A contextualized theorycraft exercise about Taric (and his future rework)

Firstly, my apologies if this was more appropriate for the Character Concepts forum, as most of this is conceptual and theorycrafting (hence the lack of actual numbers. I wanted to theorize on potentials for Taric's kit under a few auspices: Diversity (oh that hated word), but in this case I wanted to ideally sort out a kit that expanded Taric's potential playstyle, while not diminishing from his established role as a support. Identity I wanted to look at a kit that seemed to feel more cohesive on the whole, while giving a distinct identity- ideally one already matching Taric- to his play.; in this case clarifying him as a up-front in-the-enemy-team tank that supports and encourages teamfights. Translation Many of the ideas here bear similarities to diiferent parts of other champions' kits. While this is intended so that veteran players can pick it up with ease and feel that abilities feel "familiar," I also wanted some implementation that made it feel unique, especially when combined together.

Current Kit:

**Gemcraft: **Provides bonus damage and CDR when autoattacking after spellcasts.

Change Reasoning: While it gives a unique mini-sheen type effect based on armor, it encourages not only frequent attacking, but threading attacks between abilities to maximize not only damage but uptime on abilities. This seems to encourage a sustained duel or offense playstyle, and does not mesh with either Taric's traditional theme as either a tank or a supporting champion.

Imbue: Provides a heal to Taric and his target. More if he targets himself.

Change Reasoning: Active healing is never satisfying in the game (and one of the things that has been problematic in the past). This power in underwhelming in that it just band-aids health reactively, often just being a light patch job for screwups rather than feeling supporty.

Shatter: Gives Taric and nearby allies armor as an aura. Can break for damage and armor shred.

Change Reason: While the idea of Taric (and his team) become passively more tanky fits his kit, the nature of shatter means you're often just using it to help take less harass and then shut it off when jumping in on a fight. The either-or offense/defense gives variability, but feels out of place, be it in his identity of wanting to get into the enemy team or the identity of wanting to support his own team.

Dazzle: A single target targeted stun.

Change Reason: Dazzle as it stands is a solid ability, and cornerstone CC. However, it has no real skilled play in being a targetted CC, nor does it feel like it has any skilled counterplay (just stay away from his range).

Radiance: A hit with a large damage aura to nearby teammates.

Change Context: Combined with Shatter, Radiance is good for setting up burst moments for your AD champions, while also dealing a heavy hit on the front end. However it feels just like that; a chance to have a short burst of strong fight, which seems out of place amongst tanky/support types, who generally support more prolongued fights (either through soaking, controlling enemies, protecting allies, etc).

Facecheck Suggested Rework Theorycrafting:

Hardened (Passive): Taric gains % bonus armor and magic resist equal to his % missing health.

Context: This passive sets Taric out as a tank, not only becoming tougher to kill the more he's hurt, but increasing the benefits of purchased armor and MR. With diminishing returns on both, it allows him to become more sustainable without becoming overbearing.

Crystalline Armor (Q): Taric shields himself or the targetted ally with with fragile earth energy. If this shield is broken, the crystals burst in a short range PBAoE that slows enemies and shreds their armor.

Context: Changing this ability to a shield rather than a heal makes it proactive rather than reactive. It also allows variance in play; it can be used as a clutch escape tool for fleeing allies, or a dueling tool for offensive targets. By not triggering the armor shred or slow until the shield breaks, it encourages the target to stay in the fight to gain the full effect, or provides an escaping ally with that hopeful last second edge to get themselves away from their slowed pursuers.

Unstable Gemstones (w): Passive: Taric gains flat armor per rank. Active: a set of four gemstones appear around Taric for a short duration. Each time Taric is hit by an attack or ability during this time makes one of the gems explode, dealing short range aoe magic damage to all nearby enemies.

Context: Akin to Diana's shield, this ability encourages Taric to get right into the middle of the fight, while making it more dangerous for multiple targets to stay in melee with him during a teamfight. The fact that it is triggered by enemy attacks means also there is a strategic way enemies can avoid it, but they do so at the price of not attacking Taric while he wades in the middle of their team, and punishes them if they go against the conventional wisdom of "don't attack the tank"

Dazzling Display (E): Taric imbues brilliant energy into his shield and dashes a short distance. At the end of this dash, or when he comes in contact with an enemy champion, he strikes with the shield, lightly damaging and briefly stunning them.

Context: By making this more akin to Sejuani's Q or Fiora's new Lunge, this gives Taric a much needed mobility tool and way to reposition into the front of a fight, while still retaining a hard CC. As a skillshot, it also means that an enemy isn't automatically in a bad place just because he came in range of Taric's CC, and allows skilled players to outmaneuver him. Additionally, it not only allows Taric to jump into the fray to initiate (as if using Dazzle offensively to start a fight might) but puts him front-and-center on an enemy if using it defensively to peel for teammates.

Vibrant Energy (R): Taric creates a resonating field around him for a brief time. Allied champions in this field do bonus magic damage per hit, and gain additional lifesteal and spellvamp. (Ideally with a more distinct visual for clarity)

Context: Much like his previous ultimate, this ult rewards Taric for being in the midst of the fight, and gives bonuses to his teammates who collapse in with him. The change to a flat on hit-magic damage means it doesn't just super-power your AD carry, but rather gives all allies in the skirmish similar returns. The cost for the initial damage burst and this lessend- but more universal effect- is the added lifesteal and spellvamp, which helps sustain the team in the fight, provided they are willing to stick in the fight and make benefit of it.

Overall Context: The changes universally not only sustain Tarics role as a support, wanting to stay in close and in the front lines during fights, but also gives him some tactical options- both for himself and options- that reward skilled play and good timing and positioning, It also gives him a more "bruiser" path, allowing him to effectively jungle (while still providing team benefits to his allies in lane during ganks) or even hold the fort at top lane specifically against heavy duelists, while still being vulnerable to sustained harass, heavy tanks, or skilled play in timing and baiting abilities by burstier champs.

Opinions? Feedback? Any commentary and theorycrafting is welcome.