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Context on the Xerath nerf?

Abyssphere··3 votes·1,834 views

I can't think of a reason for the nerf he has on the PBE. His stats on LolKing are as follows:

Play rate: 8.71% Ban rate: 3.74% Win rate: 50.14%

Not bad statistics at all, they show a somewhat popular champ with a solid win rate that is occasionally banned. But a champ that needs nerfs? He's been featured in LCS a moderate amount, he's banned on occasion and he wins almost exactly as many games as he loses. I mean it's a small nerf but it still shows Riot thinks he needs a hit right now.

I honestly get more paranoid with every day. Between Syndra and Xerath it seems like everyone that is even decent in mid lane (aside from the one person everyone hates playing against) is a potential candidate for the nerf bat. Is Orianna next? Cassiopeia again? Ahri?

What is the goal of these changes? Are you just trying to force the old meta out to bring in new champs or do you just want to reduce the power level of the game/mid lane in general? Because I'm really confused right now.

7 Comments

Sirsir1 votes

I think they want to reduce his pick potential. You won't really get a max range stun off without catching someone with a ward, if your using it defensively you won't probably get max range (and if you do its still more than enough time)

SmokingPuffin1 votes

It's about competitive play. Xerath is quite strong. People don't like playing immobile champions in solo queue, but clearly he's a top tier mid in competitive games.

Cassiopeia and Ahri are both good candidates for future nerfs.

Abyssphere1 votes

{quoted}

It's about competitive play. Xerath is quite strong. People don't like playing immobile champions in solo queue, but clearly he's a top tier mid in competitive games.

Cassiopeia and Ahri are both good candidates for future nerfs.

Yes, Xerath is quite strong. But that doesn't mean nerf-worthy. It's impossible for nobody to get picked and Xerath gets picked a moderate amount, with rare banning. He's a top tier mage but he's not a dominant force and seems a very fair bar for mages in general to measure up to.

At the end of the day if you go by the balancing concept of "this person gets picked in the LCS on occasion so they must be nerfed", you'll never be able to end the cycle of nerfing.

SmokingPuffin1 votes

I don't think being picked in LCS implies getting nerfs.

I do think Xerath is very strong, and will remain strong after this nerf.

I don't think a Xerath nerf is urgent today.

I do think an explanation of Riot's intentions with Xerath would be nice.

I don't think Riot has any interest in ending the cycle of nerfing.

Nausicäa 1 votes

Add it to all the other mages Riot has been gutting lately.

Apparently 50% win rate or lower means you're a broken mage that needs to get destroyed by nerfs.

DankyNugz1 votes

Because the stun was too good at picking champs off for teamfights. 1.75 is still more than enough time to drop a QW. After that you just stand there autoing them if you land a long range stun in lane, so having a longer stun was only beneficial to team picks, where it shouldn't be strong. Or at least rito feels so.

Fasmodey1 votes

It is exactly what I wanted than Riot. I'm a Xerath main and I love him. Seeing him in competitive plays a lot was saying he is going to be nerfed already. It was my what I thought a good nerf to Xerath without nerfing him range or damage. It's super good nerf and I'm with Riot now.

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