Grail Not Counting Some Shields

SpeedingCadence·May 9, 2016·3 votes·568 views

I like the new Grail effects (I'm a support main), but I've noticed a couple of egregious holes in what the new passive is counting as a 'shield.' Why doesn't it proc on Braum's W, for example, or Galio's W? I get that these two are armor/magic resist boosts, but they're clearly meant to assist allies by mitigating enemy damage.

I'd like to see Grail's passive work for supports like Galio and Braum, instead of working primarily for support champs who already have a method of healing others. Given the boost to Grievous Wounds, it wouldn't have much potential anymore to unbalance the game.

EDIT: The poll should say "Grail," not "Chalice."

2 Comments

OleandervineMay 9, 20163 votes

They're not shields, they're stat buffs. A shield is a specific kind of effect that soaks up damage before letting damage cut into HP. There is a clear numerical amount to how much a true shield can absorb before breaking, and a defensive stat boost gets murky when you start trying to calculate mitigated damage, because I don't think there's a clear way of defining what boosts are attributed to Galio/Braum's ability and not some other effect affecting the same stat. Plus, there's probably a very good reason why a strong tank support like Braum can't just heal willy nilly.

SerevasMay 9, 20162 votes

Well you can actually track the attributed boosts as they're displayed as buffs and separated in the coding, they would also apply the heal at the time of the buff application as that's what OP is suggesting.

I still agree with you though and since it is clearly defined as heals or shields see no reason why it should change. To do otherwise starts treading into all sorts of murky waters. Things that just become too overly complex to deal with. GP's ult with Raise morale, does that apply the heal? How about Kayle or Bard Ult? Kindred's ultimate is another example. They're all ways to mitigate damage or buff another champion, so it becomes a thing of where you draw the lines.