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So the Akali reworks seems like a massive nerf

RisenDarkKnight·10/19/2016, 5:37:44 PM·17 votes·1,532 views

Has anyone played her on the pbe? I don't have a pbe account, but on paper it seems like a bunch of nerfs. They are halving the AP ratio on the ult (and it's base damage rank 1), the new passive seems like a nerf (since you get about the same amount of damage and healing but this one is on a cooldown). The are tripling the cooldown of both E and Ult late game (E was 1 second is now 3) ult is 2 seconds and is no longer helped by CDR (was one second and worked with CDR). They are also lowering the base damage of E a bit (but it has slightly better scaling if you stack a lot of AP or AD).

I know she needed a nerf due to the pink ward/stealth changes, but this is ridiculous IMO. A 250 range dash and more usability on her W does not make up for more than halving the damage on ult (if you account for the extra cooldown), tripling the cooldown on E, and nerfing her passive.

I feel like she would have been fine if they just reduced the duration of W to like 3 seconds to make up for the fact that she can't be revealed in it and left the rest of the kit the same. I know I won't be playing my Akali jungle anymore, as the nerfs to E will hurt her clearspeed a lot, and the halved base damage of rank 1 ult will hurt the ganks.

44 Comments

RisenDarkKnight10/19/2016, 6:20:48 PM6 votes

Didn't realize everyone disliked Akali so much haha, she's in the bottom 4 for mid laners on champion.gg and not doing well in top lane either. I don't think she needs buffs or anything (I only played her in the jungle though), but I do think these nerfs are uncalled for.

Maybe they could reduce the range or number of charges on her ult (A la Kassadin) rather than gut her damage and cooldowns? That way it's easier to escape her rather than what I fear will happen where she will jump on a squishy and just get out traded/damaged everytime unless she has help.

DunkinNoobs10/19/2016, 6:54:51 PM6 votes

Not being able to reveal her in her shroud is an absolutely enormous indirect buff. Some power had to go as a result.

Jesus Is My King10/19/2016, 8:39:00 PM5 votes

not happy with riot. not one bit. its pure nerfs.

group jo10/19/2016, 5:52:01 PM4 votes

good. nerf her. play safe till 6 and snowball and do everything else. freelorino

Vistha Kai10/19/2016, 5:42:16 PM4 votes

This nerf is way overdue anyway.

Nagoh Shan10/20/2016, 2:19:17 AM3 votes

The main concern I have is the new passive. If you change something from being applied over time to something that's bursty, then it's likely going to be too strong, or too weak.

It looks like they're trying to make it so she doesn't win the knock down dragouts, but giving her her passive in a condensed burst form seems like a bad idea. I honestly don't know how they'll go about balancing it correctly.

Irelia Bot10/20/2016, 6:05:13 AM3 votes

having played it a lot of times the past couple days here is my conclusion

New Shroud: takes some getting use to but I think it is better overall. I hated it at first but it now seems alright about 10 games and finally knowing what to expect it to do. Also getting use to the 4 seconds instead of 8 still catches me off guard while thinking what the best way to get out is I have died many times because of this. This is however a more useful skill in that it can be used to literally dodge an enemy and stab them in the back which was refreshing and akali can finally say she counters zed's ult effectively.

Passive: if you want to do more damage in a trade during laning phase auto a minion before the enemy champ. It is less reliable damage then the old passive and you have to plan your engagements around it if you want the best results. This also means you need 2 auto attacks to maximize damage output. It is not somethign I like but I think I can manage this change.

Ult: damage nerf is noticeable and the fact that it is 2 seconds at every level instead of 2/1.5/1 will screw over a lot of long time akali players. This cooldown is likely the thing I most wish they would revert since I keep dying in situations that I would otherwise win in because of the increased delay. Also would not mind it gettign a .25 bonus AD ratio which might open the door to items like Maw being a real consideration. Akali still has hybrid ratios so AD and AP items should both be attractive choices.

E: better base and ratios kinda but longer cooldown at higher ranks. Akali is not as good at split pushing with this abilities changes but it is comparable wave clear in laning. Still wish it had some kind of interaction with her passive or Q if it proced her passive that would make her combo far less risky to pull off since it would be Q R AA E instead of Q R AA E AA.

I am forcing myself to play through this adaptation phase and it is rough.

In reality I think the main thing keeping Akali from feeling like complete shit is sheen/lich bane procs. That is a reliable source of damage and a fairly large amount of it as well. If I do not rush sheen akali can not win trades whit basically anyone that i have faced.

WinTheWarOnPants10/20/2016, 5:39:55 AM2 votes

i'm not sure whether it's a buff or nerf for sure, but i would say it's easily the worst rework of the bunch. passive: makes no sense to me. its like a really half ass "see! her passive still makes her hybrid :^)" and none of the other changes do anything to fix her problems which is mostly her ult. the kit in general is a nerf, but the W might turn it into a buff since she can't be countered anymore with true sight. i might be mistaken but i thought they said they were doing a full VGU on her later... in which case idk why they messed with her at all right now since it looks like they didn't have any good ideas.

Teridax6810/20/2016, 4:05:11 AM2 votes

I've tested the new Akali on the PBE. There are a few things I don't like (her overall damage feels meh, and the cast time increase + short blink on her W feels really janky), but her passive actually feels a lot better, especially in lane. Now, just attacking a minion once can heal you for a nice little chunk, and if you follow up you can trade pretty well with your opponent. I do feel she's a little bit underpowered, and she could use a few more tweaks, but she's not getting torpedoed like everyone's saying on Boards.

Are10/20/2016, 1:56:24 AM2 votes

Yeah she's lost out on quite a bit because she finally has 4 abilities instead of just 3.

Her burst comes by much quicker, but she loses damage in the long term, so killing squishies should come by easier and faster, but dueling tanks will come by a little harder.

She lost so much just for 1 more functioning ability =/

Passive doesn't damage towers anymore
Laning becomes harder against better players since shroud only lasts 4 seconds rank 1. She's more prone to harass.
Shadow Dance CD is nerfed and now static, stickiness was weakened and clutch chained double jumps are going to become riskier
Sustain doesn't come as freely as it used to, limited to auto attack when it comes up (gunblade sustain on abilities will be much weaker)
Sustain is weird now, because if you try to ambush someone, your first auto heals you, but since you're getting the first hit off, it won't do much to help since the second auto deals damage.

Meep Man10/20/2016, 1:58:22 AM2 votes

Her E damage was buffed, but cool down nerfed. Neutral change overall, but may be more helpful for one big burst. Not sure on her current status. Might need small buff, mainly on ultimate (maybe not damage but something).

O Fallen Scholar10/20/2016, 3:37:23 PM1 votes

I wish they could do something about her Q. It's awfully slow projectile. At least make it a bit faster.

HazyCloud710/19/2016, 10:06:17 PM1 votes

Excellent news. Bye bye get to level 6 and out-trade 95% of all midlaners. 3 point and click dashes with 50% ap ratio isn't remotely healthy. Now it's primarily for mobility and outplay potential.

MunchCrunchLunch10/20/2016, 3:26:39 AM1 votes

good riddance.. fuck the bullshit of being able to 100-0 anyone in lane with 0 counterplay just after getting half the gunblade

IceKingChernobog10/20/2016, 6:43:20 AM1 votes

Considering she has quite the amount of utility in her kit, it's only fair that she's not as face paced as other ADCs

Now if she had some form of mobility along with the utility in her kit, would have another Kalista on our hands, and i don't want to happen again....(even though it has happened again cough Ekko cough)

hhaavviikk10/20/2016, 7:13:35 AM1 votes

rather they release her too weak then too strong considering in the past when akali was too strong squishy's couldn't do anything because of the bullshit point & click triple dash

Only Play Darius10/20/2016, 7:29:21 AM1 votes

Another half-rework like they did with Swain . Either give them minor changes or go all the way and actually fix their kit

zrWQMdGHtY10/19/2016, 5:39:34 PM1 votes

Literally the only assassin who needed a massive nerf... COUGH, saying only, because Diana is considered a mage for no reason... And I still think it's kind a buff than a nerf...