So Aatrox.

ADepressedLeona·Dec 6, 2015·2 votes·395 views

I just played him on a whim for two games and did really well with him in the jungle (8-1-8 9-3-8) but I've been told he's weak. What exactly makes him weak? Because he seems to be pretty fun

7 Comments

BeatzBoyFTWDec 6, 20152 votes

He doesn't have much AS steroid pre-6 since he has to depend on hurting himself to gain more attack speed.
An unfed Aatrox has very little presence in teamfights, since he's a full-autoattack fighter & his only useful ability is his AoE knock-up.

Duke AnaxDec 6, 20152 votes

He is good when ahead, but it is very easy to fall behind and then it's hard to come back.

YaskamasandwichDec 6, 20152 votes

Stonewall explains Aatrox's problems at best, same with the Sion rework. He is a champion that was rushed on release, and was released as a split pushing, sustaining, self-revive champion at the worst possible season. He needs to be far ahead or fight a passive style champion to hit his power spike. Last but not least he just feels unrewarding to play, even when ahead you don't feel anything much special that someone else can do but better. That said when in the right hands he does well since no one knows how to face a great Aatrox player.

Edit: Another issue is Aatrox's kit feels very counter to itself.

His passive is what keeps his numbers really low and bad. It is that reason he has horrible base stats and horrible stats per level. This makes him bad at all phases of the game.

He has an engaging Q that deals 10% damage to himself, so he enters battle at 90% health. His q is also set that way because it is a mini Malphite ult. Can't buff it and have to keep it handicapped or it would be too powerful.

He has a self sustaining W that increases as he gets weaker, that's good keeps with the theme. However he has a damaging W steroid toggle that hurts himself to use. Unless it hits really hard to the point it is broken or very useful, hurting yourself in MELEE combat it usually bad, especially if Aatrox builds squishy. No other damage steroid on any other champion requires you to hurt yourself in melee combat, uneless again it is too powerful.

E is nice but stops you from moving and auto attacking. As an auto attacker that's very bad. You don't see Xin stopping to activate his abilities.

His R is actually probably the only okay move he has, steroid with a powerful aoe burst that works great with his q combo if hit dead on.

Also goes without saying unlike most, if not all champions, Aatrox suffers from being a bad hybrid. He goes glass cannon he blows up, he goes tanky he deals no damage AND no cc, he goes both then he's got the worst of both worlds.

Whut Thuh Dec 6, 20151 votes

ever heard of doctor mundo lol? but yes aatrox is in limbo between INSANE OP FARM JUNGLER that destroys anyone he looks at and wow i just died to gromp at level 3. he is like gnar in the sense that he never snowballs as hard as other laners and junglers like yi and darius he just doesnt have the scalings to do that and he could be reworked so that he could use the new items more efficiantly but his highest point of strength is at half health with a full blood well with is kind of counterintuitive since all of your abilities hurt yourself and if you build damage you lose too much health and if you build tank that 5 percent health you used to cast e did about 0 damage

YaskamasandwichDec 6, 20151 votes

absolutely agree however for the Dr. Mundo thing, this goes back to the problem with a steroid buff that deals yourself damage better be op. Mundo dropped off from Summoner's Rift since Season 2. He only came back after that massive buff to his E. I also forgot to mention that Aatrox suffers from what most if not all the other sustain champions suffer is the fact that they are either OP or UP, never truly balanced. He's one of UP ones. Top it off that Aatrox is hurting from the fact unique fact that even before his release Riot had troubles balancing him to a role. First he was thought of a melee carry like Tryndamere, Gangplank, Fiora, Yi, then he got changed to a light fighter like Xin, and Nocturne. This skewered him pretty badly too, going back to one of the main problems of "What is Aatrox?"

Edit: Also for another note for the Mundo thing is people seem to forgot that item 3123 item 3033 item 3165 exist which going back to your good point even hurts Aatrox more. "Haha I am at my strongest point being below half health and OH %$#@! GRIEVOUS WOUNDS!" /dead.

JbelsDec 6, 20151 votes

They nerfed the worst thing they could have nerfed for him. His E, which was his only saving grace in lane.

Then he got forced into the jungle, which is even WORSE for him now that the jungle items are no longer cost efficient, and gold income in the jungle is worse

Flyer BeastDec 6, 20151 votes

Aatrox isn't very weak imo, but he can be singlehandedly defeated by item 3123 .