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Azir Poll: If Azir were changed, What you like to see removed? Shuffle, Ultimate, Range or other?

JosephAngelo·8/5/2016, 4:55:12 PM·30 votes·4,822 views

So if I'm understanding the issue accurately, the problem with Azir has always been that he has the best aspects of two identities of a mage; he has the long range and damage of a immobile hypercarry while at the same time having one of the longest ranged dashes in the game which when combined with his ultimate make for an engage/disengage tool that is argueably not only better than any other mage but most tanks, divers and other such champions that are usually seen as initiators.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdlitCROvlg This is an example that shows his massive area of influence and ability to engage for his team. In this example, he finds a pick on lulu. I have noticed that most teams in professional play favor champions that can find picks which I believe is just another reason Azir is so popular in pro play. But even without this capability, he is still favored because of his impressive DPS.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEC0va27U-w This is an example to showcase Azir's value as a damage dealer alone. This shows that even if he isn't using his drift into ultimate combo, he is still highly valuable as a terrifying backline damage threat.

So, assuming this logic is correct, there are two very apparent avenues to solving Azir's problems; EITHER embrace his ability to dash onto the enemies and ulti them wherever he wants OR embrace his ability to do really impressive DPS from a distance.

1.) Remove dash completely: This would embrace his ability to be a tremendous back line threat, giving his team outrageious magic DPS.

2.) Remove his ultimate: This would encourage Azir to make the really big and flashy plays that he does by dashing really far all over the battlefield and doing TONS of damage while hopefully outplaying entire teams of players but it would disallow him to engage and peel for himself and his team.

3.) Reduce the range on his Shurima shuffle: Either reduce range on his e, his q or both. This would encourage Azir players to still engage for their team and do tons of damage they will just need to be more in the middle of the fight then previously seen.

4.) None of the above: perhaps I have totally missed the ball and you disagree. If this is the case, select "N.O.T.A" and PLEASE, for the sake of all things sensible in the universe, EXPLAIN YOURSELF! Please use sentence structure and proper logic and communicative skills.

All this being said, I am looking forward to see what people think about this issue.

P.S. I am a former very serious Azir main. 361,219 champion points plus I would reckon at least 40,000 champions points for the games I played before champion points were created. I thought I would mention this to give some legitimacy to my understanding of the champion. His strengths, weaknesses etc.

130 Comments

TyrekGoldenspear8/5/2016, 5:36:20 PM24 votes

As an Azir main it breaks my heart to say Shuffle, but I know he needs it.

He's an Emperor who should stay back and mess up his enemies, not dash in their faces and shuffle.

Schàdenfreude8/5/2016, 4:57:46 PM11 votes

I would say reduce range on having soldiers able to AA. That way he won't be that mage in the backline just screwing everyone over with his dps.

FiddlesOnTheRoof8/5/2016, 5:10:38 PM8 votes

I'm so torn because I love this champion, but I recognize the problems he's creating. He's in the shitter right now because any power back makes him too strong. Removing his ult, and giving his e a charge system with two charges seems fun. Maybe his ult is a passive buff to his w that allows him to summon one additional soldier per rank in ult? With this, he should probably only start the game with one soldier, and this scales all the way up to 4. Remove damage from his q, give it a longer range, and force him to play around dps, rather than burst and dps.

Spooky Trash8/5/2016, 9:22:04 PM8 votes

azir has been murdered with nerfs alrdy so much shit have been taken away from him dont kill him even more

Fasmodey8/5/2016, 5:09:41 PM4 votes

I think Azir should be a mid range teamfight mage like how Aurelion Sol, Karthus, Anivia are. Imagine if Karthus had long range like how Azir has.

Azir's problem is range, not damage or mobility. It is really funny when Azir can outrange Xerath's W with dps damage. Only Xerath and Varus Q can slightly win against this absurd range.

1 800 MID LANE8/5/2016, 10:38:08 PM4 votes

I don't really mind him the way he is now. Yes, he's in a really poor state, but if that's what it takes to keep his kit the way it is, so be it. I play Azir because he's super fun - Not because he's super strong.

That said, if I had to choose something, I'd say lower range. Keep his kit the same with lower ranges and more damage and/or resistances, and I'll be okay with it.

Quort8/5/2016, 5:58:37 PM4 votes

I think he needs his range and ultimate. He is supposed to command his soldiers while remaining far from harm. What really needs to go is his mobility because that would limit his ability to escape or engage and create meaningful windows of opportunity.

Guy Fox Teemo8/5/2016, 6:33:09 PM3 votes

You can't really out right remove a mechanic without having to massively buff another. If you removed his long range to mid range. He'd probably end up having his knock up back on his E. his ult back to being 7 seconds (Or was it 6? I don't remember). To make him a more all in mage that kites around fights instead of sitting in the back line.

CppL8/6/2016, 6:24:32 AM3 votes

Range or mobility ,something has to go.You cant have both.Its impossible to balance shit like this.You also cant be a lane bully and a late game hyper carry ,that shit also doesnt work.

Lugg8/8/2016, 2:25:20 PM2 votes

The really oppressive thing about Azir is the way he can safely poke you under your own tower. Towers should be able to one shot his soldiers if they attack you.

Darth Pixy Misa8/5/2016, 5:46:17 PM2 votes

IMO I think Azir's theme is a failure. We were suppose to get a mage king who was controlling a army in battle. But the best we can hope for are 2 sand minions out at once.

IMO Azir's sand minions should have a hp that is equilivant to the melee minions on the field at the current time, Azir should be able to have 4 out at once, and what if that circle around the sand minions was a area of controll, basicaly any allied minions in this area of control also followed Azir's commands ( to charge, or form a wall). Azir should have his Armor, MR, and Hp reduced as well.

Backup4now8/6/2016, 4:47:18 AM2 votes

I'd just remove the dash altogether (which removes the shuffle). He's leading a bunch of soldiers, why can't the fucking soldiers protect him when someone dives onto him instead of him just dashing 1k units away whenever such a situation occurs?

SpecterVonBaren8/6/2016, 7:37:54 PM2 votes

Part of his current issue is Rylai's. A constant 40% slow thanks to his soldiers being able to constantly reapply it is too much as many are figuring out, this is a problem for many DPS based mages, it's screwing with their balance.

Some ideas I have for potential changes depending on what direction they want to go with would be.

  1. Heavily reduce the damage on his Q but also decrease the cooldown and increase the damage of his soldiers, make it so it is the re positioning ability for his soldiers and not the initial burst to his combo and I would also reduce the range of his soldiers autos, make it so he has to really juggle his soldiers and have to constantly preposition them during a fight.

  2. Reduce the mana costs on all of his abilities and remove the mana cost on his soldiers but make it so autoing with a soldier costs mana with multiple soldiers increasing the cost (In that if an auto with one soldier costs 5 mana then using two soldiers costs 15 mana and three costs 25). The idea behind this is if he's going to be so good late and early then make it so he's like Anivia and is very mana dependent. This could be an indirect way of nerfing his early game as he would have to invest in a mana item like Roa or Tear which would delay his power spike.

  3. Outright remove his E and replace it with another ability. As others have said, he's supposed to be slow and need to use his soldiers from afar to deal damage but even if you gap close on him he has a very strong mobility move to get away.

BakedLotion8/8/2016, 5:24:26 AM2 votes

With all the range he has. I don't even know why he has a dash. You don't see cass having a dash even when she's lower ranged. You don't see Lux having a dash. Azir simply has no weaknesses. Remove his mobility

redfeenix8/6/2016, 6:21:37 PM2 votes

His soliders http://boards.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/c/gameplay-balance/zW0v0nWI-opinion-why-are-sand-soldiers-invincible-they-should-tank-for-their-king-and-be-attackable

DEmperor958/6/2016, 12:38:46 AM1 votes

This might be an unpopular opinion, but I would rather keep his range more than anything, also keep the dash but remove the shuffle mechanic. His kit is supposed to support him being the emperor more than anything, and this is best reflected with his soldiers doing the work for him at range to dish out tons of damage.

Treune818/5/2016, 9:28:49 PM1 votes

Azir isn't dominant in low win rates at competitive so I don't think he needs big rework.He needs buffs.