Some thoughts before the tank update
I am hoping the tank update brings some new life to my favorite group when Riot reworks them. The biggest issues I hope they fix are mostly not even with the champions themselves, but with the items.
For example:
} Doran's shield must be buffed. Doran's ring and blade seem significantly better for a starting item and also allow for easier last hitting which benefits champs get their core items more easily. The early game meta is making things very difficult for short range tanks to survive laning phase with ranged tops or lane bullies like renekton and darius. As a Jungle main, I would say over half the games I HAVE to play a tank simply because nobody else will be on the front line with all the ranged tops and mage supports we keep seeing.
} We need to get more cooldown on tank items. Now you might say that frozen gauntlet and heart both have 20% cooldown, which is nice, but none of these items give you any health, which really hurts Sejuani, Sion, Cinderhulk users, Nautilus, etc. who rely on health stats more than resistances. Also no MR on any of the 20 percent cd items.
} Hunter's talisman's tank stats needs to be buffed. If you are a tankier champ and you already have to slowly clear your jungle, you should at least be able to have the trade off for keeping more health. Tanks are already recognized as easy pickings for counter jungling (thanks Lee Sins.) Give them a chance to be able to run away during invasions and not to be at low health for such long periods of time.
When it comes to tank changes I would like on some of the kits...
} Increase Nautilus' hook CD time to allow for less engages in the early game. This will hurt his laning phase and allow Riot to buff his clearing abilities as the tradeoff. Plus it will help make his ganks better if he can do a little more damage at the tradeoff of not getting another his hook available again for a long time. I think it would also be cool if he could hook multiple people like in the poro game but that might make him too strong.
} Sejuani needs a smoother auto attack as well as some better fluidity to flail of the northern winds. I think making her Q range go farther when passing through terrain would be a nice buff as well, making her be able to reach epic monsters when going over the pit. This could also let her make some flashier big plays. Sejuani's main damage source was HALVED during cinderhulk before the item was nerfed as well. She has had very little compensation outside of some minor buffing to her e damage.
} Give Malphite's kit something more challenging like making his Q a skillshot instead of a point and click. He is a very strong champion but his kit is a little boring imo. He doesn't need buffs or nerfs as much as more interaction.
} Add some fun stuff to Rammus' taunt, joke, etc. He would benefit greatly from hunter talisman buffs.
} I think Volibear's really has a healthy kit that seems to be mostly reliant on how good tank items are. If anything were to be changed it might be to make him flip champions into the air a little high like a mini poppy ult. That seems like it would be a lot of fun.
Those are the tank champs that I know the most about so if anybody has any criticisms or new ideas please add them. Maybe Riot will see something cool that they agree with us on.
