Wow, I really REALLY hate having Kalista as an ally...

5G8Nri0B54·Nov 23, 2014·50 votes·6,314 views

Sure, YOU may be allowed to decide where to launch yourself, but it's Kalista herself who chooses when to disrupt your from getting a kill, to disrupt you when you channel your ultimate, or to **** you over when you've escaped already by pulling you back in only to get herself killed immediately.

In my opinion, this ability is unhealthy for both her ally AND the player of Kalista. For the ally, they get no say when they can be pulled in and rarely is it used to save the ally's life. While for Kalista, they have no say where the ally will launch.

This ability is just plain toxic.

And lastly, even if you're neither Kalista or her soul-bound, you still have to put up with the two of them fighting all game long over a misplay.

61 Comments

MeserionNov 23, 201414 votes

Yeah her ult is toxic, mostly because people don't get to choose whether they want to be ulted on. Kalista players have all the control and have the ability to royally screw over their allies with it and you CAN'T EVEN STOP THE OATH. In the lore you have to give up your soul to get Kalista to help, I want to keep my soul where it is thank you; so hell no I don't want the contract.

5G8Nri0B54Nov 23, 20148 votes

It's worse than that actually.

It's not just toxic for the soul-bound, but for Kalista as well. Remember, she has no say in where the ally launches themselves. I've had to listen to several arguments over where Leona should have flung herself. In a fast-paced match, often times there isn't enough time to communicate their intentions.

I know this is a team game. But the one thing Riot forgets is that this "team" game also happens to be League of Legends.

DaCushNov 24, 20142 votes

If only there was voice chat

JunkοNov 24, 20145 votes

I don't want to listen to kids crying every game thank you very much

Ariel the CruelNov 24, 20143 votes

how about a compromise. Can we permanently ban her from Yolo Queue? Please!?

ShadragonNov 24, 201411 votes

I'd just like to point out that her ult is also very disorienting as a soulbound. You get absolutely no warning whatsoever, and there's no safeguard mechanism to keep you from instantly wasting it because you were trying to attack someone about the same time Kalista pressed R. There needs to be some kind of visual or audio cue to let you know that Kalista wants to ult, and to give you the fair warning to stop what you're doing and prepare to aim it. There should also be a delay involved so Kalista can't interrupt your flash tibbers or pulverize headbutt combo or whatever else. Or the ability could just be replaced, but that would be a shame since it really is a cool idea, just poorly implemented.

Mikal PikalNov 24, 20141 votes

It's also annoying because it changes where you are looking and turns it from free look to locked view. There were multiple times where I was just about to engage/ult as Leona where I don't even see myself on the screen to try to max range her ult...only to suddenly have my screen turn grey and my view shifted to center on kalista. Now I cant even ult/knockup where I was looking because I have to reorient myself.

ArsenalsNov 23, 201410 votes

Does this only happen in low elo? I've never once seen a problem with the usage of Kalista in regards to her soulbound. In ranked or normals.

GhostedUPNov 24, 20145 votes

Does this only happen in low elo? I've never once seen a problem with the usage of Kalista in regards to her soulbound. In ranked or normals.

I played a Provisional ranked match with a Kalista and I had no problem with the synergy we shared.

SkiasNov 24, 20141 votes

Ive been yanked as a jungler away from finishing my buff while she is 1v5ing a team, got me killed and gave my blue to them.

ChaoticPineconeNov 24, 20141 votes

the Kalisa's ive bound to happen to get caught a lot. or cant manage the jump-back feature to be slippery. if im supporting a kalista thats fed all game, i DONT want to be next to them when they get caught again.

AlëkNov 24, 20148 votes

Kalista can be defined as STUPID right now. Everything about her is stupid. I don't like to rage at riot like a lot of people prefer, but I have to admit that Kalista is just one HUGE fuck-up.

UPfreelyNov 24, 20146 votes

Honestly the whole champion is an abomination. I get that riot wanted to try something new and wanted a champion that would be really unique and interesting but they stuck their developers somewhere they don't belong. Her kit is so depressingly clunky and toxic that I would rather play with or against 5 teemos with a melee carry.

PatMcGroynNov 24, 20145 votes

If you have a teammate that's actively trying to sabotage the game, I hate to break it to you, but you're gonna have a hard time winning regardless.

ChaoticPineconeNov 24, 20141 votes

but its not just about winning the game. at least previously your allies couldnt screw with you at your expense save for an annivia or jarvan. and even then, it didnt displace you. its rage inducing because you no longer have control due to an ALLY,

EFGNov 24, 20144 votes

The initial bind is a stun too. If your kallista wants to be a dick she can wait until you're in lane taking damage to use the item on you. The last kallista I played with was just such a dick.

JevelFaithfulNov 24, 20143 votes

How long as she been out? 2 days?

NarasimhaNov 24, 20143 votes

And this is why you don't pick her in solo que.

IMMASCOOPYOUNov 24, 20143 votes

What might make things easier is if the support gets to say when Kalista ults, and then it's Kalista who gets thrown at the enemy, not her soul-bound.

5G8Nri0B54Nov 24, 20142 votes

Kinda defeats the entire point of being an ADC.

The ONE time it sorta kinda "worked" out is with Quinn . And it was because of that R of hers, along with her unpredictably buggy Q's, that many people choose not to play her.

AMYS GRAVENov 24, 20143 votes

most supports dictate the when of initiations, the adc's job is to follow up. if kalista gets to chose both, whats left for the support to do? her ult removes any decision making on the part of the support, making an undesirable role even more undesirable.

flibitydooNov 24, 20143 votes

Few things I have learned about Kalista:

HER ULT CANNOT CANCEL allied CHANNELED ABILITIES. There are literally videos out there and tests where kalista will soulbound a Nunu and nunu will push R, and kalista will push R, and then you know what happens? Nunu channels his ult fully, then IMMEDIATELY gets pulled into Kalista after the explosion. Meaning that the ult goes off the way you want it to. Same with Fiddles (although you will get pulled to Kalista during the aoe phase, but it still does it's aoe damage and you can probably just fling yourself at the enemy crowd at a much greater range than crowstorm), same with Galio.

2.After getting pulled in, you can immediately click to fire, meaning that if Kalista does choose to ult you, you are free to launch yourself where-ever and continue on your business. If Kalista dies, you can click to launch yourself as if she was alive.

3.There's some awkward bug with the spoils of war (relic shield) passive where it won't activate because of the sentinel passive.

And here's a vid that shows kalista's ult interaction with channelled spells (the channelled ability interaction is covered at 2:12): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuxHRREMt3E

5G8Nri0B54Nov 24, 20144 votes

All I know is...

There was laser
I got ulted
There is no laser

If she did not cancel my ultimate, then something messed up happened that screwed us both over.

And even then...I did NOT ask to let her pull me into her.

(also my R lasts 2.5 seconds)

LegendariNov 24, 20143 votes

I supported a Kalista the other day with Annie and it was extremely annoying. The player kept ulting me whenever they thought I should be going in for my stun/tibbers (which apparently was every time their ult was up) and it was extremely disruptive and frustrating due to the disorienting nature of the ability and changes to my screen.

I did not like the ability and actually asked them to stop ulting me because it was costing us team fights where I was not able to correctly position myself or land my CC due to the distraction. Of course, they didn't stop ulting me and continued to troll me with it for the rest of the game, pretty much as often as it was available.

IMO, the ult needs to be changed to at least have a less disruptive effect (ie: put a marker on the ground somewhere that a player can click and be transported to, or that they can click and then jump somewhere within a radius of the marker).

Honestly, though, this champ already seems like it needs a rework. Between the disruptive ult and the obnoxious, constant dashing, there are at least a couple of things that need to change.

KidSpectreNov 23, 20142 votes

Kalista's one of those champs where I'm probably going to play her in bots every so often for a few months until i can really get a handle on her.

2CJTP6Nov 24, 20142 votes

That's why this champ is obviously for those who can co-ordinate with each other

Dr Clueless PhDNov 24, 20142 votes

Exactly. Give it a few weeks, and the community will acknowledge that she is NEVER to be picked in solo queue at low ranking. She's going to be reserved for premade groups or a high enough rating where you trust your allies to play well.

Fury and EmperorNov 24, 20142 votes

I tried playing Kalista. She's lots of fun to play as an adc but the teamplay elements seem like a lost cause in solo queue.

The worst part is that she'll get nerfed (or permabanned) because she's going to be strong in the LCS and because she's not fun to play against, two factors that make people scream OP. Remember how LeBlanc ate a huge nerf despite having one of the lowest solo queue winrates for those two reasons.

Critmaster GarenNov 24, 20142 votes

i dont care about her ult as much as that they amde another hypermobile ranged ad with a stupid amount of max health % damage.

just stop with the bullshit.

VelrexNov 24, 20141 votes

Her % damage is nothing, as she'll rank it up last and that means for most of the game, it'll only be 12% magic damage every 8 seconds, making it deal less than a single proc of silver bolts and have less effect in almost any given fight to other on-hit effects like Varus' W or Mf's W.

CupcakeTrapNov 24, 20142 votes

If I'm playing Support Veigar, and you bind me, consider this post public notice that I will use your stupid ult only to launch myself away from the teamfight.

It is infuriating to be carefully managing distance with the enemy team, and finally getting into position for a good stun, when BAM! Some moron decides to press "R" and turn my screen gray, because they think it's a good time to throw Veigar into the enemy team. I'll admit: I panicked and just smashed buttons in response, which resulted in me getting massacred several times.

I was initially really confused when I saw that soul-binding tether between my Champion and Kalista. Did she do that with all Champions, I wondered? Surely it wasn't that I had her passive on me, I thought, because I distinctly remember that the way it was supposed to work was she threw her spear down and you could then click on it to accept. I said some very unkind things about Riot when I realized that she'd already bound poor little Veigar.

Kalista hi veigar Veigar Who the hell are you? Kalista im kallista Kalista kalista* Kalista from shado ilses Veigar Never heard of you. Kalista im new Kalista lookin 4 friends at institute Kalista everyone seems super nice Veigar …why are you looking at me like that? Kalista u want vengence? Veigar Ye— WAIT. I've heard about you. No! Go away! Kalista k we frends now Veigar No! I said no! I sa— AARARRGGGHGHHHHH! Kalista lol Kalista now i help u take vengnce with ult Veigar What does that mean? I move faster? Get a shield? Do more damage? Kalista no i throw u at the other team and u knock them up Veigar WHAT? Kalista remember 2 peel for me Veigar So at last it has come to this. Veigar Transformed into a lackluster Braum ult in the hands of an imbecile ADC. Veigar My life is torment. Kalista sigh no wards

BeatzBoyFTWNov 23, 20141 votes

And usually it's the support instead of top/mid/jungler who usually gets to do the bonding part right?

5G8Nri0B54Nov 23, 201421 votes

Usually it's jungler or Support.

So whenever I try supporting as Vel "OH HEY LET'S DISRUPT HIS CHANNELING OF HIS ULTIMATE SO IN HOPES THAT I WILL BE GRATEFUL ENOUGH TO LAUNCH MYSELF INTO THE ENEMY TEAM" (context, she got caught out and I was trying to slow them down with my R as my knock-up was on cooldown...I was a good distance away from the enemy)

Here is what Kalista either needs.

a) A new Ultimate that gives full agency to Kalista

b) Some sort of "I agree" functionality when it's used on you.

Yeah...sure...it's going to be less effective for that 1% of players skyping with each other, or those LCS teams who have perfect communication.

But it'll be healthy for 99% of the playerbase.

JevelFaithfulNov 24, 20142 votes

a) A new Ultimate that gives full agency to Kalista

or

b) Some sort of "I agree" functionality when it's used on you.

I actually like those 2 options. The "agree" function is technically already implemented for thresh. It could be that or allowing the support to, say, dash at will while within the circle of Kalista's ultimate (or possibly only toward her, or something). Essentially making her support a form of "mega yasuo with longer dashes!". I like that last idea.

Rock RockburghNov 24, 20148 votes

As you said, Thresh. Kalista triggers her ult and gets a visual like the lantern effect. While this is active, her Soulbound can click to dash into her, starting the effect. It would be somewhat of a nerf to Kalista herself, since the ult would be wasted if the bound ally didn't go for it, but it would make playing with her MUCH less painful.

ULTRAF0RCENov 24, 201423 votes

honestly I think most of us thought that the soul boudn had an agree function originally

JunkοNov 24, 20142 votes

it does, the game just doesn't tell you what it is

AMYS GRAVENov 24, 20141 votes

i don't think it does? what can you do to avoid being soulbound? you can click the spear when it is offered, but not clicking it still leaves you soulbound.

JunkοNov 24, 20141 votes

you can walk out of range, unless she binds you as soon as you appear on rift or gets the spear on top of you, then it becomes really hard and you may end up wasting a Flash (but that's really dumb).

AMYS GRAVENov 24, 20141 votes

ive tried walking away but as soon as i click anywhere on screen, it binds me.

RyvakuNov 24, 20141 votes

You guys do know you don't need to press anything when she ults since it'll just put you back where you were, but if I were denied a kill from it and I would think I'll just leave her to die out right purposely.

ImasupportbruhNov 24, 20142 votes

unless they changed it recently, the spotlight says when the timer ends itll js shoot in the direction shes facing (not where u originally where)

AMYS GRAVENov 24, 20143 votes

you will shoot out the direction she is facing...

also if you were to wait it out you would be out of combat for several seconds. we call that crowd control, and is usually reserved for enemies not allies.

ScaneNov 24, 20141 votes

Can't wait to get this champ for myself.

StrawberrycocoaNov 24, 20141 votes

I don't really think the ult is toxic. My first PVP game as Kalista (I did a bot game for practice then took her pvp) I was able to use her ult twice to save Leona's life, and she was grateful for it.

It's an ult that requires teamwork and heavy consideration, ideally in lobby select. Can you risk breaking a channel if you ult? Is your prospective Soulbound someone who would benefit from flinging themselves into enemy fire? If you soulbind someone who is NOT your support, can you manage lane phase without the advantage of W's on-hit %HP proc?

Kalista's kit is heavily teamwork oriented and laden with burden-of-knowledge on champion skillsets. Wih time and practice, you'll likely see less of the flubbed ults.

Also, calling things toxic is just... no. Stop using that damn word.

JunkοNov 24, 20141 votes

Might have been to late. I think a yes/no option would be a great idea, yes being clicking on the spear and no being walking away, no automatic choice if you don't walk away as soon as you see her doing it.

AmosdragonNov 24, 20141 votes

Funny enough I played game both with and without a friend as my support and most of them went well. One of my best game with her was with a Tresh support that I didn't talked with much during the game, but we both knew what to do and how to do it. We never fucked up an engage during that game.

LupusNoxNov 25, 20141 votes

Ya, i was playing morg support with a kalista, and she soulbound me WHEN WE GOT TO LANE, making me take like 50% damage from the enemy while i was unable to move because i was literally killing myself with a spear that she forced upon me

Not to mention, later that game she got caught out because she had no map awareness and i was safe on the other side of the wall. She clicks R, drags me into a 1v5, dies and the dash isn't enough to get back over the wall.

PapaFizzNov 25, 20141 votes

Maybe its just me but an anivia that wants to troll can cause a lot more havoc than a bad Kalista. I've played several games as a support w/ the new ADC and unless your teammate is typing to sabotage you then you should have the quickwit to ult away or simply use the ult for an engage.

Compared to an Anivia wall Kalista's ult is harmless even if placed in the hands of a troll.

It doesn't matter regardless. You know why?

Anyone can troll with any champ Anivia, kalista, etc just help them achieve that aim. If you're stuck ANY troll at all you're still at an equally huge disadvantage.