What if Annie E increased range but delays as a rework?
Read below for explanation
E: Playtime - Instead of giving her damage reduction, her next ability gains range and damage (leaning towards AP scaling increase, no base damage increase, to avoid abusing the support role or any tank builds with obscene base damage). On the downside, W has a long travel time to the edge (still near instant at the start), R needs to be thrown, Q becomes a skillshot. She glows with an aura of flame like some DBZ animu character. Instantly goes on a 15-20 second
If it's too weak - she still gets bonus damage but can cast the normal version of an ability if she's in default range for it. Only using the bonus range make sure her need to aim. I think this is unnecessary though. If it's too strong, maybe she gets slowed like rammus/Xerath and she does a skipping animation for her walk
R Tibbers has the least increase of damage on summon (but still noticeable), but the highest total damage by auto attack damage increase
W has the second highest damage increase, most noticeable AOE increase in that the cone extends outwards as well as forwards.
Q has the most dramatic damage increase towards the first champion hit, turns into a linear skillshot like brand Q or Shyvana, stops on first champion hit, deals damage to minions as an AOE and refunds mana per minion kill
Tibbers burn aura removed, increased auto attack damage scaling with AP and AS scaling with CDR (more explanation later). Slightly decreased AOE damage on cast. Q (?) decreased damage but has 'deals x% bonus to minions' to compensate for CSing W changes to make it worth picking over Q occasionally to max, probably % AP scaling per rank but reduced at rank 1. Deals less damage to minions.
alternative solution: lower bonus damage, if it stuns, duration is current annie's stun duration. Base stun duration is nerfed. I don't know which is better so either works.
Explanation: Annie needs more counterplay and more engage tools, while her identity has never been to be a mobile mage like Ahri. By giving her gated range she can't become a poke champion, and by giving her drawbacks for using E she gets the counterplay she needs and the power she needs to nerf her flash ult engage playstyle
Also, it turns her E into an ability that requires skill to use, rather than just an extra passive stack. The reason is that there's equal power in all 3 upgrades but they're all situational. R has the most sustained damage and will be useful against fed bruisers and tanks as well as having one of the shorter delays allowing it to be a better engage, W has the most AOE damage on a big delay and will let her engage on a very badly positioned enemy team, or a very immobile team caught out, and Q will be good waveclear, but in teamfights leaving a backline carry exposed or being caught out in the jungle alone will mean a quick end, due to the extreme damage.
By going full AP she's similar to old Annie as an engage mage but with CDR she can fill (suboptimally) the role of a DPS by having E empowered tibbers out longer, and that CDR increases its sustained damage.
The best part is that she doesn't have any difficult mechanics like yas E management, riven animation cancelling, and remains simple in lower elos and newer players
A big downside is that a lot of people have anti-annie sentiment and hate the idea of giving her range, and may point out that E flash would have so much range but I'd rather dodge something as counterplay rather than constantly be out of range - isn't that why a lot of auto attacks ults are frustrating to play against?
EDIT: to clear up some confusion
Her abilities are still point and click or instant when unempowered but weaker in damage (or CC by the alternative) so she can't flash RWQ and kill you regardless of whether you're mobile or not. But if the jungler is close by you're likely dead.
She's heavily rewarded by using EQ in a 1v1 when it's dodged most easily because it has the largest gains in damage, but she can still point and click Q but won't really get a kill due to lower damage. She can QERW vs a mobile enemy, leading with Q stun. She can't really burst to 0 health with flash tibbers but she can burst to 50% at least and the entire team will follow up in teamfights
) but if I make the mistake to stay in her Tibbers range for more than 0.5 seconds I'm dead meat (and my tower too).