While we're on the topic, why does Tank Akali get to exist?

Reposer·3/2/2016, 6:05:47 PM·2 votes·1,895 views

I see all of these threads about Tank Fiora /MasterYi but I have yet to see one complaining about Tank Akali. I've gone against it a few times, and let me say, it's not quite as annoying as these 2, but by god is it a menace. The biggest difference between Tank Fiora and Tank MasterYi is that they have to get ahead in some form to be annoying. But not Akali. I've only had a few matches against these, but this last one was the one that just pissed me off the most. I was Yasuo, in lane against the Akali, to start. I will say in my top build I usually end up with some tank items (item 3742/item 3748) but they have to be at the end of the build, unless I'm behind.

Now this Akali, I got first blood on her, and ended up being 4/1 against her by the time I took first tower, and my one death was through Gragas after I sieged tower. The thing that ticks me off about all this, though, is that despite this gigantic lead, and the gigantic handicap that she had, she ended up practically carrying the game, along with Gragas (Also annoying, but not on topic). Once she got her item 3068 and just components of her item 3748 she was impossible for me to kill. I could barely escape her, without having flash and a minion wave. This was when I had item 3078 item 3046 item 1001, and it only got worse. She ended up being able to dive any one person on our team, Cho'Gath, J4, me, without dying.

Now, I've always really hated Akali, because she has a terribly designed kit, akin to that of Talon or Katarina, without much, or any, counterplay other than being tankier than her or being able to burst her down better. But they nerfed her, they made it difficult to do much with her, and in my eyes that was fine, because she's such an oppressive champ. There are so many lanes where it doesn't quite matter if you beat her, she can outscale with a single item. It's absolute hell to be Ekko against her, because even if you kill her a few times she'll come back with her finished Gunblade and just outright win the lane. But this is just the worst of it, as it makes her difficult to kill while still outputting mobility and damage to kill any squishy.

Fiora and Yi are annoying, but they have a bit more counterplay than this monstrosity, and as mentioned earlier, they either have to get ahead or they have to wait until the lategame, because they at least need to build -some- damage items or need to stack devourer for the midgame. Tank Akali just needs to hold out for a short while, and get just 2 items to be able to destroy people. Basically, this is my argument on why Tank Akali is pretty much as strong, if not stronger in some ways, as Fiora and Yi are currently, as they're the ones being complained about.

Here's my match that made me write this post up: http://matchhistory.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/#match-details/NA1/2112540543/48496648?tab=overview

29 Comments

Elwynn3/2/2016, 6:10:33 PM2 votes

Also you picked yasuo into akali thats the dumbest thing you could do.

alasarcher3/2/2016, 6:08:44 PM2 votes

When did Yasuos stop building Statikk and Infinite Edge?

Elwynn3/2/2016, 6:09:53 PM1 votes

Probably because she cant parry summoner spells , doesnt have an aoe heal , max hp true damage , isnt immune to slows and doesnt have a retarded ability with an invicibilty frame that refreshes on kills?

Sir Yamazuki3/2/2016, 6:08:24 PM1 votes

Yi is picked 3x more often than Akali, and even when Fiora was constantly banned she was also being picked more than Akali. People don't really complain about champions until they are seen frequently.

Dreadlocks3/2/2016, 6:14:16 PM1 votes

I don't see why this is a problem.. LOTS of champs have the option to go tanky or damage. The only reason you think its a problem is because its new.

xl Kirito lx3/2/2016, 6:19:18 PM1 votes

The reason Yi and Fiora are strong is due to their hybridization of damage. Yi has physical/true/magic, Fiora has physical/true.

In regards to tank akali. You were playing Yasou top, so you expect to lose against most tanks. Also to the point, your team bought 6 pink wards total the entire game, and based on time, I'm assuming maybe 2-3 were used against akali in the first 15min, none after that. Morgana was the only one w/ a red trinket, and not even the upgraded one.

Without seeing the game, I'm going to assume that you + j4 dived, Morgana whiffed everything, and Cho didn't peel draven at all. No pinks meant you were 100% reliant on morgana to soul snare akali, which seeing her 1/12 score, I'm assuming that didn't happen. Tank akali might be bad, but I don't think she was the reason you lost this game.

ArlanKels3/2/2016, 8:13:48 PM1 votes

I've noticed quite often people shut down "Tank akali" in the early game and then at about twenty five/thirty minutes in it suddenly shifts to where Akali simply starts wrecking people two on one. I'm sure there are certain champs who can counter that, but there are a lot of team comps especially in SoloQ which simply have no means by which to handle her.