Boards›Gameplay

Recently released champions reflects Riot's poor balance choices.

Roark1·1/17/2019, 6:26:42 AM·62 votes·17,403 views

Let's look at the last couple of champs released... Neeko, Zoe, Pyke, Kaisa, and soon Sylas. All agile mega-nuke damage dealers (arguably with very obnoxious overpowered abilities). I'm getting really tired of the game being centered around champions like this. I look forward to champion developers sitting down and creating a champion with a positive impact on the game that aren't one-shot execute style champions, rather than coming up with whatever is the most ridiculous, colorful, and high damage dealing champion. I think this turn towards mobile assassin style champions reflects what is wrong in this game. It feels absolutely terrible to play right now, with most of the champions in the game building to one shot. Also listening to Tyler1's stream right now and he just said "Riot's balance team can't tie their own shoes". Lol. But actually we've been waiting a long time for proper balance changes hopefully they decide to turn the game around.

77 Comments

Syrile1/17/2019, 10:51:42 AM34 votes

That is a huge problem in general with League right now. The game developers /think/ this makes the game more exciting which will entice people to watch eSports. Unfortunately, this will fail and will cost them money long term. The game will be weakened severely from this mentality if it is not fixed.

Ater Lupus1/17/2019, 6:54:45 AM19 votes

I do agree with the sentiment. I personally prefer to play the near-unkillable wondering tank that just toys with people, like in season 2-3 with trundle. The good ole' days. Ontop of the new releases all hitting a mobile assassin checklist of insane damage, some form of mobility or trickery, and obnoxious croud control unfitting to the character, i hate that riot's policy around champion balance. Rather than try and level the playing field to some degree, they purposely boost and bump them down depending on what THEY want to be played, rather than what people want to play.

Winterkill1/17/2019, 7:09:24 AM15 votes

A lot of these champion identities already exist in the game game as well. Many of the new champions are just glorified versions of existing ones that could have used the same concepts or abilities on the original. Riot Game Developers removed Karma's Shield Bomb and put it on Ivern, but kept Karma's current Mantra E that exists on an item active. Riot Game Developers gave Neeko an item passive that honestly should have been on LB and also used LB's passive as an ability on Neeko . . . . so it is it Neeko or is it LB? Sylas honestly just reminds me of every other champion we have in the game . . . . that does the same thing.

Kyaza1/17/2019, 7:11:51 AM9 votes

i would love another anivia/ryze style control mage. mid range, hight dps but burst potential that requires good macro to gain a lead

Mokuto Bunshi1/17/2019, 4:36:58 PM9 votes

I agree that the damage on all of them is absurd, but I disagree that some of them (namely neeko and sylas) aren't good designs.

Neeko is designed to actually play mind games with you. She does it even better than LB! Her issue? Her ult is probably the BEST AOE in the game. You dont know when its there if she disguises because of low charge time, does tons of damage, and STUNS. The only AOE nearly that good is malphite ult (quick and does good damage) EXCEPT, he has to go AP which can be dangerous for him and you KNOW its him when hes coming. Did I mention she has a root to set up her ult if not disguised?

Sylas is simpler, he does tons of damage. Maybe its his passive being an AOE sheen? Who knows :P But again, good concept. Is the enemies ult 'broken' in your team fights? Well thats fine, because then they have to deal with it and any counterplay it may or may not have!

Dynikus1/17/2019, 8:01:28 AM7 votes

I'm not sure if neeko really belongs on that list, but the other 4, absolutely.

chipndip11/17/2019, 5:30:31 PM6 votes

Neeko

Zoe

Agile

!?

Also you just outright ignored Ornn's release in this commentary. How are you this wrong just right out the gate? All you guys do is complain about high damage while playing nothing but damage dealers, and nothing changes this unless tanks or enchanters are blatantly over-tuned.

Lastly, why do you think listening to Tyler1's commentary on game balance is a good idea? Do you think Tyler1 would be able to put his ego down for even 2 seconds in order to give an objective opinion about the game state that wouldn't be horribly skewed in his own favor in some fashion? Be honest.

KFCeytron1/17/2019, 2:23:48 PM6 votes

https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/intermediary/f/a5220c6a-fd1e-48f3-8a22-cbe15ed21d0f/d7w1dbf-4485a08a-94de-4165-870b-b16b83ef4d40.jpg/v1/fill/w_1192,h_670,q_70,strp/hades_duh_by_nikolas_213_d7w1dbf-pre.jpg

yiniao1/17/2019, 3:23:13 PM6 votes

I've been with Riot since season 1. I see they are trying to gain a pillar in the esports scene but this will ultimately backfire in the end. There are streamers like LL Stylish that speak up against the shittiness of Riot's balance "team", streamers like Pokimane that stay on the fence and quietly reap in the money, and yet I can't find one person that enjoys this game enough not to complain. Can I just ask for one thing Riot? If you're real, can I refund champions I don't play anymore? I find it stupid to play 100+ games for 450 BE... While all of my supports collect dust from my support days.

Nausicäa 1/18/2019, 4:29:57 AM6 votes

You trying to compare Zoe and Neeko to Pyke is a joke. Zoe and Neeko are NOT mobile champions, this is just blatant hyperbole on your part. Pyke has infinitely more mobility than either of these champions.

Neeko has a short and relatively low speed boost Zoe has an ability that returns her to spot she cast it and a speed boost only when she has summoners. How the fuck is this mobility on the level of invisibility + high movespeed W, Dash + stun E and Dash ultimate?

Im totally against the hyper mobility bullshit Riot is adding into this game, but using mages who only have shitty movespeed boosts as an example of this is absolutely stupid.

Pengoo1/17/2019, 5:24:02 PM5 votes

I think Neeko has never been on or too strong. She actually feels like the most balanced of the recent ones. Zoe feels like shit now since everyone complained about her, when she wasn't even that strong. Pyke just is... I hate him. The champion just tilts me seeing him in loading screen. He's not super op, but he's pretty freaking stupid. I think he's the worst champion they have ever realised.

I think my big issue with these new champs is that it feels like riot got bored. 3 of the 5 champions you named steal other champion's things. Summoner spells, identities, and now ults. Have riot just run out of ideas?

SpiritOfOdysseus1/18/2019, 6:49:26 AM4 votes

Disclaimer: I do not play any of these champs

Neeko and Kai'sa AND Zoe are in a perfect place imo.

All have counterplay, it just takes a bit of practice.. However, I personally like them all because they are unique. Let me explain;

With Neeko it's fun to play against her, like good shaco or Evelynn players for instance might enjoy playing her. It's very cool that Riot adds deception based gameplay as I see that as a conduit for the future of MoBAs generally. It adds other options to win fights, really testing players' intelligence and instincts.

Now with Kai'sa I enjoy her W which is important because she is a hybridAD and/or AP. Hybrids are a classic but rare archetype just as sneaky and tactical micromanager assassins are. Now her W gives her a long-range harassment or execute option, crucial to her AP builds because in theory she could go mid. However because her W(and whole kit in general) are on such a long CD and that she's squishy, she obviously goes bot. She is a hybrid with many options, and options are always good imo.

Zoe is an erratic example of a knight in chess, able to secure poke in otherwise (almost) impossible ways for other champions. I do question the ability to pick up item actives and summs, but it's a minor issue for me. It takes understanding capability and adapting to it which is as simple or complex as walking on the enemy half of the river to avoid a jungle gibb. Map awareness in general is one of the first skills you must learn in League for this reason.

Anywho that's just what I think, cheers

V The Hierophant1/17/2019, 7:35:35 PM4 votes

I wish that Riot cared more for the fans of the game rather than the professional aspect. The current meta (as many have stated here) is strictly designed around what THEY want to see played, especially in esports, rather than actually balance the champs that need it. Champs like Sylas are prime examples of their lack of good balancing (get ready for his permaban, in my opinion, day one). The "new" mechanics like Sylas's ult are interesting but they are executed so poorly that from day one of their release, they are broken. I want more champs like Kai'sa, Pyke, Rakan, or Xayah who actually feel like they fit the game much more in a positive way than champs like Neeko or the soon to be released Sylas which are the most gimmicky champs Riot has produced.

DragonShea1/17/2019, 9:20:35 PM4 votes

Riot needs to chill, focus on fixing game balance, even delay some champ release because they need to set things straight.

Ozzburne1/17/2019, 6:43:20 PM3 votes

You're gonna be waiting a long time because Riot clearly can't develop champions like that because "muh excitement" for pro play.

No one wants to watch 20 30+ minute matches every weekend so they make it easier for games and encounters to be super fast.

It's no longer a video game for people to play it's just a spectator sport so my advise just accept that the balance team doesnt give a shit about you*[zombie-brand-clap]*

hazerddex1/18/2019, 7:57:16 AM3 votes

Zoe has never been and unless they change her kit greatly never will be as op as people make her out to be. she has only one actually decent damage skill which is a skill shot with a long wind up and travel time. and a cooldown. also her R basely locks her in place might as well put a Hit me sign on her back since you know where shes going to be.

compare that to say Lux Xerath Brand Velkoz who all have skills that can nuke you passed your max hp in miliseconds. people exaggerated the one skill Zoe has that can deal high damage. if you don't play foolish against her early game and stay behind your minions like you should be doing with any midlaner to begin with. you would be fine.

xaritscin1/18/2019, 6:30:14 PM2 votes

i can only complain about Pyke in this case. an Assasin should never have hard CC on his kit, EVER. Ekko is fine becaue it requires setup but pyke doesnt have to setup anything he just does the dash almost instantly and stuns you without a proper frame of time to respond.

Neeko is fine as long as you dodge her habilities, and her ult is as unreliable as Zyra. you can just simply walk outside of the AoE (unless you got CC'ed)

Zoe was a mess to play against but she got nerfed heavily after release and i barely see her, the damage se can throw depends a lot on setup so you just have to be on the lookout for the projectiles (much like with Nidalee back then)

Kaisa seems balanced, i play her regularly and im pretty sure you need to push way more effort in order to nuke someone compared to other marksmen that are being picked up(cough Jhin , MissFortune cough)

Nevrankroaton1/18/2019, 7:01:22 AM2 votes

If neko is agile, then urgot is an agile juggernaut because he has a dash...

Stupafly1/17/2019, 10:12:33 PM1 votes

to be fair i like Zoe and Pyke. and I think im going to like sylas

TonyTonyMordecai1/17/2019, 5:27:11 PM1 votes

I agree with your points, but Neeko doesn't have a mobility spell (technically if she gets the third attack off on her W passive, but that's within her auto attack range, not too safe)