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Brainstorming: Kassadin!

Varnoc·1/30/2016, 2:21:42 PM·2 votes·641 views

Hello Kassadin players and haters!

Today I'd like your thoughts one our very own Voidwalker himself, particularly, what about him makes him feel like "Kassadin".

Here are his current abilities and stats, as always.

Particularly, I'm interested in the following:

  • Kassadin is supposed to be strong against mages, does the shield from his Q fulfill this goal (in theory) well enough that his passive can be re-imagined? His current passive is rather meh (and not very interactive at all), so replacing it with something more interesting and fitting of the character may be the way to go in the future, should the shield provided by Null Sphere prove effective at it's job: Protecting Kassadin from magical attacks.

  • Null Sphere interrupting channels is good against certain champions that rely on it (read: Katarina), but it feels too niche to be useful a majority of the time. Should it remain this way? Niche abilities aren't necessarily bad, or should it do something other than interrupt channels to make it more useful? The targeted silence of this ability should not come back.

  • Should Kassadin remain an "assassin" style character, or should he be pushed towards more of a "fighter", with more sustained damage, as a role? Each of these has drawbacks, so please elaborate if you can.

  • Coupled with the above, should Kassadin be able to build either AD or AP viably, or should he be pushed more to one than the other?

  • Kassadin's Nether Blade is a really cool weapon (see Starcraft Zealots and Dark Templar for other versions of it), should it be the primary focus of his damage (i.e. basic attacks mostly) with his abilities being utilitarian, or should his abilities be both his damage, and his utility, with Nether Blade simply being another skill?

  • Kassadin's Force Pulse is a cool ability, and feels very powerful. What are your opinions on the spell charge requirement the skill has? Like it? Dislike it? Why?

  • Riftwalk, the big daddy. What are your thoughts on this ability? How central should it be to Kassadin's kit? What should it be used for? What drawbacks should it have?

  • What are your thoughts on Kassadin's current mana-centeric kit. Currently he's heavily gated behind a maximum mana pool (which isn't bad, I hear that's the way most mages will be headed soon). Should his power be locked behind effective mana management, more so than other mages?

But if you have other thoughts don't hesitate to share them please! ** DISCLAIMER: I'm not a Rioter or affiliated with them in any way other than playing the game, so anything submitted here shouldn't be expected to make it into the game at any point in time, if at all.**

9 Comments

Varnoc1/30/2016, 2:34:31 PM2 votes

I'll start off here as well, answering my own questions:

  • I feel the Q shield is sufficently conveying Kass's anti-mage fantasy, or could convey it at least, and as such room for a new passive can be created
  • Q's interrupt seems too niche to me, it could be something a little more useful, though I don't know what particularly right this second.
  • I feel that Kassadin would be well served in a more "Fighter" style position. His abilities have proven time and time again that he's simply not healthy when played as an assassin.
  • I think Kass should be able to build both AP and AD effectively. Though AP should probably be more effective on him, I feel as though AD itemization gives him more of what he needs than AP items do right now, though this may change as new AP items are introduced.
  • I feel his damage should be centered on cutting fools apart with his Nether Blade, while letting his abilities be more utilitarian, and better used at opportune moments than whenever they're up for damage.
  • The Spell Charge requirement for Force Pulse scales him to be very sticky in teamfights, and I feel like that should be kept, however maybe as his passive, instead of as an ability? It provides interesting situations for sure.
  • Riftwalk is core to Kassadin's ability set. Hitting level 6 should make your opponent very wary when you play Kassadin. It should be used to reposition Kassadin to hit opponents from unexpected sides, allowing him to dodge skillshots and the like if timed well. It's mana gating should probably stay where it is, but it's cooldown should be lower if you pass through more enemies, and the damage shouldn't be on this ability, but rather on his other skills.
  • Proper mana conservation should be a defining trait of master Kassadin players, but shouldn't hit newer ones in the pants too much. This is going to be a hard balance to strike.
HolyCrapItsMe1/30/2016, 4:38:07 PM2 votes

I like how this is formatted. Here are my thoughts as a kassadin main:

  • I believe his Q does give him a lot of anti mage power but his passive is irreplacable in my opinion, it is felt and if anything should be moved as an ability passive (maybe lowered a bit or made to scale) but definitelly not removed.

  • While his channel interruption isnt a major part of his ability, when you do use it it works wonders, I dont think it should be removed even if it is rarely useful, maybe add an indicator when someone is channeling so you know you can interrupt it.

  • I enjoy playing him as an assassin, thanks to his high mobility he can reliably be used as a glass cannon, giving him the ability to easily blow up 2, even 3 squishies before ulting out and I do feel it is a bit broken at times. its especially hilarious when he says "balance above all else" after you get out. I would hate to see his assassin role be removed, it does require some skill and can be countered, I also dont see him used as a fighter since he isnt really naturally tanky, while he does have nice ratios for the assassin role.

  • I dont see why you would even propose pushing him towards being an AD character.

  • I think his nether blade is a cool ability but shouldnt be focused on, it as an appropriate part of his kit and I think his W's passive gives it the small yet decent spotlight it deserves. it is also a large tool for mana management which is what makes his kit what it is, its irreplacable unless he gets a full rework.

  • While his E has good ratios and good cooldowns, its really hard to use in lane and in 1v1s and need its stacks managed well to be used properly, in my opinion it is slightly overloaded, having a high ratio, a powerful slow, really short cooldown and high area of effect, but it is slightly counteracted on by his charge requirement.

  • Its his ult, its his core ability and the most important part of his kit, as I feel it should remain.

  • mana management is an important part of his gameplay, I dont really feel kassadin needs to be changed, but its because I play him a lot and id hate for a champion I like to be changed.

AngelFrost001/30/2016, 3:10:08 PM1 votes

What are your thoughts on Kassadin's current mana-centeric kit. Currently he's heavily gated behind a maximum mana pool (which isn't bad, I hear that's the way most mages will be headed soon). Should his power be locked behind effective mana management, more so than other mages?

That why you start item 3070 then item 3027 . Build: item 3003 item 3027 item 3020 item 3089 item 3157 item 3100 Others: item 3092 item 3165 item 3146 item 3041 item 3116 item 3135

I think Kass should be able to build both AP and AD effectively. Though AP should probably be more effective on him, I feel as though AD itemization gives him more of what he needs than AP items do right now, though this may change as new AP items are introduced.

There is mage update incoming but kassadin is not one of them because his powerful late game , I think they adding new ap items.

Riftwalk is core to Kassadin's ability set. Hitting level 6 should make your opponent very wary when you play Kassadin. It should be used to reposition Kassadin to hit opponents from unexpected sides, allowing him to dodge skillshots and the like if timed well. It's mana gating should probably stay where it is, but it's cooldown should be lower if you pass through more enemies, and the damage shouldn't be on this ability, but rather on his other skills.

Buy CDR or get the CDR from masteries or runes espically 45% CDR thingy, pretty strong for mages.

I feel the Q shield is sufficently conveying Kass's anti-mage fantasy, or could convey it at least, and as such room for a new passive can be created

I don't know what the shield do it doesn't absorves damage.

The Spell Charge requirement for Force Pulse scales him to be very sticky in teamfights, and I feel like that should be kept, however maybe as his passive, instead of as an ability? It provides interesting situations for sure.

I don't like the idea.

Q's interrupt seems too niche to me, it could be something a little more useful, though I don't know what particularly right this second.

Agreed -Ezreal

I feel his damage should be centered on cutting fools apart with his Nether Blade, while letting his abilities be more utilitarian, and better used at opportune moments than whenever they're up for damage.

No, you never saw fed kassadin before dude? Hope you like this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cXtG0TTCyQ