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A solution to the Enchanter-Problem: Rework them into proper Utility-Mages capable of Solo-Laning.

SaltyToplaneGoat··6 votes·542 views

And I'm not talking about "just make them viable on toplane", because that would probably make every main of a melee champ go quit the game in a fit of rage. Remember the days of Lulu brutally dominating toplane? That's not something we want to see again.

No I'm talking about reworking the enchanters into proper and HEALTHY mages that just HAPPEN to synergize will with their team. Kinda like Lissandra, altho she's more on the crowd-control side when it comes to utility. The prime example where there is almost no work to do is with Nami . Out of all enchanters, I think Nami is the most fairest and healthiest to play against, and even if she was suddenly viable on toplane she wouldn't break the game like Lulu would - mostly because Lulu could just Instant-Polymorph everyone who'd try to jump her, Nami has to hit the bubble first.

But the likes of Soraka Janna Lulu Sona need a bit of a rework in this regard. However, with more streght to themselves, it allows for some awesome iconic kits. And when a champion is healthy in a solo lane, it suddenly becomes nearly impossible for them to be suddenly unhealthy in a duo lane. Sadly, it doesn't work like this the other way around.

Also there's so much thematic potential! League doesn't have a single proper "storm mage" yet, and Janna is barely filling that niche. Soraka has a lot of potential, given she technically plays into the same thematic niche as Aurelion Sol (minus the dragon, plus 50% goat). Sona is not really music orirnted either besides it sounding like pling plong pling plong dong BRRRRRRRONG (that was the ult) when you play her. And Lulu... comeon, the entire field of crazy Fae-magics. AoE Polymorph-nuke for the ult? Crazy glitter missle mechanics? There's a lot to get here!

Make enchanters champions that can shine on their own, and I bet a lot more people would play support in general.

10 Comments

GinoSoldier4 votes

Don't forget Rakan and Bard! Other, lesser candidates are Karma and Zilean.

I've been wanting this very thing since i started playing the game, as a Sona mid main. She's playable in midlane right now, though she's much stronger when you hit late game, which doesn't happen much right now.

I've always seen Enchanters as utility/team oriented Mages. Burst mages kill people, Control mages create AoE threats, Artillery mages clear waves and have more safety. Why not a subclass of mages that focus on buffing up the team with their abilities?

They already have unique items for their class too. Rebalance Censer and Athene's to be viable in solo lanes without being overbearing when with allies, and i can see it work very well.

SaltyToplaneGoat2 votes

Well Rakan is more of a tank in his modus operandi. He kinda works like Leona, in the way that he provides cc to engage or disengage. bard is... dunno, this weird guy who roams anyways, so he's a special case.

Zilean is not really an enchanter but a midlane mage who just got stuck at botlane for some reason - and is now not even played there.

Karma in generally needs an entire new VGU so she actually gets a coherent theme. I still don't forgive Riot how they butchered her with her first VGU...

NineTailedMystic2 votes

NO

Their plethora of defensive abilities makes it impossible to play aggressively against them in lane, and you can't make those champions not have those kinds of abilities.

GinoSoldier1 votes

And what's wrong with a kit that makes it tougher for lower burst people to fight against? Self-healing abilities usually have extreme mana costs or high cooldowns, so it's not like they're impossible to out-sustain either. Balancing those Enchanter kits to have a decent amount of damage VS healing/shielding wouldn't be all that hard to do.

Besides, with Morello being EVERY mage's go-to item anyway, it's not like you can't get around that healing. Just need riot to do something about oppressive shields.

NineTailedMystic3 votes

Defensive abilities are not exclusive to healing. They include CC, shields, heals, Armor/MR buffs, MS buffs, etc.

Did you ever lane against Lulu when she was a good solo laner? She had outrageous damage and waveclear, while being impossible to kill because of her shield, MS buff/polymorph, and ult.

Strong enough damage to waveclear and have strong harass/kill pressure on their laner while making it so your laner can't do the same just ain't right.

GinoSoldier1 votes

You entirely neglect the part where the OP and I are both saying; 'Balancing them for solo laning.' It specifically means solving those issues you're against. It specifically means making Lulu less oppressive so she's less shit to play against. It specifically implies that we're asking for KIT changes, not just number changes.

Also, Enchanters universally don't have access to Armor/MR buffs, half the champions in the game have either MS buffs or slows, and half the champions in the game also have hard CC. Enchanters are not exclusive to this. The only difference between now and what it would be then is that you could fight champions in midlane who have access to good sustain. Again, balanced so as to not be overbearing. It also means balancing out your Soraka toplane.

NineTailedMystic1 votes

Ok, how do you give your Enchanters all these defensive abilities and CC to use for their allies without making it impossible to actually fight them short of making it so they can't target themselves with the buffs. Instead of saying this theoretical "just balance them for solo laning". You can't say give them high Mana costs, only a handful of basic abilities are more than 100 Mana and Mana costs are negligible after first back because of Lost Chapter. High cooldowns would alleviated because both Mage and Enchanter itemization are packed with CDR.

You want to know an Enchanter in midlane? Essentially Orianna, who has a haste/slow on W, shield with resistances on E, and AoE CC on R and she does damage on top of that utility. Except an actual Enchanter would have more utility and would need similar even if slightly less damage to compete in mid.

Oleandervine2 votes

Soraka isn't really a problem. Her kit has 2 spells that can be used offensively, and her CC is practically non existent. She needs another person in lane to be an enchanter, because she will never have the same oppressive nature as Lulu or Janna, even if she was solo viable.

SaltyToplaneGoat1 votes

Oh you have NO idea. See my op.gg. Most of these games were Soraka toplane. She's absolute cancer up there, I sustained a Vlad out of lane with the Q self-heal, and most melees can't even touch me with the Q slow and the E for disengages.

This is not something you want to lane against...

Lunar ArcS1 votes

Bring back mid janna

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