So, let's talk about the Mordekaiser Rework, shall we?

rtbf215011488·8/5/2015, 7:08:35 AM·4 votes·2,664 views
8/4 PBE Update

For those of you who haven't seen it already, I linked it.

So, we will now look at each abitlity individually and analyse his updated kit in general.

First off, his passive: It hasn't changed that much, the shield no longer decays at 25%, which means you will always at least have a 25% shield (as far as I understood it). The decay rate over 25% is now 2% of max. health, no longer 3% of the max. shield, which I think is a nerf because your max. health is far bigger then you max. shield, the 1% difference doesn't really matter, also the shield now scales of 25% of your max. health and no is no longer based on levels, which encourages a tankier build in my opinion. Tl;dr: Bigger shield, faster decay rate, always at least 25% shield (when you take no enemy damage).

Then his Q: It now no longer "splashes" to other targets like before, it now** amplifies bonus damage on the next 3 autoattacks** (So on the third auto, tripled bonus damage) This may sound like a huge nerf, because you now have to actually hit you target and not a minion (for the splash) to deal damage to your target. And I think it's actually a nerf for the early game, because you normally don't walk up very close to your target for the Mordekaiser poke. It encourages a tankier build because you can't "range-poke" with your Q anymore, also they buffed his HP, HP Regen and all those stats to make him tankier, but the damage in mid and lategame is very good because it triples a fixed value of bonus damage, which will be very high on the third hit (if you land it, that is) Tl;dr: No splash anymore, now bonus damage that gets amplified up to 3 times on the third hit.

Now his W: Almost the same, but also in my opinion his hugest nerf. He can't cast his W on minions anymore. He can only cast it on allied champions, but it now deals quite a bit of damage and you can reactivate it to heal you and you allied champion for a bit of the damage dealt, you also get 75 Movespeed like before the rework. Also a new passive: Mordekaiser gets all the experience of minions he killed. You may ask yourself now: "What? Why did they add that? Mordekaiser is a solo-laner, he doesn't need that passive!" **And that's exactly what I thought too, but then I realised: They want to make him a ADC/Support. ** Don't ask me why, I don't know it, and I won't explain it to you, but I hope Riot let's him cast it on minions again, so that you can play him in solo lanes better and I really question the decision of Riot making him a bot laner. Tl;dr: All the same, but reactivate for a heal, can't cast on minions anymore, more of a bot laner direction now.

Coming to his E: I thought about it a bit, and did a bit of math, and I came to the comclusion that it is a buff and not a nerf as I thought earlier. So, the only changes: Base damage lowered to 35 from 70 at Level 1, BUT now scales with both 60% AP **and ** 60% AD instead of only 60% AP. This encourages to build Hextech Gunblade instead of Will of the Ancients (in my opinion, please don't flame me for that idea), because you know need extra AD too, which is a good thing, the enemy has to buy Armor and MR to counter your damage and you do more damage with your E overall (this is from a solo laner perspective, I don't like the bot laner Mordekaiser idea of Riot as you may noticed earlier). **Tl;dr: **Now scales with AD too, but lower base damage.

Last, but not least, his R: First off, a new passive, if Mordekaiser damages the drake, and then his team killed it after 10 seconds, he gains a ghost of the drake. That itself is very nice, because the time that the ghost is there was also increased to 45/60/75 from only 45. The best thing is, the ghost of the drake does not affect your ultimate cooldown, you don't have to cast your ultimate on the drake, as it is a passive effect of the ultimate. The problem is that they reduced the damage from 34% to 30% of max. health at Level 3 and the ghost gets less bonus AD. And you can also see the bot laner direction in the new passive, as I think the bot lane has more drake control then a solo laner, because the drake spawns near them and they are faster there when the drake spawns as for example the top laner (without using Teleport). Tl;dr: Cool new passive which lets you have a ghost of the drake for free, ghost duration buffed, but damage and bonus AD for the ghost lowered.

Finally, my conclusion: I think they buffed Mordekaiser in many aspects, but he has a huge nerf to his Q, because he now has to walk up to his targets and hit them (and that's difficult with no CC and no Mobility (in a solo lane where he cannot cast his W on minions)), his E and R are buffed, that is good. But I really request Riot to give him back the ability to get at least a bit of Mobility without being in a duo lane and let him use his W on minions. All in all Riot should get away from the bot lane direction they forced Mordekaiser in and consider the solo lane Mordekaiser more. Tl;dr: Change his W to how it was before, but keep the heal, and maybe give him more Attackspeed for the duration of his Q to actually land the third hit.

If you have any more questions or feedback for me, you can post it in the comments, I will try to respond to most of it.

Greetings, Salmighty

EDIT: Removed the 600 range on the Q, that is misinformation.

21 Comments

Matezoide8/5/2015, 7:31:52 AM2 votes

You are missing out on the fact they lowered his Ultimate's Damage and basically removed the bonus AD his Ghost gets.

Also the nerfs to his Movement Speed, Base Health and forces you to build HP so your shield isnt fucking useless.

It might look decent on paper, but in practice it falls apart for several reasons. I played it a lot in the PBE, and trust me, it doesnt work.

CppL8/5/2015, 7:09:38 AM2 votes

Do you really think someone will read this wall of text?!?!? jesus...

Sythriel Draken8/5/2015, 7:26:17 AM1 votes

I like his changes, in fact, I love all the changes.. well, other than skarners.. cause, what the fuck is going on with him. no one is going to fight him in the jungle around the crystals so he's still piss useless outside of it.

Darius- Made him the actual top lane monster that he SHOULD be! After all, you don't get to be noxious' main executioner by being a little pansy.

Garen- I love the theme for a "beginner" champion.. hell, you get him for FREE! it encourages farming, gains an indicator when his "target" is ready to die by demacian justice, and let's be honest, the silence needed to go down (Cho'gath is probably next on this list of nerfing of silence) because with some CDR he could almost keep you perma silenced and stick on you like syrup to pancakes. His 20% slow is only towards champions he's HITTING while spining.. not just 20% while he's spinning.

Morde- Like you said, I really wish they would keep the casting on minions, but instead of healing him, just grant him the movement speed and leave the healing on when he's targeted an allied champion.

Skarner--- what the fuck?? interesting in theory, sucks ass for game play purposes.. RIP Skarner..

Some changes I would like to see: Lee sins ultimate get a reduction in AD scaling if it's keeping that % health damage OR increase his cooldown. Rivens cooldowns increase or removal of her auto cancelling to reduce some of her power. Nasus's slow being on a longer cooldown, or have it's slow Decrease over time, instead of an increasing slow.

Blitz's knock up on a longer cooldown.. 4.2 seconds of being up in the air and not able to do anything is ridiculous.

JamaicanPro5/15/2016, 6:13:40 PM1 votes

I like what they done and im a morde main, They should keep it. Morde used to be that useless champ that everyone has but nobody uses. Now all they need is a visual rework on him, and some skins. Game boss morde anyone?

iversonwingz8/5/2015, 8:03:26 AM1 votes

I think you are missing a massive change that is seemingly not mentioned: His Q now has 600 range. That means that he can easily use it to trade with ADC, seeing as most ADC have 600 range or less. This ability can also be used to cs, and since it does auto attack damage as well as magic damage you can build a gunblade and as soon as you have one of the pieces get enough health back to justify its cost for just last hitting.

Negaflame8/6/2015, 5:12:07 AM1 votes

mordekaiser is not a jungler support? Maeby it will happen.

SaltyKracka8/5/2015, 7:23:48 AM1 votes

CertainlyT has said that you can't have Morde's point-and-click stat-check spam-all-the-spells-all-the-time playstyle and actually have him be viable as a solo laner.

I agree.