@Riot: Ardent Censer needs a pretty big buff (and I've got an idea)

NOTE: This is a re-upload of my previous discussion that fell into oblivion.

So, I've watched the first TIP vs C9 game and I couldn't help noticing that neither Soraka nor Janna bothered to buy although they are the champions that synergize the most with the item. Ardent Censer is in desperate need of buff.

#Why is Ardent Censer bad There are several problems with the item:

1. It isn't slot-efficient
2. The bonus damage doesn't scale with level or AP
3. It misses the opportunity to make a great "improve heal" item

##Slot-efficiency Let's compare it to Zeke

Cost-efficiency: 105.86% (+50 per teammate buffed) Cost-efficiency with it's buff on the whole team: 305.86%

Cost-efficiency: 115.78% Cost-efficiency with it's buff active: 347.69%

As you can see, Zeke's cost efficiency is always better than those of Censer, and although it's buff is less controllable, it is also easier to get, since multi-targets heals and shields are quite rare and are often ultimate abilities (Soraka's wish, Janna's monsoon, Karma's defiance, etc). In addition of having a bette cost-efficiency, Zeke is also more expensive, making it a lot more slot-efficient.

I think that the worst about Censer's slot-inefficiency is caused by its awful lack of AP, causing AP supports not to like it. 40 is just not enough for a complete item. Adding 20 AP and raising its cost by 200 golds would put it in a better place with a base cost-efficiency of 115.56%, basically the same as Zeke. Also, since it gives more AP than Zeke, it gains a reason to be bought before it.

##Feeling its power: scaling is important There are a lot of items to buy before Censer seems appropriate: you need the usual gold gen, tier 2 boots, sightstone, pinks, Zeke. And since it activates by using abilities, you also need a lot of CDR to make the best use of it. Plus, it doesn't synergizes with anything but CDR, since nothing on the buff scales.

Prioritizing this item gives you nothing another item can't give, except the buff. But you forgo so much by not taking Zeke first: 10 AP, 35 armor, and a big steroid for your ally AND yourself (while Censer can't buff you), without mentioning the lack of CDR (you probably are at 20% once you bought it). Conversely, taking the item later makes the buff less useful, due to its lacks of scaling. In short, the item never feels good to buy, due to its lack of raw stats and scaling.

In addition to more AP, the on-hit damage should scale with level, like Locket's shield. This makes the item more interesting to buy once you got your usual stuff.

##Identity: for better heals and shields I always thought there was a missing mechanic in League: a heal-boosting item. Ardent Censer is THE item for healers and shielders (at least, it's supposed to) and it feels logical that this item fulfills this mechanic. However, I know that the way League deals with heals is a bit different that what we usually see in video games, and for a good reason. But there is a way to make this happen without contradicting Riot's intents for heals: add a third effect to the buff of Censer's passive, a purely-AP-scaling shield (about 15-20% AP). That way, shields become purely stronger while heals, although more effective in fights, won't give more sustain in the lane, avoiding then the problem of passivity due to too good sustain. Finally, it's power stay limited by the non-stacking of this shield, since it comes from the same buff. But imagine Soraka, healing and refreshing the shield, Janna's monsoon shielding its team every tick of heal or even Locket synergy.

##In summary The changes in three points:

• Better raw stats and efficiency: +20 AP, +200 golds
• Better feel: on-hit damage scaling with level
• Better identity: buff gives AP-scaling shield