A Simple Change That Could Greatly Enrich Karthus’ Gameplay

http://40.media.tumblr.com/02e17c383a83ba614619c73189b57df4/tumblr_o67nytW3B41s4sn7bo1_500.jpg

Here’s the Main Idea I propose a simple addition/buff/change to Karthus’ ultimate when synergizing with his passive. Increase Requiem’s damage based on enemies’ missing health, but only while Karthus is in his Death Defied state. This dosen’t have to be a buff. If it’s too powerful as an addition to his current numbers, the existing damage can be modified to accommodate it.

Here’s the Reasoning Behind It In the upcoming mid-season magic update, the majority of mages are set to receive updates aimed at helping them feel more unique in terms of gameplay identity while strengthening their strategic niches. However, some mages didn’t make the cut, whether it was due to time and resource constraints, a lack of ideas, or the decision that they were fine as is. Karthus was released among the earliest champions in the game and has received virtually no changes to his mechanics since then. As such, there are elements of his kit that feel basic or dated, though his overall gameplay and thematic identity remain fairly unique even today. Karthus is a battle mage that provides medium/close range dps through his basic abilities, along with periodic global presence with his ult, and potentially significant after-death threat through his passive. As a traditionally damage oriented AP carry, he also has a strong end game fantasy of bringing death to one and all through his fatal magic, even at the cost of his own life. Unfortunately, in this evolving landscape that is the League of Legends, Karthus often struggles to remain relevant and effective, perhaps due in part to the balancing constraints concerning the nature of his Requiem. However, the proposed passive/ultimate synergy could serve to push him into a more situationally effective threat in an area that would only solidify his existing strategic niche, while encouraging more thought and planning for every player in the game. ** Fall-back Options** One of the issues that Karthus has is that his kit is strongly focused on dealing damage to enemies, and when he fails to accomplish this, he has little to no meaningful fall-back contribution. Wall of Pain, his one utility spell, was recently nerfed, leaving a struggling Karthus with fewer effective tools to contribute to a game, along with his higher than average potential to feed. There are also more options today than ever when it comes to out-mobilizing him wile dodging his Qs, matching if not exceeding his effectiveness in damage output, and countering his once terrifying ultimate with a plethora of heals, shields, and invulnerabilities. Because Karthus deals damage and does little else, this change would allow him to contribute to a game even when behind, though only in very specific circumstances (Karthus has to die, enemies have to be at relatively low health, Requiem needs to be off cooldown).

Windows of Power Karthus’ passive and ultimate are and always have been the most iconic aspects of his kit and are inseparable from his gameplay and character thematics. But because they are not used nearly as often as his main, non-bursty, telegraphed, “always-on” abilities of attrition, they are expected to act as “high moments” for the Karthus player, especially when used together. Death Defied is a passive that requires a significant cost to activate, and Karthus should feel especially powerful while in this state, arguably more powerful than while he’s alive. Currently, he loses the ability to move, auto attack, use actives, and cast summoner spells, but gains unlimited mana and untargetability. Despite this being a supposed high moment for the champion, it often ends up feeling disappointingly low. In many cases, champions are simply able to escape or maneuver around his area of influence (though this is valuable counterplay). Meanwhile, Karthus, whose gameplay is suicidal by nature, is often left screaming that he has been unleashed, while subsequently fading into nothingness. It’s a bit of an overly dramatic moment considering how little it actually ends up affecting the game the majority of the time. Giving his ultimate increased damage against low health enemies while in this state gives Karthus more of a strategic reason to actively try to sacrifice his life in specific situations. Players will have to choose between going for the amplified damage at the cost of a death timer for themselves and gold for the enemy, or trying to survive so as to contribute in other ways. And even if the base damage is nerfed to compensate, the execute damage (which doesn’t have to be particularly high) at least makes it so Karthus players have a stronger sense of actually being more powerful in these few, pivotal moments. (Given the lengthy cooldown on his ultimate, simply repeating this tactic for every duel, skirmish, or teamfight is not a realistic option. The answer should not be “die to win”, but rather how to most effectively unlock the potential of a playstyle with kamikaze tendencies.)

Effect on the Playstyle of Others This change should also make it more interesting to play against Karthus, if only just by a little bit. Karthus is one of the few champions where enemies have to really think about where, when, and how to kill him while also considering how to best avoid any after-death retaliation, which this addition would stress even further. The question is not just “Can I kill Karthus?” but also “Should I kill Karthus?” Assassins might want to prioritize a medium health ADC over a low health Karthus, removing other damage threats before finishing off the sorcerer. During laning, some junglers might be more willing to gank the squishy, immobile mage even while his R is available, getting a kill/assist and shutting him down early but temporarily putting their own teammates at risk of an empowered Requiem, while more careful junglers, or those confident in their team’s late game prowess, may decide it best to focus on other lanes. When Karthus is killed in a teamfight (where he’s meant to shine the brightest) tanks and controllers would have to fight extra hard to protect their squishy teammates from taking too much unnecessary damage during the lich’s seven seconds of undeath. Enemies will also have greater respect for his area of influence after they’ve killed him, since any additional damage they take from his basic spells could empower the potential follow-up of Requiem. Karthus’ presence in a teamfight should ideally shift the overall dynamic of the moment and approach to the battle in a more significant way than it often currently does. If Karthus decides to use his R while still alive in a more opportunistic playstyle, enemies may be more aggressive towards him during the cooldown’s window, knowing his ability to retaliate is diminished. Meanwhile, Karthus’ teammates would feel more encouraged to go in hard when they see him dying, fighting with abandon to better enable his ultimate ability, or play more carefully when they know he doesn’t have access to it.

To Recap This simple change would serve to reinforce Karthus’ existing gameplay niche and thematic identity, strengthen the feeling of power when using his two most iconic assets in tandem, give Karthus players a better way to contribute while behind, add more strategic depth to playing as, with, and against Karthus, and add a little more nuance to this aged lich’s kit.

I deeply hope Riot considers this proposition, maybe even replying with an explanation on why it might not work. Perhaps it could even be tested once the mid-season chaos starts to clear. Feedback from players is also appreciated, as long as it’s civil and well thought out, especially from other devoted followers of the Deathsinger.

(Additionally, I think his passive should be renamed to something like “Death’s Embrace”, “Oblivion’s Emissary”, or “The Final Dirge” to better reflect his updated character and lore. Karthus isn’t so much defying death as openly accepting it, while forcing others to join him. This would also better express the thematic difference between it and abilities like Glory in Death, Rebirth, Chronoshift, Blood Well, etc. Apparently, Requiem used to be named Fallen One.)