Drawing Parallels: Divers
This is the second entry in an attempted "series" that is intended to go in-depth and look at the similarities, as well as distinctions, between characters of a certain champion Sub-Class. The first attempt I made with this was with Juggernauts, and you can find a link to this at the bottom, if you wish to see it. (Don't worry, it's much shorter than this one.)
This entry focuses on the other Sub-Class of Fighters; Namely, the Divers.
The Divers are, as the LOL Wiki describes: "The more mobile portion of the Fighter class. Divers excel at singling out high-priority targets to blitz toward, immediately forcing those targets (and their teammates) to deal with the diver’s presence. Divers are not as durable as the tanks or juggernauts of the world, but Divers can take their fair share of punishment while bringing enough damage to be a real kill threat if left unchecked."
(The above description is written by anonymous contributors to the LOL Wiki and not Riot Employees, to the best of my knowledge.)
Now this is being posted on the eve of Aatrox's VGU release. So as a result, I will be looking at the PRE-VGU version of him, when comparing to the other members of his Sub-Class (At this time of writing, he is a Diver).
They have more members of this sub-class than the other sub-class (Juggernauts have 12 members at this time of writing, and the Divers have 20 at this time of writing) of the overall "Fighter" group, so surely a greatly number of distinctions than similarities will be found, right? Well, let's Dive (Oh ho, I'm so punny) right in and see!
Divers consist of the current champs (At this time of writing):
(Diana dips into Slayer/Assassin territory IMO, and she isn't the only one)
(Kayn here technically falls under 2 labels, Assassin, with his sub-class being Skirmisher, and Fighter, but here I am focusing on his Fighter/Diver aspects)
(Olaf here USED to be a Juggernaut, but the second pass Riot did landed him here with the Divers)
(Another that I personally think of as more of an Slayer/Assassin, but since he's listed under Divers, we will include him here)
(Another one that USED to be a Juggernaut, but isn't any more)
DIVE SKILLS
Each "Diver" has a skill that lets them single out and "Dive" on a target. Some have CC-like Aspects to them, others don't. Those that do will have it included in the description. Looking at them one by one...
: He dashes to the target area unstoppably, knocking up units in the epicenter for 1 second.
This is Aatrox's "Dive" ability, which thanks to the "Unstoppable" it grants, allows him to jump in on a target, and if aimed right, knock them up into the air briefly. When used wisely, this can put him smack-dab in the middle of a grouped-up team for some good CC, or at least a possibly good position for his current Ult, which activates in a circular AOE.
: She sends out a grapple. If it connects with terrain, she dashes and binds herself to it for 0.75 seconds and gains a second cast, called 'Wall Dive' where she will dash and briefly stun the first unit she collides with.
Camille has a bit more technical aspect to her dive. In order to get the initial dash (and the second cast), it HAS to land on terrain or she just wasted her time AND mana. Then, it's not a sure thing that she will hit a champion. When aiming for champions, her dash range IS doubled, but, based on the description, if there is a minion in front of her intended champion target, the Minion will be hit, and not the champion. (Correct me if I'm wrong, Camille players)
: Diana here is the first to have her dash on her ultimate rather than a basic skill. She point-and-click dashes to her target, and if they were affected with her Q's de-buff, it's cooldown is instantly refreshed, consuming the de-buff.
Diana (Who like Kayn and Rengar, dips partially into the Assassin/Slayer areas IMO) can, if conditions are right, dash two times, rather than just one. This gives her some of the more "bursty" aspects that make her a hybrid Slayer/Fighter, akin to Kayn and Rengar.
: Elise lifts up into the air, becoming untargetable for 2 seconds and reveals the area around her in a circular radius. She can choose a target to descend on during this 2-second period, and her passive bonuses are increased for the next 5 seconds once this is done.
Elise uniquely only has access to her 'Diving' ability when in her Spider Form. While one can switch between each form largely at will, it's still a notable distinction. She only "Dives" if she clicks on a target, otherwise, she just goes back down after the untargetability period is done.
: E- Hecarim becomes ghosted for a period of time and gains bonus MS, 25%, with it ramping up to 75% over the next 4 seconds. He can dash over narrow terrain to reach his target, which knocks them back when he collides with them.
Ult- Hecarim dashes while summoning ghosts, and targets hit are feared for a brief time, then slowed, in addition to being damaged.
Hecarim actually has TWO dashes. His Ult and his E, and both have unique effects. His E is the first "Diving" ability that has a ramp-up time, as it works in-tandem with his passive. His Ult acts as a secondary form of CC, though its uses go beyond just that.
: Irelia dashes, healing herself in the process. Minions take increased damage. Using this on units that are marked or killed by this refresh its cool-down.
Irelia's bread-and-butter ability, enough marks or low-health units can have her dashing more times than a toddler on a sugar high.
: J4 extends his lance, dashing and knocking up targets in his path if it connects to his E.
J4 here only gets his dash if he's placed his E beforehand, and provided it connects. If one's aim is off, then no dash for our dear princeling. He also has a small "Dash" or Blink on his Ult, where he leaps unstoppably to the target.
: Kayn has two (One could technically say 3 with his Ult) dashes, on his Q and E. Q is the standard short-range, damage-dealer type dash, while E (Which was a subject of controversy during his PBE time) allows him to move through terrain and heal himself, but entering combat automatically ends it, whether by the Kayn himself, or an opponent's actions.
The path the Kayn player takes really determines whether he is a "Diver" or an "Slayer/Assassin". Doubling down on the "Slayer" aspects is what they reap with the Shadow Assassin form (As the name obviously states) while going the path of Rhaast cements more of the Diver/Fighter aspects. Some have even said that the Rhaast form dips into Juggernaut territory because of the sustain it grants. Feel free to discuss that among yourselves below in the comments.
: On his E, Kled dashes in the target direction, damaging all units in his path. However, unlike some others, this dash CANNOT cross terrain. On his Ult, he charges unstoppably to the selected area, gaining a shield as well as bonus movement speed along the way. Skaarl homes in on the first enemy champ encountered and knocks them back upon collision, dealing damage based on the distance traveled. Allies, if they choose to follow Kled's lead, gain the movement speed, but no additional effects beyond it.
Kled's is another standard damage-dash, on his E; while his Ult's dash allows him to automatically navigate terrain to reach his destination. It even has a "Supportive" effect with the free MS it grants to allies, should they follow him.
: Lee Sin has two dashes, on his Q (Second Cast) and W (Only to allies and Wards). If Lee's Q connects, he gains the dash portion, Resonating Strike. His W is the first dash that can only target allies or allied wards (Whether those are placed by Lee himself or an ally, it is the same). Some people compare his W to that of Jax's Q Jump and Katarina's E Blink. While Jax's jump can still target wards, Katarina's cannot. (She switched wards for Daggers in the Assassin Update)
Ahh, Lee Sin with his usual 1-2-3 combo (Q dash in, Flash or W behind, and R the target in the desired direction). Lee only gets his main dash (His Q) if the first cast connects with a unit (Be that a champion, minion, jungle monster, what have you), otherwise, kind of like J4, he's just wasted his time. Lee Sin's W USED to shield him when dashing to wards, but no longer does. The Shield is only granted when targeting himself, or an allied player, not a ward.
BREAK
Okay, that's 10 of the 20 down. You still with me? This is a long post, I know. Take a break. Make a sandwich, get your eyes checked from all these words you're having to read, whatever you want to do.
Insert cheeky intermission music here
When you're ready to continue, just scroll down.
_ ♪ Whoa... we're halfway there... ♪ _ (Got Bon Jovi on the brain)
WE NOW RETURN TO YOUR SCHEDULED PROGRAM
Let's get back into it!
: Ahh, Olaf. Used to be a Juggernaut, but back in the "Taking another look at Subclasses" post, he got lumped in with the Divers. His only "Dash" is the bonus MS he gets when moving towards nearby enemy champions. Perhaps a VGU might fix that, but for now, that's all he's got. (Yeah, kind of confuses me too. So does Skarner, but I'll elaborate on that when I get to him)
: Our resident Baker of the League, Pantheon's main dash comes from his W (Which also acts as his CC with the Stun). One COULD say it's more of a Jump, akin to Jax's Q, but it's not the same, because Jax, as noted above, can jump to wards and allied units in addition to an enemy one, while Pantheon is limited to enemies to target. It also procs his passive, but that's not what we're focusing on.
: Rekky here gets her dash while in her "Burrowed" state, along with the near-instantaneous one on her Ult. The dash on her E can be used if she has a "Tunnel", (One is created upon its activation) but initially doesn't require it, and she can traverse it again by targeting that same tunnel (The entrance on each end counts). Her Ult however, is one of the most powerful, and almost instantaneous dashes (I'd almost say it's more of a Blink than a Dash) in the game. She targets a champion, and burrows deep underground. About a second and a half later, she re-emerges somewhere near that target and dashes in their direction, damaging them IF she connects/collides with them.
Renekton (Was about to put Rekky again, silly me. I used to use the nickname for him before Rek'Sai came along) has two dashes, on ONE ability, his E. We all know how he uses it. Dash in with the first cast, W Stun, Q, then Dash out with the second cast. (Not mocking you Renekton players, it's just the typical way it's used based on my experience with the champ)
: Rengar, oh boy. His "Dash" only applies when in Brush or Camouflage, and is procced simply with AA's, and is not connected to any skill prerequisite for use. The more bursty aspects of his kit is what makes him more of a Slayer/Assassin (IMHO) than a Diver, as his E's CC only slows, or Roots if he has full Ferocity.
: Skarner. The scorpion with an identity crisis. First he was a Juggernaut, then a Vanguard, and now he's a Diver. Poor fella just can't make up his mind, I guess. In truth, he doesn't even HAVE a Dash; he gets Movement Speed from his Passive and W.
: Vi has two dashes, her Q (Range and distance covered depend on channeling time) and her Ult (Singles out a target and dashes unstoppably to them).
Vi often goes in with a fully-charged Q, does her combo (E, then W procced with third AA), Ult if needed, rinse and repeat. This isn't what happens EVERY time she goes in, but like Renekton, it's a pretty common method of doing things.
: ♪ Werewolves of London- I mean, League...♪ WW's got his Q and his Ult.
Q- Dashes and, if the button is held, LATCHES himself and swings around to the far-side of the target. He follows their movement, no matter what, and cannot be displaced while doing it. (Werewolf discovers simple trick to staying onto Squishes! ADC's HATE HIM!)
Ult- Leaps in the target direction, with the distance covered being longer the more Movement Speed he has at the time of activation. Upon colliding, he suppresses the target and deals damage, healing for all damage dealt and applying on-hit effects in the process.
: Wukong's dash comes from his E, Nimbus Strike. Uniquely, he creates two "images" that strike enemies near the primary target, being one of the "Multi-Targeting" dashes of the game. Often used in preparation for his Q, or Ult.
:♪ So pack up, go home, you're through...♪ Xin to Win here damages all units around in addition to the main target of his E Dash and marks them for his Ult's effects.
So there are all of the dashes! Whew! One aspect looked at and done!
Sustain
Unlike Juggernauts, Divers usually do not have any sustain/life-steal or healing effects to most of their abilities, with the exceptions of some like with his W, or (In Rhaast form) with the sustain from his Rhaast form passive, and with her Q. (I'm not listing all of them here, these are just examples) Most of their healing comes from life-steal granting items that their players may choose to build, rather than abilities/passives like with the Juggernauts.
Crowd Control
Many of the Divers have their main forms of crowd control tied to their Diving abilities, with it usually being in the form of a Slow, Stun, or a Displacement, or a Knock-Up, or something like that. But there are those that have more than just THOSE forms of CC, and we will go into them here.
: Along with the above-mentioned stun from her Dash E, Camille can also slow her opponents with the outer cone of her W, which heals her if it hits an enemy champion. (Thus giving her a form of sustain, though it is on the condition that she hits a champion or multiple champions)
: Diana draws those around her in 225 units, and then slows them for 2 seconds afterward.
: Elise only has access to this CC in her Human Form, and it is a skill-shot. She shoots out a glob of webbing that stuns the first unit hit.
: Another pseudo-skill-shot CC, her's is conditional that BOTH blades have to be placed in order for the Stun to work, and her intended target has to be between the two blades.
: Kayn's CC gains additional effects depending on the form the player chooses. In Shadow Assassin, it gains a small amount of range, and Kayn can move freely while a shade does the actual CC part for him. In Rhaast, it gains a knock-up effect that, based on the description, either replaces the slow, or is applied BEFORE the slow. (Actual Kayn players can most likely clarify this for me)
: Another Skill-shot CC, Kled has to remain within a certain distance for a time before the actual CC (A pull) applies, and then a slow is applied after the pull.
: Lee Sin can only apply his E's Slow if the first cast hits them, and his Ult knocks them back a distance. Units in the way of that kicked unit are knocked up for 1 second as well.
: Olaf has his Skill-Shot Q, with the power of the slow dependent on the distance the Axe traveled before colliding with the unit.
: Rek'Sai has a knock up/displacement on the "Unburrow" portion of her W, dependent on whether she is close to (Knock Up) or away (Displacement) from the unit.
: Renekton's point-and-click W Stun is either 0.75 seconds, or 1.5 if he is above 50 Fury.
: Rengar's Skill-Shot E either slows, or roots if he has Full Ferocity.
: Skarner here has two forms of CC on his E, and two MORE on his Ult! He first slows with his E, then if he can get an AA on them in the next 5 seconds, he stuns them. Then with his Ult, he briefly roots the target upon activation, and then suppresses for an additional few seconds! You see what I mean with him having an Identity Crisis? He has the MS Boosts of a Juggernaut (Thanks to the Juggernaut Update) more CC than usual (Thus explaining the brief time as a Vanguard) and no ACTUAL dashes in his kit. Maybe a VGU will fix that someday, but for now, that's all I'm writing on this fella, hoo boy.
: Vi has a knockback on her Q (If it connects) and a knock-up on her ult (Which is guaranteed to hit) and she knocks aside, or displaces, any units in her way to her intended target.
: WW has the fear on his E, and the above-mentioned suppress on his ult.
: Wukong's CC mainly consists of the knock-up his Ult grants when first hitting a unit.
: Xin has the knock-up on the third strike of his Q, the slow on the second thrust of his W, and the knock-back on his ult to all Non-"Challenged" units.
CONCLUSION
So there it is! The various differences between the Divers. I chose not to go into their ultimates too deeply, as unlike with the Juggernauts, the Divers ults are pretty distinctive from one another.
Juggernaut Analysis: https://boards.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/c/gameplay-balance/Btllf5Bp-drawing-parallels-in-juggernaut-kits
