Darius' update fails on multiple fronts, specifically thematically. Here's why.

Darius' new update, along with the other "juggernauts" has two purposes: bring slower, tankier, low CC champions in to line with others and to give them a firm sense of identity. In the juggernaut update's post in bold bullet points, the very first thing Riot says is that "Each champion in League should feel distinct from one another." Why did Riot feel as though Darius' changes made him more unique? They changed his base stats so that he's slower but tankier, removed his movespeed so that he's slower, slowed down his Q so that he's slower, and added a new passive so that he's angrier. The name is flat out "Bloodrage." So the main message here, is that he's slower and angrier than before. Darius' character is not about slow and angry, it never has been, and this is not a unique niche for Darius. First, I'll back up my point about this not being true to Darius' character. Darius is not a slow brute. He is a precise, brutal general. From his lore, one thing is repeatedly emphasized: Darius' strength is tempered by his discipline. Every move is calculated, every strike is aimed. Darius is a great general not because he is strong but because he is smart. In his childhood, he lived on the streets, a place where brute force without a steady hand to temper it will get you killed quickly by a much bigger fish. He had to care for more than himself, but also Draven. There's no room for carelessness. How does this lore echo in his kit? From his passive's tooltip: "Darius aims his attacks strategically, causing his targets to bleed." His attacks bleed not because he uses a blade or because he hits them really hard, but he is an experienced and precise warrior who knows just where to hit. His Q, outside of the tooltip, plays exactly like this. In lane, you use your Q for a quick punish. Charging at the enemy rarely will land you your Q, rather you wait for them to come close. Darius, as a bully, commands his lane. The enemy getting close is a mistake, and he punishes this quickly and heavily. The damage falloff on the handle emphasizes this further, making sure imprecise, careless Darius players do not get his full power. Moving on to his W, Darius strikes "a crucial artery" to slow his opponent. He doesn't crush them, he doesn't get angry or brute force it, he aims his strikes to wound the enemy. Even his E notes that his passive armor penetration comes from preparation and discipline: he sharpens his axe. He doesn't swing harder, but with a more efficient weapon that took time to prepare and requires daily maintenance. Lastly, his ult. While certainly not the most careful of his abilities, it represents his brutality and leadership skills. The enemy has made continuous mistakes, allowing Darius to get them low and bleed for five stacks. As punishment, Darius makes an example of them, performing a battlefield execution. As the enemy team, that's damn scary. Darius launched straight into the air and cut somebody on your team in half, and instead of that being all his burst, he's chasing after you to do the same. As a teammate, seeing that is flat out inspiring. So yeah, Darius' kit currently reflects his lore well, and his identity is not only solid, but unique as well. Not other champion is a precise soldier willing to take advantage of any mistakes. The rest are aggressors. Darius is a punisher. Now, for my second point. Darius' new kit is not a unique identity, but rather a boring and recycled one. Like I mentioned earlier, his kit is now slower and points more towards aggression and raw power than calculated discipline tempering battle-won strength. His new passive, "Bloodrage" points to the idea that Darius enters a fury in combat. Gee, what other champions make angry strength their thing? Well no, this one is different, he slowly builds rage by hitting his opponents again and again . Well, I guess I'm not being fair. After all, no other champion fits the niche of Hulking, axe-wielding Noxian war machine built by fury and strength that wants to charge up his axe for a strong blow then get in your team's face? Yeah, I rest my case. All in all, I have my concerns about the update. I feel like it's a net nerf and I dislike it, but I would still play it if it was still Darius. I love him as a character and he perfectly matches my playstyle. This rework does not. He becomes another generic warrior that is no longer a Paragon of Noxus. He's lost his status as a shrewd warrior that keeps his eye on the politicians above him and cuts down anybody that would compromise the ideas and interests of Noxus for their own gain. Instead he's become another weapon of the Noxian army to be used and put back in his cage when he's done.

Edit: I'd also like to point out that a heal on his Q is also counter to his theme. Healing is about fixing mistakes. Darius doesn't make mistakes.