So, You're Champion is Getting a Rework, Here are Some Things to Keep in Mind

Using precedents from prior reworks we can make certain assumptions about what you can expect will occur with your champions should they be scheduled for a kit rework by Riot.

1) Skillshots: If you don't have one, you're getting one.

Is this necessarily bad? No.
However, if it is replacing a single target ability with no improved tradeoffs, some people may take issue.
(and players always need new reasons to rejoice, Am I Right?)

2) Theme: Well this one is a toss up, and mostly up to the player to decide.

Sometimes, new gameplay syncs up poorly with a champions theme, but this ties in strongly with player preferences, champion lore, and champion roles. Sometimes, you get a new kit and it feels like the champion concept wasn't compromised ( how did you do it?). Other times, the concept and kit get so overhauled that its not even a champion you want in your roster anymore ( We'll get back to you). And still other times, the planets align and something magical happens (Teach us your ways ).

3) Lore: "Well, we have a lore tab, might as well fill it with something" - Riot

I'm being a bit harsh here, but do we really expect much here? I love world building more than most people as a Tabletop RPG player, but its hard to expect much here. You'll get an updated Lore paragraph (maybe) , if you're lucky some quotes in your taunts//jokes// kill dialogue that ties your champion to the story of another one, AND "IF" you're really lucky you get a fun mini-game that happens when your opponent happens to be one of those champions.

**4) Gameplay: ** Another toss up, here.

Gameplay usually doesn't change a lot with reworks beyond the previously mentioned "you have a skill shot now" scenario that happens. That is, UNLESS there is something about your champions kit that just doesn't sit right with the devs or the player base that's on the receiving end. In s case it was the point and click stun with good base damage//ratios. In s case it was that Riot had come to the conclusion that they hate heals in general, plus despite strong having support abilities, her item dependency made her unsuited for the "No-gold-support, all wards" meta at the time. For it was sheer annoyance factor and Riot's cracking down on Push meta, that put him into a bad rework spiral that somehow ended up okay.

5. Post-Rework Expectations: It's all about that new champion smell.

Sadly, there never any going back on reworks. No matter if you dislike what was done to your champion, someone else will enjoy it (statistically). This is best exemplified by the Old Karma vs. New Karma debate, in which players who enjoyed the old version despised the new. Yet, people attracted by news of the rework and prospect of a "fresh" champion argued in favor of the New version. In the end, if a champion is not unanimously declared terrible by the community, don't expect that champion to be thrown back into the rework bin ( how do you do it? You got a summer home in there?)

The harsh truth is that if new players of a reworked champion are supporting it, those in favor of the old will get ushered out the door as all that matters is that SOMEBODY is enjoying and playing it. (See: World of Warcraft//Blizzard Entertainment's revolving door policy of game design)

Feel free to contribute your thoughts.

(This was somewhat abbreviated. I planned to go further in depth, but decided to keep things brief and leave it to discussions. I wanted to put in a "Why is my champion getting reworked?" section as well, but found it to be far too monumental of a task with dozens of facets to consider and cover.)