Fixes for Skarner, namely "Skarner Game Mode"
I just looked at champion play rates, and Skarner is back to being right there at the bottom of the barrel again. I've got some thoughts on why that is, what makes him feel so useless compared to other champions, and some ideas for adjustments that could be made in order to make him more enjoyable and viable again.
I started playing in S3, played a good deal in S4, took a long break, kinda started to come back in S6, then took another small break, and now I'd say I'm back in S7. I bought Skarner when he was new, and absolutely loved the champ during S3 and S4, and I'd say I was a Skarner main back then. The changes in the overall game from then to now as far as Skarner is concerned are just insane. Skarner's ult used to be absolutely crippling, due to the fact that at the time, it was one of the only CC's that moved an enemy player out of position, which was HUGE, mostly because there weren't so many insanely mobile champions. Yeah, he didn't do team-wide CC like Amumu, but he could CC one person extremely well.
So then around the time that I'm dabbling in the game again, I played a little bit of Skarner, and was rather disappointed with where he was at. All the sudden there comes the rework, which I was SOOO excited for when I heard it was coming... and then it turns out it's basically a mini-game within the game, that Skarner is 100% dependent on playing, otherwise he has no mana and his clear time is laughable. What a huge let-down. Yes he received some other buffs at the time, which were subsequently nerfed, and he was left with the stupid "go in the woods and touch balls for money" or "gotta catch 'em all/stop by my poke-stops" mini-game. I'd be happier if it was more of a copy of how Bard collects chimes that spawn semi-randomly, vs something that gives away your presence on the map (that's what the warding system is supposed to be for), and can give the enemy team free gold (wtf?). My biggest beef with the rework was that it's not Skarner-specific: the orbs directly impact the entire game for every player on every team. It literally becomes a "Skarner Game Mode" if he's picked, or in other words, instead of "changes to Skarner", it ended up being "changes to the game-mode if Skarner is in it".
With all the movement/gap-closer/escape/save/switcheroo abilities, not to mention all the CC that's easy to land on Skarner because he has to run straight at you to land his ult or do any damage, it makes Skarner's ult next to useless. Compare it to Zac, who can Kamikaze in on you extremely fast, then grab an entire team, it's just pales in comparison.
On a broader scale, compare Skarner's W as a "gap closer" to other junglers, like Amumu, Talon, Rengar, Kha'Zix, Elise, Fizz, Graves, Jax, Sejuani, Warwick, Wukong, Xin Zhao, or Zac, and their abilities to:
- close gaps, and then 2a. blow people up, or 2b. hard CC individuals or groups, or 2c. win trades with their kits. (or all 3 in the case or Warwick)...
Why would you ever pick Skarner over those other junglers right now? FOR THE BS MINI-GAME?! The normal game already has built-in objectives that have been well thought out and balanced. Can't we just stick to those objectives and not have to change it up for 1 lone champion?
Skarner needs something, badly. What I don't want is to add any more insane mobility gimmicks, so Maybe something so he doesn't NEED an instant gap-closer/escape like everyone else? Maybe make his W immune to incoming slows, stuns, roots, and fears (if he's already CC'd, too bad, still CC'd) for .4, .55, .7, .85, and 1 seconds? It's good enough that it would somewhat legitimize his engage (albeit for short windows of time), counter a little bit of skillshot CC if you're quick with reflexes or good at predicting, but if he puts all his points into it, he won't have any damage, so that's why it can be considered balanced? Maybe make it so that he has to use E or Q first, and then he has a 1 or 2 2 second window (a 2 second buff) to activate W to get that anti-CC portion? In other words, give Skarner a mini "anti-CC combo"?
Or if that anti-CC stuff is a little bit too much, I think Skarner needs to be more of a threat 1 on 1 if he catches you alone, and NOT just in the stupid orb rings. This can be done with some simple adjustments to his existing kit: slight buffs to his Q (tiny bit of damage and/or cooldown reduction, tiny bit less mana cost) and his W (tiny bit more attack and/or move speed, tiny bit less mana cost), and then nerf the buff from the stupid orbs to match, so that Skarner isn't so damn dependent on them, but they are still "helpful".
Also, make the orbs not be so "helpful" for the other team. Maybe reduce them to only exist in friendly/neutral territory, not enemy territory. Along with that, maybe make it so the enemy team gets no kind of vision bonus/ability out of them. Maybe even make it so the orbs are entirely a Skarner-only kind of thing where nobody, not even Skarner's own team-mates, gets any gold or any kind of mini-map vision from them. Obviously, good team mates will help Skarner get them because they give HIM vision, gold, and buffs, and then it'd up to Skarner to communicate to his team if the enemy has taken control of an orb, just like how all other junglers are supposed to play a primary role with communication and map vision, making team members aware of what's going on and what's coming their way, etc.
I really just want to play Skarner and not have it feel like "Skarner Game Mode" for all 10 players. Even just playing as Skarner, I want it to feel less like "Skarner Game Mode", and more like jungling (or just playing) in a normal game of League.