@Riot we should talk about some QoL changes for Lux

I've always played quite a bit of Lux since release. Recently, I've basically been "one tricking" her my way up ranked a bit, but the more games I play with her, the more obvious some of her rampant problems begin to show. Her strengths obviously consist of amazing zone control, pick potential, and siege, and an extremely spammable ult that makes her pretty dangerous late game. But her weaknesses I feel outweigh some of her strongest points; her lack of mobility, frailness, and her super telegraphed attacks.

But I think her biggest problem evident is her extremely poor wave control early/even mid-game (unlike some of her other siege counterparts like Xerath). This is really what makes Lux clumsy. I'd venture to say taking a pick like this is almost dangerous for your own team because at higher Elo's it becomes clear that they understand this huge weakness to Lux and play to its advantage; you push Lux into tower pre-9 and shes forced to stay in lane or under tower to CS, while the enemy mid laner can roam and look for picks. The value and just how (oxymoron) strong her weakness is cannot be undervalued, it creates so many pressure problems on the map that she feels virtually useless unless she can find a way to push back and force either the mid laner to stay OR roam with them.

I believe this is why a lot of streamers agree she's actually one of the worst champions in higher Elo; lets face the fact that almost no one that's high skill capped plays her/mains her, and she_ see's literally 0 competitive play_. But she absolutely dominates (in my opinion) lower Elo because she isn't exploitable to these levels of play. So how is it we can shift the power around that she becomes a reasonable pick?

I think the solution is strengthen her ranged zone control,_ MAYBE_ remove some of her cd out of her ult (maybe keep the reset change that you have in place on PBE), and shift some instantaneous damage out of her E into a charged time E that scales from 80% to 140% over duration.** I took the liberty of shifting her AP scaling a little bit so it didnt become a +84% AP ratio at the final length of time.**

Current Values: Rank = 60 / 105 / 150 / 195 / 240 (+ 60% AP) E Charge: 0.00s - 0.74s = 80% [R1: 48 Damage / R2: 84 Damage / R3: 120 Damage / R4: 156 Damage / R5: 192 Damage]+51% AP (large net loss damage)

E Charge: 0.75s - 1.49s = 95% [R1: 57 Damage / R2: 99.75 Damage / R3: 142.5 Damage / R4: 185.25 Damage / R5: 228 Damage]+57% AP (small net loss)

E Charge: 1.50s - 2.24s = 110% [R1: 66 Damage / R2: 115.5 Damage / R3: 165 Damage / R4: 214.5 Damage / R5: 264 Damage]+63% AP (small net gain)

E Charge: 2.25s - 2.99s = 125% [R1: 75 Damage / R2: 131.25 Damage / R3: 187.5 Damage / R4: 243.75 Damage / R5: 300 Damage]+69% AP (large net gain)

E Charge: 3.00s - 5.00s = 140% [R1: 84 Damage / R2: 147 Damage / R3: 210 Damage / R4: 273 Damage / R5: 336 Damage]+75% AP (monstorous net gain) @600AP Current R5 = 600 damage @600AP Changed (Isntant) R5 = 498 damage @600AP Changed (Short) R5 = 570 damage @600AP Changed (Mid) R5 = 642 damage @600AP Changed (Long) R5 = 714 damage @600AP Changed (Full) R5 = 786 damage

Before we go screaming that this already seems overpowered, lets consider a few things. This would be a net loss for instantaneous damage, while potentially maximizing her strength of zone control. These numbers (and the AP scaling for example) can be tuned, the charge times can be tuned, the damage itself and/or scale strength can be tuned. This is mostly just to start a discussion to push Lux into the right direction. Hell, there's other balances that would shift the power out; weaken her Ult CD then and only offering resets, change E cooldown from the time it was cast to the time it was detonated (and consequently maybe lowering the CD by 1 second if you did this).

There's so many ways to play with this idea that shifts Lux's strengths (and even somewhat weaknesses) into the right direction. She can still get caught out, but now she has pressure on the map. Not only that, but she becomes a true threat should she place her E early onto the fight and the team plays around that zone control. It's amazing where this idea could go, and before anyone shouts that this is overpowered, remember that other changes could be put into place to help balance this out, or just even some number adjustments. I feel as if this would be an amazing QoL change that really could heighten where she should be excelling at, while decreasing her damage to those "caught" by her, because again, it would be very rare that even if you're snared by her that she should be hitting the 3.00 - 5.00s charge time, but also greatly punishes players caught by it. I hope everyone enjoyed this post, despite its probably an unpopular opinion- but I feel as if these changes with a little tuning (possibly its mature time taking longer for example) could fundamentally create a well rounded champion.

**tl;dr ** : Lux lacks early wave clear potential that just feels horrid. Enemy mid laners push her into tower, forcing her to choose CS'ing under bad circumstances/under tower or following the enemy mid laner and missing out on creeps, pushing her behind and making her lack significantly in pressuring the map at all, even though she is a strong siege/anti siege champion later on. We can kill two birds with one stone by changing her E into a "charge time" ability, which will fundamentally give he a true identity and separate her from other champions; true well rounded zone control. The numbers might need tuning, but I believe this would point her into the right direction to being more "unique".