What if... (Brainstorm of tweaks for every champion)
tl;dr I challenged myself to come up with a small change idea for every champion in the game. Some are good, some are meh and some may be bad. Tell me what you think! (This includes ripping me apart on some). This is just a branstorm, I don't expect everything here to be a golden or novel idea.
#Personal favorites (Because it's a long list and your time will be valuably wasted elsewhere.)
Anivia could reactivate her W to shatter her wall (ala J4) to do an AoE slow around it? (Little to no damage itself, and could not be double-cast immediately)
Braum could reactivate his W to do a ‘shield bash’ short range move that did damage based on how much damage he absorbed and applied his passive? But to trade off the reactivation costs mana again. (As in not using it saves mana)
Kassadin’s ultimate had reduced cooldown based on distance traveled? (i.e. short tele would mean shorter-than-current cd, whereas max range would be longer-than-current cd.)
Kennen’s on-auto W passive got reset every time someone gets hit with three stacks of his passive?
MF got stacks of her passive back by doing damage to champions?
Nami’s Ebb and Flow does more damage/heals more when hitting bubbled targets?
Orianna E traded some damage for the ability to ‘steal’ additional armor/MR from enemy champions hit?
Shaco automatically places a box when he ults?
Taric’s W snared/slowed? But his E was an auto-augment and not ranged anymore? (Hammertime!)
Yasuo’s knock-up was instead using his Q through his windwall? (As in his Q did not build up to his knock-up) This would mean he could use it concurrently in a short time but also means he would have to use his W offensively. Combined with the long cooldown of W he would have much more intuitive weakpoints.
Ziggs could scatter his minefield (E) with his satchel charge? Creating a very large scattered AoE, but the mines are instantly set-off.
#What if....
Aatrox had a temporary attack speed boost for the next 3 hits anytime he switched between his W stances, similar to Jayce? But anytime he switched his W stack count reset?
Ahri gained a smaller, flat MS boost as long as her orb stayed ‘deployed’ and the player could hold the orb at the end of it’s range by holding down Q, at the cost of mana per second? If she ran out of range the orb would return normally. Imagine her being able to ‘orbit’ her Q orb, effectively.
Akali’s twilight shroud was the ability that had reset charges and her ult’s CD was reduced every time she stealthed?
Alistar’s passive was moved to his ult and buffed heavily, and his ult’s tenacity was reduced and moved to an on-ability-cast passive?
Amumu was refunded a portion of his mana if a target affected by his tears dies? Double for champs?
Anivia could reactivate her W to shatter her wall (ala J4) to do an AoE slow around it? (Little to no damage itself, and could not be double-cast immediately)
Annie’s ult (Tibbers) duration was extended or shortened depending on how close they were. (i.e. 1.5x longer than live if they’re within hugging distance but 0.5x duration if at max range)
Ashe’s Hawkshot granted true sight in it’s explosion radius? But while it was on cd the gold passive is gone?
Azir’s soldiers had an extended duration when within the range of a turret from his passive? (Trade-off for reduced turret damage or health)
Blitzcrank’s W had a buff where every auto attack during it would decrease the cooldown of his E?
Brand’s auto attacks could consume his passive on a target for the remaining tic damage plus a bonus? (But at the cost of comboing)
Braum could reactivate his W to do a ‘shield bash’ short range move that did damage based on how much damage he absorbed and applied his passive? But to trade off the reactivation costs mana again. (As in not using it saves mana)
Caitlyn could only place up to 2 traps, but got a movement speed boost towards trapped targets? “The game is afoot!” buff, I can see it now….
Cassiopeia had her ult stun no matter what orientation but for a smaller time and shorter range?
Cho’gath Q leaped to a selected enemy champion while still knocking up? Psuedo selected, as in he’ll leap to the area in question but requires an enemy champion to target first.
Corki W had half range when running away from a champion (Vayne passive mechanic), but have an overall reduced cooldown?
Darius traded his armor pen for the ability to inflict up to 10 bleed stacks, with his max bleed (10 stacks) DoT and ult damage being 1.5x the current live max (5 stacks) and the scaling adjusted accordingly.
Diana’s E and R were switched (former R still retaining the Q reset mechanic) and their power adjusted accordingly? (A lot of people want this, not my idea)
Dr.Mundo traded his passive in for a passive “on damage by self or champion, regenerate X% max health over 2 secs” (no stacks, only refresh)?
Draven’s ult did a noticeably larger amount of damage after a set distance (ala Jinx ult), but had a global sound cue (ala Rek’sai, Sion)
Elise could send out her Web-Shot while rappelled? Because, you know, spider.
Evelynn’s W activation let out a sinister local area laugh?
Ezreal’s Ultimate ramped up with distance like every other global missile ult? How about a width increase with distance? Or possibly reverse (but with more damage)?
Fiddlestick’s ultimate traded base damage for a small MS boost while ulting?
Fiora traded her magic damage on her W for a short % bonus armor pen de-buff on riposte’d targets?
Fizz’s ultimate traded minion collision = true for much faster projectile speed?
Galio’s Q was an auto attack augment instead of ranged and got a large buff to his E as well for the gap closer?
Gangplank’s ultimate traded the AoE slow for stacks of his passive on targets hit with a cannonball?
Garen’s Ultimate had it’s cd reduced if it doesn’t kill the target? As an antithesis to Darius?
Gnar’s transform from small to big knocks back very slightly to very close by enemies (think trundle pole)
Graves had a visual indication when his passive is at full stacks?
Hecarim left a trail similar to Elixir of Iron with his E so his team can almost catch up when he initiates?
Heimerdinger’s passive generated additional Beam charge build-up instead of health regen? (Just to the turrets I mean)
Irelia’s ultimate granted a shield instead of health return on her W, but more value per hit?
Janna’s Q had a direction indicator for her team only?
Jarvan W slowed for a certain amount divided among how many champion he hits? (i.e. hit 1 slow a lot shield little. Hits a lot slow little, shields a lot.)
Jax E traded the damage build-up for a reduced CD to his his Q for every basic attack dodged? (Champions only)
Jayce’s Melee W slowed and dealt more damage, but he was rooted as he channeled it?
Jinx had unique taunts against targets she hits past a certain range with her Zap? (i.e. TAG, you’re it!)
Kalista’s leap range was based on her current movespeed (buffs and slows included). (similar ideas have been said)
Karma’s W tethered her target to the nearest allied champion (which could still be her) in exchange for root duration or longer time-til-root?
Karthus’s E slowed projectile speed of shots that passed through?
Kassadin’s ultimate had reduced cooldown based on distance traveled? (i.e. short tele would mean shorter-than-current cd, whereas max range would be longer-than-current cd.)
Katarina’s Grievous Wounds was moved from her ultimate to her W?
Kayle’s melee range auto attacks gave her mana back? (Whereas he E active would not)
Kennen’s on-auto W passive got reset every time someone gets hit with three stacks of his passive?
Kha’zix’s evolved W could be channeled (ala Varus, Vi) to bring the spikes closer together as it was charged? (i.e. full charge would fire all 3 spikes directly forward.)
Kog’maw ultimate got some portion of mana back if it hits the same target concurrently?
LeBlanc’s blink damage was divided to both her entrance and exit. (i.e. she blinks and does damage to an AoE at her point A and her point B, and she does so again blinking back.) Naturally the damage would need to be knocked down a peg or two but that would mean she could do damage juking as well, but be more vulnerable as she wouldn't be able to blink in and out immediately.
Lee Sin’s abilities all cost energy and not just the second cast? (i.e. Q1 costs 15 energy and Q2 costs 20 energy, live is 30 on Q2.)
Leona passive could stack? With the trade off of diminishing returns for more stacks?
Lissandra’s W would snare for longer the closer she was to a target..
Lucian’s W spun while it traveled, and can be detonated early?
Lulu’s E could be recast to return to Lulu early, but for the same mana cost?
Lux W reveals areas along it’s path?
Malphite’s ult does more damage if his passive is up?
Malzahar’s W does scaling damage? (i.e. less damage than live on the first tick, but the longer they stay in it it the more damage each tick does. Can be done through MR reduction instead of straight damage amplification.)
Maokai’s passive proccing also reduces his sapling’s cd slightly?
Master Yi traded his ult’s slow immunity for a longer cast range on his Q while his ult is up?
MF got stacks of her passive back by doing damage to champions?
Morde’s ult consumed his current shield value for bonus damage, but sacrificing his defense.
Morg W could extend the duration of either her W or her ult snare, but her Q snared for less time (the difference)?
Nami’s Ebb and Flow does more damage/heals more when hitting bubbled targets?
Nasus got 1 stack every time he auto-ed a withered target?
Nautilus passive internal cooldown on champions was increased but instead of just snaring them he also pulled them a little closer?
Nidalee’s transform was similar to Gnar’s at full rage? Where when the R is activated the transform does not happen until the next ability cast?
Nocturne’s ult also stealthed him until he hit? A little extra ‘jump’ to his jumpscare.
Nunu could still throw unlimited snowballs while channeling his ultimate? (internal cooldown of something like 1-
0.5 secs or so)
Olaf instead received a stacking on-hit shield instead of additional healing during his W active? The shield in question not timing out until he is out of combat, but the additional shielding from concurrent hits being over once the effect is over.
Orianna E traded some damage for the ability to ‘steal’ additional armor/MR from enemy champions hit?
Pantheon’s Q was a skillshot and it’s power adjusted accordingly? Scary thought actually….
Poppy’s W passive replaced her current passive, was buffed and moved to “on-ability-cast” and stacked for a very short duration? Meaning she could have a lot of mitigation for ~ 2 sec if she spammed everything or longer but less potent mitigation if she kept a pace.
Quinn could sneak in a single auto attack during vault? Just before the guaranteed W passive.
Rammus’s ult traded a good bit of damage for a 0.25 sec root with every pulse?
Rek’sai players got an auto Alert ping (similar to the ult’s auto “on my way” ping with his ult) anytime someone destroyed her tunnels?
Renekton traded his armor pen on his rage E for a mark on all champions hit that can be consumed with concurrent damage for a boost to his rage?
Rengar got an additional speed boost during his ult when he moves through bushes, but “rustles” the brush he passes through.
Riven’s shield was also based on how many nearby, visible enemy champion there were? (i.e. 75% of current with one person, 50% of current for every additional person) Lessens her dueling potential but increases her teamfight survivability.
Rumble’s auto’s decreased his heat by a small amount, and his autos did magic damage based on his current heat level? (In other words have his ‘overheat’ effect before he overheats but on much smaller scale.)
Ryze snare was an AoE placement, but it only snared the champion closest to the center? (Think new Zilean bomb)
Sejuani W gained effect radius for every enemy champion hit by her E?
Shaco automatically places a box when he ults?
Shen’s ult teleport happened sooner the more his shielded ally takes hits? Traded for a longer overall channel.
Shyvana gained 100% Tenacity during her ult ‘flight’? meaning she could still be knocked up and knocked back but not silenced, slowed, blinded or stunned until she landed.
Singed’s W ‘s cooldown was lowered for every champion poisoned by his Q in exchange for a higher base cooldown?
Sion only gained attack speed per level and any bonus AS got converted to more AD?
Sivir got a proc on her passive if her W hits a champion?
Skarner could extend his slow on a target by autoing them, similar to Shyvana W (up to a certain amount of extension)?
Sona’s passive could also be consumed to cast her next non-ult spell for free instead of a powerchord? (This would consume the on-auto powerchord)
Soraka traded some of her Q health return for increased % effectiveness of healing from other sources based on her W level?
Swain’s W could be re-activated early, but for a noticeably shorter snare depending on how long it was left to itself?
Syndra’s spheres last longer the closer they are to her?
Talon’s E had an on-kill/assist reset? (No stacking)
Taric’s W snared/slowed? But his E was an auto-augment and not ranged anymore?
Teemo’s shrooms lasted a shorter duration but they got a reduced cooldown while he was stealthed? (i.e. he can build up more shrooms faster the more he sat around stealthed)
Thresh’s E passive damage stack reset if it killed the target? (minions included)
Tristana’s Q was a higher bonus but limited to a specific number of hits?
Trundle’s Q was a club bash instead of a bite ( so the weapon is stealing the AD not him ) and if it hits his pillar the pillar shatters for a larger but less effective slow and damage?
Tryndamere’s W slowed no matter the orientation but gave him a small flat amount of rage per target hit instead of decreasing AD?
Twisted Fate’s Q can be channeled (ala Vi Q) to decrease width of the shot, up to a straight line skill shot with all 3? The mana cost would increase for the longer it’s channeled (to prevent another Nid spear situation)
Twitch’s ult also increase his E cast range for the duration?
Udyr’s W gave mana back on hit while the shield lasted?
Urgot’s ult was instead an ability available at lvl 1 and was “While toggled on, Urgot’s Q returns health on hit, but costs additional mana.”
Varus’s Q charged faster the more attack speed he had? (works with passive)
Vayne’s W was switched to % current health true damage but gave her an MS boost every time it procced?
Veigar's W prevented outside vision while inside? (Large Graves smokescreen)
Vel’koz received a small amount of mana back everytime his passive procced?
Vi’s ult deals more damage the more people she shoved aside during the chase portion?
Viktor got a range increase to his Q instead of the MS boost? Or maybe a smaller version of both?
Vladamir’s Q health return was a HoT and not instant?
Volibear’s Q had scaling bonuses to his movement speed buff with levels in his Q. In other words, smaller boost early (level 1 Q) bigger boost later (level 5 Q).
Warwick’s base ult range was decreased (below live values), but increased (beyond live values) if the target had blood scent? (Meaning he couldn’t initiate as easily but could dive on hurt, squishy targets easier)
WuKong’s decoy damage also applied a X% (thinking ~10%) increased damage from WuKong to monsters only. This includes smite for well timed decoy-assisted epic monster steals.
Xerath’s ult shots had a similar targeting as his W? (Additional damage slow at center, less at rim)
Xin Zhao’s ult stuns for a short duration for anyone knocked back into terrain? (prevents knock backs over walls)
Yasuo’s knock-up was instead using his Q through his windwall? (As in his Q did not build up to his knock-up) This would mean he could use it concurrently in a short time but also means he would have to use his W offensively. Combined with the long cooldown of W he would have much more intuitive weakpoints.
Yorick’s abilities cost health instead of mana, and the cost increased multiplicatively with how many ghouls he had out?
Zac’s passive blobs could be stepped on by enemies and destroyed (think Zyra seedlings) but in exchange they get slowed and revealed? (no damage)
Zed’s shadows had a much shorter duration under towers?
Ziggs could scatter his minefield (E) with his satchel charge? Creating a very large scattered AoE, but the mines are instantly set-off.
Zilean’s Q instead work off of a charge system (think Vel’koz W) and his rewind was instead an empowerment mechanic. Empowered Q would go off faster (good for second bombs), empowered E would be an AoE and empowered R would last longer.
Zyra’s plants lasted based on their health, so if they’re left alone they last a while but if they’re used in the middle of a fight they’ll time out very quickly if they’re not killed already.
