What do you like about Karma? (Discussion)

I'm usually quite a harsh critic of Karma's rework, but at this point I'm sure we've all heard enough about its failures. The original Karma had great rework potential, and I strongly believe if Riot were to have given her a VGU now, we'd be looking at a vastly different and much better champion all round. However, what's done is done and we must go forward.

From a gameplay perspective, there are a few things I think her rework did for the better: (These points refer to Karm's rework prior to 5.10)

• Support-like basic abilities /w Magey Mantras: I believe this is described by some as being an "unleash mage", and is viewed as bland by many. Though in my opinion, the idea itself was good, the execution just could have been better. Losing duality and essentially "karma" itself as core themes sucked, but if we're working with enlightenment (and twin dragons?) as a core theme, her reworked Mantra made sense. I like that her base kit had everything necessary for a modern "peeling" support, but with her Q and her Mantras keeping her identity as a solo lane utility mage.

• Movement speed on the shield: This change in my opinion, was the best. Having the MS on her shield instead of the tether gave her a lot more agency, and made for a very satisfying basic ability. I know there are people out there like who preferred the MS to be on the tether, but to those people I'd say; you would miss being able to clutch dodge skill shots with that self casted E. I think a tether that grants MS to the caster particularly makes sense for a Juggernaut, design wise.

• Healing tether: Aside from the tank favouring scalings and the fact that she only heal herself, I think tether was a good place for the heal. I like the way RW allows her to bait and take creative risks in combat with her E, and I really enjoyed the bonus damage it had at the time. I think thematically it would have done her justice to be able to cast this spell on an ally, and for her rework it would have made her a lot more recognisable as "Karma".

• A skill-check passive: So while I'm really not here for Gathering Fire as an innate, I do like it for her Mantra. Up until 5.10 Gathering Fire served as a distinction between experienced players and non-experienced players, after its 5.10 buffs it lowered her skill floor (drastically) and subsequently became the silent underlying cause of all her balance issues. But yeah, great mechanic, though I do believe it would be best reverted to pre 5.10 values and stuck on her Mantra so she can have a more thematic innate passive.

• Defiance: When it dealt damage it was my favourite spell, landing well placed shield bomb in a team fight, then cleaning up with RQ was the best feeling ever... it was rare, but awesome. It also gave her really nice synergy with melee carries as opposed to marksmen, which I thought would have been something worth encouraging even if just for the sake of diversity. The only thing which let this spell down was its pitiful 60 damage during lane phase, would have been better if it were telegraphed and had a brief delay or travel time so it could have had better early damage.

• A fun nuke: Soul Flare was my 2nd favourite skill in the game (after her shield bomb). Nothing much to say about this ability other than I wish it was a ground targeted projectile so it could be better at closer ranges and easier to wave clear with in mid. Perhaps some of it's initial damage could be back loaded onto the second part of it too, for the sake of fairness/counter play.

What do you think the successes of Karma's rework were? (If any) Also, what would you like to see done when Riot works on her next year?