Merging the crit-rework with the "crit-revert": A Few Ideas
We know about the 8.11 crit-rework, and the upcoming somewhat revert that is hitting live in 9.3. I believe that there are several opportunities to improve builds for marksmen that may improve the health of the game. Note that if X champion becomes broken, compensatory nerfs could be applied. Specific champions can be tuned for the sake of a healthier game.
- Having two Zeal Item's should grant an additional 25% crit chance.
Context Something that was a net positive about the crit changes in 8.11 was the fact that 100 crit chance was possible with just three items. In theory, this was supposed to help with dps for crit chance marksmen that were not able to compete with lethality users and mages as the primary bot carry. However, there weren't any starting items that synergized with the prospect of 3 items, 100 crit. When stormrazor was introduced to the game, it gave AD's the best stats for the early game, being AD and AS. However, it did not synergize with crit builds because of its lack of crit chance, forcing marksmen to buy at least four items to get 100 percent crit chance. Even more troubling, instead of evenly scaling crit chance the most optimal builds had "bursts" of crit chance from 0% at one item, 30% at two items, 60% at three items and 120% at four items.
Solution If this idea was implemented, the most optimal crit chance build paths would be an IE or ER followed by two zeal items. Despite the crit rework, most AD's had to forsake raw damage and trade for crit that did not scale gracefully. Now with the proposed change added, the crit scaling per item would now be 25% at one item, 50% at two items, 100% at three items. This would be a smooth scaling that most marksmen would enjoy. Additionally, having three items instead of going back to four will allow for two open slots of defensive or offensive options as opposed to just one slot available. To my current knowledge, there don't seem to be any sort of AP or bruiser champions that would build two zeal items that give no raw damage in order to have 75 percent critical damage. For those who choose not to build IE and ER but still build two zeal items can build other items like Bloodthirster or BORK first, without losing too much against those who try to obtain 100 crit first. Imagine marksmen like Draven, Kalista, Vayne, Lucian to have 75% crit chance without having to build IE/ER first.
- Conqueror needs to have a ranged passive and a melee passive.
Specifics Ranged: After 5 seconds in combat, gain 10 - 60 adaptive damage (6 - 36 AD) for 5 seconds after basic attacking an enemy champion. Melee: After 5 seconds in combat, convert 5 - 20% of your damage into true damage for 5 seconds after basic attacking an enemy champion. Melee: Conversion is 5% at level 1, 10% at level 6, 15% at level 11, 20% at level 16.
Context Ranged carries do not have a rune that just directly ups damage in combat like melee champions. However, I believe that splitting up the passive prevents ranged characters from having too much tank shredding true damage. Additionally, it is my belief that having nearly infinite duration (while in combat due to the refreshing of the buff per hit) of 20% true damage is quite strong, leaving tanks MIA from the meta, leaving them unsatisfactory to play as or with.
- More Minor Runes are needed.
Examples of Minor Runes that can be added to help certain champions Grant Critical Damage scaling with level (melee) or with critical chance overflow (ranged only) A passive similar to the rage passive (20ms) found in phage and have it not stack. Convert a small percentage of damage into the opposite damage type (mini corki passive but reversible) A passive similar to Wukong's Stone Skin passive (and give Wukong an actual passive) Other old, basic champion passives that could be used as potential new runes in all trees.
Please consider these options and feel free to edit or create your own ideas. I believe that somehow combining pre and post crit rework can help achieve a greater game balance between all champions.