Why not turn keystones into smite and Dragon buffs?
Keystones have consistently warped game balance for the last season and beyond, and while it is undeniable that they do bring an interesting twist to League, many in their current iteration are not healthy and only force champions to be balanced around them. I propose moving them to the jungle as Smite and dragon buffs, weakened but still delivering on an interesting fantasy and offering new decisions to make in the jungle - as well as solving the problem of our four stat-check, bland elemental dragons (especially Infernal).
Numbers are experimental, based on current keystones and what I personally thought wouldn't be overbearing.
REMOVED: Warlord's Bloodlust REMOVED: Infernal Tribute NEW : Wrath of the Infernal Drake: Killing the Infernal Drake grants the team increasingly more life steal and spell vamp (depending on the champion's primary damage type) based on their missing health, granting 0.05% - 18% (based on missing health) bonus life steal or spell vamp. This bonus against minions and monsters is 50% as effective for melee champions and 25% as effective for ranged champions, granting 0.025% - 9% (based on missing health) and 0.0125% - 4.5% (based on missing health) bonus life steal or spell vamp respectively. The amount of life steal or spell vamp gained caps-out at 80% missing health, but does not scale linearly. This buff lasts 300 seconds (five minutes), ending 1 minute before the next dragon spawn.
REMOVED: Bond of Stone REMOVED: Earthen Arms: NEW: Scales of the Mountain Drake: Killing the Mountain Drake grants the team 3% damage reduction. This bonus is doubled when near an allied champion or turret. While above 40% health, 6% of the damage allied champions would take from enemy champions is dealt to you instead. This buff lasts 300 seconds (five minutes), ending 1 minute before the next dragon spawn.
REMOVED: Grasp of the Undying REMOVED: Heart of Oceans: NEW: Heart of the Ocean Drake: Killing the Ocean Drake grants the team a bonus to their auto-attack. Every 4 seconds while in combat, your next basic attack against an enemy champion will deal 4% of your maximum health as bonus magic damage and cause you to regenerate 4% of your missing health and mana over 5 seconds. The damage is halved for ranged champions. This buff lasts 300 seconds (five minutes), ending 1 minute before the next dragon spawn.
REMOVED: Stormraider's Surge: REMOVED: Stratus Walk: NEW: Wings of the Cloud Drake: Killing the Cloud Drake grants the team 30% bonus movement speed and 60% slow resist for 3 seconds every time they deal 30% of a champion's maximum health within 2.5 seconds. This buff lasts 300 seconds (five minutes), ending 1 minute before the next dragon spawn.
REMOVED: Deathfire Touch NEW: Gift of the Toadstool: Smiting Gromp grants a bleed effect to your abilities for 90 seconds against enemy champions and large monsters. Dealing 1 (+ 3% AP) (+ 5% bonus AD) magic damage every half-second for a duration based on their type. Single Target: 4 seconds for a total of 8 (+ 24% AP) (+ 40% bonus AD) magic damage. Area of effect: 2 seconds for a total of 4 (+ 12% AP) (+ 20% bonus AD) magic damage. Damage over time: 1 second for a total of 2 (+ 6% AP) (+ 10% bonus AD) magic damage.
REMOVED: Courage of the Colossus: NEW: Gift of Stone: Smiting Krugs grants a shield for 5 - 45 (based on level) (+ 4% maximum health) per nearby enemy champion for 3 seconds after hitting an enemy champion with a stun, taunt, snare, or knock up. This bonus lasts for 90 seconds.
REMOVED: Fervor of Battle: NEW: Razor Persistence: Smiting Crimson Raptorbeak causes you to gain 2 stacks of Fervor for 6 seconds with each basic attacks on-hit against an enemy champion or large monster, stacking up to 8 stacks. Ranged role Ranged champions only gain one stack per basic attack. Each stack of Fervor adds 1 - 8 (based on level) AD for a maximum of 8 - 64 (based on level) AD. This bonus lasts for 90 seconds.
REMOVED: Thunderlord's Decree: NEW: Wrath of the Spirit Wolf: Smiting the Wolf camp grants you a bonus for 90 seconds. Hitting an enemy champion or large monster with an ability (ability damage) or basic attack (on-hit) marks them with Thunderlord's Decree for 3 seconds. At 3 stacks, the target is dealt 15 - 130 (based on level) + (15% AD) + (20% AP) magic damage in an area around them. Thunderlord's Decree can only be triggered once every 15 (based on level) seconds.
As I said before, the numbers aren't important. But I think it would be interesting if we moved keystones as Smite and dragon buffs. Upvote if you agree, or drop a comment below explaining your opinion.
