Utility Mages

So there's been another round of Karma nerfs on the PBE and to be honest, this one feels too strong.

I can understand the crystal scepter nerfs. There were too many mages taking the item that shouldn't had been taking, Victor, Ori, Syndra, hell I even played against a Lux with it. And before people start to flame about how those champions all need the slow cc to keep people at bay for kitting, I'd like to introduce them to the Utility Mages, or Enchtress class.

A classic but really underpowered version would be Taliyah, who's only core item was Crystal Scepter. Taliyah was the only champion I know that was so weak at release, Riot had to hotfix buff her. Her Q can do damage and has a very low CD, but is offset by her worked ground mechanic. Don't get me wrong, refunding mana is nice in laning phase, but that's about the only time it's nice. Yielding one rock makes me cry every timr past the 10min mark. She has no escapes other than the worked ground, surprisingly. It gives her a small MS buff when on it, allowing her to gain distant when being chased. Her W is her only one sure means to peel people off, and her E created a ground of minefields that can slow upcoming enemies, and explodes when being dashed through. This was around the time that Kalista was more useful than Urgot, so you sorta understand why they have it.

Taliyah unlike the high burst mages on top doesn't have as much lock down or instant deaths, on an enemy. Sure when you're ahead, you can chunk an enemy down with your EW combo if you're smart, but the mana cost for it is insane, and you're using two of your strongest escape tools offensively, for something that won't even really kill them.

Taliyah is a case of a champion that favors utility over damage. Meaning, she needs that slow on her Q, so that she can keep opponents close by while she hits them with 4 other rocks that do 50% less damage.

You may say, 'Well Victor and Syndra need that slow to set up their own combos!' But for one, Syndra, really? She can stun half the lane after ending ww2 with that R nuke. And her W has massive range. Victor has two instant cast abitiles and a shield as well. You know you have a problem when the champion comes with a core item but people are rushing a different item on him instead. Victor is supposed to be a mage that grows in damage the closer around you are to him. Like Ryze. His second E blast wasn't supposed to be a guarantee hit unless you were in his gravity field. The thing about Victor is that once you get close enough, he can nuke you down without using his ult. The main reason whu Luden was nerfed before was the same reason why Ryilas was nerfed just now. It was becoming a core item for everymage not just the ones that used it. This wasn't an indirect nerf to any mage at all, it was a nerf to the entire class for abusing the poor guy so much.

Now with that being said, I wholeheartedly approve of Riot nerfing this item, however, I don't approve of them using it to nerf Karma more than she already is. Back at 5.10 Riot released Karma as doing too much but not any of it all. They promised the changes wouldn't fix her, but adjustments should be made from there. However from what I've seen, all that's been happening is nerf after nerf. Her E can't be casted on minions, which made me think that they really were never going to have 'Karma Karma' in game. I thought they just thought an RE sheild bomb was too OP until Ivern came out with a 70% slow sheildbomb.

I believe I can speak for the community of Karma mid players when I say that she now will desperately need to be reverted to how she was at 5.10. Her passive was the only thing that made solo lane karma back then, okay, and that seems to be the problem with her now. I personally don't think it's her passive, but the fact that she doesn't have a passive. Inner Flame (oh sorry we're at the rekwork Gathering Fire) isn't a game changing passive and it isn't a lack-laster passive; it's simply not a passive at all. It's something that should he combined with her R as it is the only thing that it effects. Before when she could use her RE to damage enemies and build up mantra it was an okay passive, but with it gone, she really needs a different passive to sync with the reset of her abilities.

I can sorta understand why on the PBE they're trying to nerf her W (Read the Crystal scepter thing at the top) but spreading the W out for 3 seconds and losing true sight of the enemy for it makes me want to never use RW as a trading tool. In solo lane, it's extremely easy to break and without being able to gain Mantra seconds back with it, makes it seem as painful to use as throwing one rock.

I simply recommend Riot renames Karma 'Nothing about her seems karma anymore'. Or reverts her so that she can become the solo lane support that has think of which Mantra best fits the overall picture for her team in the fight.

A damaging slow zone that explodes upon the end, a self healing teether for when an assassin is diving you or your teammate, or a team shield boost that speeds and lowers the enemies health slightly. (Look back at the numbers the shield bomb wasn't that op)

I'd also like to add, it seems unfair that the assassins get an update while utility mages stayed the same. Countering them was basically the job of them, and it has become increasingly difficult (for new players, I'm still good without Crystal spec) to battle against them.