A small buff/QoL change for Skarner?

Auroramancer··61 votes·2,078 views

The issue:

Skarner's passive is built on a 3 stack system, which is then finalized by an auto attack. Currently, his passive is limited by a cooldown for stack application on a previously stunned target, instead of a cooldown for stun re-application. I think this cooldown is about 6(?) seconds.

What this means is that the cooldown for repeat stuns on Skarner's target isn't truly 6 seconds, but 6 seconds + variable amount, depending on whether he can maintain range with his target to keep applying stacks.

My biggest pain point with Skarner's current state, is that I have no indicator to keep track of when I can start applying stacks again, which also leads into an unknown amount of time until I can get my next stun off. It's not impossible to tell, but it's just more pain-staking, compared to other characters who have better readability and reliability with their crowd control. This plays a big role in whether you're able to tell if you can win/survive a duel/fight.

My suggestion:

Change his passive so that the cooldown applies to stun re-application instead of stack application. This would mean that after Skarner stuns a target with his passive, he can begin re-applying stacks to his target again, but can't proc the stun until the cooldown expires. Then we can add an indicator around a stunned target, just as Nautilus and Udyr received.

Potential problems + re-balance:

Skarner's ultimate has a base damage + bonus damage scaling with how many passive stacks his target has. Implementing the above change would increase his ultimate's damage in almost all cases where he previously stunned his target, making Skarner's damage output more reliable. Because of this increase in reliability, a small decrease in the bonus damage per stack on his ult can be implemented, in order to maintain a neutral power shift in Skarner's kit.

21 Comments

junglerboy1614 votes

+1 sounds like a very well thought out change.

ModKnightsKemplar4 votes

A bit technical, but perhaps looking at something like this could lead to real buffs, too...? I think he needs it.

Variks the Loyal3 votes

That's a good idea for a buff, actually.

I don't think the bonus damage need be reduced on the ult, though. Rarely, at least late game, will you be using your ultimate after your passive stun.

Paress2 votes

Sounds like a good idea.

Cosmosaurus2 votes

yes pls

Hugo Butts2 votes

I like Skarner. I like this. The unintentional buff to his ult would be great too, as I'm damned if I can ever find a time to remember to try and ult at full stacks when I'm looking for more kill potential. I usually just try and get the stun off as soon as possible to give me more chances at Crystal Slash casts.

canpan141 votes

What if the 3 stacks still went off but there was just no stun? So he still gets the bonus dmg but doesn't get the extra stun until the timer wears off. That might make it too strong though (which is why they have it like it is). Also they probably just coded it this way because it was easier (other champions have similar mechanics).

Auroramancer1 votes

I think that might be a bit counterintuitive for the Skarner player because while you're dueling or fighting with someone, your goal is to get off as many Qs (and empowered Qs) and auto attacks (which reduces your Q's cooldown) as possible, until your stun is available again. When I get 3 stacks of my passive, I expect to get a stun or bonus damage on my ultimate.

I think having those 3 stacks be consumed without a stun might give the Skarner player too many things to keep track of. There may even be cases where you get 3 stacks before the stun cooldown expired, so you'd either consume the 3 stacks for bonus damage and wait even longer to proc your stun again, or you'd just be following your target without auto attacking for about a second or 2, just to get a stun off (delay extra damage to get a minimal stun off?)

canpan141 votes

What if it applied a slow instead of a stun? (Might be too strong at that point).

Auroramancer1 votes

I think that might be too much as well. I think Riot had the right idea with giving the stun a cooldown, but went the wrong way with making the cooldown apply to stack application instead of stun activation

canpan141 votes

Yeah. I was just throwing out ideas. I'm not a skarner player though I can't exactly give the best input on what is the best for skarner.

Auroramancer1 votes

@Meddler, maybe I'm incorrect in this, but I believe you've been interfacing with players recently on champion balance that goes into patches?

Could you look into this or talk about the current state of Skarner? If not you, get the attention of the relevant person to speak with us here? Please and thank you.

Slamurai Jack1 votes

Skarner doesn't need buffed. He's the strongest jungler that no one plays and I see him pretty much dominate every game he's in.

affectioned2 votes

hmm... I'd say that belongs to Amumu. Although I'm saving up for Skarner and I think he's fantastic!

Photos of Ghosts1 votes

*need buffs or *need to be buffed.

affectioned1 votes

Great idea! I think Skarner is in a good spot right now with being tanky and righteous glory being very strong rn.

Emperor Time1 votes

This would be a good change.

Photos of Ghosts1 votes

And, more on the buff-side, he could also get the internal cooldown reduced by autos (he's supposed to build some attack speed to reduce his Q's CD, so why not make it slightly more worth).

Auroramancer1 votes

When you say "internal cooldown", do you mean the stun cooldown, if my suggestion is implemented?

Photos of Ghosts1 votes

The stun cooldown if your suggestion is implemented, or the stack reapplication cooldown if it is not.

Teridax681 votes

Skarner is one of my favorite champions, and I completely agree with your post. In general, all champions with per-target cooldowns should have indicators to represent those, and the fact that he lacks one on what is essentially his core contribution to combat, after his ult, is a big reason why I think he feels less reliable than he should. Allowing him to apply stacks while waiting for his cooldowns would be a very large buff to his crowd control and damage output (perhaps even too large a buff), and would go a long way towards giving him better overall consistency. Standardizing his ult cost to 100 at all ranks would also help (it currently costs 100 / 125 / 150 mana).

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