Can't this be fixed? I just had two ideas for Aatrox's kit that could bring back normal Base HP Stats
#Scaling Life Heal #1
Blood Lament passive attached to [W]. These are stacks that progressively upscale and downscale with each use of Blood Thirst or Blood Price, increasing and decreasing effectiveness of [W] on-hit effects. These stacks do not decay. These stacks are statistically adapted to new Base HP Stats. Granted half stacks at spawn. With buffed normal Base Stats this idea can work to counter those buffs.
- Each Blood Thirst [W] that lands +stacks 'Blood Lament'. These stacks do not decay.
- Blood Thirst: Each successive 3rd-hit Heal is improved competitively.
- (The stacks double when below 50% Health)
- (Granted full Blood Lament stack at Blood Well revival)
- Each Blood Price [W] that lands -stacks 'Blood Lament'. The stacks are deducted.
- Blood Price: uses Blood Thirst's stacks to do increased damage on each 3rd hit.
- (The stack deduction is doubled above 50% Aatrox HP)
- (The self-infliction is increased above 50% Aatrox HP)
- (Granted full Blood Lament stack at Blood Well revival)
Like Darius and like juggernauts, he works to become powerful and clean-up the battle. Get too close and he'll consume you. Aatrox now reinforces decision-making to either damage output or self-sustain, or both depending current circumstance (just like before) but because their scaling effectiveness, he's still risking death (just like before).
So what have I just said?
This idea with normal and consistently acceptable Base HP stats, Aatrox's 3rd-Hit HP+ is weak initially but as he works to earn more stacks he can potentially clean up a battle like Darius.
Heavy flaw is as he builds more attack speed he'd gain stacks quicker, and so the [W] stacks would increase per level. (e.g. Leve l 14; 14 stacks). Another problem is having to look more around the screen at Blood Well, Blood Lament Stacks, positioning, mini-map awareness - Possibly too taxing in this sense.
#Scaling Life Deal #2
(Think of the new Ashe's %CritChance incorporated into her new passive Frost Shot)
This idea proposes the use of Life-Steal and/or Spell Vamp. calculated into one value named 'Blood Lament' to increase the build-up of Blood Well and increase the cooldown decay of inactive Blood Well, depending if it's Active or Inactive. This requires Health Point stats which may lead him to becoming a Juggernaut.
Blood Well [P] now uses Life-Steal and Spell Vamp. Runes, Masteries and Items.
These two facilitates the hemomancing properties of the Darkin Blade:
- Increases self-infliction damage from abilities.
- Increases Blood Well reward from self-infliction abilities.
- Applies Blood Lament (Spell Vamp.) on Massacre [R].
(More champs; more heal)
- [W] Blood Thirst 3rd-hit healing will item-scale from Blood Lament.
The increased self-infliction may bring about increased risks at mid/late game, and so the Blood Well cooldown decay is adjusted/scaled to compensate.
- Blood Well revival cooldown decay increased by LifeSteal and Spell Vamp stats.
Basically, he gains Blood Well faster based on Life-Steal and Spell Vamp equated into one %value named 'Blood Lament'. When he uses an ability, he gains Blood Well. With increased Blood Lament, those chunks of Blood Well and self-infliction increase. All these are improved and managed by increasing Health Points (same as before?). Increased attack speed means increased self-healing to manage and compensate the initial HP loss.
Aatrox's item builds will be kept more or less the same:
- Attack Damage.
- Attack Speed.
- Life Steal / (new) Spell Vamp.
- +Health.
- +Resists.
This juggernaut Aatrox new item builds can now prioritize 
"finally!.."
With this he becomes a juggernaut .. I think. May need some tweaks.
(e.g. Blood Well resource decays sooner and quicker out-of-combat).
(e.g. mobility changes of [Q] Dark Flight)
(e.g. 'Blood Lament' (LS & SV) will scale Blood Thirst's heal; Base HP Stat increase)
(e.g. *****Blood Price [W] may need to deny on-hit life-steals)
So what have I just said?
Aatrox is one that depends on attack speed for his 3rd-Hit [W] on-hit abilities to deal or heal. This idea reinforces that dependency of his Blood Well. In each battle instance he'll start off slow and steady but will escalate much more quickly depending on 'Blood Lament'. Aatrox can capitalize if he's allowed to! What is kept is the same risk assessments and reluctance without an active Blood Well, and the same vulnerability to crowd-control is also kept. What's new is scaling greater self-infliction and functions to manage HP fluctuation. It's capturing the idea of his balance above and below 50% health; staying alive or dealing damage but to do so requires more Base HP Stats for these actions to be more reliable.
All about that Attack Speed, Max Health and 'Blood Lament' (LS & SV).
Additionally, both Life-Steal and Spell Vamp combined as 'Blood Lament' could make a well-placed Massacre [R] more intimidating (because sudden heal) and thus Blood Well revive becomes more reliable. Like juggernaut Darius as an example, take him down before Aatrox becomes a problem for everyone.
Problem with this idea is maybe branching into new builds from which extensive rework may be needed. By expanding build paths instead of narrowing may make item choices more difficult (e.g. the ambiguity between Ravenous Hydra (life-steal) or Titanic Hydra (health points)). If Blood Thirst [W] keeps its +%AD it shouldn't be too difficult. Additionally there could be a thematic conflict or deviation. 'Blood Lament' may be more of a Warwick thing.
Thanks for reading :D
Read of other ways to improve Aatrox: [Effects & Animations Update]
