Another patch, another xin buff...but the hell with Aatrox right?

[{quoted}](name=Reaper Review,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=Wl9nAVkt,comment-id=0004,timestamp=2016-06-15T20:33:25.273+0000)

Auto-attacking "drain tank" types have historically been hard to balance, and are very easily broken.

Remember Feral Flare Warwick? That's what happens when even one thing goes awry with balancing this kind of champion.

Aatrox's power budget is strangled by his passive and W, and he needs a fairly significant overhaul to give his kit more room to work with.

finally someone understands what I have been trying to say

Technically this guy is 100% correct....

But I still max E and rush Gunsblade because that's how the real playas get down in the toplane.

Actually played Aatrox just a bit ago, and he really does feel fine overall aside from his health, but at the same time, giving him more health would mean he can drain tank sooner and longer.

But in all honesty, even if Aatrox was INCREDIBLY strong, Irelia and Jax will probably always be more frustrating to play against, and will probably be able to duel him no matter what. He doesn't have any sort of "burst" aside from doing a minute amount of damage with his q and e, and then /some/ AP damage with his ult. Both Irelia and Jax do more bust damage than him due to sheen procs and the amount of base damage that is on their abilities. To add insult to injury, Irelia has a two second stun duration with her equilibrium strike, and Jax can avoid all basic attacks for two seconds before stunning all of the targets in an AOE. Sure, Aatrox has a 1 second knockup on his q, but only if somebody gets hit in the center. His damage is almost only in AD aside from a really clunky skillshot on E, and a small AOE with his ult, so you can build armor and reliably take much less damage from him, wheras Jax does AD and AP, and Irelia does AD and TRUE DAMAGE, along with some AP damage on her E and R. Honestly, the only things Aatrox has on either Jax or Irelia is the sustain from his w (which in some cases, Irelia heals for more), and the easy to dodge, moderately damaging e for poke.

Basically what I'm saying is, due to how these champions kits work, and how similar they are, Aatrox would have to have some insanely good stats to be somebody you would pick over Jax or Irelia, but even then them or a Teemo would probably still destroy him. The only real use I can find from Aatrox at the moment is stabbing somebody that gets loads of HP, but no real resistances, such as Vladimir or Singed.

Don't get me wrong, he's fun as hell, and honestly, playing against an Aatrox (even an ultra fed one) feels less frustrating that playing against a Jax or Irelea.

If you can't tell, I'm salty that these champions are in the game because of the amount of damage they do, both burst and sustained, whilst taking next to none. Add some extra salt to Irelia because she can't even be CC'd for long due to her passive tenacity.

Yup, him too!

aatrox could totally be balanced, perhaps increased damage for when he hits the center of his Q. maybe increased movespeed when he ults.

lots of things could be done, they've just turned a blind eye to him outright.

havent tried at all on the PBE

Well, Jax can 1v1 Aatrox because of counterstrike. Can't heal up when your aa's are hitting. Irelia can 1v1 Aatrox no matter what as well, because if he is winning a fight, you equilibrium strike and kill him while he is stunned for all eternity. I feel that a good Teemo would effectively neutralize the effect of an Aatrox as well.

Meanwhile, no one is buying ...

Yorick and Ryze are being worked at by different teams, but Yorick is a minionmancer so he'll take longer. Yorick did NOT get delayed because of Ryze....