Star's Workshop: Soraka
Keep in mind, numbers can be changed, and adjustments can be made. This is entirely my ideas and opinions, not absolute. With over 800 games logged season 5 alone, and Soraka being a top 3 pick for the past 5 seasons going into 6, these ideas come with a great knowledge of the champion's identity and playstyle.
Soraka, The Star Child
#Passive: Salvation# 2500 Range
Soraka gains 70% bonus movement speed when moving towards allied champions who are below 40% of their maximum health.
#[Q] Starcall# RANGE: 800
COST: 70 / 75 / 80 / 85 / 90 MANA
COOLDOWN: 7 / 6.5 / 6 / 5.5 / 5
ACTIVE: Soraka calls down a star at the target area which lands after a 0.25 - 1-second delay, increasing with the location's distance from her, dealing magic damage and slows all enemies it hits for 2 seconds.
MAGIC DAMAGE: 70 / 110 / 150 / 190 / 230 (+ 35% AP)
SLOW: 10 / 15 / 20 / 25 / 30%
Enemies standing in the center take 50% increased damage and slow.
ENHANCED MAGIC DAMAGE: 105 / 165 / 225 / 285 / 345 (+ 52.5% AP)
ENHANCED SLOW: 15 / 22.5 / 30 / 37.5 / 45%
#[W] Astral Blessing** **Astral Infusion#
RANGE: 550
COST: 30 / 35 / 40 / 45 / 50 MANA ( +12% of Soraka’s MAXIMUM HEALTH )
COOLDOWN: 3 / 2.5 / 2 / 1.5 / 1
PASSIVE: Each enemy champion hit by Starcall heals Soraka for an amount increased by 1% per 1% missing health.
MINIMUM SELF-HEAL: 25 / 35 / 45 / 55 / 65 (+ 40% AP)
MAXIMUM SELF-HEAL: 50 / 70 / 90 / 110 / 130 (+ 80% AP)
ACTIVE: Soraka blesses an allied target, healing them over 6 seconds. If the targeted ally is receiving champion damage, the ticks will be delayed by half a second, maxing at 9 second duration. Astral Blessing cannot be self-cast.
If Soraka casts Astral Blessing on an allied target already affected by it, this will consume the effect, healing the ally for half the amount of its total duration. This effect will also consume 12% of Soraka’s maximum health, and prevent the targeted ally to benefit from Astral Blessing for 3 seconds. This effect cannot be activated if Soraka is below 5% maximum health.
HEAL OVER TIME: 80 / 160 / 240 / 320 / 400 (+ 60% AP) over 6 seconds.
INSTANT HEAL: 40 / 80 / 120 / 160 / 200 (+ 30% AP) immediately.
#[E] Equinox# RANGE: 925
COST: 70 MANA
COOLDOWN: 24 / 22 / 20 / 18 / 16
ACTIVE: Soraka creates a zone at a target location for 1.5 seconds, dealing magic damage to all enemy champions standing inside as it is cast. All enemy champions inside the zone are silenced as long as they remain in it.
MAGIC DAMAGE: 70 / 110 / 150 / 190 / 230 (+ 40% AP)
TOTAL MAGIC DAMAGE: 140 / 220 / 300 / 380 / 460 (+ 80% AP)
After Equinox expires, all enemy champions inside take the same magic damage, are briefly rooted and remain silenced for the duration.
ROOT DURATION: 1 / 1.25 / 1.5 / 1.75 / 2
#[R] Sanctuary Wish#
RANGE: 1300
COST: 100 MANA
COOLDOWN: 130 / 100 / 70
ACTIVE: Soraka wishes upon a star to a targeted location, summoning a large glyph that heals her allies after a brief (1.0) delay. Over 5 seconds, Soraka and her allies receive gradual healing as long as they remain within it. Sanctuary’s healing can be affected by Grievous Wounds.
HEAL: 300 / 500 / 700 (+ 55% AP)
[Notes] Right now, Soraka is extremely frustrating and anti-fun to play against. She heals for a lot, with her burst heals having a short cooldown, and there isn’t much difficult in her retreating and hiding behind her allies while trying to heal herself with Starcall. Then there’s Wish, an ability that requires no effort and little thinking to heals all allies, regardless of their range or being untargetable. Right now, that’s all she has, however, are heals. Her peels are horrendous, as well as her self-defense. But that’s a price to pay for being the trademark healer, excelling in keeping her allies alive. But that’s what makes her such a difficult problem, for both League and Riot.
The goal with these changes is to make her less about burst heals, while still retaining her identity as the grand healer. This comes with a price, however, and so changes are made to Starcall and Equinox in favor of giving her peeling, although not very reliable or strong peels. Starcall is a pretty crappy ability, useful for nothing except healing yourself, unless you manage to land that tiny sweet spot for its added, although not always noticeable, bonus slow. Then there’s Equinox, a powerful silence, but also easy to avoid unless the target is under the effects of a cc. Sometimes, the 1.5 seconds of silence can be appreciated, sometimes not, especially when the enemy steps out of it.
Now, Starcall will always slow, but for a very small amount, with its sweet spot doubling this slow. The slow, although weaker than live, will always be appreciated at all levels of play, because 10% makes a difference compared to 0%, unless that sweet spot is triggered. Equinox may or may not be overpowered if it continues to silence when its effect expires. Given its long cooldown, I felt it wouldn’t be a bad idea if it continued to silence. This idea doesn’t have to stay, however.
Then, there’s the change to Astral Blessing (Astral Infusion) and Sanctuary (Wish). Right now, Astral Infusion is a pretty bs spell. There’s little counterplay against it now, especially with the changes to Grievous Wounds. Wish also has this same problem, with its effect increased if the ally is below 40% health, on top of it being global and just requiring a push of the button!
With Astral Blessing being a powerful heal over time (6 seconds), it becomes a race against the clock for Soraka’s enemies to kill Soraka’s ally as quick as possible. If the emergency arises, Soraka can consume this HoT, healing the ally for half of the amount instantly. She may have saved her ally, but the ally cannot benefit from Astral Blessing again for 3 seconds, which will be heavy decision for Soraka. Within these 3 seconds, the enemy can capitalize upon it, until Soraka’s ready to bless her ally again, and possibly consume it again. After discussing with a good friend of mine, I figured a tick delay would be healthy too, during trading/fighting. If Soraka could just bless 4 allies, and let it sit and tick over 6 seconds and wait until it’s time to consume it if she needs to, well… That sounds too powerful. With the tick delays, Soraka will have to be careful with this, and have to think about what sacrifice she’s willing to make. The constant health cost also feels crappy, slowly killing yourself to keep an ally alive. The risk makes sense, but the punishment doesn't. Now, you're only sacrificing your health for the emergency heals.
While Wish is a great ability, it isn’t a very healthy ability. Push R, and all of your allies, including yourself, are healed for a good chunk of health, increased if you’re below 40%. Regardless of your position on the map, or if you’re in hourglass or inside of Tahm Kench… As long as you’re alive, she pushes R and you benefit from it no matter what. With Sanctuary, Soraka can’t just do that anymore. Sanctuary heals for a lot, and I mean a lot, but it also has its downsides to it. If Soraka places down Sanctuary, allies can stand in it and gain its benefit: powerful healing over 5 seconds. Enemies could take advantage of this, especially wombo-combo enemy teams, but then it’d still heal for plentiful! With Grievous Wounds affecting this ability, however, enemy teams can capitalize on this powerful healing ultimate. Grievous Wounds is now an easy to achieve effect, and can be easily spread around as well. Soraka’s allies will have to make a choice, if they want to stay within Sanctuary and reap its benefits, or pay the price for it and suffer the enemy’s coordinated attacks upon it. Enemies can also retreat, or choose to move the fight away from Sanctuary, or find themselves removed from it by various abilities (Monsoon, Buster Shot, Unstoppable Onslaught, Keeper’s Verdict, pulls, etc.).
TL;DR: While receiving a third rework, Soraka's kit still isn't a healthy approach to being the dedicated healer. These changes might help to alleviate the problems with her kit, giving both counterplays to her healing playstyle, while also making her healing enjoyable and appreciative.
