Irelia's laning phase is abysmal

Ultîma·4/9/2018, 7:03:10 PM·7 votes·4,117 views

Since the hotfix on release day, Irelia's winrate dropped pretty dramatically (which was expected), however as someone who tries to spam her every game I can to learn the new kit and learn different matchups it's pretty clear that she gets bullied by every character top lane.

She's incredibly ineffective against tanks who can just ignore her burst, and gets wrecked by other bruisers top-lane. Essentially, she feels countered by every matchup thrown her way. Her base stats are so horrendous that trading feels like a futile effort, and that the best way to play is simply by farming under tower until she finishes item 3078.

Her new teamfight utility with E and R gives her some decent scaling, but as a character who is supposed to be in the same category as Camille or Fiora, Irelia doesn't seem to scale into the same kind of late-game monster status as either of these champions, while both are also pretty effective laners.

What's the plan to address Irelia's current balance into the game?

18 Comments

FrostQueensPlane4/9/2018, 9:40:51 PM5 votes

You want a champion with an AoE blind/stun to have a good laning phase.

Sure.

CrazFight 4/9/2018, 7:23:42 PM3 votes

I think its ok if she gets bullied in lane by most other champions, as long as her mid/late game scaling are good. Which they currently are not. IMO they should look to buff her scaling.

i play minecraft4/9/2018, 7:18:22 PM3 votes

While I agree her laning phase is bad, I think it gives her great counterplay since her mid and late game are AMAZING. If I do badly in lane I wait for a chance to roam and can catch back up pretty quickly. She may need some early games buffs, as you said it feels like she's countered by everyone top. Riven and Garen are insta losses if they're good for her.

Scary Door4/9/2018, 9:55:57 PM2 votes

Yet another update no one asked for on a champion that was, relative to the other problems that League has, in a pretty decent spot.

Riot effectively ruined two of my three favorite champs in the last couple of years.

ankoanko194/9/2018, 9:15:05 PM2 votes

Riot has stated that they will make more of a powershift. Currently, her laning is too bad but her scaling in mid & late are too good. So expect some changes soon.

Ragnaveil4/9/2018, 8:23:53 PM1 votes

Indeed. I've been playing her a shit ton trying to add her to my top lane pool for ranked. At first it seemed she'd be fine, but as I got into matchups against tanks like cho and other abusive bruisers, it felt like that even if I got a lead, it meant nothing. Some of the "power" she should have had just doesn't really exist:

  • Late game her Q does pretty low damage to anything that isn't a squishy target (Low damage base and the ad ratio got nerfed)
  • The heal on q is pretty weak imo
  • Her w is fine
  • Her e cd is pretty high for a engage canceler/deterent
  • And I honestly don't know why they'd not make it so that the initial target hit by her r is disarmed. It would help her 1v1 power if that would be a possible change. All they have to do is fix her base damage and scaling so that if she has a lead, it can contribute to something in 1v1 or 5v5. It would also make it less punishing to build defensive considering she's of the diver class. I'd figure that what they should do is:
  • Maybe increase her attack speed base and scaling. For a user who needs to weave autos in between q's, it currently doesn't work out well for her. Also increase the ad she gets per level slightly.
  • Shift power off of the "shield killing" aspect of her passive to add more damage to the regular damage itself. Also a ratio increase.
  • Buff the base damage on q early and revert the ratio nerf and add .05 to it to make it .85 ad ratio. No clue how .9 would go, but just for the sake of not one shotting carries i'd put it at .85.
  • Increase the heal ad ratio at all ranks (starting at like .15 or .16 ad and scaling up to .30 or .35 AD)
  • E could use a lower cd at lower ranks (not huge drops of cd, just a slight 1 or 2 second shred off of the cooldown
  • Ult needs to possibly disarm the initial target hit by it.

That's what I think she needs, but if people have better ideas, i'm all up for hearing them.

Drugoth4/9/2018, 11:14:29 PM1 votes

I've been utterly shit on by Graves and Swain when playing Irelia.

But somehow it felt like I was supposed to lose, since both ran ignite instead of teleport with the express interest of first blooding me and then zoning me off CS for the rest of the game.

It sucks when you have to pick before the enemy top laner.

[sg-janna]

Bjørnetjenesten4/9/2018, 11:30:00 PM1 votes

Oh no a champ with infinite mobility, true damage, disarm, the easiest stun to land and the ability to 1v5 has a bad early game... i feel so very sorry for you :)

AirKingNeo4/9/2018, 11:36:09 PM1 votes

stop asking for ornn 3.0

GodlyBane4/10/2018, 2:25:10 AM1 votes

irelia is too squishy early on, has high mobility and takes skill, fits into the zed/yasuo/katarina category (i.e, terrible in top, good in mid)

Irelia is a mid laner now :/