Why did Kai'sa get gutted before the meta even settled and people got used to the new items?

Bern·Jun 2, 2018·2 votes·1,397 views

In theory, Kai'sa should've been nerfed ambiently by metashifts and other champions being better able to bully her out of lane. She had really good day 1 results, sure, but her AP build literally did not change at all, so she has zero learning curve on this patch compared to almost every other AD. (And let's be real -- the one item spike items like stormrazor and ER, which the other AD would get BEFORE Kai'sa could even touch a rageblade, have a very real learning curve.)

I also think it's kind of insulting that Kai'sa got -hotfix gutted- with zero warning, but whatever. I was expecting at least a few more weeks before Kai'sa was given another look, but so much for that.

I could understand if Kai'sa had good results after a week, still. But after like one fucking day? Come on.

15 Comments

BLIGHTBRINGERJun 2, 20184 votes

Because Riot Meddler has already said in the Gameplay thoughts that Kai'Sa is still overperforming when compared to literally every Marksman.

Have you played against the current Essence Reaver Kai'Sa, it's terrifying.

BernJun 2, 20181 votes

It also has a way worse winrate than AP Kai'sa did, so wakaran. ER is questionable on champs with long ult CDs, and Kai'sa's is decently long. It's also a dead-end item that doesn't scale her very much and gives her 300 useless mana. I'm sure essence flare by itself is strong, but she got better things as the game went on just buying AP.

Saying a champ is overperforming early into a patch with a lot of changes is idiotic. On the first day of the patch, for example, QT was convinced Stormrazor was garbage even though it's one of the dumbest items Riot's ever released.

The expectation for me is that as people get better at lane bullying in a patch that's kind to lane bullies, Kai'sa will naturally drop off in winrate as it gets harder and harder for her to get out of lane. And when you first item spike at 3400 instead of 3200, being at a CS deficit (which Kai'sa should be) is a lot more damning when other people are buying BoRK and Stormrazor and ER and can shove those spikes down your throat.

BLIGHTBRINGERJun 2, 20181 votes

On the first day of the patch, for example, QT was convinced Stormrazor was garbage even though it's one of the dumbest items Riot's ever released.

It's kind of garbage though, well on Marksman anyway since you need to wait to constantly proc it, something Marksman don't oftenly do or would be willing to do because it would pose a risk to them being engaged on. It's just an excuse item to buff Assassins.

BernJun 2, 20181 votes

It's good for lane harass, basically.

Too bad it's the clunkiest item I've ever seen.

The proc CD isn't that bad if you also have zerker's, honestly

Fizz Used URFJun 2, 20184 votes

AP Kaisa is dominating in high elo atm, rocking around a 68% win rate. Build is item 3124 item 3115 item 3089 and the damage is disgusting.

BernJun 2, 20181 votes

This smacks to me more of issues with how rageblade and dcap interact. The damage looks a lot like how AP Varus was, where he just auto'd you three times and popped you past a certain point.

Fizz Used URFJun 2, 20181 votes

They can't interact if the champion doesn't have crazy AP ratios and synergy with it. Riot hotfixed it, and rightfully so.

BernJun 2, 20181 votes

I just mean it looks like they fixed a symptom and not a problem, considering what AP Varus did in the past.

EDIT: And they also did it in a way that damages the powercurve for all her builds, too, which is mainly what I take issue with. I don't think rageblade>crit kai'sa was going to be good this patch even before the hotfixes

Fizz Used URFJun 2, 20182 votes

She was going to be nerfed anyways, Riot's already stated she's one of the strongest adcs last patch. If this is all she gets - no attack speed growth nerfs, for instance - I think she'll be fine.

Fizz Used URFJun 2, 20181 votes

PLASMA AP RATIO 0.2/0.25/0.3/0.35/0.4 (for stacks 1-5) ⇒ 0.1/0.125/0.15/0.175/0.2 (for stacks 1-5)

A 40% ap ratio on her passive + Nashor's + Rageblade double-proccing both plus the % health on the 5th proc is not okay. It just isn't. Whatever way you slice it, the numbers were crazy and Riot hotfixed it, and rightfully so. Sorry if it ruined your fun, fam.

BernJun 2, 20182 votes

the AP ratio is one thing, and that's justified by how overbearing the dcap build is, but they also gutted the flat damage, and that really hurts every kai'sa buildpath

PLASMA BASE ON-HIT DAMAGE 7-12 at levels 1-16 ⇒ 4-10 at levels 1-16 PLASMA PER-STACK DAMAGE 1-9 at levels 1-17 ⇒ 1-5 at levels 1-17

that's a really big loss of on-hit per auto between the two

LegitBusinessmanJun 2, 20181 votes

Honestly ffs delete rageblade. All this item does it cause problems and no one would be worse off for its deletion except Kayle and you can adjust accordingly.

Kai'sa was supposed to be some kinda 'late game risky pick' but gets Rageblade and deletes people instantly.

BLIGHTBRINGERJun 2, 20181 votes

So AP Kaisa is basically building the same way as Varus ..

Here I thought that this build item 3124 item 3115 item 3089 is what made Varus uniquely strong, then Kaisa just get's to copy it lol

Malix FarwinJun 2, 20182 votes

Because she was broken before the patch? The only reason they didnt nerf her going into this patch is because they wanted to see where it would put her.