@Meddler: Hey so Rageblade looks pretty OP and all...

But before anyone goes and dumpsters it with nerfs, could we take a step back and be methodical with it?

I've always been a big fan of rageblade as an item, and I was ecstatic when I saw the new Rageblade on the PBE. However, I think it's become pretty clear that it is a bit too strong, especially on certain champs who make use of all the stats it gives efficiently.

The way I see it, there are a handful of tuning levers that Riot can use to tweak its strength, which are:

• Base stats
• Overall item cost
• Passive stats
• Passive stack rate
• Passive on-hit damage
• Passive on-hit AoE range
• Build path

Right now, I think it is safe to say that the build path and base stats are fine where they are. It isn't particularly fluid to build, but it isn't made up of extremely expensive components or inefficient items either. The base stats are below average for the cost of the item, which is fair considering most of its strength is tied to its passive.

That leaves us with changing the item cost or how the passive functions in some way.

• Increasing the cost makes the item less powerful as an early rush simply because it takes longer to complete. It is a simple solution, but may not be the correct one, considering that the item is generally strong throughout the game.

• Reducing the stats that passive gives makes it slightly less binary when comparing a stacked opponent and an unstacked opponent. It limits the item's maximum potential, but overall has the same effect as increasing the price, while actually making it less polarizing in terms of strength.

• Reducing the stacking rate may be a viable solution, especially if it is determined that reaching the second passive more slowly helps to balance it. I would advocate increasing the total number of stacks to 10-12, and then adjusting the stats the passive gives to roughly match what they are now when at max stacks.

• One of the things that stands out about the new rageblade is the strength of the on-hit effect, and nerving its damage would be an easy way to tone back the item. I would suggest nerfing its base on-hit damage (20 seems like a lot really, especially for an AoE) to around 10.

• Lastly, there is the option to nerf the AoE of the item. This is my personal favorite, because it tackles another problem regaled has, which is its overly powerful synergy with the new Gunblade. I don't know the exact numbers, but looking at it, the on-hit's AoE appears to have a range of somewhere around 200-250, and nerving that range by about 20-25% would probably be reasonable.

Overall, based on that analysis, I think nerving the stack rate slightly, nerving the base damage of the on-hit, and nerving the range of the AoE effect would be the most satisfactory way of toning back this item's strength without making it garbage or losing the gameplay feel it has. What's your opinion on it?