Ideas for a Rework to add Counterplay to Fiora

Hello all,

I was thinking about Fiora as a champion, and how she matches up against other champions in the current state of the game, talking specifically about their kits, and what advantages and disadvantages they have gameplay-wise. I think Fiora is a champion that in my opinion has very little counterplay, but please hear me out before any criticism. My main concern is with her passive, Duelist's Dance, and how it interacts with her enemies. But before I get down to the actual gameplay I also want to talk a little about how I think Fiora Should feel as a champion.

Fiora is a duelist, plain and simple. She should and does currently excel at fighting her enemies, preferably 1v1, as the word duel entails. Fiora should also feel like a calculating, strategic, and patient duelist through fencing, this style of fighting is all about making that quick decisive blow that determines the outcome. Currently Fiora feels like a regular fighter who dashes in and attacks at all times, and as an extra bonus gets to strike vitals. Fiora does NOT wait for a good moment or plan a strategy when she is dueling.

In gameplay the way it works is she basically does what you would expect of any fighter, she goes in on her enemy and attacks, if she gets a vital it's great ("Hey extra damage and a speed boost, cool!") but if she doesn't get the vital, there is nothing lost. The vital will remain there until she does trigger it or until 15 seconds are up. Also, there is no skill in "spotting" a vital, they are always there and simply switch positions after 15 seconds, and whether you stike the vital or whether 15 seconds pass, there is close no down time on them. I also think there is an issue with the ultimate, curretly I think it does too much damage too reliably, and most of that damage is not mitigated, it actually scales with her opponents health and deals true damage.

In conclusion:

• Fiora does not ever have to do anything to "identify vitals", they just come automatically.*

• Vitals have a 0.5 second downtime, basically there is always one avaiable to her. *

• Vitals last 15 seconds, and if it is undesirable to her she just has to leave vision to get a new one. *

• Fiora is not punished for missing vitals, they only serve as an added bonus, not her primary goal during a duel*

• Grand Challenge is supposed to be a "Challenge", but there is nothing her opponents can do to prevent being struck by her vitals, except running away*

I think that Fiora has the potential to be a really high skill outplay champion, but currently her kit does not require her to plan her moves ahead, to strike decisively, or even give her opponents any choices or chances to avoid her vitals. I think that vitals should be created and positioned by Fiora herself with an actual cooldown, and missing the vitals should punish Fiora just as much as hitting them punishes her opponents. This should also apply to her ultimate, then her damage would be more justified as it currently stands.

So, what do you guys think? I would really appreciate any positions and opinions on the matter as long as they are constructive and further a healthy discussion.