. He has a very easy to hit, very long range, spammable nuke (.75 ap ratio). He doesn't need the peel that azir has, because he outranges azir. I understand that azir's tower clearing power was oppressive, and I feel like that was the only part about him that needed to be adjusted. I just don't agree with riot's reasoning for nerfing him.

Sinister SnailApr 28, 20151 votes

[{quoted}](name=Its Spongebob,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=4NA6BjY6,comment-id=000000000000000000010000,timestamp=2015-04-28T13:34:35.272+0000)

yeah I love azir, but I would argue that xerath is a hypercarry. He has a very easy to hit, very long range, spammable nuke (.75 ap ratio). He doesn't need the peel that azir has, because he outranges azir. I understand that azir's tower clearing power was oppressive, and I feel like that was the only part about him that needed to be adjusted. I just don't agree with riot's reasoning for nerfing him.

Eh, even when I've got five kills in lane and 150 cs, I still find it really hard to carry like a fed riven or vayne. You'll do really well and be an absolute terror, especially in teamfights, but he just doesn't have the hp sustain, durability, mobility or sustained damage to hypercarry.

As a benchmark, I think a hypercarry should be able to 1v3 when fed: akali, vayne, riven, Katarina, nasus, Draven etc. are a few examples. I just can't think of a scenario where Xerath could realistically pull that off.

E+W their heaviest damage dealer(adc or mage), W probably hits one other person. Q finishes off the damage dealer and hits the second person again, won't kill them though. At this point only the ult is off CD: blow that to kill the second person if he's not a tank, drop any remaining casts of it on the third. Now you're against one guy with all your skills on CD. They ought to be able to kill a 100% defenseless Xerath.

SpongebobIsLifeApr 28, 20151 votes

good point.

Sinister SnailApr 28, 20151 votes

[{quoted}](name=Its Spongebob,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=4NA6BjY6,comment-id=00000000000000000001000000000000,timestamp=2015-04-28T15:20:01.634+0000)

good point.

Ty. I see what you're saying, though. If he has a good tank with him, I can definitely see a fed xerath winning a drawn out 2v5 while the rest of his team takes an objective, which I think is even better.

Vistha KaiApr 28, 20152 votes

Last time I played Azir one good placed poke could take 50% of my enemy's HP... at level 3. That was a week ago.

Git gud.

GaleWinUnleashedApr 28, 20151 votes

Xerath does have a strong late game, but not to the same extent as Azir. Both are pretty close to balanced right now, but Azir may be a little bit weak, whereas Xerath may be slightly too strong. Neither is unbalanced enough to be a serious problem at the moment.