Are the new Jungle Buffs a nerf to Shaco/Wukong/LeBlanc?

DrCyanide··1 votes·590 views

Before hand we had three buffs to identify the real champion from the clone:

  • Blue buff
  • Red buff
  • Baron buff

Now we have a whole lot more buffs to give away the real thing from the fake:

  • Blue buff
  • Red buff
  • Baron buff
  • Dragon buff (visibile starting at 1 dragon, growing more visible with each dragon)
  • Gromp (frog) buff
  • Razorbeaks (chickens) buff
  • Krugs (stone-guys-that-aren't-Blue) buff
  • Inner Tower Shield

Before there were 3 "nessisary evils", but now there are 8. Are these junglers just suppose to ignore the dragon so they can use their clones effectively? Should they just give up on deception all together? LeBlanc is also effected by the Dragon buff, should "the Deceiver" give up on deceiving others?

There are a few possible actions that could be taken:

  1. Give the clones copies of the buffs.
  2. Give the clones shadow copies of the buffs. These would visually look like the clone has a buff, but there would be no effects applied by the clones.
  3. Ignore the problem.

A few things to consider with each one:

  1. Shaco loves this idea, since his clone is the most active. LeBlanc comes in second place, since even though it does no damage it is auto attacking, so it could apply Red buff (others too, but she doesn't really jungle). Wukong takes last place, since Gromp is the only one he can apply. This could be ballanced a bit by having the timer for the buff burn twice as fast while the clone is active, which would punish Wukong the least and Shaco the most.
  2. There's no buff or nerf here to any of these champs damage, simply a way to deceive the enemy.
  3. Doesn't help the problem or assumes this is not a problem for these champions.

I want to hear some feedback, by the comunity and anyone at Riot who feels like joining.

4 Comments

Seth Lightheart2 votes

I love shaco. I love the clown with all my heart and soul. With that said if the buffs were copied or looked the same he would be way too freaking strong. The clones make you hesitate for a second and that is as long as it should be.... and besides I don't use the clone as "guess which one is real" I use them as bait, to help me get away, to boost damage, to punish AOE, and most importantly, to dodge ults and other skill shots.

femmé1 votes

wukong not so much since his clone stands still. but shaco would be impossible to kill if you couldn't tell which is which. You would just have to get lucky on the one you go on.

DrCyanide1 votes

You could still tell if he used an ability or potion, but this is a valid point. It's up to Shaco to give himself away. If the buffs were a fake you could tell by only getting hit by one or the other.

But what about the others? LeBlanc and Wukong have clones that specialize in letting them escape rather than fight. Should Shaco be an exception (staying as is) while the other two get real/fake buffs?

femmé1 votes

leblanc's clone is to confuse you and the best wukongs pretty much use the clone as a meat shield. this would really only affect shaco since it's pretty easy to tell an lb clone from the real deal.

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