Ivern Prediction

Everyone will think Ivern is underpowered on release, winrates will be low, everyone will be wondering why he is so weak.

No buffs will happen. Then players will figure out how he works and how to abuse some insane synergies he has with other champion. Suddenly Ivern will be obscenely OP.

His kit is going to allow some unusual strategies that will be very strong but will also take a long time to figure out and master.

For example, his q gives immobile champions a gapcloser. Many champion are balanced around not having a gap closer (Mordekaiser in particular). Putting ivern in the bot lane could bring mordekaiser back to the bot lane. In addition, Ivern can set up bushes for mord to use closer to the creep wave, and use this to avoid adc harass and zone the adc from creeps. Jungle Ivern could also end up making currently weak top lane immobile juggernauts, like Nasus, strong in teamfights (Nasus currently sucks in late game teamfights because he can't get through the front line cc to get to the back line). Even champion with good mobility spells will benefit enormously from the gap closer. For example, shaco risks a lot when he q's onto the enemy carry because he has spent his escape. If Ivern give him a gap closer, he can save his q, allowing himself to escape after assassinating or doing damage to the enemy carry.

Similarly, Ivern's passive will allow him to farm jungle camps even when he is not the primary jungler. He will be able to counterjungle the enemy as a bot lane support. I'm not sure if this will be optimal for him, but if it works out, it has the potential to really put himself ahead of the enemy support while also starving the opposing jungler.

Anyway, I'm really looking forward to playing Ivern. I am now an Ivern main and I have not played one game with him.

Thoughts?