@Riot/Meddler, on the subject of Elemental Dragons
Firstly, I must commend whoever came up with this, brilliant idea(and yes, I read Meddler's magnificent post). As I love the fact that, despite one of the new dragons, potentially not being worth the effort for your team comp, it is worth depriving the enemy team of its buffs should their comp synergise well with it. The dragons themselves, look great. And props to structuring it similarly to Bazza, being it has a late-game form and value.
However I have one concern that that may hinder the longevity of interest the community will have in these dragons, resulting in all of the work going into improving this objective to be wasted. Yes the buff's presence will be more prominent as you know what you're getting when ever you get a dragon. But I feel the first 2 weeks-1month, will be people killing dragon not because of its potential strategic value, but because they look freaking amazing, because it's new and more importantly, to see what every dragons combat is like/death animation.
But why? Why wouldn't these changes maintain a constant drive to obtain them? People don't value stats who's presence isn't constantly reinforced, I.E seeing your item, seeing shiv activate, watching people pop to your sheen. The new dragon attempts to achieve this, but until another dragon spawns that you desire, I.E red dragon for irelia, I feel it will be ignored.
An example of this issue: If rift herald only gave you stats, and didn't power up minions.** No one**, would ever kill it, why? because it wouldn't do anything of value to the naked eye, because a player can't look at their build/champ see the potential impact/difference these new dragons would have on a fight/game's outcome.
TBH I've suggested this before, but I'll do so again. Even with these new dragons, it rewards the team that is ahead, that is able to control the objective if desired and utilise its buff. It is not the comeback tool it used to be, and league severely lacks any form of objectives that assist a behind team (towers do not count, they are limited in number, and increasingly risky to take as you dive deeper into enemy territory). Even if a cheeky steal occurs, it will not grant the loosing team any form of aid unless the buff gives them the tools required to fight back, or synergises decently with their team composition. EG, enemy got red drag, so you get red/blue. Assists in fights/sieges. In other words, a comeback dragon relies on the optimal dragon spawing, your odds are 1/4, and your team being able to secure it without dying and utilising it efficiently.
Because of the current attitude towards dragon, that is, it being a useless pile of garbage until you get 5 of them, I personally doubt the ability for 4 re-skinned and re-designed dragons to pull this practically dead objective from mordekaiser's grasp. Oh speaking of morekaiser, make his ulted dragons have different stuff based on the dragon he slays. [slayer-jinx-wink]
How to fix this potential issue? GOLD It doesn't have to be much, not even to the level of the old dragon (think it was 180). However gold is something a player cannot ignore, a player cannot sweep the gold that just got them their first core item under the rug. I see this as the solution as it is a visually obvious indicator that something has been achieved, you have gained X gold and are X amount closer to your sunfire/tri/IE/rabadons ect. It doesn't have to be much, 120, 100 or maybe 80 gold each?. Hell even 50 gold per player upon the dragons death would be sufficient. And perhaps to promote team play, only players who actually assist in the drag get the gold (everyone still gets the buff), which encourages early grouping, better coordination and team work. Now, I'm not asking this in order to replicate the old drag, or because I struggle to get gold in-game.. I request this addition, to increase not only my own, but also my allies' thirst for dragon. So when I ping it, they come sprinting like my dog when I get home, thirsty for that juicy gold and those bonus stats.
Just my 2 cents, Thanks for reading. [slayer-pantheon-thumbs]