My thoughts on Darius

I am very disappointed with champion's current in-game state. And we're not talking meta here. You see, the problem is that his efficiency starts where opponents' positioning awareness ends.

I realize that back in 2015 you have fully achieved your champion reworking goals. "Improve his late-game preformance and add new gameplay features without breaking overall impression about his character". Seriously, it worked! "The enemy team must always remember about Darius and not let him reach his powerspike (Noxian might, Bloodrage, whatever)" - was your statement back then a-a-and, well, it KINDA works that way.

The main issue is the huge difference between the unhuman efforts Darius has to put into achieving his powerspike and wide enemy toolkit of denying/delaying this moment. Of cource specific team compositions around Darius are a thing, but isn't it a way too complicated and unstable decision? Because composition can be built around any other reliable sources of damage. The champion feels like he has no actual -role- in the game. He rather feels like your average boss in a PvE game that always does the same pre-scripted actions, can be beaten by algorithm, and only succeeds if the enemy team makes severe mistakes in preforming this algorithm. Moreover, enemy mistakes don't actually guarantee success for Darius, rather just giving him an option to play around - all because "clarity" and "counterplay" effect is what this character all about. Meanwhile even a slightest mistake against Illaoi, similar in some ways character, is always terminal. Also worth mentioning that, except his powerspike, Darius doesn't provide his team with any utility. Even Nasus, which isn't really strong in a current meta, can use his stacks for a rapid push or on-target W skill to permanently "switch off" an enemy marksman from a teamfight. And Illaoi, which we were comparing Darius to, while not having any powerspike moments, can easily push a lane with wide and powerful Q ability; moreover, during a teamfight for objectives she is guaranteed(!) to drive an enemy out from a teamfight if she lands a single E ability.

I realize that many champions are currently in such depressive state at the moment, and your decisions sometimes drive me into depression even further (hello, 25% penetration for Garen's E without any changes to his boring gameplay!).

Firstly, I would appreciate hearing from Meddler, Darius rework's curator, who was always with us for the last two years, promising upcoming changes to the Hand of Noxus. In his opinion, is it even normal in online game for a player to preform a role of a scripted raidboss, or rather an interactive clown for other's joy? Trust me, that's how it works above D5 elo! Without his powerspike, which Darius is very unlikely to trigger, he has nothing left but to wander around the frontline and catch all kinds of poking spells with his face.

Secondly, I wonder if "clarity" and "counterplay" mean anything to you at this point. Are they even a priority? Honestly speaking, I was keeping track on FotM picks for more than a year already and I think that all that matters is "efficiency" (that really borders with frustrating toxicity) in their toolkits. So tell me, why one part of champion roster should be "clear" and "counterable", while others are allowed to shine in top of ladders and pro arenas with their absurd designs? I really have an impression that all characters are divided into two categories to you:

1. Effective for pro-players in achieving their goals. They change in their rotations from time to time, but almost never end up in second category.
2. Casual dummies that almost never make past the lowest points of the ladder, just to serve as interactive amusement for players who pick characters from the first category.

There is a video in the preview that expresses the substance of everything said above.

Also, champion buffs are not an option. Darius mainers won't stand Mordekaiser's fate for their champion.

P.S I do not appreciate how people treat my champion as "worthless pick" all the time.