So a champ that changes the entire laning phase by just existing isn't op?

InsaneSamurai··4 votes·1,331 views

Blitz/Thresh grabs... When you lane against one of these two, the laning phase no longer becomes a battle of zoning or poking or csing. It becomes a battle of how much cs can you squeak out by hiding far away, never walking in front of a minion, and spending extra gold on wards so you can replace the ones they sweep out of the bush. Why does this change the entire laning phase? Because if one of them hits a grab, its over. That's all it takes is one grab and the lane gets a free kill or double kill. The grabs aren't ults, and they don't have ult-like cooldowns, but they guarantee a death just for landing one move properly. So everyone who plays against them has to play the most scared laning phase from the beginning, as if they started the game so fed you can't even let them hit you once. How is this ok?

Edit: for the generic answer forum posters- "Dodge it" only works when the Thresh/Blitz player throws dodge-able grabs. All you have to do is know how to play them properly and the only way someone will dodge it is if they have a flash. I know you like getting free kills off landing one move, but I'm sorry, that isn't balanced, and this game is supposed to be balanced.

30 Comments

HDPixel1080p6 votes

Hooks and Grabs are a MOBA staple, a concept that allows one teammate to lock someone down while their team piles in.

Other than ol reliable, "stand behind you minions", you should constantly keep track of their position, ward the bushes. If they grab you, that means they had a straight-line path, with no creeps in between, and someone to follow up their grab with damage. Grabs/Hooks are undodgeable when you allow them to be.

Specifically for thresh, he has a windup animation, a good enough warning to get out. I would say that Blitz is someone stronger with his grab, that's fast, instant cast, and he can follow it up himself, but ultimately, they don't go invis, so it's still your fault if you get hooked/grabbed.

ColinFly3 votes

Although I wouldn't go as far as saying they're OP. Their entire presence in the game makes you change completely how you approach the game and that makes playing against them completely anti-fun.

Plus, Blitz mains have to be the most toxic self-indulgent scum to play this game. Thinking that because all they do is grab and spam laugh that they have "leet" mechanics and can bm anybody that they do grab.

InsaneSamurai2 votes

This guy knows what's up. But apparently this angers alot of the trollish blitzers into downvoting :(

7ha7guy7773 votes

now imagine laning against both of them at the same time (adc thresh with support blitz) try dodging a grab from the fog of war near the jungle. It's a lot harder when you can't see it coming don't forget blitz has a low (for an ult) cooldown aoe silence and a knockup so if you get hit by his hook, you can't use abilities or item actives to escape

InsaneSamurai1 votes

Yeah that's my main issue. If the grab is never going to change, then maybe make their kits not revolve around completely ensuring the death of whoever they hit with more immediate cc. Let people flash away at least so there is some sort of counterplay apart from "never ever get hit by the move".

SnugglyBunnies2 votes

Stand behind your minion line and you will avoid the most grabs possible. You shouldn't be dying every time you get grabbed anyway except during team fights.

Buy wards, both the adc and the support. Don't push when you don't have a wave. Poke their adc when you can safely do so from behind your line.

InsaneSamurai1 votes

People get grabbed anyway, not as much vs thresh(unless he has his coin finished), but blitz can easily just chase you down the lane until you can't dodge it anymore.

SnugglyBunnies2 votes

True, people do get grabbed anyway. It happens.

If Thresh or Blitz is willing to chase you down the lane past their wave it's the perfect chance for your jungler to be there and help get the kills. Hopefully they are paying attention to your lane.

AnomalousChimera1 votes

But if Blitz chases you down the lane, he'd very likely be overextending himself... I've seen Blitzcrank's do that, and instead of panicking, I will punish it if the situation is favorable, which it could very well be in those cases.

InsaneSamurai1 votes

All he has to do is hit the grab on someone and they're immediately popped up and getting the full adc burst on them. If they don't die somehow they are sure as hell leaving the lane after that.

aGentleGrabnFist2 votes

So many dash, shield, disengage champions will counter blitz if played properly and many of the same things you said are true about other cc supports but he just doesn't have as good utility as thresh and janna etc.

That's why blitz is rarely seen in pro play.

InsaneSamurai2 votes

Also, the pros don't have to worry about ping in the important games, so all skillshots are slightly worse.

FooDang2 votes

Don't get hooked...punish them for missing a hook...when they miss a hook /dance...

aGentleGrabnFist2 votes

Also you should always alter your play style against champions so you can punish them to the max for the mistakes they make.

Pinker 102 votes

Morgana Profit Leona Get grabbed. Profit.

InsaneSamurai1 votes

Indeed :)

Just to be clear, I'm not saying they don't have counters, but you can't always counter the enemy.

Garlyle Wilds1 votes

Hell do Gangplank Support.

Facetank the hook/grab, eat oranges immediately, spam laugh.

logique2 votes

What about a change that the range of the hook / grab increases with lvl so during the early lane phase thresh and blitz need to get in closer to make grabs?

InsaneSamurai1 votes

This man is a genius!!!

logique2 votes

Thanks :) Don't forget to use the arrows, it think it increases the visibility of the thread so it might get attention.

InsaneSamurai1 votes

I do, but everything I upvote gets countered by people who hate logical game balance conversations for some reason :(

Spreek1 votes

Well, they have their strengths and weaknesses. The biggest issue with thresh and blitz is that they are pretty susceptible to poke and have trouble controlling the wave well against higher ranged supports.

While hooks are a very good way to start an allin, they don't guarantee a kill at all. You should have a creep and/or Hp advantage before you get hooked, which in many cases allows you to win the all-in. Thresh/blitz actually have relatively weak laning phases; their real power comes in mid-late game.

InsaneSamurai1 votes

It's really hard to get creep advantage when you have to just give away farm every time your bush isn't warded, every time the minion wave gets too low to hide behind safely, and every time the wave gets near the enemy turret.

aGentleGrabnFist1 votes

It doesn't anger me at all. Its just that your comment 'never get hit by <insert iconic champion ability here>' applies to many champions.

Salidfingers1 votes

Run a tanky support and stand infront

InsaneSamurai1 votes

That helps but you can't always counterpick him.

SmokingPuffin1 votes

Whenever Blitzcrank shows up, I'm all like

Leona The dawn has arrived!

Much fun ensues.

JustMyBassCannon1 votes

Oh, it's this guy. Again. Whining about Blitzcrank and Thresh. Again.

Because an aggressive support with a ranged engagement tool is sooo toxic--wait, shit, they're not the only supports with ranged engagement tools...

Everybody Poos1 votes

Every champion is suppose to change the laning phase just by existing, it doesn't mean they are OP, it means they are impactful.

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