63 Comments
The problem isn't so much with the concept of nerfing champions to balance them, but rather that Riot doesn't execute it properly. Champions ends up in an OP - UP - Underplayed - OP cycle. (ie. Talon)
Even worse, besides some of the LCS Big Plays champions, anyone that Riot nerfs will most often end up being below average in his/her respective category. Early in the video, Pawnce described how buffing other champions to a higher power level can create more problematic champions; well, the same applies when we nerf them.
The most famous example is Zed. Zed wasn't among the top contenders in mid lane, let alone the entire game until all his competition was nerfed into oblivion. LB, Kass, Ahri and Talon all had much better combos than Zed before Riot brought out the nerf hammer. By gradually lowering the power budget of champions through nerfs, previously "balanced" champions becomes unbalanced not because they are better, but rather because that everyone else is now terrible.
The argument against buffing other champions only works if the particular OP champion in question is miles ahead of the rooster. (ie. LB or Kass) Otherwise, if the difference is marginal, nerfing him/her will only have another take its place as the best champion.
Azir isn't even the best mid laner. Nerfing him just shoehorns people into even better champions such as Zed or Orianna for mid lane.
No one is advocating that Riot should only buff champions to balance them, but rather to just stop with the nerfs.
Poor video as it overtly over generalize his theory by the extreme. He assumes that we want everybody to be OP like Azir, which is literally not the case. We want champions to get buffed IN COMPENSATION for their lack of utility and mobility. By nerfing everyone, you are letting champions that have superior utilities prevail in every way shape and form. By buffing them, you are letting champions be on equal footing but having a certain characteristic or abilities that stands from the rest. Having that said ability desirable.
There is a reason why that around 30% of the champion pool gets selected consistently in the pro scene.
The result of nerfing becomes this: Why would I pick X champion (Shen, Ashe, Xin, Taric, Lux) when Y champion (Sion, Jinx, J4, Leona, Xereth) does his job but better?
I was expecting bitching and complaining, but this guy links a video to a guy who actually knows what he's talking about when it comes to balancing.
Riot giving out massively mix signals
"Zed is healthy assassin" "Zed reign of terror will end in nerfs"
Either way, one massive issue pawnce didn't mention is what happens when they buff someone and instead of bringing them to the level they desired. The champion ends up WAY stronger than they thought it would be
Recent example - Ahri
Take that DOTA.
Riot nerfs things that are too strong. That's fine, even though they like to ignore certain
champions 
completely. That's part of balancing a game. At the same time however, we have champions on the opposite end of the spectrum. Those that just can't keep up with even the most balanced members of League's roster (
). I understand the fear of power creep, but it would be nice to just once have something done for the weaker champions in the game. Riot doesn't have a Nerfing Team, they have a Balance team, and a scale has two sides. You can't just throw everything onto one without taking into account what's on the other.
that was a waste of my 15-to 30seconds that i skipped through with. he obviously plays zed.. and has a prob with azir.. who can outplay zed.
70% of people that complain about Azir dont actually know how hard of a champ he is and haven't ever played him.
Great video, wish more people understood this.
The main reason this kind of thinking came up was from Zed, who is actually a balanced champion, but has only become ridiculously OP because everyone around him got nerfed. They've already invested the resources to nerf all those opposed to him and are currently investing the resources to nerf all those in his class (mass assassin nerf so far this season). You can't really make the argument that Riot can't invest the resources to balance everyone up, when they have already invested the resources mass balancing everyone down.
They've proven that they have the resources to balance entire classes all at once, going down. They for certain have the resources to do the same going up.
Yeah, Pawnce is pretty reasonable.
Who is Pawnce ?
So am I the only person who feels like Zilean's 5.4 changes are going to make him a top pick/ ban? The speed of his Q combined with the stun range just isn't fair. Not to mention the 60 ULT CD at max lvl... How fucking dumb is that? It was already annoying enough every 3min, now you can activate it just to suicide at Baron and regain health overall...
The major problem people have with Riot's balance philosophy is not that OP picks are nerfed, it's that they are overnerfed and forgotten about.
Remember Diana being picked in competitive games?
Riot does not balance well.
Even worse, they are content leaving clearly underwhelming champions in such a state. And I'm not talking about the unhealthy champions they want to rework. I'm talking about those older immobile champions that simply cannot keep up in today's overly mobile LoL.
They say mobility champions should pay for their mobility in their power budget, but CLEARLY they don't. Not enough, anyway. If they did, LCS spectators would not lose their shit when Malzahar is picked. LCS casters would not laugh and think the players are trolling when they hover over Brand. LCS analysts would not blame a loss on mid lane picks when Anivia is played.
Malz is my main champ,he does need buff he is useless with his r,but i learned to work with him:)
Confirmed, Croxigor are Jorgan the new champions.
Azir is OP....really!? Look at these morons that come and play him. hmmmm someone is biased.