Zyra; A Gameplay Update
I have played quite a bit of Zyra games in the past, mainly as support, but Zyra right now is in an awkward spot of doesn't work out very well do to all the gameplay changes that happened over the months and cannot get buffed because theoretically Zyra is extremely strong at the moment. Which is the awkward point, Zyra cannot get buffed because she is so strong right now, but you want to buff her for she could get played but then that would put her in an overpowered spot [Zyra is the champion that had to get hotfixed massively nerfed in less than 12 hours of her release].
So my ideas will have as few changes as possible to place her in a spot hopefully that is healthy for the game and viable for a very unique and niche role she will provide. Zyra has been always known as a great counter engage champion something I am definitely trying to keep, but something more unique I think Zyra can have is providing a role of anti-mobility and really using the thorns theme she has and strangle her opponents within an area that she controls; this also places her as an immobile control mage which she kind of has this identity now but not fully there (Azir, Viktor, Anivia, Cassiopeia, etc are also control mages).
Any questions and concerns feel free to ask away in the comments section! Even post your own thoughts and ideas!
Basic Attack Range: 575 units Movement Speed: 325 units per second
Rise of the Thorns (Passive): Range: 800 units When Zyra has a seed stored up she can alt + right click at the target location to plant a seed that lasts for up to 30 seconds, plants last for up to 10 seconds when grown, the type of plant is based on what ability was used to grow the seed:
Thorn Spitter: Grows from Deadly Bloom which has an attack range of 750 units and deals 23+6.5 per level magic damage. Acid Spitter: Grows from Suffocating Vines which has an attack range of 550 units and deals 23(+6.5 per level)(+20%AP) magic damage and apply a poison to its target that deals 12(+3.5 per level)(+10%AP) magic damage per second for the next 3 seconds, this poison does not stack. Vine Lasher: Grows from Grasping Roots which has an attack range of 400 units and deals 23+6.5 per level magic damage and slows its target by 30% for 2 seconds.
It takes 20/19/18/17/16/15/14 [based on champion levels 1/3/6/9/12/15/18; lowers with cooldown reduction] seconds to store up a seed holding up to a maximum of 3 seeds at one time.
Additionally, upon taking fatal damage, Zyra returns to her plant form for up to 8 seconds, becoming untargetable. She cannot cast any of her standard abilities while in this state, but can cast Vengeful Thorn using any learned ability after 2 seconds.
Vengeful Thorn: Zyra fires a single piercing thorn in the direction of the cursor, dealing (100 - 440) true damage to every enemy it passes through.
Deadly Bloom (Q): Cooldown: 7/6.5/6/5.5/5 seconds; Cost: 65/70/75/80/85 Mana; Range: 800 units Zyra sprouts thorns at the target location after a brief delay to deal 70/105/140/175/210(+65%AP) magic damage to all enemies struck.
Suffocating Vines (W): Cooldown: 20/18.5/17/15.5/14 seconds; Cost: 80 Mana; Range: 1000 units; Radius: 450 units Zyra instantly grows vines at the target area for 1.5 seconds that slowly suffocate enemies within it to deal 30/40/50/60/70(+20%AP) magic damage per half-second and silence enemies in these vines.
Grasping Roots (E): Cooldown: 12 seconds; Cost: 60/70/80/90/100 Mana; Units to Travel: 1400/1550/1700/1850/2000 units Projectile Speed: 900 units per second, from 1150 units per second
Zyra sends a surge of thorny vines in the target direction that follows your mouse cursor, the vines remain in place for 5 seconds. If the vines initially strike an enemy as they travel then they deal 60/95/130/165/200(+50%AP) magic damage and root the enemies in place for 1/1.2/1.4/1.6/1.8 seconds, enemies can only be rooted by these vines one time per cast. If an enemy moves, dashes, or jumps into these vines then they are stopped and are rooted for the same duration, they do not take the magic damage being rooted in this way.
(NOTE: The vines following the mouse cursor will allow for a semi circle at best in surrounding an area, but the vines cannot take sharp turns; think a little bit like how Sion ultimate feels to control, just slightly better handling than a Sion ultimate because it covers a lot less terrain. So you can surround an area with anti-movement vines on the outside of your placed ultimate to really take control of an area!)
Stranglethorns (R): Cooldown: 130/120/110 seconds; Cost: 100 Mana; Range: 700 units Zyra summons a monstrous thicket at the target location, dealing 180/265/350(+70%AP) magic damage to all enemies in the area as it expands. After 2 seconds, the vines snap upward, knocking up all enemies caught in the thicket for 1 second.
Additionally, plants in the thicket gain 50% increased attack speed.
or not being utility mages at all
