Two polite requests regarding the Akali VGU

HalcyonDweller·Jan 31, 2018·34 votes·1,847 views

Specifically about CertainlyT since I heard he will be the designer.

Please make sure that CT gives opponents fun and engaging counterplay to deal with Akali.
Please restrain his creativity at least a little bit so that Akali doesn't end up with too many mechanics on individual abilities.

A tiny bit more detail on my first point regarding counterplay:

Let's please not make another Wind-Wall (ability capable of destroying other characters' power fantasies) or Sleepy-Trouble-Bubble (a single ability should not be able to so easily erase the counterplay to all of the character's other abilities).

48 Comments

warpenguin555Jan 31, 201810 votes

CT is the designer? Oh god.

HalcyonDwellerJan 31, 20187 votes

That's what I heard, but it's not confirmed yet.

Regardless, it's not cause for grabbing torches and pitchforks yet. He made Warwick plenty interesting without making him overbearing.

I'm just hoping for a bit more interesting counterplay than just "bait it out" (Wind Wall), or "don't get hit" (Sleepy Trouble Bubble).

Tausif2002Jan 31, 20182 votes

Nope, pretty much confirmed CT is designing Akali VGU. Reav3 confirmed, unless he was joking.

HalcyonDwellerJan 31, 20181 votes

Alright then, my requests stand. I'd like for him to give Akali mechanics with fun and engaging counterplay instead of mechanics which can be baited out, but if you don't do that they can literally unmake your champion's power fantasy.

Akali is SO HOTJan 31, 20181 votes

Source please

Doctor DymentJan 31, 20186 votes

Well you could check the front page. If not then this is the image in question:

https://i.gyazo.com/c7b2d0085a7e2d8f106413d2fc9eca40.png]

Automated RivenFeb 1, 20181 votes

[{quoted}](name=Akali is SO HOT,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=iOuo5T6A,comment-id=0000000000000001,timestamp=2018-01-31T20:45:29.838+0000)

Source please

are you excited or scared? as an akali player (which I am assuming but in no way sure of, as akali actually is hot)

Akali is SO HOTFeb 1, 20184 votes

I'm excited, but also really, really, really scared. I've played her since Season 3 so I really hope they don't give us a completely new champ instead of my Akali.

Chromatic EagleFeb 1, 20181 votes

They said they were improving her W, so that’s something?

Automated RivenFeb 1, 20181 votes

[{quoted}](name=Akali is SO HOT,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=iOuo5T6A,comment-id=000000000000000100010000,timestamp=2018-02-01T06:14:13.738+0000)

I'm excited, but also really, really, really scared. I've played her since Season 3 so I really hope they don't give us a completely new champ instead of my Akali.

I hear ya. If I saw a riven rework I think I would spam riven until the rework. And give her an honest try. But probably resign myself to never enjoying league again.

LakegaFeb 1, 20182 votes

{quoted}

That's what I heard, but it's not confirmed yet.

Regardless, it's not cause for grabbing torches and pitchforks yet. He made Warwick plenty interesting without making him overbearing.

I'm just hoping for a bit more interesting counterplay than just "bait it out" (Wind Wall), or "don't get hit" (Sleepy Trouble Bubble).

Thing about CertainlyT which I have to grind my teeth and admit (because I do honestly extremely dislike the guy), is that he is good at remaking champs that are already in the game. Warwick again being a great example of this. He isn't overly OP, he's fun to play as and against.

Its all his champs he's created from scratch which are the serious problems. Since Akali isn't being made from scratch but simply another slight re work, I think CertainlyT will do a fine job.

OleandervineFeb 1, 20182 votes

Warwick is ONE of the kits he's reworked. It was successful. But let's not forget the abominations he made that wrecked the game after their reworks, and had to be nerfed into obscurity: Caitlyn Graves Mordekaiser

HalcyonDwellerFeb 1, 20181 votes

I'm not certain it will be a slight rework, as some of the VGUs have been pretty drastic, but I see your point.

I just hope that if he makes larger scale changes that he remembers that players do not like having agency taken away from them when facing his champions.

Automated RivenFeb 1, 20189 votes

{quoted}

Specifically about CertainlyT since I heard he will be the designer.

Please make sure that he gives opponents fun and engaging counterplay to deal with Akali.

Please restrain his creativity at least a little bit so that Akali doesn't end up with too many mechanics on individual abilities.

A tiny bit more detail on my first point regarding counterplay:

Let's please not make another Wind-Wall (ability capable of destroying other characters' power fantasies) or Sleepy-Trouble-Bubble (a single ability should not be able to so easily erase the counterplay to all of the character's other abilities).

Good points, I maintain that if they wanted yasuo to be more balanced they would reduce windwalls duration to .75 seconds and force it to be reactive instead of "you cant cast spells at my team for the duration of the teamfight"

I am kinda sad they didnt because it makes it harder to abuse those shitty yasuo players who just cast windwall willy nillly in hopes it blocks something. (IE me)

HalcyonDwellerFeb 1, 20186 votes

Thank you for your support, I concur with your points. wind wall would have been much fairer if it were for a shorter duration / harder to use. Although I still find it frustrating when a Nami Ult get's eaten by it.

invisiblecat1Feb 1, 20182 votes

If it was shorter duration, do you think the cooldown should be reduced to make the cooldown of something like a Fiora parry?

HalcyonDwellerFeb 1, 20181 votes

Probably, yes. Although I would still much prefer it to do something besides eat the spells. Maybe it would be really cool for him to use the wind to slip past the spell unharmed, like a spellshield that lets the spell pass by him instead of absorbing it.

invisiblecat1Feb 2, 20181 votes

I would keep the cooldown the same, as Fiora's parry and Fizz's E only are self mitigation, while Yasuo's applies for his whole team, making it over powered either way

HalcyonDwellerFeb 2, 20181 votes

<shrug> okay then, my idea of slipping by spells would have worked for that, but I'm onboard with that direction too.

Sun Wu RyuumokuFeb 1, 20182 votes

Yasuo is balanced. At least more than Riven.

Automated RivenFeb 1, 20182 votes

[{quoted}](name=Ryuumoku no koke,realm=EUW,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=iOuo5T6A,comment-id=00020001,timestamp=2018-02-01T11:44:06.664+0000)

Yasuo is balanced. At least more than Riven.

Idk. Objectively Yas is on the weak side right now I think. I think riven is hovering around a 51-52 percent Winrate for mains. I haven't played in 2-3 patches so I can't really speak to current balance.

Sun Wu RyuumokuFeb 1, 20181 votes

51-52 for 11.68 % pickrate is really high... and its only riven mains. u should abuse her with spellbook before the next patch

Automated RivenFeb 1, 20181 votes

[{quoted}](name=Ryuumoku no koke,realm=EUW,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=iOuo5T6A,comment-id=0002000100000000,timestamp=2018-02-01T18:29:53.785+0000)

51-52 for 11.68 % pickrate is really high... and its only riven mains. u should abuse her with spellbook before the next patch

Playing with stupid shit like spellbook is fine imho, but it should be situational, not mandatory. All the keystones feel like shit on riven tbh. Ari wasn't bad cause at least it rewarded what you wanted to be doing. Spellbook imho should be a rune that you take because you want the versatility. Not that you take because every other rune is flat out shit on her. Even ones that should be good like electrocute are shit. Klepto riven and spellbook riven are just signs that keystones simply suck ass.

This doesn't even count that lethality riven is pretty much the only reasonable build path that you can do because building bruiser takes way to much damn money.

I am pretty salty about the game in general atm. It sucks so much to even play. So I don't. And I just keep waiting to see if riot fixes shit or if I am just gonna swap over to StarCraft 2 permanently.

Sun Wu RyuumokuFeb 1, 20181 votes

yeah, its sad aery was strong (too strong) then nerfed, now spellbook will follow the same path.

This doesn't even count that lethality riven is pretty much the only reasonable build path that you can do because building bruiser takes way to much damn money.

hum, Adrian say same iirc.

I am pretty salty about the game in general atm.

same

PhantomPranksterJan 31, 20183 votes

{quoted}

Specifically about CertainlyT since I heard he will be the designer.

Please make sure that he gives opponents fun and engaging counterplay to deal with Akali.

Please restrain his creativity at least a little bit so that Akali doesn't end up with too many mechanics on individual abilities.

A tiny bit more detail on my first point regarding counterplay:

Let's please not make another Wind-Wall (ability capable of destroying other characters' power fantasies) or Sleepy-Trouble-Bubble (a single ability should not be able to so easily erase the counterplay to all of the character's other abilities).

akali is a woman LOL

HalcyonDwellerJan 31, 201812 votes

What does that have to do with anything?

Tails9016Feb 1, 20183 votes

You said "he" at one point where it appears you are referring to Akali, not CT, even though you putting Akali at the end of the sentence would make it seem you were talking about CT, as this would be a random jump to third person. The sentence before this however does add clarity that you're referencing CT.

HalcyonDwellerFeb 1, 20181 votes

Oh I see! Sorry about that, I understand that I made it a little confusing.

BarkleyFeb 1, 20181 votes

Thank you captain obvious?

xelakerFeb 1, 20181 votes

{quoted}

Specifically about CertainlyT since I heard he will be the designer.

Please make sure that he gives opponents fun and engaging counterplay to deal with Akali.

Please restrain his creativity at least a little bit so that Akali doesn't end up with too many mechanics on individual abilities.

A tiny bit more detail on my first point regarding counterplay:

Let's please not make another Wind-Wall (ability capable of destroying other characters' power fantasies) or Sleepy-Trouble-Bubble (a single ability should not be able to so easily erase the counterplay to all of the character's other abilities).

The new shroud is a knockout gas that puts everyone in the circle to sleep for the entire duration. Sounds super fun to use!

(that's a joke btw....)

DragonSheaFeb 1, 20181 votes

WE DEAD!!!!

SyrdonFeb 1, 20181 votes

One more request : remove lifesteal from her kit.

Or we might get an invisible WW with infinite dashes.

HalcyonDwellerFeb 1, 20181 votes

hrm, good point. Hopefully Riot knows better than to do that by now. Or if they do it, hopefully it can be caught during testing on the PBE before it would ever hit live servers.

TrampaFeb 1, 20181 votes

Lmao "restrain his creativity". Idk why I found this funny loool. Anyways, I think he'll do a great job with her, as his WW rework was one of the best reworks to date imo. I personally love his creativity and unique kits (don't hate me), given that it's not stupidly overloaded in stats such as Zoe 's. I have faith.

HalcyonDwellerFeb 1, 20181 votes

I have high hopes as well, but it is possible that they do more to change Akali, it's not guaranteed to be a small scale rework, especially considering the scope of some of the VGUs we've had in the last year or so.

If he makes larger scale changes, I hope he remembers that players hate playing against mechanics that rob them of agency and that feel unfair.

Linna ExcelFeb 1, 20181 votes

It'd be cool if her shroud gives invisibility to allies as well. Maybe her E will work like Fiora's W. Maybe her Q will let you recast it to dash to the target it hit so you can proc the mark.

This could be awesome.

HalcyonDwellerFeb 1, 20181 votes

Indeed that would be cool, or maybe it could apply shortsightedness to nearby enemies as well, similar to Graves's Smoke Grenade...?

Yeah that might be cool, it would be hard to balance though, and that's a lot of utility to give to an assassin.

Linna ExcelFeb 1, 20182 votes

It would be a lot of utility, which would make it hard to balance but on the other hand, it'd make Akali stand out as an assassin. Let's say her W is balanced around disengages, maybe you get bonus movespeed for running away, that'd make her great in a teamfight for the reset potential.

HalcyonDwellerFeb 1, 20181 votes

Hmm.... :thinking:

Okay you've convinced me, that would be really cool actually. I'm on-board with that idea :)

MopoiiFeb 1, 20181 votes

The rework is basically finished you know

HalcyonDwellerFeb 1, 20181 votes

If we're working from the same information, IE the information revealed in the champion roadmap that was published yesterday, then no. It is not necessarily finished yet.

They announce things on the roadmap after they have a concrete idea/direction for the character. That doesn't mean they have gotten anywhere near finished with development and testing. Swain was announced like 2 or 3 months ago and he was only recently released to the PBE.

Steel BlossomFeb 1, 20181 votes

"Fun and engaging counterplay to (insert assassin)" Not until item 3157 gets one first.

HalcyonDwellerFeb 2, 20181 votes

Umm, what? Zhonyas does have counterplay. The person casting it is forced to stand still when they use it leaving them as vulnerable as a sitting duck to any attack you wish to mount towards them.

And regardless of that, counterplay to one thing should not be withheld as ransom for counterplay to be added to something else.

That's very similar to whataboutism, like saying "X doesn't deserve to be fixed because Y hasn't been fixed yet either." The two things are disconnected, stop hijacking balance discussions just because you have a vendetta against Zhonyas.