How badly do you think Volibear needs a rework?

Forhonor321··2 votes·964 views

I want to bring up the topic of Volibear (again). I'm just going to say it: he sucks. He absolutely sucks. Why take him for the role of a jungler or a top laner over any other champion that fits in that role? What exactly does he do better than most other champions for that role? If you play/main Volibear, you have to know he's not in a good state right now and if you do play/main him and say he's fine or his kit is fine, NO, HE AND HIS KIT ARE NOT FINE!!!! He literally has no data on na.op.gg, that should not be possible unless nobody is playing him.

Ask yourself this: when was the last time you saw a Volibear? Because so far, even with the few games I play now a days, I have yet to see him since I want to say season 6, I don't ever recall now. He's basically become one of the new forgotten champs that I swear never see the light of day or play, up there with Kindred Skarner MonkeyKing (seriously I have not faced them in a while, I just consider them dead).

Let's just quickly go over his kit as a refresher course:

  • Passive : When below 30% of max health, regen 30% of max health over 6 seconds; 2 min CD - Ok, decent ability for a top laner or and even a jungler. Adds some good dueling sustain.

  • Q : Gain bonus 15/17.5/20/22.5/25% MS, doubled towards nearby enemy champs for 4 seconds and your next attack in that duration flips target and deals 30/60/90/120/150 bonus damage; 12-8 second CD - I freaked out about this the first time I saw because I though you only got 25% at max but it's doubled when moving towards enemy champs. However, I still don't think it's that great of an ability. You have no % bonus anywhere. No AD, no bonus MS add on, not even AP which Voli's other ability + ult have but we'll get to those. You don't even get any slow resistance when in this mode. And half of the time I barely feel like its that useful or I feel the double bonus come on.

  • W : Gain stacks, up to three, which increase your attack speed and at max can cast ability. On cast deal 60/110/160/210/260 +15% bonus health and deal up to 100% more damage based on target's missing health; 18 second CD - So basically it's an execute tied as a basic ability and the healthier you are the more damage you do. OK, I'm up for the idea of making health a stat to use on ability damage but having it on an execute just rubs me the wrong way. You're tanky enough to prevent being mauled down but then maul those people down because you have a fairly low CD execute compared to everyone else in the game. This is honestly where I feel a lot of Volibear's power is restrained to since it's a pretty powerful ability. I also feel like it's one of the more clunky abilities as you have to keep in combat and attack 3 times in order to use it, which in this current meta and game pace with how damage just obliterates you in seconds I don't see this working.

  • E : Deal 60/105/150/195/240 +60% AP damage around enemies, slowing them for 3 seconds, and fearing minions; 11 second CD - overall another decent ability that I feel works.

  • Ult : deal 75/115/155 +30% AP damage to nearby enemies and for the next 12 seconds attacks bounce to enemies dealing the same damage; 100/90/80 second CD - I'm sorry, but this is one of the most lack luster and disappointing ults in the entire game. It doesn't feel like an ult. Darius: cuts you down with a giant axe. Jhin: goes into a sniper mode. Lux: Rainbow Death Star laser! Volibear? Just deals some damage around and empowers his attacks. It doesn't feel that great. You could easily make this into one of his basic abilities and it wouldn't miss much. In fact you'd have room to come up with a way better ultimate!

Volibear is in a terrible state. He's been in one for quite some time now. I know Riot is thinking on buffing him with his E doing a displace but I don't think that's enough. He is in desperate need of a rework. He doesn't do anything that special. Jungle? Warwick, Hecarim, Shyvana, Trundle. Top? Sion, Darius, Garen, fuck Ornn! He doesn't do anything special that other champs can do better. He's literally a bear champion designed solely for being the bear champion, not to fill a role while also being a bear champion.

He needs work on him. A tiny rework like Aatrox till they get to him would probably help. It sucks that I don't see this champ that much cause he seems like a champ I would love to play and main. But as he is right now I'm just not confident in picking him ever.

4 Comments

Cloud2731 votes

IMO his fear should work on champions as well. That would make him more viable without increasing his numbers (messing with his stats or damage). If this isn't enough of a buff Riot can always give him more damage or stats though. Anyways I don't really think he needs a rework. I think he's simply undertuned right now.

Trollmanship1 votes

I believe that Volibear's kit should be good enough to compete, if the game was balanced properly.

But no, you're right, he's absolute garbage, frustrating to play, and has basically no winning options because he just stands there and dies, runs at the enemies and dies, or runs away (and probably lives but loses 2 towers in the time it takes him to get away). That is 100% representative of the shit state this game is in right now, in my opinion. I give the balancing team a 0/10. The state of the game is inexcusable.

Toxicate131 votes

Volibear isn't that bad in higher elo. As long as you build tank, you should be fine. Play him top, not jungle. Also, some other champions Riot forgot about: Nunu Rumble Olaf Kayle Karthus Lissandra

ChompyWulf1 votes

I have some basic ideas on how to fix him. First add a small dash onto his Q. Have him leap to all fours before dashing. If struck by the leap, enemies are stunned, not tossed behind him. Swap the actives of the W and R. The bolts are a more appropriate clearing and basic combat skill, while a more easily activated execute is a more fitting ultimate. New debuff on his E. Fear on little minions is fine, but the slow is pitiful. Instead, Champs are Pacified. It doesn't prevent then from running, flashing, healing, or using other defensive spells, but they cannot use auto attacks, damaging skills, or crowd control for the duration.

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