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Does Jax Need a Rework?

Legacy Hydralpha·11/19/2016, 4:18:15 PM·7 votes·7,413 views

Jax, the Grandmaster at Arms. He's been pretty well known by the League community for being either decent or god-tier broken a pretty old champion. Which raises the question: does Jax need a rework? Maybe by looking at him in-game we can get an idea. (TL;DR at end)

Visuals:

Ok, Jax isn't the prettiest champion in the game, nor does he have cool particles. I mean, look at this: http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/leagueoflegends/images/c/ce/Jax_Render.png/revision/20150129200734 Is this the kind of champion you want to see in game? He's a walking, talking eggplant and his model is super outdated. Compare it to his splash art: http://ddragon.leagueoflegends.com/cdn/img/champion/splash/Jax_0.jpg You can already see that the model is hideous compared to this splash art. It's the whole Shyvana thing all over again. The in-game quality looks even worse when compared to the Jax shown in the A New Dawn video: https://images6.alphacoders.com/525/525136.png Look at this! Jax is supposed to be a real master of weapons, and this design shows that he can, and WILL, fuck you up. (Well, unless you're Nautilus)

Gameplay:

Jax has a simple kit, as he was meant to have. I mean, he has an attack speed steroid, a targeted jump, an attack enhancer, dodge chance with a stun, and just bonus defenses. Remember who else had a simple kit? Taric, now look at him. Jax's kit isn't the most fun in the game; it's not fancy and other champions can do his job just as well. We all know people love the fancy, flashy playmakers like Yasuo. Don't lie, Riot, we know you have a thing for Yasuo; it's why he won't get changes. ...ANYWAYS, this isn't about Yasuo, it's about Jax. Jax's kit needs a change to give him a reason to be picked, be it for special niches the champion has or just pure fun. Having all your abilities being targeted on yourself or one enemy isn't an exciting kit.

How Should Jax Play:

My idea is that Jax should keep a fairly simple kit, but make it for those learning the game. And when I say learning I don't mean just for the Jax player to learn, but his opponent as well. Give Jax aimed abilities, give him windows of power, make him teach people what champions can do. He should stay a hybrid champion that teaches the basics of the game.

What Abilities Should He Get?

A sort of paper kit I made was this:

PASSIVE: Same as it is now, to give him a still useful jungle clear and power in combat, Q: Works more like Zac's jump, but with less range and Jax can move while charging it. W: Jax's next attack or jump is enhanced. The next attack does magic damage in a circle around the target (think Ravenous Hydra/Tiamat). The next jump strike has a long range magic damage AOE combined with the standard AOE. E: Jax dodges the next incoming champion/large monster attack or ability. When he dodges it he deals damage in an area around him and can recast the ability for a short dash. (By short, think like about the range of his attack range) R: Passive bonus damage every third strike. Active gives the bonus defenses, but weaker than their current state. Jax is surrounded by 4 shields which each block a basic attack from champions once per shield. (Reverse Fiora ult)

The idea is that this kit gives Jax and his enemy something to think about. Does Jax want to put his W into his Q for all the damage at once, or save it so he doesn't waste the damage if he misses? Does Jax even want to use his Q, or just block an attack and use the dodge? When should Jax ult to block the most damage? What about the enemy; when should they try fighting Jax? How long should they trade with Jax for? Do they need an ally to fight him? Jax should be for learning the game; learning the basics of fighting other champions. I feel that with some fine-tuning, a rework could give him that identity.

TL;DR: Jax's visuals are outdated, his kit doesn't have anything special, and he should be made for teaching people the basics of the game.

21 Comments

wcarmine2/2/2017, 11:39:50 AM3 votes

bro! not that complicated, all they need is to replace 2 words from current Jax :

  • passive: Jax gains 3.5 - 11 (based on level)% bonus attack speed for 2.5 seconds every time he lands a basic attack (replace "gains" with "steal")
  • counter strike: damage increased by 20% for each attack dodged, up to a 100% increase. (replace "damage" with "duration")

and that is easy and that is all he need for the season7 complex play XD, (at least all Jax main will not oppose this idea, 100%)

Big Lincoln11/19/2016, 4:29:29 PM2 votes

nothing is wrong with his kit, it's his visuals i dislike

not every champ needs to have big flashy plays and positioning minigames

Taric, now look at him.

a champ with a broken win-more ult that makes the rest of his kit have to be neutered in order for him to be remotely balanced? yeah, great example.

Zelorxon11/19/2016, 7:34:14 PM2 votes

You work for riot don't you? They paid you for this, am i right?

Sasogwa11/19/2016, 4:42:05 PM2 votes

In all honesty, I really love the model and identity of Jax. It's old, cartoonish which is basically what I seek in him. The weird-designed motherfucking badass mercenary that beats everyone for no reason whatsoever, just because he's a badass. Idk, but I just like this, and I would really hate if they make him a super-detailed model that kind of kills the concept. I mean, there's something in the raw model, that i can't really define, the fact it's quite simple, cartoonish, the feet, face, point patterns, his posture, his lamppost, everything put together is just too good to be changed to something more detailed/ modern. Reminds me of good old games like Rayman or also some comics I read. It would feel like a corruption to me to change him. Even the splashart, I wasn't a fan of it. Didn't really like the fur and somewhat well-dressed thing.

But again, I am among the people that preferred the old cartoonish graphics because they look more fun to me/the kind of people I'm part of.

ABlueQuaker11/19/2016, 4:23:51 PM2 votes

Gameplay Rework? No. Full Visual Update? Yes.

Jax is a pretty damn good champion as it is. He's fairly balanced. He's only OP when items make him OP. In the meantime he scales well of nearly anything. AD, AP, Attack Speed, CDR.

Why even touch someone as iconic as Jax when they're that close to perfect? In the current state of the game there's nothing OP or useless about him.

6ft5 Angry Top2/28/2017, 2:36:12 PM1 votes

I am a Jax main and i searched for this because i dont really like playing him as he is right now. I spend like almost 30 Hours into him and now... i play him honestly just if i have to win.. not to have fun I would like to see a rework and the ideas of skills you presented look´s nice but idk if thats the right way. But thanks for this ThreadJax summoner 6 summoner 12

Oleandervine2/28/2017, 3:14:45 PM1 votes

For all of you saying Jax's kit is good - it isn't. Jax is a champion, like Xin Zhao, who suffers from too much kit simplicity. This makes him incredibly binary because there aren't enough mechanisms in his kit that can be tweaked to get him to easily balanced him outside of base stats and numbers. He's either garbage tier or god tier, and items can make him extremely volatile. His whole mechanic is "I attack faster as I attack" and that's what makes him a problem. He needs very extensive kit overhaul to modernize him and give him more functionality in the game aside from stat checking against your opponents.

Ingerimm5/2/2017, 3:01:22 PM1 votes

650k Jax - Main here. Jax is nice to play, but i think he could really use a rework. it happens often, that i think "wtf these new champs just jump away from me like spiderman" and isnt this what jax was in s1, the fucking jumptard? now he feels a bit clunky and even if hes balenced and stuff, i think his kit is too old for the current game.

at least give him a visual rework, i bet they are at it, because the last jax skin... hm when did it came? 1 1/2 years ago? i dont remember...

who wants a piece of the champ?

P.s. jax main with 30 hrs gameplay? dude u arent even jax - practiced... have a nice day

MaruChou2/1/2018, 6:38:20 PM1 votes

It's already season 8. And I'm a JAX main and i honestly legit like completely feel like jax is garbage compared to everyone. his R(ult) is kinda useless like Zoe can just splat you or Darius can still cut you like an eggplant or like illaoi can just have hen#! with you and drop your hp even with R. LIKE with all honestly i hope Rito change his kit something like:

Passive: just like @wcarmine said down below. being able to steal attack speed would be nice or to truly show that he is the GRANDMASTER AT ARM. he should be able to gain armor or mr for every auto so can win in a prolonged fight.

Q: same range but quicker like a faster kind of jump dash (think of current Aatrox's Q and Echo's E put together) make it so you can jump into bush without needing a ward or something so you can outplay those pesty Riven players or like Akali players who can easily remove your q from the fight.

W: should still be a resonable auto reset or maybe this is where you can have a dash auto reset maybe same thing as ekko? or perhaps be change to be an active that increases damage, attack speed, maybe give life steal somewhere would be nice. (think if Nami E or xin xiao's Q. )

E: THIS is the skill/ability that really differs jax's from other bruisers. jax should keep this and from what i read below. being able to increase the duration of this would be nice. or being able to have that short dash (dodging) or perhaps some kind of bonus armor upon active for the /COUNTER/ and a small dash with same aoe stun for the /STRIKE/ =CounterStrike.

R: I believe this is the useless ult beside the passive of it. the passive should stay the same of can be change if rito wants too but basically. Jax's Ult(R)'s active is upon the most useless ult ever. yeah it does give you armor and mr. but this season games doesnt really revolve on you being tanky just for A FEW STATS but being able to burst someone down is how league has came to be. Jax's R should be some kind of passive titanic hydra. Like every auto can provide some kinda of aoe wave clear and the 3rd can produce an extra magic damage THINK OF HIS LAMP. Like when jax's gets his ult and use it. he lits his lamp on fire and can create an aoe fire damage and the 3rd would do the same passive extra magic damage. and this would last for like 8-10 second or something with also bonus HEALTH STATS instead of ARMOR and MR./ lets be honest you can survive when you have health. but you cant survive when all you have are some mr and armor when you have so little health.

(sorry to rant like this i just love this champ, been maining for 3 years and i just hate it when i cant do anything like when Yorick reaches 6. you legit loose lane unless yorick miss use his maiden. or when Darius gets his R. its an automatic lose the 1v1 because thats an extra 300-400 damage at level 6. thats a lot. or Garens Ult , Akali's Ult, Nasus's Ult, Voli's Ult, like hell even Aatrox's Ult does more use than Jax's ult) Jax

l not Faker l11/19/2016, 4:19:44 PM1 votes

No

SaurabhKanhere12/21/2019, 6:50:22 AM1 votes

Jax is kinda weak now, he needs buff. I recomment Riot to add magic damage in every hit when his R is up. We also want increase in attack range, more magic damage W and more stun duration. Also, bring back Spear of Shojin for JAX ONLY.

9L9L9L9L9L9L9L11/19/2016, 7:19:57 PM1 votes

I don't think Riot does standalone visual updates anymore which kinda blows because Jax's kit is still good.

Meep Man11/19/2016, 7:31:55 PM1 votes

I think his W could be more interesting but otherwise any rework for him isn't even remotely high priority.

Ðark Ritęs1/13/2017, 9:59:55 PM1 votes

I main jax and he rly needs to get a rework

omegadragon1231/20/2017, 12:08:42 AM1 votes

Uhh idk. I am a Jax main and I really not into the idea of a charge jump, since one import thing you could do with Jax is ward hop, so getting rid of that would be a problem, and riot likes to keep all the champs unique so I guess some ideas could work.