@RiotRepertoir: What's your opinion on Nasus in 5.16?

SaltyKracka·Aug 11, 2015·7 votes·7,856 views

By and large, Nasus is balanced, even if everybody who doesn't play him hates playing against him.

But 5.16 is going to be making quite a few changes to champions and items that directly impact him, and most of them seem to do so in a way that is a net negative for him (e.g. Making Frozen Heart worse than it's ever been; fucking defensive itemization in the ass).

Given that the new items being introduced aren't of much actual value to him (Triforce being his sole offensive item and the fact that he doesn't particularly want health on his items) and the only compensation buff he seems to be getting is the incredibly pathetic range increase on Q, are you sure you've thought through the impact of 5.16 on him?

Any insight? Comments? Promises not to let him be shoved into the dumpster for no reason?

17 Comments

RiotRiot ScruffyAug 11, 20153 votes

I agree that he's in a pretty balanced spot right now. After 5.16, it's not super clear how that will change (new items and a bunch of reworks could shake things up a lot). My guess is it'll be about even with frozen heart nerf (hurts nasus) and Steraks Gage (+ base AD good for nasus/sheen users).

That said, the live balance team, the systems team, and the champ update team are all watching the results very closely so we can follow up where it's needed.

FadedpfAug 11, 20151 votes

Have you guys considered the chance of these armor nerfs hitting harder than intended and resulting in some reverts/buffs if needed if tanks and fighters are in a bad spot after armor being hit? Mainly because armor counters already exist and the increased price will leave you just that more behind if you are in real need of defensive items.

RiotRiot ScruffyAug 11, 20155 votes

Absolutely, I think that there is no crusade against tanks/fighters that i've heard of and the general fear is that they will end up too strong after 5.16. If in the end things go the other way and defensive characters get pushed down into a bad space, we will adjust things asap.

SaltyKrackaAug 11, 20152 votes

GIven that Sterak's Gage will only add 50 damage to even Triforce-empowered Qs in the average case and Nasus doesn't exactly go around autoing much in teamfights, I would counsel against expecting Nasus' to build it.

Remember when I said that health wasn't exactly a stat that Nasus exactly seeks to build? As a character with a health steroid (in R) and sustain that relies entirely on his innate regeration and lifesteal from Q, he wants items that give him pure defensive stats instead of health. And seeing as FH, Thornmail, and Randuins are being gutted...

RiotRiot ScruffyAug 11, 20151 votes

Yea, the main issue as you say for nasus is that health items really don't fit as well into his ideal builds. If he needs some tweaks after 5.16 giving him better ways to scale off health may be a way to keep him relevant in the new HP heavy item world.

SaltyKrackaAug 11, 20152 votes

You know, you could instead reconsider the way you're absolutely destroying Frozen Heart.

ProfDrDeathAug 11, 20156 votes

"Absolutely destroying FH".

Just to note: FH's gold efficiency goes down from 140% (most gold efficient) to 124% (still rather gold-efficient).

The Blue RajahAug 11, 20151 votes

How did you get that number? At level 18 it will add 30.5 damage to his auto-attacks, 91.5 to a triforce empowered auto, and double both of those if it's during Sterak's enrage, (60.5 and 183, respectively).

SaltyKrackaAug 11, 20151 votes

[{quoted}](name=The Blue Rajah,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=yejcEPiU,comment-id=000100010001,timestamp=2015-08-11T10:01:12.277+0000)

At level 18

Assuming everybody's level 18 is a mug's game.

The Blue RajahAug 11, 20151 votes

Ok, so what's average? 10? Cause at level 10 it gives 64.5 to a triforce proc auto. Double when enraged.

And 10 is actually lowballing it. It's probably more like 14, since I can't imagine you'd get Sterak's as a first or second item.

ProfDrDeathAug 11, 20151 votes

Isn't Sterak's more of a trap item on champions like Nasus/Irelia/Hecarim?

{quoted}

What does the item give in stats? Extra base AD and Health, as well as an effect that necessitates you having a rather big health pool (a shield after taking 1800 damage AFTER RESISTANCES is rather useless if you only have 2000 HP).

However, Hecarim, Nasus and Irelia do not synergize too well with raw health, due to their power budgets being spend partially on kit-intrinsic sustain. Sustain gets amplified a lot with resistances, as those resistances effectively increase the value of every HP you regenerate.

Now, I don't say that SG will be a particularily BAD item on those characters - but they might profit more from different items.

Essentially, you're going to spend another item slot on stats that are not as intrinsically valuable to your kit as the competition (FH still gives a good chunk of Armor and 20% CdR. Spirit Visage will be buffed and gives CdR and MR).

Ironclad DragonAug 11, 20152 votes

{quoted}

By and large, Nasus is balanced, even if everybody who doesn't play him hates playing against him.

Heck, I play him and still hate going against him. The enemy Nasus always seems to be Cerberus come to collect my wayward soul.

SaltyKrackaAug 11, 20151 votes

Just remember this. In Nasus dittoes, max E second.

SaltyKrackaAug 11, 20151 votes

Mmm, yes. Downvote without responding.

Exemplary.

CrettAug 11, 20151 votes

{quoted}

Mmm, yes. Downvote without responding.

Exemplary.

I second this sentiment. When someone creates a discussion thread, don't just downvote it into obscurity. Discuss

Sniper 0Aug 21, 20151 votes

I don't see what people are complaining about in the other threads. Our riot employees respond relatively quickly to our questions, and they address the communities concerns. They also generally have the same concerns when they shift the meta. <3