What are the plans for Frozen Mallet and Gnar for preseason?

Gnart Even Close·Sep 6, 2016·5 votes·1,353 views

Gnar's been seeing a ton of play recently and has been having quite a bit of success, and is getting fairly heavily nerfed for 6.18. Seeing as Frozen Mallet is a huge part of his success and tends to create very unhealthy play patterns (ranged, targeted permaslow) and remove a lot of counterplay for his kiting, would Frozen Mallet be receiving any significant changes? As a Gnar main sad to see him be both nerfed and unhealthy due to this item, I am actually in favor of having it removed entirely and having Gnar compensated in other ways. Is something along these lines a possibility, or would Frozen Mallet be receiving further nerfs or be made melee only?

If a Rioter could respond, that would be awesome even if just to say that there aren't any plans either way at the moment.

32 Comments

Hrd2H1tSep 6, 20163 votes

I really hope they don't remove Frozen Mallet I love building it on Sion

LovelleSep 7, 20161 votes

{quoted}

I really hope they don't remove Frozen Mallet I love building it on Sion

This. It's almost a core item for Sion.

specter424Sep 6, 20162 votes

delete frozen mallet and change gnars passive to every 16 hits it does 2% max hp damage

SpoofghoulSep 6, 20161 votes

no just make it a 2 hit passive but now it damages gnar

Gnart Even CloseSep 7, 20163 votes

did somebody lose to Gnar? oh noes, just blame the champion

specter424Sep 7, 20161 votes

silver 5 gnar "main" ._. ok bud

Sorin AlucardSep 7, 20161 votes

{quoted}

silver 5 gnar "main" ._. ok bud

^ You realize that his rank has nothing to do with what he mains? You realize you can have legitimate viewpoints regardless of what your rank is right? You added nothing but an insult, not a point.

The changes to Mallet in 6.18 look like they'll be enough to shake things up a bit and see how it affects the champs that build it. I also think its funny that they JUST buffed Gnar not too long ago, and now they're going to gut him?

Even if a lot of people agreed on the w being nerfed, that nerf to his E is the real hammer to his kit

specter424Sep 7, 20161 votes

we don't play a game where every champ is viable some champs are just so poorly designed that they shouldn't be viable gnar is one of those

Gnart Even CloseSep 7, 20161 votes

level 21. i imagine you have a "main" account that's challenjour?

also, I am a Gnar main. I have over 250k mastery on gnar, and he is my only champ above level 4. further, Gnar is not a poorly designed champion at all. he actually has a ton of ways to play around him (except cancer FM Mini Gnar, I'll give you that). his rage mechanic gives him windows of power where you need to treat him differently and respect his power. each of his forms has clear weaknesses, like being weak to all-in as Mini Gnar and weak to kiting as Mega Gnar. seriously, if you just learn how Gnar works, he's not that hard to play against. he's only good in LCS where people can actually lane well with him and can coordinate around his Mega form and ult. after the nerfs, I don't know if he'll even be good then

specter424Sep 7, 20161 votes

lets look at all the champs that can beat gnar in lane Riven Irelia Renekton such variety! and you know what they have in common? mobility and strong all in potential so you don't have that enjoy getting harrassed without retaliation.

Gnart Even CloseSep 8, 20161 votes

Teemo, Yasuo, Kennen, Fiora, etc, etc all also beat Gnar, either through mobility, stickiness, and poke. Non meta stuff like Xin Zhao dumpster Gnar early on too, so that he'll never be able to get rolling

80569230_DELSep 6, 20162 votes

Just make it a melee-only item. Or lower the slow for ranged AA.

TurquoiseYoshiSep 7, 20162 votes

Ranged does have a smaller slow. Duration is the same, but the slow is 10% less on ranged AAs.

AhmChaSep 7, 20162 votes

I've already noticed people being like "lul Gnar's OP" so I just want to add some statistics to this.

From champion.gg Gnar's Win Rate: 47.73% (Ranks 47/55 for Top Laners) Gnar's Play Rate: 11.84% (Ranks 2/55 for Top Laners)

I made a post similar to this, if you want to rework or remove mallet fine, but please stop calling for my main's head without proper perspective.

Gnart Even CloseSep 7, 20161 votes

Well said. Could you send me a link to the post? I don't recognize you from the GnarMains subreddit, which I would recommend checking out =)

AhmChaSep 7, 20161 votes

http://boards.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/c/gameplay-balance/Qi0Re3ZQ-i-would-happily-say-goodbye-to-frozen-mallet-if-it-meant-people-would-stop-calling-for-my-mains-head

I don't have a reddit account though I thought of making one to join that subreddit.

Maximum MordeSep 7, 20162 votes

He wouldn't even need compensated most likely as a stronger item would take its place. I mean, the BC first instead of second or third instead of FM is probably just as, if not stronger from a raw combat standpoint. It would just enhance the difference between good and bad gnar players slightly as they would have to kite with their built in kit instead of the point and click perma slow.

Beware asking for compensation, unless ur Zed/Lee Sin.

Gnart Even CloseSep 7, 20162 votes

There aren't really any items that can fill the hole. Only Black Cleaver and Frozen Mallet synergize really well with Gnar, and stuff like Sterak's Gage won't suffice as a second AD/health item. I guess I could see Maw of Malmortius taking its place, but it's still not as good for Gnar as Frozen Mallet is. Gnar definitely would need compensation for the loss of FM, although I'm not really sure to what extent.

Maximum MordeSep 7, 20161 votes

Triforce might work as a suitable replacement. He won't be able to spam it in mini, but in Mega it would be a nice addition to damage output. I'm unsure.

Gnart Even CloseSep 7, 20161 votes

it overlaps phage with Black Cleaver, and BC is considered pretty core. I'm not sure if spending that much gold into offense without much defense can really work for Gnar. The biggest problem is really the cost to Gnar, since he really needs to get tanky fast. With FM BC, he gets 950 health as of now, and then he builds straight tank. A replacement item would need to not be too expensive, have a good chunk of health and AD, and help him kite. FM and BC are really the only two items that fit in that category, and although I am in favor of removing FM for game health, it will definitely be a really big hit to Gnar. Maybe Sterak's Gage could work if it was changed up a bit since it's cheap enough and gives health/AD and a great passive for both forms, but I really don't know.

JustJaysonSep 7, 20162 votes

Gnar is strong in competitive play, its less so in solo q. In 1v1 match ups his mallet makes him difficult to trade with in long lanes unless you just try to all in him. I can see them nerfing some stats on mallet and his hyper procs, maybe by adding a short cooldown to the ability or something of the sort

Gnart Even CloseSep 7, 20161 votes

I imagine it would be targeted at Frozen Mallet, since that is what is making Gnar so strong (and sadly unhealthy as Mini Gnar). I don't think they would touch Hyper, as it isn't and never was the problem.

paperbIadeSep 6, 20161 votes

lets gut his w

Gnart Even CloseSep 7, 20162 votes

why? Gnar isn't that strong at all right now

paperbIadeSep 7, 20161 votes

it does percent health magic damage

Gnart Even CloseSep 7, 20161 votes

so? it's his only real way of dealing decent sustained damage, and the fact that it's based around the three hits makes it quite easy to play against in lane. go for two hits, and back off before he gets the third hit or has to get into a bad position to get his third hit. if you gutted his w, gnar would be one of the weakest champions in the game. he literally has two active abilities in mini form, and hyper is necessary for him to be relevant. %health magic damage isn't even that big an issue. the bigger problem is % health true damage, or large amounts of armor ignore. those hit much harder regardless of tank stats.

paperbIadeSep 7, 20161 votes

"decent" builds black cleaver proceed to kill tanks in 2 seconds

paperbIadeSep 7, 20161 votes

they should like make his w flat ap just like jax r

Gnart Even CloseSep 8, 20161 votes

So squishies get deleted in order to do relevant damage to tanks? Seems legit

Meep ManSep 7, 20161 votes

I think Frozen Mallet is likely going to be changed to require something for the slow, but perhaps have better stats or a more potent slow. Other than that, I'm not sure.

SanctimoniousSep 7, 20161 votes

Frozen Mallet and Rylai's are possibly going to be changed. Theres talk of making them a tankier item, or making the passive an active for a short period of time.

Gnart Even CloseSep 8, 20161 votes

I sure hope so