Potential solution to mobility creep

Sirsir·Feb 24, 2015·43 votes·1,623 views

In Smite there is a form of CC called 'Cripple' which prevents the use of mobility skills. Thats it. The target can still move and cast and auto and all that, but they just can't use mobility. Its would be a project for sure but it could be added onto certain champs skills. Kogmaw's Void Ooze for example. Your stuck in goo but you can still hop out? Not likely.

Of course where it would be applied would need SIGNIFICANT thought. But it could be just what the game needs.

19 Comments

ModThe DjinnFeb 24, 20159 votes

My concern with this is that League tries really hard to make sure every form of CC has a large amount of clarity attached to it. "Cripple" as a mechanic that only blocks a specific sub-set of skills is going to be pretty hard to properly display. Further, what counts as a mobility skill? Obviously dashes, but can you Blink out of Cripple? What about Bandage Toss yourself? What about speed boosting skills (aren't those technically mobility skills?)? How about launching yourself with Ziggs's mine? How does Kalista's passive interact with this, or Urgot Ultimate, or Pantheon's Man Drop or Twisted Fate's Destiny?

I think the potential lack of clarity and confusing edge-cases would make this a poor mechanic for League to consider, but I suppose I'd be open to discussing the benefits vs. the problems a little more in-depth. Currently this just seems like it offers a ton of clarity issues for a benefit that's of questionable strength and hugely dependent on the champion it's used on.

SirsirFeb 24, 20154 votes

[{quoted}](name=The Djinn,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=thaGF8dp,comment-id=0001,timestamp=2015-02-24T17:33:29.040+0000)

My concern with this is that League tries really hard to make sure every form of CC has a large amount of clarity attached to it. "Cripple" as a mechanic that only blocks a specific sub-set of skills is going to be pretty hard to properly display.

Silence is very similar. As for the Icon it would probably be something plant-ish, like vines overgrowing it. And of course individual spell effects would be case by case.

[{quoted}](name=The Djinn,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=thaGF8dp,comment-id=0001,timestamp=2015-02-24T17:33:29.040+0000) Further, what counts as a mobility skill? Obviously dashes, but can you Blink out of Cripple? What about Bandage Toss yourself? What about speed boosting skills (aren't those technically mobility skills?)? How about launching yourself with Ziggs's mine? How does Kalista's passive interact with this, or Urgot Ultimate, or Pantheon's Man Drop or Twisted Fate's Destiny?

It acts identical to roots except that it doesn't prevent movement commands. Speed ups would still trigger. Anything you can't cast while rooted you can't cast while Crippled. This includes Kalistas passive, Kalista can't jump while rooted, so she can't jump while crippled. Personally I'm not sure how this effects Ziggs, I don't play Ziggs a lot and roots are rare-ish. I know J4 can still flag and drag through roots so he would probably not be effected.

[{quoted}](name=The Djinn,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=thaGF8dp,comment-id=0001,timestamp=2015-02-24T17:33:29.040+0000) I think the potential lack of clarity and confusing edge-cases would make this a poor mechanic for League to consider, but I suppose I'd be open to discussing the benefits vs. the problems a little more in-depth. Currently this just seems like it offers a ton of clarity issues for a benefit that's of questionable strength and hugely dependent on the champion it's used on.

Silence is also hugely dependent on the champ its used on, and I'm pretty sure I covered the 'edge cases' with the root similarities.

NotDevanFeb 24, 20153 votes

Some form of CC like that might help.

Clearly the answer is to not let champions with any dash/blink take flash :P

DeusVultFeb 25, 20153 votes

Slows above 60% should apply cripple

Mankano ValaraFeb 25, 20153 votes

i think it best would be a mechanics change, being slowed past a certain point applies the "cripple" effect while the slow lasts, this would make slows more powerful, making champs that rely on mobility contemplate getting merc treads or boots of swiftness instead of relying on dashes, thus forcing mobile champs to invest to keep it, taking up a slot that could be used for mobi boots or cdr boots. also maybe ghost would prevent cripple being applied for the duration (doesnt end ongoing cripple), giving mobile champs a choice, keep flash and be possibly locked down, take ghost to keep it in teamfights, or cleanse to recover from being locked

67chromeFeb 24, 20152 votes

Of course where it would be applied would need SIGNIFICANT thought.

It would likely cause more problems than not.

If you apply it on 1 item, the best users of the item are the best champions. Apply it on a new champion, new champion could be #1 OP rather than ~20 mobile champions being top-tier.

You'd basically need to go back and apply it to a solid ~20 existing champions to actually offer the type of answer you're after, and if roots aren't doing it for you already - it also begs the question of how effective such a change would really be.

Also - I don't think mobile champions are a problem specifically due to being mobile.

If you look at the most prevalent tournament picks, having 7 skills or an extreemly flexable skill-set is usually the more relevant thing: Lulu LeeSin Nidalee Jayce Elise Kayle All of these have maintained being solid picks for at least 2 seasons now - which makes the issue more champions with a lot of defense/cc/sustain/utility/range/vision/early power/global pressure/flexability *and *mobility more the problem, not just being mobile as an end-all.

There are a lot of mobile champions that are mediocre and balanced, where anti-mobility would harm them tremendously. Fiora and Riven can't cast Lunge, Blade Waltz, Broken Wings, or Valor while rooted as one such example - and both champions are very much like melee marksman, with mobility serving as their tool to deal with range, taking up skill-slot real-estate in the process (where Cait just gets 650 range for free in that regard). Add a silence against the majority of their kit's power, and the part of their kits that specifically allows them to participate in a team-fight without being so god awful at it they're incapable of doing anything but back-dooring, and you've got even more issues in terms of balance then you solve dependent on how easy it is to apply a mobility silence (which I'm assuming you'd want to be fairly easy, seeing as mobility usually gives an edge in dodging things to begin with).

A Rioter has also pointed out that, while playing immobile champions like Brand tends to feel more like you won because your opponent made a mistake where mobile champions seem to feel more satisfying when you play them well, immobile champions like Brand still tend to bring a lot of power to team-fights and have that reflected in win rates.

Is mobility really out of hand or does it just feel that way?

cFlameFeb 24, 20151 votes

Actually, if its on an item with a long-ass cooldown (160 seconds) it would be fair and could be returned very minimal amounts of power from lowered gold cost. Plus, Tenacity effectiveness could be doubled against it for the sake of balance.

Spacesuit SpiffFeb 24, 20152 votes

I'd like to see this built into an item so that you aren't just forced to pick specific champs.

Tentacle LoveFeb 26, 20151 votes

{quoted}

I'd like to see this built into an item so that you aren't just forced to pick specific champs.

Could be both. A few champs that have the mechanic added to their kits, and an item or two that give the mechanic to characters who need it. Hopefully in a way that prevents too much doubling up.

cFlameFeb 24, 20151 votes

Next active on 120 AP item: UNIQUE ACTIVE: Cripples a target for 5 seconds, they cannot use physical movement shifting abilities, or increase they're movement speed. This won't stop enemies from using flash however. This would be awesome. A nice fat middlefinger to Lee Sin and Zed. Best item ever.

Mandang0Feb 25, 20151 votes

Wouldn't you then just HAVE to have cripple on a CC champion afterward? I think this would lead to cripple creep, all while still leaving the immobile champs out in the cold.

AquirisFeb 25, 20151 votes

I think that it might just be easier to add small ways to combat this mobility like adding more champs that can interrupt dashes or maybe even adding an inaccuracy to teleports. Just a thought.

MessaigaFeb 25, 20151 votes

I very much like this solution. It would have to be integrated to a number of already existing champions to fit into the game however. Give it to champions who currently struggle with being kited by those who are much more mobile (and also have room for it in their kits somewhere). Either that or attach it to a few items (one item for tanks, one for bruisers, one for AP champions) and give it a substantial cooldown (~90 seconds, maybe higher) and a moderate duration (~2.5 seconds).

Chaotic ReksFeb 25, 20151 votes

LeeSin ...

KitakaziFeb 25, 20151 votes

what if it was a summoner spell

FastAsHeckFeb 25, 20151 votes

yeah thats a good option. would it work like a snare (what you cant cast while snared would be what you cant cast while crippled)? except the walking part obviously.

j jFeb 25, 20151 votes

Unfortunately it's come down to a mechanic like that. Although you should be able to use summoner abilities such as flash, ghost. Just not things like graves dash, lucian dash, yasuo dash etc.

OrangesilkFeb 25, 20151 votes

Woah, but now on Kog'Maw, that'd make him broken, I vomit ooze and suddenly Xin Zhao can't jump my squishy ass.

Tentacle LoveFeb 26, 20151 votes

It might require a more magical explanation and name but that does sound pretty sweet.

something like... Voidmarked? Corruption? It might even be introduced with a new champion, someone who thinks they're saving the world, but their abilities come from a corrupted source and the corruption is preventing mobility.