Viktor and the Glorious Evolution! A History... And a Suggestion
TL;DR at the bottom!
Back in 2011 - as the year was drawing to a close - a Champion was discovered hidden amidst the files of a recent patch. More intricately designed than any champion to date, the visuals were eye-catching; painting us a picture of a soon-to-be-released cybernetic tech-mage sporting a staff in one hand, a huge gauntlet on the other... and an iconic third arm, grafted neatly to his shoulder. He looked like a tech priest (or something), and, needless to say, the player-base was intrigued. Viktor was sleek, Viktor was cool; and, as time went on and Riot officially released details of the champion, we learned that he had the unique ability to purchase augments - Champ-specific items that would single-handedly define his playstyle each time he stepped onto the Rift. It sounded amazing. A multi-purpose champion crafted specifically to supersede the meta. To enter a game and dictate the flow of it! It, frankly, seemed almost too good to be true!
And when launch day came... ... we knew that it had been.
Y'see, Viktor had a problem. His kit and his augments weren't working together the way they should have been. Though his abilities could all be maxed first, becoming incredibly effective, his augments felt like hindrances. Buying the W augment and maxing W left you weak and vulnerable. Buying the Q augment and maxing Q made you a kite monster, but often-times neutered your late game beyond repair. E increased the damage of your laser, applying a burn over time, but boasted zero utility.
The augments felt like appetisers. Not-so-nourishing buffs-on-a-toothpick that hinted that Viktor was supposed to have more upgrades, or better itemisation. And so time passed; and Viktor became one of the least-played champs in the league. In spite of this, he felt like he was just shy of being in a good place. Clunky, needing QoL updates and augment tweaks, but, y'know - strong, viable and more than capable of winning most lanes (Just so long as you didn't fall into the trap of buying the wrong augment)
For people like me, however, this was frustrating. Viktor's passive was NOT one augment. His playstyle was not meant to be "Max E, back @ 1k gold". The idea that Viktor was so close to being a functional addition to the League roster was almost a challenge to the Machine Herald's fans. His playerbase was clamouring over one another for attention from Riot. For Years, threads would pop up - on a daily basis - pleading for augment buffs, or QoL fixes.
It never happened.
Eventually, however... something did.
#The Herald of a Machine Age
http://i.imgur.com/wSRKprx.jpg
In 2014, Solcrushed slammed onto the forums with the image, above - a cropped portion of the picture that would become VIktor's new splash art. At the time, we didn't know what to make of it. But there was more than simply a picture. There was real meat in his posts. Solcrushed was updating Viktor; back-and-forthing on the forums with fans for feedback. He'd been scouring the various suggestion threads for months, and he had a vision: To retain Viktor's core identity, but make him meta-friendly.
It was widely considered to be one of - if not the most - impressive champ updates in League history. Viktor got ALL his augments, tied to the (now) strongest AP item in the game. He even got a brand new augment for his ult and an instant shield-effect on his Q! But Solcrushed didn't stop there. Going above and beyond our collective expectations, Sol added an on-hit attack effect to Viktor's shield. Why is this such a big deal, you might ask?
Well, back before the rework, Viktor mains would use their Q (just an ability at this point), then follow up with an auto-attack to do a tiny smidgeon of extra damage. This was because the shield's delay often left them taking counterpoke BEFORE the shield arrived - and the extra attack often left them coming out of the exchange on top.
Solcrushed saw these 'elite' tactics as a part of Vik's core identity. He implemented them into the rework. And Viktor fans were shocked. We were amazed. We never thought we'd even get a QoL update, let alone something like this. It was the best thing that had ever happened to us.
And it was good.
http://img02.deviantart.net/360f/i/2015/114/3/5/join_the_glorious_evolution_by_beverii-d8gdv0e.jpg
#Viktor Buys Augment: Schizophrenia, and Has An Identity Crisis
Ricklessabandon announces via Twitter that he is in charge of updating Viktor as part of the mid-year mage update. The fanboy in me rejoices. Memories of Solcrushed announcing that he did not have the timeframe to implement planned changes to Viktor's ult leave me cautiously optimistic.
The changes, however, are not of that variety.
Viktor's Q is weakened, and the shield begins to scale with mana; likely in an attempt to tie Vik to the new tanky mana items. Viktor's E is weakened, and the augment's upgrade effect (an aftershock explosion) nearly triples in its delay time. Viktor's R gains a flat damage nerf, a DoT buff, a duration nerf and a quadrupled delay between DoT applications.
In a flash, Viktor becomes reliant on his ult and stun. Two abilities considered best left as backup in case of a panic, or an enemy cluster, respectively.
The original vision behind the update?
Viktor
What we’re happy with:
- ‘Glorious Evolution’ thematic and Hex Core feel unique
- Multiple cast paradigms make playing Viktor different from other mages
What we’re less happy with:
- Viktor’s primary contributions to his team are overwhelmingly about getting damage off quickly, lending itself to a flat experience overall.
What we hope to see coming out of the update:
- Viktor provides a team unique ways to play around enabling his huge teamfight potential rather than feeling like a one-man show
The changes simply do not correlate.
#So Why the History Lesson?
Back in 2011, Viktor was conceptualised by a talented team, with an insightful vision; the creation of a champion whose mere existence within the meta meant a capacity to influence it. A champion who could shift the flow of a game on the fly, by changing his function in the middle of a match. Sure, they fell short in execution, but the concept was unique and inspired.
He was conceived with 3 augments! One that provided him tanky kite options, a second that granted him range, mana and cooldown reduction, and a third that spiked his damage potential to uncomfortable heights.
Viktor could play as a tanky top-laner, or a long-ranged support mage. He could overwhelm the enemy mid laner, and even switch lanes to fill in for a missing teammate, should the need arise. He wasn't just one champion. He was an innovator. The gap filler. He was supposed to be the champion you call on to capitalise on an enemy weak spot; or to hide your own.
When Solcrushed tackled Viktor's first update, so long ago, he looked at what made Viktor great. He added onto the Herald's design, optimising an already engaging playstyle by adding new facets to his passive and abilities; even going so far as to incorporate mainstream strategies by the playerbase into the design (such as the auto attack after each Q cast).
I do not get this same vibe from the 2016 mage update. Viktor is all-but flat-nerfed, in the hopes lower damage makes him more team-oriented. This isn't capitalising on a design. It is forcibly distorting it to fit a mould. Viktor already has his own mould. He doesn't need a new one. What he needs is a refinement of the identity he already has.
And so, full circle, I come to the meat of this post.
#What If...
Viktor's update was taken in a new direction? One that focused on building upon his core identity, to fit in with the criteria as outlined in Riot's vision in the quote, above?
#What If...
Viktor's kit was left more or less the same, as it is now, but he were given alternate augments that tweaked his abilities and stat growth?
#What if...
Viktor could finally embrace his destiny as a Herald of a new Age? As the Father of innovation and progress? As the man who single-handedly pushed humanity forward, and influences the lives and actions of those around him?
What if Viktor became...
#The Terror of the Meta-Game
Viktor is the pinnacle of human achievement. An example to the rest of mankind of what can be achieved through the pursuit of his vision. He enters the League with the intent of perfecting his technology; and demonstrating his superiority. In turn, he hopes to plant in others that same desire to progress. To beat Viktor, you must become like Viktor. And so what greater way to incite the desire to rival the Creator, than to spread his influence across each aspect of the Rift?
Imagine, for a second, that Viktor's augment was but one choice of many. That, tucked away in his sprawling lab complex, he had many such prototypes - not so different, in effect, than the one that Jayce destroyed oh so long ago.
What if each crystal was specialised for a specific function? We know that he has settled on his Red Death Augment for now, but let's say that Gravity and Power still exist - that, even now, the Herald works away tirelessly on them within a secluded research facility. What if they were just... about...
Finished.
I'm serious. Envision it - a choice between multiple augments that each dramatically change your build path; purchased at the beginning of a match for free (locking you into a build path), then upgraded with gold as the game progresses.
Each augment would possess unique stats and ability upgrades. For example: Maybe you want to support your ADC this game, so you buy the GRAVITY Crystal, netting scaling mana p/5 and CDR%. That's not all, though! Each time you upgrade the crystal, you may choose to augment one of your abilities.
- Q would provide an AoE effect upon the return of your boomerang, shielding nearby allies and restoring health equal to a small portion of the remaining shield when the effect expires.
- W would increase damage dealt by allies to any enemies caught in the Area of Effect, stacking along with the slow and maxing bonus damage once the enemy is stunned.
- E would target the extremities of your enemies, slowing any hostile units you strike and making pursuit (or escape) that much easier!
Or say the enemy team is full of heavy engagers, and you want to go tanky to peel for your squishy teammates. You pick the POWER Crystal, netting you scaling HP and HP p/5. Being a mage with high hp is pretty boring though, and so you get to augment your abilities with this crystal, as well!
- Augmenting Q would sap the armour and magic resist from a single foe, transferring it to Viktor for the duration of his shield and, additionally, providing Viktor's empowered attack with a minor AoE damage effect.
- Augmenting W would cause the outer ring of the ability to function like a Yasuo or Braum's wall, blocking offensive projectiles cast from the outside.
- Augmenting E would increase the width, range and damage of Viktor's laser, at a small penalty to travel speed (Vel-Koz eat your heart out!)
With his GRAVITY Crystal, Viktor would be able to directly influence teamfights and assist his allies. He would benefit from staying in close proximity to his teammates, and would excel in using his laser not to poke down foes, but, rather, to slow them down for ally clean-ups.
By contrast, the POWER Crystal would enable Viktor to duel targets, unleash serious AoE damage as a sort've tanky-bruiser, and peel for allies - even at a distance - through use of his gravity field as a defensive barrier; adding an entirely new facet to the ability's design.
Best of all, his current crystal (I obviously still consider it to be the DEATH augment, cause of its stats) wouldn't need to be tweaked to enable these team interactions. Viktor could STILL be the mid-lane burst mage. But he could also be a support and tank-mage.
Riot - I don't know if you'll see this. And I don't know if this will even gain any traction (it's a pretty huge contender for TL;DR), but Viktor is special. He has the potential to be something that other champions can't. His augments are an inspired system. His kit, a work of art. Why not capitalise on both, and create something amazing?
Riot - don't let Viktor devolve into a homogeneous mass of wasted potential. Let him become what he was always destined to. A master of the Meta!
Riot:
#Let Viktor Evolve.
http://img08.deviantart.net/50b1/i/2014/076/c/a/viktor_void_revolution_by_xxg0dofcha0sxx-d7aluxl.jpg
Thanks so much to anyone who read this far! For everybody else...
#TL;DR!
- Riot wants VIktor to interact with his team and the enemy team in more ways.
- Viktor used to have 3 different Augments that would provide him unique stats and prep him to take on different roles in each game (such as support with Augment: GRAVITY, or as a tanky top-laner by purchasing Augment: POWER)
- Riot really likes Viktor's Augment. They like his theme.
- Viktor could get his old Augments BACK - appropriately updated to fit his current kit - and reclaim his identity as a multi-lane, adaptive master. A terror of the Meta Game.
Not only would this solution cater to what Riot likes about Vik - it would also eliminate the shortcomings they sought out to fix. Viktor could still be a burst mage. He waveclear as minions swarm up on his turret, or decimate enemy mid-laners who get too confident. But he could be more than that.
He could support. He could tank.
It would all just depend on what augment he picks at the start of the game.
