Vel'Koz got buffed (slightly)

Lowvyr·Aug 6, 2015·13 votes·1,176 views

Vel'Koz

Plasma Fission (Q) range after missile splits range increased to 1100 from 900
Plasma Fission (Q) reactivation time lowered to .25 from .3

His reign of never having a buff or nerf is over

15 Comments

kJsAug 6, 20152 votes

He needed it badly. Xerath does his job except better and more consistently.

AtheosisXAug 6, 20158 votes

Meh. Vel'Koz's ult is way stronger in team fights. Xerath snipes people with his ult. I prefer Vel'Koz.

kJsAug 6, 20151 votes

His ultimate needs really good positioning and for your team to cover you back (CC anyone trying to get to you). Personally, I never find landing his full ultimate easy so I feel like its damage is a little bit underwhelming even with those passive procs. By comparison Xerath's ultimate is not as cool or amazing but is to dish out finishing damage or steal buffs or discourage the enemy team from going in.

AtheosisXAug 6, 20152 votes

Huh, I've never felt like his ult damage is at all underwhelming. Do you wait until partway through the teamfight to pop it? If you pop it earlier than that bad things tend to happen.

kJsAug 6, 20152 votes

No. I tend to maximise his passive stacks with his non-ultimate abilities before i finish them off with his ultimate, most optimum way to use it.

The teamfights are always focussed on taking me down as a carry. If I'm unlucky I get a jungler or top laner than can't peel for me. Other times the tanks don't consider peeling for me so positioning myself for an optimized ultimate is really hard.

tbh, I don't play Vel'Koz very much anymore. My first game I went like 11-8-9 or something similar, against a Lulu (In hindsight I think she was lagging or something). Games nowadays have Ahris, Zeds, Talons, Ekkos or Yasuos who are really good at dodging my Qs and baiting my Es. Most of the time I hardly land any of the abilities, even worse when the team composition of the enemy team is way better than ours so I get zero breathing space to position properly.

I just find that Xerath has a much easier time than Vel'Koz because of his easier to apply CC linear skillshot stun, almost instant overhead W, and non-projectile Q. Vel'Koz's Q is like a softer Xerath E. Vel'Koz W is like a Xerath Q except competent players will easily dodge it after dodging Q. Vel'Koz E is like a stronger Xerath W except its effects don't last as long and the ability takes longer to land because it's comparatively slower.

Being a long range mage is just easier as Xerath for me. Nowadays though I just play Malzahar because he's easier to be safe with and can hold out a 1v1 against assassins with his ultimate.

FadedpfAug 6, 20152 votes

Well his Q was kinda sucky

LowvyrAug 6, 20151 votes

{quoted}

Well his Q was kinda sucky

I still can't believe it though... today is the day.... his reign is over..

RecuroAug 6, 20152 votes

If I remember correctly, he has actually received buffs, but only to things like ranges and cast times, never to damage, cc or cooldowns. I don't think this really counts as much of a buff as much as it is quality control stuff. Okay technically the range increase is a buff but Vel is still the most balanced champion ever in my heart.

BorblandAug 6, 20152 votes

Vel'Koz is fine, but a little buff doesnt hurt him.

His Q was pretty clunky, that helps him to hit it a bit more.

SohleksAug 6, 20151 votes

This is like the teeniest change ever. How often are max range Q splits gonna hit.

Not that I mind. I think Vel'Koz is in an alright place.

Reactivation time lowered tho? What does that mean here? Does the split occur faster because if so that's very nice actually.

LowvyrAug 6, 20151 votes

{quoted}

This is like the teeniest change ever. How often are max range Q splits gonna hit.

Not that I mind. I think Vel'Koz is in an alright place.

Reactivation time lowered tho? What does that mean here? Does the split occur faster because if so that's very nice actually.

It means that you can reactivate faster to force split it quicker.

manbearswineAug 6, 20151 votes

{quoted}

It means that you can reactivate faster to force split it quicker.

If it makes you feel any better,I'm pretty sure his reign of never seeing any competitive play will continue.

7ha7guy777Aug 6, 20152 votes

He was actually played in competitive. I don't remember which game, but i believe it was in LCK

Origami KaijuAug 6, 20151 votes

{quoted}

He was actually played in competitive. I don't remember which game, but i believe it was in LCK

Yep. SKT vs Sbenu

SaSin on Vel'Koz bullied Faker's Azir super hard in lane. It was really fun to watch, although SKT eventually won the match, Vel'Koz looked really strong, and if Sbenu was better at teamfighting in general, they might have won.

Troll for TrumpAug 7, 20151 votes

A good velkoz player should focus more on hitting the opponenet with the reactivation q, as it has larger range. Even whle you are chasing someone, you should know how to aim your q so it hits them. Because math. Hitting an opponent running away with your q's recast increases the max range of it by .41414%. (sq root of 2 vs 1). Also the recast is used for sniping and hitting squishies behind the tanks.