@RiotRepetoir, I am quite disappointed. Riot just had to buff a perfectly fine champion!

Primeval Void·3/21/2018, 12:07:20 AM·5 votes·2,303 views

Dear Riot,

I am quite disappointed with the fact that you just had to buff Kai'Sa. She's only been available for 2 weeks, which is not long enough of a timespan to gather sufficient data, especially with a new champion people don't know how to play yet and don't know how to play against yet. Riot, please make sure that if Kai'Sa proves to be overpowered and/or toxic, that you'll just simply revert every buff she gets in 8.6. Riot has made the same mistake before, please don't gut Kai'Sa in the places where she shouldn't be gutted. This is the first new champion in years I actually enjoy playing, the last one being the reworked Fiora, which is why I am rather concerned about her future state.

What exactly was the balance team's train of thought regarding Kai'Sa? To me, she felt perfectly fine after the hotfix.

Sincerely,

Primeval Void

22 Comments

RiotRiotRepertoir3/21/2018, 1:38:17 AM8 votes

What exactly was the balance team's train of thought regarding Kai'Sa?

When handling the release of a new or reworked champion, it's not all that common that the team that created the new champion thinks the release was perfect with no issues to sort out. In this case, we've had a patch of play on Kai'Sa, players have gotten some time to explore, and the creators wanted to make some changes that they thought will improve the feel of the character.

Obviously, there are power implications to said changes, which they consult me and/or my team about. At this point, we ask that in the event of the champion becoming too strong, are the changes still directionally correct? If the answer to that question is yes, we try to get these types of changes in sooner rather than later.

If Kai'Sa becomes too dominant on account of the changes in 8.6, then sure, we'll nerf her. However, it's unlikely we'll just revert the changes from the patch, because again, the creators of the champion believe they were right for the long term future of the champion. I don't think it would have been right to preemptively nerf her on account of them, because although her performance is rising, it still doesn't seem alarmingly high.

To sum up and directly answer the quoted question... the balance team's train of thought regarding Kai'Sa is that if her creators have post release changes they want to make that they're confident are in the best long term interest of the champion, then we should try and accommodate. If that increases the possibility of a nerf waiting down the road, then that's what we'll have to do.

Dope Solo3/21/2018, 2:02:28 AM3 votes

Well for starters, her range was too short and she has almost zero utility.

Bern3/21/2018, 12:24:37 AM1 votes

Kai'sa had (and probably will still have) the vayne problem where she's so exploitable in lane at high levels of play it becomes very hard to win. It doesn't help that she synergizes poorly with most sustain supports, even though she'd love the extra sustain to help her get through poke lanes.

ReySolomon3/21/2018, 1:08:38 AM1 votes

Was up against kai'sa mid and her roaming potential is 10/10 even her kill potential in lane is 10/10 so hopefully this doesn't make anything worse zz.

Kanzler3/21/2018, 3:54:42 PM1 votes

Are you done making a million threads about this now that you have your answer?

The Headbutter3/21/2018, 12:16:38 AM1 votes

Every new champ gets their glory of raping people for a month and Kai'sa, while good, wasn't wtf broken by the balance teams standards because they either want something retardedly broken or underpowered as shit.

Colton1473/21/2018, 6:44:42 PM1 votes

Ornn item 3070

k wìx3/21/2018, 12:20:40 AM1 votes

Yea, I don't really play her, but I think your right on the mark.

I feel like there are just so many 'forgotten' champions that are just so far out of the meta and need buffs to be relevant, and it NEVER seems to happen - Riot's balance team is too concerned with whats in the meta.

I just don't feel like they pay enough attention to champions that aren't competitive or relevant. DrMundo Diana Ezreal Karthus Kindred Leblanc Lissandra Mordekaiser Nidalee Nunu RekSai MonkeyKing