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What is the difference between Assassins and Divers?

Get Ogre Here··2 votes·1,137 views

First off, here are examples of the two.

Assassins: Talon Katarina Akali Zed

Divers: Diana Ekko MonkeyKing JarvanIV

Apparently the distinction is supposed to be that Divers do less damage but have slightly more tanky attributes, whether it be building tanky, shields, or knock ups. But with the damage creep in the game, this distinction is almost non-existent.

Every champion I listed is perfectly capable of 100-0ing someone very easily when a little bit ahead.

At least Riot is right, Divers have more tanky attributes. The problem is that in general, the Assassins don't have more damage. Divers are basically assassins with CC and shields tacked on to make them stronger. Let me put it this way:

Assassins:

  • Lots of damage
  • Lots of mobility
  • Maybe some stealth

Divers:

  • Lots of damage
  • Lots of mobility
  • Maybe the option to build tanky (viably)
  • Shields
  • CC

Divers simply have the same thing as Assassins, but MORE. And I don't think this problem can be addressed until Riot lowers damage in the game. So let's just wait for that and maybe it'll get fixed.

15 Comments

TehNACHO5 votes

Ekko is an Assassin.

Wilyum2 votes

Well I think the initial idea behind it was assassin's have a hard time tower diving, you were supposed to be safe from getting one shot because the assassin would die to tower. Divers were supposed be able to go under tower and survive for a bit. That is not how it is anymore, they've nerfed tanks and towers so "divers" just build assassin and one-shot while assassin's one-shot and you're never safe under tower now

Eedat2 votes

You're absolutely crazy if you think Diana MonkeyKing have as much mobility as Leblanc Zed Talon. Essentially Divers dont have a way back out once they go in

Pika Fox2 votes

Divers have easier time juggling tower agro, less immediate burst, and many dont have much to get out after going in. Also typically better at teamfights.

Assassins have less upfront burst, better map mobility, generally better escapes and are worse at teamfights (read, cant function in one)

SnugglePuggle941 votes

They have more survivability to stay in fights. Unlike assassins, they don't have ways to escape so they have shields and/or CC.

Lets have shrex2 votes

{quoted}

They have more survivability to stay in fights. Unlike assassins, they don't have ways to escape so they have shields and/or CC.

They Camille don't Ekko have JarvanIV ways MonkeyKing to XinZhao escape

Flemman4 votes

tbh, for 4 of those their escape is also their reliable engage tool (who have resonable cd), so if they manage to go on you without using it that's not their fault :p

TehNACHO1 votes

...Ekko is an Assassin.

Well he's a slayer at least. He has a lot of skirmisher functions too, but his Ult was designed as an Assassin escape button, like Zed or LeBlanc's.

Meanwhile, Camille's E cooldown is far too high to immediately escape with if she uses it to jump into a fight (not to mention too strong to not use to engage with) and her Ultimate goes away if she runs.

Jarvan's E-Q combo is similar to Camille's E in that its cooldown is too high to escape a fight with and too strong not to lead a fight with, AND his own ultimate can trap him.

Wukong's range as a Dive Fighter is phenomenally small, where Jarvan or Camille can comfortably fly over 1000 units very quickly, Wukong can only do half of that...unless he uses his W to engage with, meaning he won't have an escape once he's committed to most fights. Not to mention Wukong is often considered in the grey area between Dive Fighters and Assassins.

Xin Zhao is straight up incapable of escaping after engage past a cheesy dash away onto an enemy minion or something after having to slowly reset its cooldown.

EDIT: Ahh, right, let's correct Puggle real quick.

Assassins have ways to easily get in and out of fights, so Zed can fly in with R and R2 back. Dive Fighters have ways to get into fights but often use up all their mobility to do so, like Camille and J4 as I've pointed out in this post. Dive Fighters have fantastic escapes if they use their abilities specifically to escape (well, at least some do XinZhao) but if we're talking about a full on fight, the Dive Fighers will lead with their mobility spells and often have way too high cooldowns to use them again (unless they're 1v1ing a tank or something).

SnugglePuggle941 votes

Yes, I know that Divers use their mobile spells to engage and can't get back out unless they save it to escape, while assassins can get in and out no problem.

Just trying to differentiate between assassins and divers as simple as possible. Didn't have much time to write a ton this morning.

TehNACHO1 votes

Yeah and it led to shrex's misunderstanding, which is what I wanted to clarify.

ez mental boom1 votes

Camille uses her e to engage

Ekko is not classified as a diver; he's classified as an assassin

J4 uses his e-q and r to engage

Wukong uses his w to engage

Xin uses his R to isolate his target

Assassins generally have resets or multiple abilities to grant safety after using all cooldowns on a single target. Divers have relatively short cooldowns or AoE disruptions. Camille has both, J4 has the latter, Wuk has the latter, Xin has the latter

Flemman1 votes

assassins have a way out, divers don't (ence why ekko is more of an assassin than a diver)

BurakkuRozu91 votes

So is Shaco an assassin or a diver?

ZT Xperimentor1 votes

There isn't really a difference, just riot trying to fluff up their game by saying they're totally different, when it's just how flexible they can be. Assassins usually only hit&run or split pushing; but divers can build tanky to stay in a fight longer.

ez mental boom1 votes

Assassins usually have a way out. Divers get in there, kill their target, and continue fucking shit up from the inside

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