Ahri thoughts and play rate
Ahri Discussion.
As much as I hate using statistical data from websites to argue a point. But her play rate is 19%??? That's a huge spike from the usual Ahri player base which consists of usually 10-13% which fluctuates depending on the meta and patches. 19% could be because she's flavor of the month, her rise in pro play and the fact that her skill match ups are weaker than they were ever before. Also LeBlanc players because of the most recent changes have decided to main Ahri. Not all but a noticeable percentage of her play rate has shifted to the Nine Tailed Fox. Which isn't too surprising considering they are so much alike.
She still has good skill match ups mid such as LeBlanc, Zed, Cass, Orianna, Lissandra, Katarina, jayce. Champions who shut her down according to statistical data, or she has a low win rate vs these champions and or personal experience are Karthus, Zed, Annie, Talon, Lulu, Kayle, Twisted fate.
Last time she had a ~20% play rate was when DFG was removed and she was compensated W base damage, that was short lived and reverted, Only to be given a Q movement speed change. The difference now is that even though her play rate is higher than normal. Her winrate hasn't moved much, if anything has fallen 1-2%. Below plat she holds her average win rate, which is anywhere between 50-52%. Platinum she holds almost a 54% win rate. And diamond is ~52-53 while masters and challenger its a flat 50. Now when it comes to skill order, her winrate is greatly higher when Ahri maxes Q>E>W. Than opposed to Q>W>E. But the majority of Ahri players max Q>W>E, anyways.
In the end, she hasn't skyrocketted in winrate in any elo, she hasn't peaked to ~60 Winrate at all. She sits at or below her normal win rate. Just she has an abnormally high play rate due to LeBlanc mains shifting to Ahri, A rise in pro play and FoTM.
Looking at her skills. Her Q is a high mana cost boomerang double skillshot . Can dodge the oncoming shots to and from. Similar to sivir and talon. If hit by one half, can reposition to dodge the second half similar to Viktor. Which makes for more than enough counterplay being her main source of poke is her Q. Now great Ahri's will try to hit you with a max range Q, if she so happens to hit you with this, than the player landed a shot that was up to you to dodge. Her W is low range, negligible base damage early game, weaker usually than an Auto attack depending on runes and masteries on both ends(player and enemy). This abilities prioritizes champions. But without an AA it will definently hit other surrounding targets within acquisition range. Which makes it an AOE, but an aweful ability for single target focus. Her E, is a single target nuke CC that doesn't fall into the category of a taunt but works rather like a fear but instead of running away or side to side it draws you into Ahri. Ability lines up Ahri's combo's and more importantly her Q. This ability has to be maxed to get the Max CC duration, unlike many other champions who have CC at their Rank 1 ability gives them a full CC duration. This ability can be body blocked, side stepped etc.
Her R is a high cooldown low acquisition range AOE 3 non reset dash. The base damage alone at any rank 6/11/16 is pretty low compared to ults that do in fact do damage when compared side by side to other champions. The scaling per dash is low, but when combined is quite high. Because of its low acquisition range. The common Ahri most likely won't hit an enemy with all 3 dashes. Since the dashes are sometimes used defensively, to set up or follow through with combos, hop over walls, kite or to hit her shots.
Her passive is a scaling selfish heal, which isn't noticeable until mid-late game. And is a free health pot late game. Early game the heal is extremely low. In order to get her passive she has to spend quite a bit of mana to get her passive. 2Q's and 1W laning phase is equal to 140+ mana for a ~10-30 heal. That's without spell vamp masteries or feast. And to get most out her passive, it requires Ahri to build a lot of AP to see noticeable healing numbers mid-late game.
All in all, the main thing people complain about Ahri is her DFG compensation is a short burst of movement speed on Q cast. The movement speed is used to mainly kite and mage. The Q combined with a good ult dash or flash can help her get off the second half of her Q. The move ment speed is a simple alteration to her kit that doesn't increase her damage at all. Another similar change, that some champions get, like adding a heal to lissandra's ult or adding an armor shred to garens spin or true damage to Syndra's W. The movement speed only makes her tricky to stick to and allows/opens up magier paths for Ahri.
1.4 million mastery points on Ahri, so this part is non inclusive. But if the movement speed were to be removed or altered, she should receive the movement speed at max Q rank. Not shifted to W or R as that makes very little sense. Moving her Q movement speed to level 9 opens up more counterplay opportunities pre 6. She is still quite gankable pre 6 and post 6 when the enemy team plays it right. Or Ahri plays it wrong.
If her Q bonus speed were to be removed altogether I suggest one of the following. Her W scaling is shifted down to 50% and her E is bumped to 60%. Her E at max rank does a flat bonus health % shred. 10%. Or lower her E cool down as you rank it past the 1st. Not too certain if that would increase Ahri's winrate with any of those options or definently opt in a more skilled Fox.
But no changes are required as she is quite balanced as is and skillful when played well. Statistically her play rate is high due to what has been said earlier in the post and her winrate isn't abnormally high and has fallen ~1-2%. So she isn't oppressive at any elo, she isn't overwhelming and she isn't out performing either.
