Several Ways Riot Could Nerf Lee Sin

EndGamer11·1/18/2015, 12:44:18 AM·2 votes·1,353 views

In case Riot is not already aware, Lee Sin has been a problem for quite some time. This can be resolved in two ways: Lee being Nerfed (easy) or every weak jungler being brought up to his bar (hard). In this thread, we will be discussing the first method solely, because I do not have time for the second.

For Starters, Let's Use Some Buzzwords. Lee Sin has an overloaded kit. This creates toxicity, as no other jungler can complete with him. SOmething must be done in order to improve game clarity. I will discuss how to give Lee some unique strengths and weaknesses.

For Starters Lee Sin is listed as a Fighter/Assassin. What does this mean? He is tanky enough with some damage to survive decently long, and you can kill very quickly with high amounts of burst. Mmmhmm. Not a very clarifying description. How about we change that to Fighter/Tank, unless Riot decides to make him an Assassin/FIghter, which is different than what he is now.

To Change Lee Into A More Utility Based Champion For this instance, Lee will have a strength in Utility, but have more of a weakness in damage. His new kit:

**Sonic Wave ** RANGE: 1100 COST: 50 energy COOLDOWN: 11 / 10 / 9 / 8 / 7 Sonic Wave

Active: Lee Sin shoots a wave of sound in a line, dealing physical damage to the first enemy it hits and granting true sight of it for 3 seconds. If Sonic Wave hits, Lee Sin can cast Resonating Strike within the next 3 seconds.

Physical Damage: Decreased from 50 / 80 / 110 / 140 / 170 (+ 90% bonus AD) to 50 / 65 / 80 / 95 / 110 (+ 60% bonus AD)

REASON: As a more tanky character, Lee will need less damage, as he will mostly be using his newfound utility to aid his team.

**Resonating Strike ** RANGE: 1300 COST: 30 energy Resonating Strike

Active: Lee Sin dashes to the enemy marked by Sonic Wave, dealing physical damage.

Physical Damage: 50 / 65 / 80 / 95 / 110 (+ 60% bonus AD)

Reason: Gone is the absurd % health that so dominated tanks, allowing Lee to dominate Corki and Cho'gath alike, this ability retains some of its damage and the immense utility of being amidst the enemy team as an initiator.

Combined Damage: 100 / 130 / 160 / 190 / 220 (+ 120% bonus AD)

**Safeguard ** RANGE: 700 COST: 50 energy COOLDOWN: 14 Safeguard

Active: Lee Sin dashes to a target ally. If the ally is a champion, they and Lee Sin receive a shield that lasts 2 seconds and Safeguard's cooldown is halved. Lee Sin can activate Safeguard on himself to receive the shield, and can cast Iron Will within 3 seconds.

Shield: 40 / 80 / 120 / 160 / 200 (+ 6% Max HP) REASON: Now being a Tank, Lee needs some Tank scalings.

**Iron Will ** COST: 30 energy Iron Will

Active: For 4 seconds, Lee Sin and the ally the shielded gain bonus damage reduction.

Damage Reduction: 25% for Lee, 15% for the shielded ally Biggest change here. Now using his shield to protect an ally, Lee will have to make informed decisions to predict the enemy's attack strategy and shield accordingly. Using this ability to jump to wards or minions is now a setback defensively.

**Tempest ** RANGE: 350 COST: 50 energy COOLDOWN: 10

Active: Lee Sin smashes the ground, dealing magic damage to all nearby enemies and granting true sight of them for 4 seconds. If Tempest hits an enemy, Lee Sin can cast Cripple within the next 3 seconds.

Magic damage: 60 / 95 / 130 / 165 / 200 (+ 60% bonus AD) REASON: Small nerf to scaling.

**Cripple ** RANGE: 500 COST: 30 energy

Active: Lee Sin cripples all enemies within range that are marked by Tempest, reducing their movement speed for 4 seconds, decaying over the duration.

Slow: 30 / 37.5 / 45 / 52.5 / 60% REASON: small buff to the earlygame slow, to add some more utility in order to justify more of the damage nerfs

**Dragon's Rage ** RANGE: 275 COOLDOWN: 110 / 90 / 70

Active: Lee Sin launches a powerful roundhouse kick, dealing physical damage to a target champion and knocking it back 1400 units over 1 second. Enemies the target collides with take 75% damage and are knocked airborne for 1 second.

Physical damage: 150 / 300 / 450 (+ 15% max HP) REASON: Now this ability scales better with tank stats in general. A small range nerf to eliminate aggravating "ranged executes", and a cooldown increase to compensate for a knockback range increase and the useful scaling, this is now an excellent ability to start teamfights with.

This new version of Lee is focused around disrupting the enemy team with well-executed slows, knockups, and bodyblocks, while not overwhelming them with tons of damage. Allies can count on Lee to protect them with Safegaurd and Iron Will. The new Lee will have a slower clear than the old Lee, but will have a better slow for ganking early, damage reduction to prevent jungle damage, and will scale well into lategame.

HOWEVER, If Riot wants to make Lee into an Assassin, then I have a plan for that as well. This build will be a squishy mobile damage dealer, who will excel at sticking to one target, then escaping into the Jungle.

LET US BEGIN

**Sonic Wave ** RANGE: 1100 COST: 50 energy COOLDOWN: 11 / 10 / 9 / 8 / 7 Sonic Wave

Physical Damage: 50 / 80 / 110 / 140 / 170 (+ 90% bonus AD)

**Resonating Strike ** RANGE: 1300 COST: 30 energy Resonating Strike

Active: Lee Sin dashes to the enemy marked by Sonic Wave, dealing physical damage including 8% of the target's missing health. Minions and monsters take a maximum of 400 damage.

Physical Damage: 50 / 80 / 110 / 140 / 170 (+ 90% bonus AD) (+ 8% target's missing health)

Combined Damage: 100 / 160 / 220 / 280 / 340 (+ 180% bonus AD) (+ 8% target's missing health) REASON: Honestly, I did not change anything here. This ability is perfect for an assassin! CS ability early into a good mobility option late, the current bases and scalings are perfect for an assassin.

**Safeguard ** RANGE: 700 COST: 50 energy COOLDOWN: 14 Safeguard

Active: Lee Sin dashes to a target ally (DOES NOT INCLUDE WARDS). If the ally is a champion, they and Lee Sin receive a speed buff that lasts 2 seconds and Safeguard's cooldown is halved. Lee Sin can activate Safeguard on himself to receive the shield, and can cast Iron Will within 3 seconds.

Speed Boost: 10 / 20 / 30 / 40 / 50 REASON: AN assassin really does not need a shield. In the pursuit of enemies, a speed boost helps. This will be a good skirmishing tool, combined with Iron Will. The removal of ward-hopping forces Lee to use his Q to initiate.

**Iron Will ** COST: 30 energy

Active: For 4 seconds, Lee Sin gains bonus Attack Damage.

Life steal & spell vamp: 10 / 15 / 20 / 25 / 30 REASON: For a quick burst of amplified damage, this ability does the trick. Used best with an allied champion to halve the cooldown, this helps Lee to get his enemies low.

**Tempest ** RANGE: 350 COST: 50 energy COOLDOWN: 10 Tempest

Active: Lee Sin smashes the ground, dealing magic damage. If Tempest hits an enemy, Lee Sin can cast Cripple within the next 3 seconds.

Magic damage: 60 / 95 / 130 / 165 / 200 (+ 100% bonus AD)

REASON: No changes on this half of the ability besides the removal of sight. Remember, damage over utility.

**Cripple ** RANGE: 500 COST: 30 energy Cripple

Active: Lee Sin cripples all enemies within range that are marked by Tempest, reducing their defenses for 4 seconds, decaying over the duration.

Armor Reduction: 5 / 10 / 15 / 20 / 25% Reason: Assassins should not have CC to this extent. Already providing some magic damage, this ability's double-tap is used to reduce an enemy's defenses for the final blow.

Ability Details Dragon's Rage RANGE: 375 COOLDOWN: 120 / 110 / 100 Dragon's Rage

Active: Lee Sin launches a powerful roundhouse kick, dealing physical damage to a target champion and knocking it back 600 units over .5 second. Enemies the target collides with take half damage and are knocked airborne for 1 second.

Physical damage: 200 / 400 / 600 (+ 200% bonus AD)

REASON: HIKUUUUU is the last sound Lee's enemies will hear as they are removed from the map. Sporting a smaller kick distance, this roundhouse is in for the power, not the disruption.

Assassin Lee Sin is now a true assassin with clear strengths and weaknesses. His strengths lie in his high ability damage: his weakness in his lack of CC and utility, made up for by his enormous ability damage and offensive buffs. A deadly killer who can be shut down by team effort.

And so ends my proposed reworks, intended to clarify Lee's position in the game. Solid strengths and weaknesses in each kit in order to bring balance to the Blind Monk. In case you scrolled to the bottom for a TL:DR, I really cannot summarize the changes besides saying the first one is low-damage and high utility, while the second is the opposite.

Leave your thoughts below, and maybe respond to the poll.