Rengar Rework Suggestions
This is my first post here, so I hope it's formatted ok and stuff.
Hi, so after watching Reignovers pocket pick video, it got me thinking about my old ideas for Rengar. I went and found my old notes and decided to touch them up a little to post here.
Please read the context sections, thank you ^^
Passive Unseen Predator: Now requires Rengar to have been in that brush for 3 seconds in order to activate his leap.
Ferocity: When at maximum ferocity his next basic ability will have an additional effect, consume all ferocity, but NOT have an independent cooldown.
Bonetooth Necklace (please read context): 3 stacks - Now only requires 2 seconds for his passive. 6 stacks - Leap and empowered Q range increased by 125. 12 stacks - Ultimates movement speed is doubled. 20 stacks - The stealth from his ultimate refreshes its duration in a brush.
Context: His current leap passive is pretty fun and simple to use but the counterplay surrounding it is pretty exhausting and unrewarding. Introducing this timer will cause both player and enemy to think a little more about how they approach the fight.
The ferocity changes mean he will no longer be able to use the same ability twice, an underlying issue with very tough balance implications.
The bonetooth necklace is something I have spent little time on. I’ve only kept it due to riots reluctance to remove things they consider iconic to a champion, which I completely understand, but this necklace is not iconic compared the rest of his kit. What it essentially is, is a snowball mechanic for a viable assassin, those two things do not go hand in hand. The stats the bonetooth gives have to be weak in nature as Rengar has the ability to snowball himself anyway. I hope you understand what I’m saying, I think the bonetooth necklace could be removed without being particularly missed. Hey, maybe bring it back as an aesthetic thing, kind of like Pulsefire Ezreal’s armour upgrading over time.
Q Works the same but with some of the empowered Q’s attack speed (bonus damage and grants attack speed) Empowered - Will have 600 range and cause Rengar to leap to his target, in addition to normal effect.
Context: This change was made in parallel to his ultimate changes. Moving the attack speed to base Q evened out the huge power differences with his new empowered Q.
W Works the same (aoe magic damage that grant resistances) Empowered - Will heal him, in addition to normal effect.
E Works the same (directional slow) Empowered - Will root and deal bonus damage, in addition to normal effect.
Ultimate Can now only be used at maximum ferocity. Using an ability will now only consume 1 ferocity instead of 5 and place that ability on half its cooldown. Reactivating his ultimate consumes 2 charges and stealths Rengar for 3 seconds. Abilities will continue to be empowered until all ferocity is expended or 30 seconds have passed. Grants movement speed for the duration, only whilst running towards enemies.
Context: The leap from stealth is something very iconic about Rengar but is very hard to balance when considering its assassination capabilities. With these changes, we retain his identity whilst also forcing the Rengar to decide between more stealth or more damage and utility. Both assassin and tank playstyles would be satisfied. It was considered to refresh the stealth duration when entering a brush, this was instead tied to his bonetooth.
The reduced cooldowns are there as a hunt should be played out much faster than his base cooldowns would allow, many of his numbers may need adjusting through playtests.
The bonus movement speed his ult used to give on exiting stealth gave Rengar his escape mechanism, removing this demands the Rengar to be more thoughtful about his use of Ferocity charges, empowered Q is enough of an escape mechanism without the movespeed.
Notes/Concerns:
- Will have to numbers test everything, specifically the resistances he gets and everything's cooldowns.
- He might just be a superior Kha’zix….
- Bonetooth bonuses open to suggestions.
- With the empowered Q, lane Rengar could be too strong
- His ultimate could reveal (similar to how it works at the moment) units, but all units. Potential buff if his “Thrill of the Hunt” aesthetic wasn’t quite being fulfilled.
- His chase potential on a single target would be incredible, perhaps it would be acceptable, as at least he can’t run through an entire team to do so.
- Having stealth on his first activation of ult was considered but would most likely detract too much from meaningful choices.
