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Akali: Gameplay Update Suggestions

Giani Georgian·7/8/2019, 1:29:07 AM·1 votes·1,757 views

Based on Akali's winrate (43-44%) on live servers in the current patch (9.13) and the current PBE changes to her, I was inspired to come up with some changes that can give her some power back and bring her to a better spot. Below you'll see a list with suggestions to her abilities and a change to her W inspired by the last iteration of her pre-rework W, as well as the reintroduction of the heal on her Q.

[Passive] - Assassin's Mark: • Akali's ability damage against enemy champions creates a 500-unit ring around them for 4 seconds and grants her 20/30/40/50% (at level 1/6/11/16) bonus movement speed for 2 seconds while moving away from them. • When Akali leaves the ring, she regains the bonus movement speed towards enemy champions for 2 seconds and gains Swinging Kama for 4 seconds. • [Swinging Kama]: Akali's next basic attack gains 125 bonus range, deals 30 - 200 (based on level) (+25% AD) (+50% AP) bonus magic damage and restores 10/15/20/25 Energy (at level 1/6/11/16).

[Q] - Five Point Strike: • Akali throws a flurry of kunais in the target direction, dealing 75/100/125/150/175 (+50% AD) (+75% AP) magic damage to enemies hit. • Hitting enemies at maximum range heals Akali for 10/20/30/40/50 (+25% AD) (+25% AP). • Healing is halved against minions and monsters. • Target Range: 500 units • Cost: 75 Energy • Cooldown: 1.5 seconds

[W] - Twilight Shroud: • Akali channels for 0.25 seconds, during which she can not be displaced, then blinks to the target location, detonating a smoke bomb at her initial location for 5/5.5/6/6.5/7 seconds and restores 75 Energy. • The smoke cloud begins as a circular area, expanding over the next 5 seconds to form a ring which cannot expand through terrain. • While inside the smoke, Akali is invisible and gains 20/25/30/35/40% bonus movement speed. • If Akali attacks, casts abilities or takes damage she will break the invisibility for 1-0.5 seconds (based on level). • Twilight Shroud's duration can be extended by 3 seconds if she exits and re-enters the cloud. • Enemies within the cloud are nearsighted and slowed by 10/15/20/25/30% until they exit. • Cooldown begins after the channel. • Target Range: 250 units • Cost: 0 Energy • Cooldown: 25 seconds

[E] - Shuriken Flip: • Akali flips backwards and fires a shuriken forward, dealing 50/75/100/125/150 (+35% AD) (+50% AP) physical damage to the first enemy hit and marking them for 3 seconds. • After 0.25 seconds she can recast Shuriken Flip to dash towards the marked target, dealing 50/75/100/125/150 (+35% AD) (+50% AP) physical damage. • If the shuriken hits Twilight Shroud a mark is applied and Akali can re-activate the ability to dash to the marked location. • Target Range: 825 units / Global • Cost: 25 Energy • Cooldown: 15/13.75/12/11.25/10 seconds

[R] - Perfect Execution: • Akali vaults in the target direction, dealing 75/150/225 (+50% AP) magic damage and stunning enemies hit for 0.5/0.75/1 second(s). • After 2.5 seconds, Perfect Execution can be re-activated within the following 7.5 seconds. • Akali thrusts in the target direction, dealing from 75/150/225 (+25% AD) to 225/450/675 (+75% AD) physical damage (based on target's missing health) to enemies hit. • Target Range: 575 units / 750 units • Cost: 0 Energy • Cooldown: 120/105/90 seconds

After reading my suggestions, what are your thoughts on them considering her current spot?

2 Comments

Ryelic7/8/2019, 11:34:41 AM2 votes

Akali isn't balanced for solo play - she's balanced for the pros. She holds a very low overall solo winrate but becomes more and more busted the higher up you go because her kit is ridiculous - multiple dashes, stealth, good projectiles, etc - that great players are horrifically capable of abusing.

If they buffed her to the point where she was 50% winrate we'd essentially be back to the old days of new Akali when she was EVEN MORE busted than she is now.

Also your changes are hilariously busted, man. Nearsight and slows on her w? Bringing back the heals on q? Her healing was busted before, and that change to her w would make it one of, if not the best w in the game. I can guarantee you with those sorts of changes Akali would 100% be pick/ban (mostly ban) because she'd be absolute hell to lane against due to the healing and would be able to engage in teamfights with her w.

pls no

IP Masquerena7/8/2019, 8:40:53 PM1 votes

Normally I would say I'm open to seeing Akali get some buffs, but what you stated is noooooooooooooooooooooooooo Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

Akali is in a good spot once you learn what you have to do as her and against her. She takes a lot of practice and she's a strong champion when mastered.

What a vast majority of players don't understand is that not every champion is balanced when at 50% win rate. Some, like Akali, Azir, Ryze, Zed, Kalista, are not balanced if at 50% win rate, they are borderline overpowered. Some champions simply have a much higher entry skill requirement than Zed, that's all. I know the feel that some may want to have that instant gratification of playing skill intensive champs well, and trust me, I'd want to pull of some sick Azir, Elise or Nidalee plays myself, but I suck at them, yet I wouldn't want them buffed because I know how strong they are when mastered, and for those who master such champs, I hold a lot of respect.

Akali's heal was removed for good reason, it gave her too much sustain in order to be punishable. Old Akali could keep it because she had to get in melee range to use it, and that made her vulnerable to poke or all ins, the new one is much safer, so having the heal is too much.

Also reducing the energy cost on Q is just too big of a buff as well. Akali's early game can be good depending on how she plays it, and she definitely doesn't need to become a 2nd Zed.

The W buffs are just......yea, no reason to continue from here. What buffs you suggested are just too massive for her to ever be balanced.

All the buffs Akali needs after the W changes are a bit more beef on her, I mean, she's eating so much ramen, she could use a bit more booty to defend herself with in the form of a bit more base and per level MR and Armor. That's all, I can think of that would be a good buff without making her overpowered.

She needs practice, she's not Zed, and you know, I'd like to be able to play my champion.