I actually thought of something interesting for Pantheon to increase counterplay

1. Have his E damage scale by proximity. Point blank is 100%. Edge is 60-70%.
2. W does not stun target. Instead, it slows them and marks them. If Pantheon hits them with 2 pointblank strikes of his E, it stuns them for a second.

How this would increase counterplay:

1. E is mana efficient harass with range equal to his Q. No, really, it is. Q is just undodgeable. The reason why you would use E for this is vs melee where they go in to cs and take 3 strikes to the face. It's that simple. By making the damage scale with proximity, it makes csing more forgiving for the enemy and forces Pantheon to get close in lane to use E more effectively.
2. That split second of slow instead of stun allows the enemy to side step him as point blank E has a very narrow cone. Anticipating the side-step would be fucking amazing for Pantheon, and dodging the stun via sidestepping would feel good for the enemy since Pantheon has no reverse.

I've got several hundred games of Pantheon, so that's what I'd feel would increase his tactical counterplay. I can't playtest it, so Rito pls do it 4 me.