Katarina nerfs are unnecessary.
So, Katarina’s getting nerfed (Again). https://twitter.com/ricklessabandon/status/557335117190815746
Ideally someone double checks my math, currently this just seems like a major nerf to her early and mid game, without gaining any meaningful late game bonus as a result.
Base Damage: Level 3 Current: 175 + 125%AP + 60% Bonus AD
Level 3 Rework: 118 + 95% AP + 60% Total AD
The numbers above factor in her base AD. So, the difference is a generalized loss of 30% AP ratios for turning flat bonus AD ratio into a scaling total AD ratio. She also loses the damage on her E, and the flat damage on her W. This equates to a hard nerf in the early stages of the game, since most of her damage is through the Q proc, she has to get in range to AA someone or land her W on them. This leaves her extrememly vulnerable to getting poked as a result. Ranged champions already bully Katarina in lane, now they can do it even easier. The above numbers are excluding her ultimate, just her three basic abilities.
When we start factoring in the ultimates damage, basing it off of a 600 AP final build, against a 300 AD final build... (Her basic attack damage was already factored in where necessary)
Level 18 Current: (Full AP build) 1325 + 2250 + 0 = 3575 damage.
Level 18 Rework: (Full AP build) 1146 + 2070 + 0 = 3216 damage.
Level 18 Current (Full AD build) 1325 + 0 +1305 = 2630 damage.
Level 18 Rework (Full AD build) 1146 + 0 + 1485 = 2631 damage
(Base Damage + AP Damage + AD Damage = Total Damage)
My math is probably horrible here, and I missed a few major calculations, but this seems to be a generalized nerf to Katarina, not a rework. Seriously, please, someone tell me my numbers are wrong, and they aren’t flat out nerfing Katarina again. Even with the W scaling at 120% total AD, there’s still no reason not to go AP, it just gives out more damage. They’re justifying this by giving her more mobility with her E, sort of. There’s still a 3 second cd between Shunpo’s. Unless Katarina is supposed to go full tank, then all this allows for is Shunpo - Zhonyas - Shunpo. With the Shunpo changes, even if it’s on a 3 second CD, that doesn’t mean much to a squishy mage that’s supposed to be in the middle of a fight.
I’m confused by this, they’re killing Katarina’s identity. Rick Maher stated that she should feel more mobile, but with less burst damage. Which, if you look at the changes to her Q, the first proc deals less damage, and instead has the damage shifted into the mark. Which contributes to her burst. They removed Shunpo’s damage, which means Katarina loses a lot of ability to make trades during the laning phase. If she Shunpo’s onto the enemy laners, she’s stuck there for 3 seconds, while their mid lane can CC and trade with her. If she goes onto a minion, then the cooldown is a flat 15s.
Itemization gets fun also, since her W’s power was shifted heavily into building AD, and there are few items that give AD and magic pen. The power shift favors heavily towards hybrid, and items like Hextech Gunblade. Hextech Gunblade is a bad item on Katarina. It’s incredibly expensive for how little the stats help you. The spell vamp doesn’t do much with all of Katarina’s spells being AOE, the lifesteal doesn’t help since you’ll rarely be AA’ing in the middle of a teamfight, the active is nice, but doesn’t contribute a large amount to her.
Overall, this will hurt her laning phase, making it harder to survive lane then it is already. She suddenly loses a lot of her escape potential and chase potential, by giving Shunpo a flat 15s cd if used on a ward or minion (Hello Lee Sin). AP Katarina loses the base damage on her W, leaving it with a nice 25% AP ratio early, with minor scaling through total AD. Honestly, following the removal of DFG, this seems like kicking her when she’s down. Without DFG, she doesn’t have the ability to instagib someone, letting her start her chain resets. Like, the loss of DFG means Katarinas now have to be smart, and time when they should go in, trying to do as much damage as they can to as many people. She’s a high risk, high reward AOE mage. With these changes, I’m not sure what she is anymore. A bruiser without any CC? An AD assassin that deals magic damage? A tank? The Shunpo buffs give off a feeling of bruiser, since she can double tap Shunpo to chase someone and keep auto’ing them and spamming your W.
On a side note, who wants to guess which mid lane mage is next? Syndra is unplayable right now, but Lux hasn’t been touched in awhile. Maybe Swain will get nerfed.
