Just looked at the ban rates for Plat and higher. Here is the list of the top 5 most banned:
I hope you are paying attention Riot. Having great new kits means nothing if they are so out of balance you can't ever play them.
SuperNub12344 votesI don't think that the recent reworks can be called fails solely due to ban rates. As with all changes in the game they require tuning after initial release, but I really think that these reworks show that riot is committed to keeping the game as fresh and exciting as possible. I am a huge fan of the fiora rework in particular because of how much it adds to her skill cap.
Lugg2 votesThey definitely have good potential. The problem is the horrible balance on release. They have to be able to do better than this.
SuperNub12341 votesYeah you're definitely right about that. I have seen most of these champions banned in every game as well. Sorry you're getting so many downvotes, it's probably due to how "complainy" the post sounds.
Lugg1 votesIt is a bit of complaint, but it's about the balance, not the champions themselves.
Lord Dusteon1 votesThe point of a rework isn't to have the reworked champion instantly be 50% winrate balanced. It's to change and update a kit so it no longer is outclassed by everything, a mess, or unbalanceable. The champions might be overtuned, but they can actually BE tuned now.
Lugg1 votesI don't expect them to be perfect on release, but this is ridiculous.
Jbels1 votesThe only rework that was a failure imho was Morde's. They did not stay true to who he was as a champion, and if they couldn't, they didn't try to change his identity as one, but give him a new one entirely that is unfun to play as or against.
Lugg1 votesI was complaining about the horrible balance the reworks brought on. It seems Riot totally ignores the PBE and just wants to release champs on a schedule. Screw the balance and game impact.
NoMonku1 votesDoesn't the fact that they are being banned means RIOT's changes worked as intended? Sure they went overboard, but imo they need to have the champion be OP or people won't bother putting forth the effort into learning them. Look at Gnar when he was released, I say he was pretty balanced, but he didn't really gain popularity until he got buffed to the point of broken, so imo it is better to have them be on the stronger side and then nerf them.
Also I see the "live" servers more as just a larger beta zone. They use us as guinea pigs to figure out how to tweak them into a more balanced state.
Lugg2 votesChampions can be popular without being OP. Look at Ezreal and Caitlyn, they have good pick rates but you don't hear anyone complaining about them being OP.
NoMonku1 votesYes, but Ezreal and Caitlyn haven't just been reworked like these champions have. All 5 that you listed have just been reworked by RIOT so they can possibly have a chance against top tier picks. The fact that they do well means they are working as intended. Some are just on the stronger side and some people are just playing against them wrong, so of course they will lose.
Lugg1 votesSkarner was fine before the rework, he only need a small tweak or nerf and he would have been great. Darius just needed an adjustment to make his early game weaker and his late game better. Morde is a complete disaster being moved to bot lane. In order to make him viable at all down there, he has to be mega OP. So that is a total fail. Garen also needed a small tweak and he would have been fine.
Riot just went completely overboard on the reworks.
NoMonku1 votesSkarner wasn't fine before the rework. He has been the most reworked champion in the game and this is his second or third rework because something always comes up that makes him too OP and then RIOT has to gut him.
Darius did get changed this way. The problem is that he is just slightly on the strong side now, so he can stomp people who have no idea what they are doing anymore.
Morde got changed because he needed it. Getting moved to bot is good for him because he needs more safety with a support. He needs to be toned down, but NO ONE would play him if he was released being incredibly sub par.
Garen's changes were fine, he is basically the same, just has more killing power on specific targets.
Regardless of how strong/weak they were, there is no way for RIOT to be able to release them perfectly besides being lucky. As I have said before, it is better if they are on the stronger side because then it will make people play them because they are OP, letting RIOT get data on what is easily being abused on those champions kits so they can nerf them accordingly if it is needed. Also my understanding of the Juggernauts is that their strength comes from you running at them and them being able to beat you back. If you are playing into their strength and not trying to kite/poke them down, you deserve to lose as you are playing into their strengths.
Lugg1 votesThis is where I (and others) start considering leaving the game. Riot ONLY releases new and re-worked champions OP simply to get more people to buy them. That's it. Period.
It's pretty unethical in my opinion and absolutely horrible for the game. Just look at the win rates right now.
#1 win rate in the game playing ADC 65%. That's ridiculous.
#3 win rate in the game, #1 as jungle.
#7 in the game, #2 top behind Wukong (who has been OP as hell since Black Cleaver was reworked)
#9 in the game, and basically even with Darius.
#27 but still has a 53% win rate and the only one even remotely close to balanced.
Now look at Bard. He was underpowered on release, but was steadily buffed. Now he is in a great place balance wise and pick wise. This is how it should be done.