New Katarina Feedback. Rework is in the right direction but only works on paper ATM.
(I couldn't find the PBE forums so I'm posting it here.)
Lets just start with a simple Pros/Cons list of New Katarina then get into actual feedback on each part.
Pros
- Skill Floor/Cap raised tremendously.
- So much mechanical depth introduced.
- Double shunpu mechanic is really enjoyable but not sure if intended. Delay on E allows you to W > wait until right time > E and you will catch dagger in delay of E allowing you to reduce cooldown of shunpu as you shunpu. Hard as hell to time properly.
- The flow of the kit in team fights is definitely the right direction for Katarina. (but it's really clunky due to Q).
- Dagger idea in general is a cool idea.
Cons
- Farming minions and clearing waves is so terrible at the moment. A bot could probably zone you off of minions let alone accidentally push you into the nexus.
- She lacks damage without the use of ult and being past level 16. (Goes hand in hand with issues on farming/wave clearing due to rest of kit having low damage until actual scaling kicks in)
- She does really poor vs non grouped players. An Assassin that can't excel at 1v1...
- Her kit relies way too much on her passive for her to be viable in fights.
- Her kit relies way too much on her ultimate as her way to kill people.
- Dagger is too slow, drops way too far from where you need it by the time it lands, and why the hell can it go over walls if it's uncontrollable outside of geometry.
- Trading damage is not viable due to timing of trade. Takes too long to make a damage trade with opponent to where even if you are catching them on their mistake you shouldn't do it. Mainly due to Q/Dagger drop timing, and lack of actual damage from the trade even though you are taking a risk making the trade.
Suggestions
- Allow a player to control the drop location of the Q Dagger Drop. Something even as simple as the ability to use Q twice(second cast to set location) within a small time frame or it will auto drop ON TOP of target. Why is on top important? Because if you get a reset and want to Q the same proximity of location reset should just make the Q auto drop in a favorable spot AS YOU reset. Although I have a good feeling the dagger location drop is meant to be EASY TO READ(counter play) from the opponent. Honestly should just make a clear gray dagger drop circle into color once it has dropped for readability issues.
- Changing the Dagger Drop on Q would BUFF trade and zone control potential within lane.
- Buff something within the q/w/e parts of the kit to allow her to clear minions without being zoned by the opponent with just ranged auto attacks.
- Speed up the travel time of Kat's Q by 30% along with increasing the dagger hits to 4 total targets.(so that you can hit laner and 3 minions in trades, 3 total really hurts her because she loses farming ability while on CD. 4 allows her to trade while taking 3 minions on trade)
Hopefully this thread in general gets noticed. I don't know who is working on the Katarina Rework to tag them.
(also mods, if there is a PBE section for this post can you transfer it there)