Why is Guardian the only ROLE-EXCLUSIVE keystone?

Elite4Runner··2 votes·1,302 views

PASSIVE: While within 175 units of an allied champion, you raise your Guard. Allied champions you affect with unit-targeted abilities are also Guarded for 2.5 seconds, irrelevant of distance. If you or a Guarded ally would take damage from an enemy champion or monster, you both first gain a shield for 70 - 150 (based on level) (+ 25% Guardian's AP) (+ 12% Guardian's bonus health) as well as 20% bonus Movement speed icon movement speed for 1.5 seconds. Guardian only goes on cooldown when the shield is triggered. Cooldown 70 - 40 (based on level) seconds

Take this top or mid? .. You have no allied champions to be near or to affect with uni-targeted abilities, .. unless they are roaming or ganking.

Take this Jungle and you can only use it while ganking.

That leaves ADC and support as the only Duo-lane. Technically an ADC could take this, but there are plenty of other keystones that would honestly be better.

HP tanks / AP supports are really THE ONLY role that can use this keystone effectively.

Why is that?

Could this be changed so that it actually makes sense for other roles?

What if this were changed so that you are simply "Guarded" while it is off of cooldown, regardless of your proximity to an allied champion? If you would receive damage the shield and movement speed is proc'd. Also, increase the base cooldown, but have the cooldown decrease faster while near an allied champion.

This gives the keystone functionality in all roles, but still encourages supports to take it.

Also, it gives the enemy laners the ability to trigger the shield at a time when the support is not guarding the carry.

8 Comments

Khristophoros2 votes

The only keystone that has any effect while jungling is Fleet Footwork so what's the problem with this one only being useful during ganks? I mean it's literally the same for every keystone besides FFW.

Elite4Runner2 votes

There is a massive difference between being the jungler that utilizes a keystone when they gank, and being a laner who has to rely on a gank to utilize their keystone.

Khristophoros1 votes

My point is a jungler could easily take Guardian because keystones don't help your clear anyway besides FFW in a very insignificant way.

Actually Guardian helps you save some health on your first camp assuming you have a leash.

Warlord Rhinark2 votes

{quoted}

The only keystone that has any effect while jungling is Fleet Footwork so what's the problem with this one only being useful during ganks? I mean it's literally the same for every keystone besides FFW.

Technically Dark Harvest has an effect as well.

Kairoptra1 votes

I dunno about that; interactions with bone plating might complicate things.

That said, I do agree that solo laners should have some way to utilize it.

Elite4Runner2 votes

My recommended change would double the cooldown (or more) so that being near and/or using unit-targeted abilities on allies would decrease the cooldown. So for example, for every second you are within XXX units of an allied champion and for every use of a unit-targeted ability on an ally, the cooldown is decreased by an additional second.

This would mean solo laners would only be able to raise their guard every 140 seconds at level 1. All this does is soak a small amount of damage and improve their ability to shed poke or burst damage. Grasp of the Undying would still be better for champions who engage in lengthy trades.

Honestly, I still don't see this change even making Guardian into a better keystone for anyone who isn't a support .. but it seems dumb to me that it isn't even an option.

Edit: Actually, the proximity portion of this would even reward junglers for ganking. Decreasing the cooldown enough so that when they go back to the jungle, the monster would proc the shield and they would shed more damage.

BLACK REALM GOD1 votes

bro... idk if you know, but there are only 7ish items that work with glacial augment...

Elite4Runner1 votes

It can still be utilized by any role, in any lane. Even junglers can use active items to apply a slow during ganks.

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