Suggestion: How to Nerf Zoe Properly
First up, the miniature CD nerf on the Q is not addressing the issue with Zoe.
I suggest reducing the length of the sleep, and maybe reduce the length of the drowsy period very slightly.
The goal of this nerf is to force Zoe to use her abilities in a more interactive manner. As it is, Zoe can simply fish for sleeps, and react to hitting one by ulting away, throwing the paddle star back, and then chunking the sleeping target.
By reducing the length of the sleep to a certain point, Zoe is then faced with two options:
- Zoe can ult back, set up the paddle star, then go for the sleep, and after hitting the sleep, hit them with the paddle star.
OR
- Zoe can fish for the sleep, and then simply hit them with the paddle star by shooting it straight at them, instead of throwing it back and redirecting it.
The first option is much healthier than the current iteration because, by forcing Zoe to set up her paddle star first, upon getting hit by the trouble bubble, the target knows where the paddle will be coming from, and then has a chance to reposition to put something (like a minion) in the way. This differs from live, in which the target gets slept, and Zoe can position the paddle wherever she wishes to, based reactively on where the target is after getting slept.
The second option is also much healthier than live. While the overall pattern of play of fishing for sleeps and then chunking remains the same, the reduced sleep length will prevent Zoe from doing max paddle damage.
What Zoe should no longer be able to do is have enough time to hit the sleep, ult back, set up the paddle, and then redirect it.
While this does not solve the issue of Zoe's paddle star one shotting champions without hitting the sleep, it will force a more interactive combo game from Zoe.
If there's something I've completely overlooked, be sure to let me know in the comments.
