Lux changes: feedback/opinions. @RiotAugust

Hi folks! I start this discussion to talk about the Lux changes currently on the PBE, and possibly hit the shipper of them, RiotAugust, who I deeply thank for his interest on my lady. First of all I'd like to clarify a thing: I'm well aware a silver 2 player is not the best source for insights on the balance of the game, but I still hope I can be taken seriously while I speak about my favorite champion, on which I have collected more then 700.000 mastery points soo.. if someone thinks I'm saying non-senses due to lack of game knowledge feel free to let me know why, it could even help me!But please don't mock my elo without explaining eventual disagreements.

Now, back to the topic:

Attack speed buffs and faster use of W really make Lux feel smoother. I've never thought they could make so much difference when reading them on paper! However I still think that removing her stop-movement cast would be way better then doubling the shield even when it's not hitting allies. I am aware both buffs together would make her way too defensive in lane, but I'd rather emphasize her ability to kite back then her raw tankiness when her shield is up. If this would be too strong then I'd rather give up the time in which the shield actually comes out, so, again she can use it while kiting and plan when the damage is coming her way rather then just simply not shielding if your primary need is to get away or shielding if you are in an advantageous spot.

Q Buffs: maybe my elo speaks for me but I really think this buff is not what she needs. I think it is really unfair for enemies: it makes her all in in lane at early levels overbearing if the enemy is not equipped to dodge her spells (this really shouldn't be one of Lux's strengths!!!), allows her to do it more often, and with less punishment if she misses. On the other hand if enemies are consistently good at dodging it or are equipped to do so via their kit the buff becomes useless. This is exactly the kind of mechanic that makes Lux be good in lower elos and bad in higher ones: big no-no for me, her Q was perfectly fine the way it was. The only buff I could see fit on this spell is allow it to give vision: useful to follow up on a picked enemy in fog and fits perfectly thematically.

W: please make her not stop herself for casting it! I don't why allowing herself to reposition (interactive thing) is looked at as less healthy than letting her have a super shield (non-interactive).

E: ok.. here comes the big one. I will start by saying a thing, and I swear I am honest: I didn't hit it any less than I do on live, or, than I previously did on PBE with 150 or more ms (:p). But, I don't really understand this change: I think it is still annoying in some matchups early in the game, while loosing power as reliable poke later on due to reduced range and as control zone due to reduced AoE... while still not fulfilling what Lux needs most. I don't like this changes honestly. I completely agree the spell was unfair in lane and had to be balanced towards huge mans costs and cdr for this. But... it really feels like it lost power in a bland way to buff the cooldown and mana cost. Lux range is one of her major strengths, and her controlling zone ability is entirely tied to her lucent singularity wide area. The projectile is still too slow to let the spell hit against mobility and too fast to let immobile targets dodge it when at the center. Please don't nerf Lux's strength points. Consider letting her E reach the live range and AoE when maxed, or even at certain Lux levels (this way it is not oppressive in lane but it doesn't loose her power in teamfights/skirmishes scenarios, where Lux should shine bright), and nerf another little bit its projectile speed to compensate (I think it's less powerful but still too easy to hit/hard to dodge, at least judging on the people I met on PBE).

Anyway, I think Lux issues in higher elo are not touched by these changes: the only way to make her become pickable is to let her waveclear a little faster then she does now. I assume the mana changes up on PBE are what you said you will do to fix waveclear issues: in this scenario the fact she has to use 2 rotations and not one to clear will set her in a even worse spot then she is now. The attack speed buff make waveclearing a little less painful.. when you are alone. In all honesty, what skilled opponent is going to let a squishy mage with her whole rotation in cooldown except for the shield autoattack 6/7 times without retaliating? The mana buffs to E combined with the mana nerf overall are more or less putting her in the same exact situation she is now in live, only a little better thanks to cooldown buffs.

Suggestions:

-new: make illumination explosion apply in AoE towards the target who received the autoattack, proccing all marks in a small area. can be stand-alone as a flat buff coupled with E rebalance of reduced missile speed (all the game), reduced area and reduced range (only until spell max or x Lux level), or only apply to minions to the same kind and be coupled with E rebalance and a W buff (hopefully not standing still while casting). The aoE would be the size of the circle of casters in a gouped wave, not more. Could kick in after X levels to avoid making her to pushy in very early levels.

-boring but needed: lucent singularity does bonus damage to minions %. the worst possible route..still this one change will instantly increase her viability in higher elos while not making her overbearing in lowers.Still coupled with reduced E missile speed, E reduced range and AoE until spell max/x Lux level and E cd/mana cost adjusted.

-What if she (ever) needs a nerf/where we remove power from to balance her? Hit R reset mechanic. As much as I love throwing lasers around, the mechanic is not healthy: it both require and promotes snowballing, it is frustrating in low elo where enemies tend to die to final sparks way more then they should and not really impactful in environments where picking enemies out of position/bursting someone out of the blue is not so common, and it punishes more strategical uses of final spark, like using it to lower hp on a key target or force a bad back, or even force someone in a certain position due to their need to dodge the spell.

What should be Lux identity (IMHO)? A weak but safe laner with not much priority (but not minion like) who has the potential to make picks from long range but really shines in teamfights with her mix of utility, AoE damage and zone control applied from high range. Her cooldowns should still be on the long side (but live lucent singularity is huge not long :p) and her spells impactful. Vulnerable to all-in with gapcloser and to high range poke, mediocre at pushing lanes if not investing R (now she's horrible not mediocre), on the weakest side of objective taking damage wise but with high control possibilities on them.

Thank you to whoever will have the will/time to read this and give his 2 cent! Always stay positive and good luck on the rift!

[sg-lux]