The Aatrox rework did not end up delivering a more healthy design than the old Aatrox.
You could say that the old Aatrox was an unbalanceable stat checker that had to be kept in the gutter or else he'd be an overwhelming, pick or ban champion.
There's a point to be made there, and he definitely did need a rework.
Thing is, you can say the same goddamn thing about the reworked Aatrox.
- 82% pick/ban rate in 2018 regular split.
- 99% pick/ban rate at 2018 worlds.
- 100% competitive pick/ban rate in 2019 as of January 24th.
- 93% pick/ban rate in competitive since the rework dropped.
This is what happens when the reworked Aatrox is viable
So obviously he's completely and utterly broken in this iteration. Fine, what are Riot doing to fix it?
Well, they're beating him over the head with the nerf hammer.
- He lost his level 2 cheese when they made his second E charge start on CD.
- He lost his ability to initiate with his revive when they reduced its duration, since it no longer lasts long enough for him to die in its duration.
- On PBE, he's about to lose his ability to have any lane sustain at all. You know, his healing. The one thing that has always identified the champion.
Hell, there's probably more nerfs on the way.
If the reworked Aatrox isn't overbearing, he simply won't be usable at all.
Old Aatrox was an unbalaceable mess in the gutter, new Aatrox is an unbalanceable mess in the spotlight.
Congratulations, you took a Mordekaiser/Urgot/Yorick and turned him into a Kalista/Azir/Ryze.
