Introducing to you Avalanches, the solution to Juggernauts problems

The relatively recent definitions introduced by Riot about classes and subclasses, starting with the Juggernaut gameplay update, and then developed throughout an extensive explanation of their restructured design philosophy, have been a very good step forward for Riot theirselves and for the players in narrowing down the focus about how the various champion fit in Riot vision and what we as summoners should expect when they have to balance champs and entire class

And it wielded already good results in clarifying most of the previous confusion that existed in "bruiser" class between the more offensive champs that were just carries abusing tank items (now placed into the Skirmishers) and the true fighters Ironically, the same Juggernaut subclass that was the first step toward the new improved balance design philosophy is the one that has remained with the biggest lack of clarity.

Riot used the presence of hard CC as one of the major factors to draw the line between tanks (then divided into Vanguard and Warden) and the beefier champs that doesn't have them. This caused a paradox, because now, listed as Juggernauts, there are champs that aren't alike the original idea of Juggernaut class "powerful, durable, immobile, melee" ( http://na.leagueoflegends.com/en/page/gameplay-update-juggernauts ) but couldn't make the cut in other subclasses because they lacked some key feature of the subclasses (did not have the single target lockdownabilites of Divers or Skirmishers dueling abilites). Right now, if you check the subclass list posted on boards (http://boards.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/c/developer-corner/3A5uuBw7-champion-subclass-list ), Juggernaut is the subclass with the biggest discrepancies in itself, because in the same class are present champ that are requested to do different things, have power curves, and itemization choices

Hard CC as guideline to separate tanks from non tanks is not a bad idea for a guideline, but it doesn't really hit completely the mark on the spot...there are a handful of champs that are not primiarily focused on dealing tons of damage while being beefy - the real Juggernauts - , but are instead focused to tank and sustain long enough to become a threat that can't be ignored for enemy team, and this regardless of having hard CC or not

The sorting between Tanks, "true Juggernauts" and these other champs, shouldn't happen upon the question of " does this champ have hard CC or not", as this is not the core question to the summoner that has to decide what to pick up to round up his comp but should pivot also around the question "how is this champ supposed to do his job", because this is what it matters the most

And that's how I came up with the idea of AVALANCHES subclass

The AVALANCHES subclass is composed by the beefy champions that do not have the most adequate tools to either peel/engage to be part of tank category but are focused not primarily on dealing damage first-survive second but on survive first to then deal damage These champions have more mobility and ìmore innate survaivability than the average Juggernaut to allow them to go in, disrupt and get out safely, but have less upfront damage than them. Their goal is not much to go straight for the backline made by squishies to directly kill them, and neither to go for high priority single target, and neither to peel/engage but is to disrupt whole enemy teams by surviving long enough to become threats with sustained damage

Using as guidelines the goals of these champs and how theese champs act to fulfill their job, also helps in framing some of the champions with most unique and weird playstyles, as champs that would not match any of the other classes because lacking specific features could be included here

Typical Avalanches Dr. Mundo Volibear Singed Cho'Gath Galio Rammus Fiddlesticks Vladimir (hybrid Battle Mage)

Hybrid Avalanches Swain (hybrid Battle Mage) Karthus (Hybrid Battle Mage) Sejuani (hybrid Vanguard) Sion (hybrid Vanguard) Hecarim (hybrid Diver) Tryndamere (hybrid Skirmisher) Kayle (hybrid Marksman/Enchanter)

P.S. the lists are not fully complete, I could have overlooked some champs

TL; DR Riot actual definition of classes and subclasses according to some key feature (example hard CC for tanks) do not actually hit completely the spot, causing problems especially in assessing Juggernauts, because it doesn't keep enough in consideration how champs act in game to do their job A new subclass, based on how they act rather than on having specific features, named AVALANCHES, is proposed here to better sort out togehter those champs that work in a similar way rather than placing them in other subclasses where they are too different from the standard values of those classes