Stage 4 Kha'Zix: The Ultimate Predator

Takran··27 votes·25,895 views

Hey Community. I was thinking, it is really hard to find good images of a stage 4 Kha'Zix. In fact, I don't think anyone has even documented a Stage 4 Guardian of the Sands Kha'Zix. So I decided to take some screenshots of all versions of Kha'Zix fully evolved. Check it out! (click the image to see it closer)

http://i.imgur.com/XybEtPV.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/HmEvHJx.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/XROpHrs.jpg

I thought this would also be a good time to mention something odd about "The Hunt is On!" interaction with Rengar and Kha'Zix. After Rengar's rework, the balance of this event has shifted in a strange way. Currently, Rengar cannot lose stacks on his Bonetooth Necklace - this used to be his reward for killing Kha'Zix. That means that when The Hunt starts, Rengar has nothing to gain and nothing to lose, whereas Kha'Zix depends on it to complete his evolution.

It makes the environment more about shutting down Kha'Zix and less about competing for a special prize. After doing a lot of testing with some friends, I found that a full build Kha'Zix with full evolution will almost always die to a full build Rengar. The power increase of the final evolution is significant, but not as strong as you may think. I was thinking: would it be a healthy gameplay choice to either make The Hunt a purely aesthetic event (like the queen of the Feljord quest) by making Kha'Zix's 4th evolition attainable outside of the hunt, or should Rengar be altered to make the event more high stakes for both teams?

Personally, I'd like to see Kha'Zix able to evolve 4 times by some alternate method. Perhaps by killing Baron at level 18 to help emphasize the apex predator theme? What are your thoughts?


EDIT: Thanks to Lord Duston for pointing this out. Rengar actually gets increased vision range while in a bush if he wins The Hunt. I still think that Kha'Zix should have some method of evolution outside of The Hunt though. I don't know any Rengar players that get excited about situational vision range (If they even know about it at all), but I know that every Kha'Zix player dreams of a fourth evolution. While it's good that both champs get something for the hunt, Kha'Zix gains far more than Rengar.

Even if it included (another) little nerf to Kha'Zix, having a fourth evolution point earn-able in regular matchups would really help make his character more interesting overall. It would let players live their fantasy, and the objective to gain the point could be used to help increase objective awareness. As it stands now, Kha'Zix is one of the only Champs that has a section of their kit cut off to them: even Viktor can fully evolve now. Perhaps it could be retuned so they both compete for better vision, and Kha'Zix can find a new way to reach his final form.

EDIT 2: Arrevax made a wonderful point that bears note. As Kha'Zix is now, he is extremely hard to balance, since his evolve pattern can be unpredictable. As is, developers need to balance 4 different playstyles for Kha'Zix, one for each missing ability in the final build. By allowing a natural fourth evolution, he would be more balance-able since there would be only one late game form. Plus this makes point allocation more about adapting to the match you are in at that point in the game as opposed to deciding what to leave out. Additionally, it will ensure Kha'Zix never ends up like old Viktor with one dominant evolution path.

23 Comments

Lord Dusteon5 votes

Actually, Rengar gets increased vision range while in a bush, which is helpful.

Otherwise, I'm thinking a Randuins, then full damage Kha could kill a Rengar. All kinda depends on if you can surprise the other.

Takran1 votes

I actually didn't know that! At least Rengar has something to gain. I still think it needs some alteration though. Every Kha'Zix wishes they could reach stage four. I don't think I know of any Rengars excited about extra bush vision. In fact none of my Rengar-maining friends even are aware of this.

I still think Kha should have some method of attaining a fourth evolution point without rengar, them maybe have the hunt grant one of them extra bush vision. As long as Kha'Zix is limited by the event, the champs will always be valued in relation to each other instead of for their own merits. Plus for Kha'Zix, it's more about experiencing a fantasy - he is one of the only champions with a large portion of his kit sealed off in most games. Even Viktor can fully evolve now.

AKL ZCX1 votes

A full build Rengar can kill a squish in less than a second, a Randuin may make it 2 seconds. Full build Khazix still need at least 4-5 seconds to kill a squish assuming that squish is not 5-6 level under him, a target with Randuin it will take like 8-10 seconds for Kha to kill.

Unslaadfel5 votes

Well Rengar is a counter to Kha'zix. Which is why the Korean LCS teams prized Rengar in their LCS matches. NA loves Kha'zix. While Rengar was sort of forgotten by NA pros because Rengar doesn't have the mobility that Kha'zix gets from his E. Also Rengar is a cool white lion. so yeh.

12tales10 votes

'LCS' stands for League of legends Championship Series. It's a specific tournament that is hosted in NA and EU by Riot games. 'Korean LCS team' is an oxymoron - Korean teams compete in OGN.

pro crastinat0r21 votes

'LCS' stands for League of legends Championship Series. It's a specific tournament that is hosted in NA and EU by Riot games. 'Korean LCS team' is an oxymoron - Korean teams compete in OGN.

An oxymoron is a figure of speech that juxtaposes elements that appear to be contradictory. "LCS" and "Korean" are not contradictory elements; therefore, "LCS Korean team" is not an oxymoronic statement. The statement is incorrect, even moronic, but it is not oxymoronic.

12tales1 votes

Any LCS team is necessarily not from the region of Korea.

TenSlashTen5 votes

in a 1v1, rengar shits on kha. Rengar has attack speed, therefor IE/Yomuu's shits all over kha's face. Because ADC meta items are broken. Whereas kha has alot of burst and if he gets him away from minions killpotentional. he has no percentage damage on Q anymore. And his W just got nerfed again. And his R doesnt have any defensive mechanism outside of you press Q again... So rengar buys red trinket+hp and then shits on him.

Whats kha gonna do? buy a blade of the ruined king nope.

AKL ZCX4 votes

Rengar has far superior DPS both burst and sustain. Khazix damage is astonishingly low for a single target assassin.

AbodyHUN6667 votes

well, kha has a lot more freedom in mobility though

Takran1 votes

While I believe that the both Rengar and Kha'Zix both have strengths and weaknesses in their kits, in all my tests (playing as both Rengar and Kha'Zix with a few different friends) Rengar won 8 out of 10 fights at full build. The only times Kha'Zix won was when he took Rengar by surprise, getting most of his burst off before Rengar could respond.

Part of the reason I think it would be healthy for The Hunt to not effect Kha'Zix's final evolution is because he will always be valued in context of Rengar's current power level. I don't think Kha is necessarily in a bad place right now, but he feels weaker than he is because Rengar tends to outclass him when they go 1v1.

geogio134 votes

I very much think that the idea of apex predator would work out well, as it encourages the team to do more than just act in the lane war. Plus it is thematically brilliant.

Takran2 votes

I honestly think that having a late game jungle based objective like "Slay Baron at level 18" or "kill every large jungle monster on the map once." or some such thing would be a cool way to help Kha'Zix experience full evolution without Rengar. It provides a good incentive to have Jungle and objective awareness.

Zarxis4 votes

I think Kha'Zix should be able to get all 4 evolutions in every game. In his current form, he's always a nightmare to balance because one set (in a particular order) of evolutions is always dominant. Look at Viktor. He was stuck always taking his Death Augment until Riot finally reworked him. Kha has had his optimal set of evolutions changed almost every other patch...

I understand that the idea of Kha'Zix's evolutions is to pick 3 that fit the situation, but one set of three is almost always better than picking that one left-out evolution in the same way that Viktor's Death Augment was almost always better than taking either of the alternatives.

Takran1 votes

I didn't think of that, but you make an excellent point. Evolution would be more about picking what you need in a given situation as opposed to picking one specific path. That will do a LOT to help balance him out in the long run. I'm adding that to the top post.

FantasySniper3 votes

(Huge re-balancing complications aside,) It would be cool to see them rework Kha into having an initial evolution in his [R], something like Karma 's Mantra.

Kuroi863 votes

I'm game.

smaxi1 votes

(I'm highlighting Kha'Zix with his picture, because my post is mainly focused on him.)

I believe that Khazix needs more to his passive quest with Rengar, because right now as it stands, this feline predator is generally superior: Rengar doesn't lose stacks when he dies. I feel like Riot should do something in compensation for that. Hypothetically, if the bug kills Rengar 5 times or more, at lvl 14, the cat should not be able to build stacks any more. Or when Khazix kills him, Rengar loses 3 stacks.

I'm not bashing on Rengar, I just feel that Khazix needs a little more of an interaction with Rengar: This brutal cat has nothing to lose when he dies from Khazix . On the other hand, if the bug gets squashed by Rengar, he's never able to get his fourth evolution.

TLDR; Khazix is lacking in his passive quest. Something should be done to fix this and make it more of a balanced hunt.

(also; if Riot really could go the extra mile and add a small secret sprite modification when Rengar won his stacks, that would be amazing. For example, Rengar should have a necklace that gains teeth as his stacks grow. Even if the necklace model is too small to see, the big fans of this crazy cat would love to see that.)

RowGo1 votes

They do that already when you just get your necklace I has just a tooth item 3417 but at full stacks it is teeming with trophies item 3421

In terms of *The Hunt is on * sure Rengar has nothing to lose but he also has nothing to gain. a little extra vision in a brush? whooo so exiting especially compared to a fourth evolution point. But yes I will say that Rengar is better at full build end game so in that case instead of keeping it at end game why not move it to a little bit earlier on were there power is roughly the same? Also if you want Rengar to have something to lose how bout make it so Rengar can constantly have one of his abilities empowered if he wins the hunt or something? I mean as a Rengar main god dam would I want one of my abilities to always be empowered. like how awesome would that be? Roots for days? super amount of extra damage? or constant heals? All would be pretty damn boss

BelowsubZero1 votes

Way cool! I really like the idea!

Takran1 votes

Thanks! I hope some more people take a look at this. It could make for an awesome QoL change in my opinion.

MOBSCENEN1 votes

Can you make one for the Death Blossom skin? I think it would look awesome!

Elisza Kitsune1 votes

I found this to be kind of true as someone who has used Kha'zix before (against Rengar) and once in a match I was 4/3/6 (Pretty bad score ik) and this Rengar was 1/0/6 as well. And I figured "Hey i could probably beat this guy since I have more items/gold from the earlier kills I picked up" But nope. He doesn't even sneak up on me and he can kill me faster than I can kill him. And for the rest of the game he invades my jg for the rest of the game because he KNOWS I can't kill him. Which sets both me and my team back which is great :D

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