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To put things in perspective, Zoe is a nightmare in balance.

KillerShim·7/21/2018, 7:53:04 PM·33 votes·11,373 views

Now, I'm not the one to say something is OP and what isn't OP, I'm just pointing out facts here. I'm just going to compare 2 champions that both go mid lane that have a "similar ability".

Zoe's W: Has the potential of hitting a champion 3 times via 3 bolts.

Ahri's W: Has the potential of hitting a champion 3 times via 3 bolts.

Seems fair, right? Except...

PASSIVE - SPELL THIEF: Whenever enemy champions cast a Spells icon summoner spell or item active, they drop the corresponding Spell Shard onto the ground that grants Sight icon sight over a 100-radius area and remains for 40 seconds. Some enemy Minions Killed icon minions spawn with random Spell Shards that only drop to the ground for 20 seconds if killed by Zoe.

Collecting a Spell Shard allows Zoe to activate Spell Thief within the next 60 seconds. She can replace her current Spell Thief active by moving directly onto another Spell Shard.

ACTIVE: Zoe mimics the active of the collected Spell Shard.

PASSIVE - WHEEEEE: Casting Spell Thief or one of her own summoner spells grants Zoe Movement speed icon bonus movement speed for the next few seconds, and summons three bubbles that orbit her for the next 10 seconds. The bubbles autonomously hurl themselves at the nearest enemy in range, prioritizing her attack target, dealing magic damage.

75 / 105 / 135 / 165 / 195 (+ 55% AP)

Zoe gets TWO passives and an active in the same ability, ON TOP of doing more damage alone, gets 30-70% bonus movement speed for 2-3 seconds (Scaling by level), takes summoner spells that you use, and uses them against you, as well as items, and is an RNG mess in lane.

What does Ahri's W do in comparison you may ask?

ACTIVE: Ahri summons three spectral flames which orbit her for up to 5 seconds.

Flames prioritize champions hit by Charm Charm or any enemy hit by Ahri's last basic attack, within 3 seconds and Range icon 725 range.

After 0.25 seconds, each flame targets a prioritized enemy, or after 0.4 seconds pursues the closest visible enemy in range, prioritizing champions, then the target of Ahri's last basic attack, dealing magic damage.

MAGIC DAMAGE: 40 / 65 / 90 / 115 / 140 (+ 30% AP) Multiple flames can hit the same target, with each flame beyond the first dealing 30% damage.

Ok, so not only does Zoe's W do more damage, but Ahri's W does less damage if more than one gets proccd on an enemy champion. They're basically the same ability in concept, yet Zoe's got like 7 other things going for her.

This is why people are bitching about her, of course I know there's other problems like how she can nuke you from 5 screens away, has true damage, has no real cooldowns/mana costs and has a sheen in her passive, but this was just an example.

101 Comments

LatoyaFromTheBX7/21/2018, 9:40:40 PM23 votes

so is Yasuo Still is

Nausicäa 7/21/2018, 11:27:31 PM15 votes

This thread is literally full of ignorance and the only people upvoting this are Zoe hating circle jerkers.

You're comparing one ability vs another and drawing conclusions about balance when its not a valid comparison. You have to compare kit vs kit.

Zoe has 0 damage on her ultimate so obviously she needs more power in her basic abilities to function as a burst mage. Ahri is a champion with 3 dashes on her uiltimate which is extremely powerful.

Saying Zoe is op because her W is similar and better than Ahri's is literally idiotic. As i pointed out Zoe effectively has 0 damage on her ult while Ahri has not only damage but extremely powerful mobility.

Bârd7/22/2018, 7:52:37 AM8 votes

This is literally just what Hashinshin said. You know, the guy who loses his shit whenever something is added to the game that he can't beat by picking Jax and running directly at it?

But fine. Lets ignore that for a moment.

An activation of Spell Thief is, without a doubt, stronger than an activation of Fox Fire. Now, lets actually look at some fucking context.

In order to proc Spell Thief, a Zoe will have to use one of the following.

  • Her own flash (300 second CD)
  • Hexflash (20 second CD, unavailable in combat, requires Zoe to go into Inspiration)
  • Her own Ignite (210 second CD)
  • A bubble dropped from a creep (One every couple minutes, and you have to be in lanes)
  • A bubble dropped by an enemy champion (Everywhere in teamfights, not so much otherwise)

In order to proc Fox Fire, Ahri has to use the following

  • 40 mana
  • Fox Fire (5 second CD at max rank)

Spell Thief takes a minimum of ~1.5 seconds deal its full 195 (+55% AP) magic damage. Fox Fire takes a minimum of 0.25 seconds to deal its full 224 (+48% AP) magic damage.

Zoe has Paddle Star, a spell with a pretty pitiful AoE. Her waveclear is trash, meaning she has shit lane control. Ahri has Orb of Deception, a spell that is pretty damn good for clearing waves, giving her control.

Zoe has Portal Jump, a spell that looks like it should be a basic ability that you max last, as her ultimate. Ahri has Spirit Rush, an actual ultimate.

Veraska7/22/2018, 3:05:50 AM7 votes

Ahri w has a cooldown. You cant cast zoe w until you pick up a spellshard

Not tryin to defend zoe or anything just an oversight, the 2 abilities are very different

Packun Flower7/22/2018, 1:09:32 AM3 votes

You just stole this argument from Hashinshin's stream.

https://youtu.be/N8AJ2RBpEqM?t=79