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Why are they giving Ryze a skillshot?

Hey Im Will·3/5/2015, 8:48:37 PM·6 votes·3,535 views
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Essentially, we want to increase the highs and lows when Ryze is in a scrap - bigger wins when he’s skillful, as well as better opportunities for his opponents to interact with his gameplay. To do that, we have to build more unreliability into his kit. Skillshots are one way to do that, with his Q the obvious candidate to become a skillshot in return for longer range. We do like Ryze’s brand of close-range mastery, so rather than turn everything into skillshots we’re building clearer power/timing windows into the rest of his kit.

-RiotRepertoir

To that statement I must say this: Ryze is a champion that is played by people almost SOLELY for his reliability. If you're having a bad day with hitting skillshots, or if you're just looking to leave skill out of the equation (to a certain extent) and focus more on strategy, then you might want to play something more reliable along the lines of a Ryze or an Alistar or a Vayne, champions that don't have skillshots but can have kits that allow them to outplay in some situations by timing and positioning.

With that said, giving Ryze a skillshot completely changes his identity. Taking his reliability, and making it less so is just defeating what Ryze is - a reliable champion. Why does every champion in this game need a skillshot all the sudden? Why can't you leave Ryze's Q alone? He's been played that way now for around 5 years and only recently was there any issue with him being too OP and bullying people out of lane. (He was OP before that of course but the recent issues that eventually got patched in late Season 4 were what has started this discussion)

What I'm saying is that giving Ryze a skillshot isn't just a slight change or balance, it is a complete OVERHAUL of his identity in League. Right now, I think Ryze is fine where he is. He has a weak early game with a strong late game. In short, he's balanced. There's no need for drastic change.

Please don't give him a skillshot.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it"

33 Comments

AnonTwo3/5/2015, 8:59:56 PM4 votes

If they can't do #LCS plays they're unfit for League -Riot

Champions with no skillshots are notoriously boring, and may be difficult to counter sometimes; simply not as fun for either side.

You may be able to argue unfun to face, but who are you to decide a champion isn't fun to play as?

I doubt the OP would be concerned about Ryze if he didn't have fun playing him.

Chaotic Reks3/5/2015, 10:20:39 PM3 votes

i think all the point and click close range is what makes ryze, ryze. to me, his identity as a beginner mage champ, is to have his reliability. i think he should keep his point and click and damage, but increase the cooldowns so his passive gives more use and reduce his tankiness so he can't just stand there while you try to hack away at him. he also has very clear weaknesses, even being point and click; his ult is his only form of mobility (really just a very weak summoner 6 but i digress). anyway, this is just my 2 cents

NorthernDruid3/6/2015, 12:52:46 AM3 votes

See, I don't think Ryze getting a skillshot is gonna be problematic.

I think Ryze getting six skillshots is gonna be problematic.

Which is what they're doing to his full combo if they skillshotify his Q.

It baffles me that the ability which is the foundation for Ryze's playstyle, his spammable targeted nuke, that he can use both to safely and reliably farm and to keep his combo going, is the one they view as the obvious candidate for changing into something completely different.

I need that ability to last-hit dammit.

At least I'll still be able to charge my tear with it.

Now, the obvious thing to do as far as I can see, is to move some power from his Q into his E, and then make his E require some skill to pull enough damage out of. (whether it be at aiming skillshots or a reactivation ability requiring skill to get the most out of, I don't really care about the details even though I can think of multiple cool ideas) In particular, I figure if it's a skillshot which can be tricky to land, he can get some decisionmaking into his combo, having to pick between an extra Q and a guaranteed hit with his E, and then making that a tough decision, even when your E is at lvl 1 and your Q is at lvl 5.

tl;dr: make his E a skillshot, not his Q. And then move enough of the mana/AP scaling from his Q to his E that you might not wanna risk missing your E to get another Q in.

And don't make his Q a skillshot, because it'll make farming a pain and give him six individual skillshots in his combo.

Solidair33/5/2015, 9:48:34 PM2 votes

Listen. It's skillshot and viability or all targeted skills and he's trash.

Take your pick there are no other options.

SmokingPuffin3/5/2015, 9:24:43 PM2 votes

Ryze is a champion that is played by people almost SOLELY for his reliability.

Then we've gotta find a better reason for players to want to play Ryze. "Because he always works" is impossible to work with from a balance standpoint.

Duke Anax3/5/2015, 9:03:12 PM2 votes

It's nice that you mention Alistar, because his headbut is actually a reverse skillshot.

while his WQ is a nice reliable dash and lockdown, his even more powerfull QW needs to be done really carefully.

So while AListar is quite reliable, that skillshot element brings something extra. I hope "Ryze needs a skillshot" will end something along that as well.

Deep Terror Nami3/5/2015, 8:53:34 PM2 votes

Champions with no skillshots are notoriously boring, and may be difficult to counter sometimes; simply not as fun for either side.

Centuros3/5/2015, 10:13:28 PM1 votes

Ryze's problem is, with his passive and all of his skills being targeted, his gameplay is LITERALLY "put your cursor over the enemy and mash your buttons as fast as possible"

Meep Man3/5/2015, 9:20:08 PM1 votes

Because with Ryze he either can't hit you or completely obliterates you, which is entirely dictated by if you are in range or not. Adding a skill shot will actually help Ryze in his currently weaker match ups since it will undoubtably have more range.

Hey Im Will3/5/2015, 9:13:50 PM1 votes

The consensus it seems is that Ryze should definitely get a skillshot, but there really hasn't been any explanation as to why a skillshot is needed. Could anyone fill me in? I have given several reasons for why he shouldn't have a skillshot, and I don't quite understand why people are in disagreement with what I'm saying. Anyone care to fill me in?