What's the reason behind this buff in particular? Karma has been nothing but buffed since forever, not that I'm complaining I'm a Karma main I love her.
Edit: Not sure what the down votes are for, guessing it's a crime to ask questions?
REDREX73 votesShe no need more defense on this spell, give her an offensive component on shield non mantra and she will be a very strong mage and support but since her offensive power is stuck on two spells (Q and W) it feels bad. Riot here are two options to make karma feel really good when going mid or support.
Option A: Give Karma's shielded allies (including her) a small ap ratio on there next auto attack or attacks for the duration of the shield. This is a simple fix and will give her more poke in bot lane and have great synergy with caitlyn, ezreal, kog maw while also giving her more reliable damage from mid lane and top and opens up damage options away from just Q or W. This also really helps jungle karma. Give it a small ap ratio of .2. And an appropriate nerf if needed is to lower the ap ratio on W, which currently as a .9 ap ratio.
Option B: Bring back her shield bomb to please the masses but adjust it accordingly to make it fit her kit. Make it have a smaller radius but give it a small aoe knock back. Making it a mini janna ulti with damage instead of heal. The knockback is really to make it worth while to mantra shield while not have levels in E. As mantra W currently feels good at all levels this with the percent missing hp regen.
IxtaliKing1 votesOption B is what they should do, no fair amount of shield will ever make that skill feel good because it's hollow without the damage.
Forbidden Siren3 votesJust bring back her damn shield bomb already.
Vanjie2 votesThe only context they have in buffing this ability is TRYING to give us more of a reason to use it . . .. when in reality removing it and replacing it with the ability they took away . . . is a better option. R+E is basically a watered down version of Iron Locket Solari. This is just an excuse for Riot to not work on her now for another couple years. This update and champ up team is incompetent.
REDREX72 votesWait did the ap ratio of defiance go up too??? Does this mean karma has an ap ratio shield of 1.1??? Dear god!
Vanjie1 votesI think it just means the shielded target can absorb more damage.
REDREX72 votesYeah I think Mantra W before the root buffs has like an ap raito of 1.5 which was on par with mantra Q i think. But seriously is the ap ratio of mantra shield now 1.1????
IxtaliKing1 votesIt was 1.2. But yeah, they're buffing the hell out of that shield to compensate for how lackluster it is. Thing is, that spell will never feel good without its damage component, I wish they'd see that.
TheySeeMeWardin1 votesWell I only use her ult and shield if I want to speed up the entire team. Mostly I use her Mantra though for her q or her w when I'm low in lane. I guess the reason for this buff is to give Karma players more of a reason to use her empowered w.
IxtaliKing1 votesI really do feel like Riot ruined Karma's kit when they homogenised her mantras, there's little to no nuance in her abilities now and very little room for mastery.
OverpoweredSoap1 votesPersonally I think it's because most people use E for the speed boost rather than the shield because the shield feels rather lackluster.
It's also so she has a viable option rather for Mantra (although people do use Mantra E a bit) than "Mantra Q everything in sight".
Beldair1 votesGood point....now if they can make her tether more viable.....
Vanjie1 votesIt should be removed or be allowed to absorb a portion of damage from allies . .. only as E+R.
REDREX71 votesI agree I love option B. It brings back old karma a little. Shield bombs op!.
IxtaliKing1 votesThe damage on RE would be a lot more valuable in LoL today, if they want to buff her RE that's where they should go - return the damage.
SwiftKitten881 votesthey wanted to make karma the new lux so they nerfed lux's shield and gave it to karma
Beldair1 votesAs long as they don't mess up my Karma i will be fine...
Karma is one of my goto mid/support casters.
Many have come to fear trying to farm when i Karma.
IxtaliKing1 votesHate to say it but, from what she was, they already kinda did a long time ago. She's still my fav champ though and also my go to mid :)
Beldair1 votesI didn't start league until about a year ago so it was after the nerf then.
I still like her though and love watching champs like Ekko think they have the drop on me....guess what, shield, tether, mantra'd q, aa, q...you are now dead XD
IxtaliKing1 votesWell I can confirm that before the update which destroyed her identity, she was a lot more fun. Her RW instead of giving extra unnecessary root dealt extra damage (560+1.2), and RE did nice damage too, they actually felt like ults.
REDREX71 votesWell I can confirm that before the update which destroyed her identity, she was a lot more fun. Her RW instead of giving extra unnecessary root dealt extra damage (560+1.2), and RE did nice damage too, they actually felt like ults.
I feel like Mantra Q should be her most damaging spell but I dont think they should have remove all the damage from her other mantra abilities completely.
IxtaliKing1 votesHer Mantra Q has always been her most damaging ability. I think that RW damage have needed to be toned down though for the sake of thunder lords and Luden's.
Beldair1 votesI love her Mantra Q. That thing is quite powerful. I've noticed ppl run when i go mantra or they get clever and try to get close.
REDREX71 votesI love her Mantra Q. That thing is quite powerful. I've noticed ppl run when i go mantra or they get clever and try to get close.
Yeah when im mid and i have w on the enemy laner and they hear my mantra they try to run into the minion wave. And im like they cannot save you and mantra Q hits him along with the minions. It is pretty funny.
Beldair1 votesIt's especially hilarious when the enemy jungler comes to gank and thinks he can tower dive you with the mid laner and they fall to a tower, mantra q attack combo.
I7A6X2v21 votesIn the today PBE patch they nerfed 
's shields and they buffed the 
one ... THEY REALLY WANT US TO PLAY HER AT ANY COST.
IxtaliKing1 votesLoool I mean really... I wonder if they are trying to make shielding her niche, because that would honestly be quite tragic.
Ionian StarChild1 votesFirst of all, I'm glad they're looking at her and giving her buffs here and there. Any buffs for her is very much appreciated, Riot (particularly Ricklessabandon). So thank you. I'd say it's probably what the others have said already. They're probably making sure her other mantra-ed abilities have "impact" so that we do not always have to use empowered Q even though I've already find myself to use empowered shield a lot. I like that this also reinforces the notion that Karma have the strongest shield in the game (she originally did with her passive in play) and identifies her as more than just a "Q bot" spammer.
REDREX71 votesI wish they would not do this to be honest. She is going to become lulu. And the pros hate lulu because you cannt run an assassin against lulu and with these changes you will not be able to do that vs karma either.
IxtaliKing1 votesThere needs to be champs who are good against assassins, these changes won't do too much to help Karma against them. Especially not in the early game where it counts.