@Riot: What are your thoughts on a "Mana Flare" ability?

darkdill·Sep 9, 2014·2 votes·694 views

In Warcraft 3, the Night Elves have the Faerie Dragon, an anti-spellcaster unit that can use "Mana Flare", which causes any nearby enemies who cast spells to take damage. Really helpful unit.

I'd like to know, however, if such a design can be applied in League. Say, an ultimate that generates a large field where if an enemy uses an ability (regardless if he/she uses mana), they take magic damage.

Would that break the "Burden of Knowledge" design rule?

EDIT: To clarify, in League, I'd have such an ability create a zone which damages you if you use abilities while standing in it. Obvious counterplay: Get out of the zone.

6 Comments

Dr Clueless PhDSep 9, 20141 votes

It would indeed break it, from Riot's point of view. It's also a matter of the proper reaction being very unintuitive, which Riot doesn't like. Spells are there to be cast, for the most part. There may be better or worse situations to use them, but you're not generally penalized for using your stuff outside of burning resources. This is another one of those spell mechanics that works great in something like DotA, but is way outside of what Riot wants in League.

Serpents EmbraceSep 9, 20141 votes

Never played Warcraft 3, but it sounds like "Backfire" from GW's Mesmers so I think I have a point of reference.

In GW, it was a "hex" spell that was cast on to a unit and would take damage on spell use (spell merely being a skill type in that game). This wouldn't translate well because there are two systems that lack the support for it, I think.

First, there's not a good hex/debuff/cc system. You can Cleanse and Mikhael's things on huge cooldowns to remove them so anything less than an ultimate would be oppressive to those laning against it. Since it can't be reliably removed as part of the system - it would need to have its own removal clause or would need to deal piss poor damage. Neither is a particularly great choice.

Second, there's no skill differentiation system either. Is Vayne's "Tumble" a "spell"? Is her "Condemn"? They both use physical items in her possession. THey both scale with her attack damage. But they would probably be considered a spell even though the main target of this Backfire-esque caster would be Mages and Supports, those who scale with AP or CDR.

It still doesn't seem totally unhealthy, though. Perhaps an ability that pings damage every time they use an ability unless they break combat for X seconds. Put it on a support and it's either heavy damage or efficient peel - but that's really up to the opponent. It'd probably suffer a lot against fighters and tanks that can kill a target or two while taking a beating.

darkdillSep 10, 20141 votes

It would be if you use any active ability in a fixed AOE, you are damaged. The counterplay would be to exit said AOE before using anything, thus avoiding the damage.

Serpents EmbraceSep 10, 20141 votes

I wasn't thinking of it as an AoE, which really just makes it seem like a really bad AoE to me, since most in the game deal damage regardless of function..

darkdillSep 10, 20141 votes

How about if it deals initial damage and then extra if you use abilities in it? Also, the "feedback" damage would have to HURT, and would be good if combo'd with someone like J4.

Serpents EmbraceSep 10, 20141 votes

Perhaps if it was an ultimate, but then what sort of kit would it fit on to?