I'm super excited about Grievous Wounds changes, but why is Soraka getting nerfed?

Krys Star·Apr 21, 2016·3 votes·329 views

I realize this isn't the whole picture of today's PBE update yet, but... so far it's scary to see Soraka is getting a huge nerf from Grievous Wounds changes (which she rightfully deserves, and I welcome wholly as a Soraka main), but why is she receiving a nerf on top of it? Unless the plan is to increase Astral Infusion's heal while reducing Starcall's heal for allies. But either way, this is hurting Soraka's self sustain to begin with... :s

6 Comments

El Condor PasaApr 21, 20161 votes

She probably does crazy things with the updated catalyst and unholy grail.

Krys StarApr 21, 20161 votes

Maybe, but it's not often as a support that you'll be able to access that many games in an average game. Unholy Grail, maybe, but Catalyst is going to take a while to build. D: I should try that on the pbe next time though. x)

masterdragon481Apr 21, 20161 votes

I could see them giving the remove grevious wounds back on her ultimate before it actually heals, but other than that I think its overall a step in the right direction.

She is still healing people for obscene amounts at very little cost to herself and it isn't particularly fair, so I can understand why they still want to nerf her.

If i might pose a suggestion to you, as an avid soraka player.

I would be interested to see a change where Soraka's W was more powerful but applied a debuff to the champion she cast W on. This debuff would be consumed when the target of the heal did damage to an enemy champion or monster (large and epic), but would prevent W from being cast (or have a greatly diminished effect) while still active. Of course there would be a time duration on the debuff, but I would like to make it fairly long.

My thinking is this: the worst part about a Soraka lane both playing against (because its frustrating) and with (because its boring) is for soraka and her lane opponent to trade with the opposing side, back off, and just chain heal their adc back to full health. Its unhealthy gameplay that Riot has been trying to work around for a while now.

My suggestion will still allow Soraka to be the go to healer of League, but it will force her and her lane partner to be aggressive and make trades to get access to that healing, thus introducing interaction with the opposing bot lane. To put it a different way, it will force Soraka into a dynamic healing role rather than a static one. Thoughts?

Krys StarApr 21, 20162 votes

Are you sure you're an avid Soraka player? Because the main reason and point to playing Soraka is to be that dedicated healer that no one else can be or should be. She was a healer in beta, and she's a healer now. She shouldn't be punished or feel bad about doing her job. I encourage GW being all healing again, because self-healing is what made her too strong as it is. GW is easy to access now in the current season (Ignite, Morellos, Executioner Calling, Mortal Reminder).

Not only that, but that last thing you want to do as Soraka is be aggressive, because she sacrifices health to heal, and gets her health back only if she lands Starcall, and over 4 seconds. With GW reducing ALL healing by 40%, this will make her feel terrible if she has to play aggressive just to get her healing off when GW will already reduce it.

Grievous Wounds reducing all healing is and was needed. The added nerfs onto Soraka are unwarranted and unnecessary, however, now that GW will affect her as a whole, as well as being easily accessible. Wish was supposed to remove Grievous Wounds on cast, as Meddler said, but all we're seeing are nerfs to Soraka on top of her biggest nerf that once shackled her and kept her balanced and tolerable.

CalabokApr 21, 20161 votes

It's to balance her play

OleandervineApr 21, 20161 votes

For a simple, easy Balance to Soraka, they need to scrap what Astral Infusion costs and does, and give her Taric's new Q. His new Q is based on accrued stacks, where his healing consumes all stacks for stronger heals; the trade off is that it's absolute garbage without a few stacks, but fairly spammable if he lands his autos; and with max stacks it can be fairly impressive. This is a sorely needed mechanic for Soraka, and will gimp her power and prevent her from indefinitely keeping allies to top health in scuffles, but still reserving her space as the resident healer. I don't know why they didn't give it to her to begin with instead of this dancing around they're doing now with Astral Infusion and Starcall.