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What 'Buffed' Sona to the point where she's up to 53% and in need of nerfs?

Illabethe··3 votes·2,395 views

I'm confused about something;

End of Season 7: Stats Base armor reduced to 28 from 30. Base attack damage reduced to 46 from 50.04.

Aria of Perseverance Aria of Perseverance Base heal reduced to 30 / 50 / 70 / 90 / 110 from 35 / 55 / 75 / 95 / 115. Base shield strength reduced to 25 / 50 / 75 / 100 / 125 from 30 / 55 / 80 / 105 / 130.

V7.24 Hymn of Valor Hymn of Valor Mana cost increased to 60 / 65 / 70 / 75 / 80 from 45 / 50 / 55 / 60 / 65. Base on-hit magic damage reduced to 10 / 15 / 20 / 25 / 30 from 20 / 30 / 40 / 50 / 60. On-hit magic damage AP ratio increased to 30% AP from 20% AP.

The only significant "buff" to Sona since then was:

V8.9 Stats Base attack damage increased to 49 from 46. Power Chord Power Chord Base damage increased to 20 − 240 (based on level) from 15 − 235 (based on level).

Net result: 5 more damage on Q, and 1 less base AD than she had in Season 7 (The last time she was 53%)

So...... what happened?

How is she suddenly back in the hot seat for nerfs?

Is it because of the 6% Pick rate synergy of Sona + Taric? Is it because of the switch over time to Klepto?

Are players just not building Grievous wounds?

None of her runes have had significant buffs..... so how?

14 Comments

Jimmy Rustles7 votes

Item changes, other champs being nerfed, meta changes

More can buff a champion than changing their numbers

Illabethe1 votes

Name them. I said in my post: No items have been changed. No Runes have been changed.

The only things that I can think of are literally 1) Karma's rise back into play and 2) The Sona/Taric duo strategy

Daedric Etwahl1 votes

{quoted}

Name them. I said in my post: No items have been changed. No Runes have been changed.

The only things that I can think of are literally 1) Karma's rise back into play and 2) The Sona/Taric duo strategy

It's honestly difficult to name every little thing but it's a phenomenon that seems to consistently happen with Sona: She gets a nerf, and then over the course of many months despite no buffs to her or her primary things, she slowly sneaks her way back to 53-54% and needs to be nerfed again, this isn't the first time it's happened, and it wasn't Sona+Taric that caused this (although it's certainly the main reason everyone's eyes are on her now; she tends to slip under people's radars unless she's bonkers overpowered)

Honestly a lot of the time it seems to be the things around her getting nerfed while she slips by not bothered by the nerfs. She also historically does well into the other enchanters, so whwn they're around, Sona does very well. The only sort of meta Sona really doesn't like is one where Alistar is ruling the lane, she hates him.

It's very difficult to name what caused Sona to rise, because it isn't just one thing, like Karma rising, or Taric+Sona. It's many changes to other things that happens over a longer period of time. Like I said this isn't the first time something like this has happened with Sona

Ragnaveil1 votes

[{quoted}](name=Jimmy Rustles,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=E22f4N6h,comment-id=0001,timestamp=2019-06-20T16:03:36.590+0000)

Item changes, other champs being nerfed, meta changes

More can buff a champion than changing their numbers

Hmmm, almost like the same thing that's caused Riven to be OP, except its that on top of her untuned kit.

jocomotion2 votes

General indirect buffs to healing and shielding items, the buffs to Armor and MR tunes allowing for more safety in lane, slow but consistent nerfs to damage, damage runes being nerfed, etc... oh but damage is STILL too high guys I won’t be satisfied until Zed can’t deal damage anymore.

Thingamajig1 votes

Taric

D357R0Y3R1 votes

taric and tahm kench being played with her botlane

Feel Apathy1 votes

Kleptomancy / Aery

Runes Reforged in a nutshell.

item 3174 being insane on her.

Illabethe1 votes

Except for 1 3/4 years, RR really hasn't boosted her win rate.

Sire Hippington1 votes

My guess would be a mix of klepto and people going for AA+lichbane now, which they can afford thx to klepto. Ever since the rework, she was broken if she got high ap values and the mana to keep her spam, but support budget didn't really allow for that. Now she actually reliably gets highish AP values and enough mana to sustain her spam, and her broken scaleing comes through uncut. It's the same reason why she's been broken on every 'fun' mode where she reliably gained gold without needing to CS.

Illabethe1 votes

Keep in mind...... when they applied the Season 7 Nerf, AA gave nearly up to 190 AP, and it was also going right into the new runes. In other words, the items in question actually had a period of MUCH stronger utility.

And, the Klepto rune was also stronger, and has been slightly nerfed over time from then.

I do buy the gradual increase of going straight to Lichbane/AA runes, but just 2-3 months ago, these builds were not performing well enough to get a nerf. So...... I'm at a loss.

ChaosReyn1 votes

You're looking in the wrong place.

Zed - Nerfed Rengar and Kha'Zix - Nerfed VAYNE - Nerfed (tbh, probably the prime suspect) Caitlyn - nerfed, then given like 5AD last patch, but still nerfed KAI'SA - nerfed (she was one of the scarier ones for her) Even Yasuo got a slap on the wrist

A lot of people who Sona dies instantly against were nerfed and/or reworked over that time. Morgana's rework came with a buff, and probably the only champion that gives Sona issue that received a buff in that matter, other than the most recent Karma buff that I haven't got to see yet.

And she's TOO basic - everything she does has the learning curve of "press button, instant effect" so there's really no outplay potential.

Illabethe1 votes

That's probably part of it.

But..... most of those champs are still doing fine, even with their nerfs, and Sona's early game potential is pretty much ONLY offensive, because her early game heals/shields are gated by Cooldowns and small values..... Most of those champs can still obliterate her early game, so that late game level happens....

Also, while I'll admit that Sona is "simple," timing her skills is a much much bigger thing to learn. Her Ult's use is extremely limited, and her W/Q being down at the wrong moments is fatal, and not learning when to auto attack and when not to, is also fatal.

Her simplicity in other words, also makes her one of the easiest champs to shut down/kill.

Tr4shB4NSYST3M1 votes

Midgame teamfight meta, and sona's massive amount of teamfight utility.

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