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What actually is/are the problems with Soraka that make(s) Riot repeatedly nerf/tweak her? (Part 2)

The Governer·10/6/2016, 2:34:19 PM·4 votes·634 views

If you have read Part 1 and agree with me, you will realize how unhealthy Soraka is as a champion in a whole. So here are my ideas to change Soraka for the better:

Base health at level 1 increased to 534.2 from 529.04 Base health growth statistic decreased to 74 from 78 Base armor at level 1 increased to 25.54 from 23.384 Base armor growth statistic decreased to 3.4 from 3.8 Remarks: These statistics' changes aim to improve her early game so that she can actually be more interactive and discourage passive playstyle during laning phase.

Passive (Salvation): (NEW) Direct healing to other allied champions below 40% of their maximum health is increased by 10% / 15% / 20% (at level 1 / 8 / 15) (stacks additively with the amplifier of Wish) within 3.5 seconds after Soraka impairs an enemy champion's movement with basic abilities (The old passive is retained)

Remarks: The addition of this enhancement is to make it so that she has to work her way against the enemies in order to enjoy and distribute more healing towards allies. Passive healing is nerfed as a result to balance this change.

Q (Starcall): Damage radius increased to 300 from 235 Delay increased to 0.25-1.5 seconds from 0.25-1 second (REMOVED) The healing portion of this ability will be moved to Astral Infusion. (NEW) In the target area there will be 3 layers. The outer layer deals the least damage and heals Soraka the least, and the inner layer (circle) deals the most damage and heals soraka the most. Numbers are as follows: Damage:

  • The outermost layer: 20 / 30 / 40 / 50 / 60 (+10% AP)

  • The second layer: 60 / 80 / 100 / 120 / 140 (+20% AP)

  • The innermost layer: 80 / 120 / 160 / 200 / 240 (+40% AP)

Slow:

  • The outermost layer: 10% for 1 second at all ranks

  • The second layer: 25% for 1.5 seconds at all ranks

  • The innermost layer: 40% for 2 seconds at all ranks

Remarks: This change makes sure good Soraka players are still rewarded with massive utility and bad Soraka players are rewarded with little utility. Delay is increased to provide more counterplay. Healing portion is moved to W (Astral Infusion) because she can no longer be a solo lane champion <but this is optional depending on how open Riot is towards champion diversity>.

W (Astral Infusion): Cooldown reduced to 6 / 5 / 4 / 3 / 2 from 8 / 6.5 / 5 / 3.5 / 2 Heal to other allied champions reduced to 40 / 55 / 70 / 85 / 90 (+25% AP) (NEW) If she lands Starcall on an enemy champion, she becomes Rejuvenated. When Rejuvenation is in effect, she heals herself every half-second and gains movement speed. If she uses this ability while being Rejuvenated, the effect is replicated for a limited duration. Numbers are as follows: Rejuvenation duration:

  • The outermost layer: 1.5 seconds

  • The second layer: 3 seconds

  • The innermost layer: 4.5 seconds

Total heal:

  • The outermost layer: 30 / 38 / 46 / 54 / 62 (+10% AP)

  • The second layer: 50 / 60 / 70 / 80 / 90 (+20% AP)

  • The innermost layer: 80 / 100 / 120 / 140 / 160 (+40% AP)

Bonus Movement Speed:

  • The outermost layer: 10% at all ranks

  • The second layer: 25% at all ranks

  • The innermost layer: 40% at all ranks

Remarks: Same remarks as Q (Starcall). In addition, cooldown is reduced and base healing is reduced to give her breathing ground so that she can still somewhat spam heals without being oppressive. If she uses W individually without landing Q (Starcall) on any enemy champions, her heals will be worse. The cost of spamming heals individually is high enough to justify these changes.

E (Equinox): Cooldown reduced to 20 / 18 / 16 / 14 / 12 from 24 / 22 / 20 / 18 / 16 (NEW) Enemy champions previously damaged by Starcall are marked for 2.5 seconds. All marked enemy champions are instantly rooted and silenced if they are in the area of Equinox, but they are only dealt one instance of damage. Silence duration for marked champions: 1.1 seconds at all ranks Root duration for marked champions: 1.25 / 1.5 / 1.75 / 2 / 2.25 seconds

Remarks: Just more interactions between Q (Starcall) and E (Equinox) to make Soraka less linear as a champion.

R (Wish): Range decreased to 1500 / 3000 / Global from Global at at ranks (REMOVED) Cast delay is removed. (NEW) Wish removes Grievous Wounds again.

Remarks: R (Wish) requires her to actually be in range to use but it adds more benefits. No more weird cast delay that makes you regret you use ult because your allies die a split second after you use your ultimate. The removal of Grievous Wounds is just a revert of a nerf on Soraka since they changed Grievous Wounds to affect all healing again.

So what do you think of these changes? Do you think it will make Soraka less feast or famine and less unhealthy? Do you think it will make Soraka more active as a champion towards enemies?

3 Comments

TricolorStar10/6/2016, 3:05:09 PM1 votes

Honestly, Soraka is in kind of a weird place just because of what she is and what she represents. She's from a by-gone era where dedicated healers were a thing. In today's game climate, walking health pots like Soraka are almost impossible to balance and this is coming from a place of love (level 6 Soraka main).

The thing is, Soraka is actually pretty balanced right now. The Season 5 changes (i.e Rejuvenation and heal-over-time from Starcall) have really helped her become less of a toxic mess. Remember her old passive, Consecration? That was pure garbage. Riot's been working hard to balance Soraka and I think we're in a good spot right now. When you go against a Soraka, you're dealing with two priority targets instead of one: Soraka must be focused almost as much as her ADC.

Although some would say that's not fair, the bot lane is always full of weird combinations that require you to think on the fly. Zyra/Annie support is like going against an active minefield and don't even get me started on the cheese like Illaoi or Shaco support. Supports have certain jobs they need to fulfill in order to have an identity: Janna is peel, Sona is enhance, and Soraka is heal.

An easy way to defeat Soraka is dodge Starcall, which is the easiest ability in the game to dodge. Without that, she doesn't get health back and she can't heal as much, making it way easier to kill her and her ADC. Soraka's only CC ability is Equinox, and that has a 3 second delay before it actually stuns people. Trying to balance or change Soraka at this point is going to be incredibly hard because any nudge in either direction will send her spiraling out of control.