Soraka "Rework" Idea
(Preface: I wrote this on "GD" previously, but figured this might be a great place to discuss this as well.)
So last night I made a hate thread about Soraka (on General Discussion), comparing her to Nidalee and I know I irritated quite a few Soraka mains. Before I fell asleep and passed out, I tried to come up with a solution to her as a problem.
As a player I tend to disagree with Riot's conceptions (or misconceptions) about Champions in that certain ones "lack counterplay". I disagree with the removal of AP Tryn (though to be fair it probably needed a decent nerf), I disagree with their thoughts on Vladimir, etc.
However, as much as I'll be flamed with this (so try to keep an open mind), I do agree with Morello that focused healers just aren't for League. For that matter they're a nightmare for PvP anyhow.
The problem lies in this: You play whatever Champion you do, you hit your skillshots, and you feel really good about the play you made. Then she presses one button, and that's reversed. Then you do it again. Same result.
Right now a lot of Champions can outscale Soraka, but, similar to Renekton, simply outscaling someone who doesn't have a terrible late game of their own isn't enough. If someone is a high enough top tier to invalidate other picks because of them, that's saying something.
Again, I'm trying to be open-minded here, not closed, so I know you're all reading this thinking I'm about to suggest gutting her when I'm not.
She is top tier right now-- especially in mid with the new Heal. She's mained in Challenger, she's seen in Pro Play, and she's becoming a high pick or ban. And she's not a particularly fun Champion to play against.
Now I suppose you could say that about a lot of Champions who don't need reworks. No one likes Zilean's ult denying them a kill, but most wouldn't argue he needs a rework. No one likes being punished for building AP against Veigar, but most wouldn't argue he needs a rework. Those aren't fun, but, they do bring interesting things to the table, making you think outside of the box on what you're going to do.
However, there's little to think about in facing a Soraka in lane. There are Grievous Wounds Champions, so I suppose you could counter her with the likes of AP Trist or such, and attempt to 100-0 her (or close to it), nullifying her attempts to heal (-- I'm not saying AP Trist counters her, but I believe she does? Forgive me if I am wrong). But besides those -few- Champions, what else is there (by the way, only a couple for mid, and bot lane. There literally exists 0 for top lane Soraka)? Morellonomicon works, but only if you get her low health. Soraka will probably be keeping herself 60% HP+ most of the time in a match. Executioner's Calling works, but it's a terrible item that desperately needs help. Gimping yourself to buy it isn't exactly a great choice. Yes you could punish her when her heal is on CD, but that means your CDs have to align perfectly, and that you have to be able to 100-0 her within that time, before it's back up. Most good Sorakas now pack Heal as a Summoner spell to have 3 possible heals at once, and furthermore, remove the Grievous Wounds couterplay to begin with-- so for that matter you need to be able to repeatedly apply GW, and those won't even stop one portion of her healing. So Ignite is no longer a decent counter to Soraka anymore. Removal of counterplay for Soraka also does not feel good to most players.
I'm not arguing that she's impossible to beat, but that she feels that way. Yes you can beat Sorakas, especially the bad ones, and yes she's not "unkillable" otherwise she'd have a 99% winrate. However, if she's a high pick or ban, is picked for 3 different roles, and has had her counterplay removed? There's clearly a problem. Especially with someone who can erase efforts.
I know several people like to compare Soraka's heal to Nidalee's, and as much as General Discussion does not like the cat, I feel that is a poor comparison, because Soraka's heal also grants armor. Even after used, there is another window of time that you probably should not face her if you are AD-- because the armor buff prevents you from dealing significant damage before she heals herself again.
Of course there are ways to fight Soraka lanes. You focus who she doesn't heal, in bot lane. In mid, try not to pick an AD mid. Top is the same. Try to pick people who can outscale her utility and don't particularly care about her pushing so hard, or care about early kill advantage. I suppose Anivia would actually be a decent pick against Soraka in that regard (which makes me sorta happy as she's actually my favorite Champion in the game. Little known fact).
The problem is, there's not -enough- you can do against a Soraka in lane, -especially- with the recent Heal change.
For a while now I've been thinking on a lot, trying to take in the concerns of everyone. I'm incredibly active on the forums and I love reading what people think on certain subjects. Soraka's a very interesting one because of this: Riot (read: Morello) hates her. Some people love her, mostly people who are dedicated to the Champion. Most people who do not play her a significant amount, tend to have a negative, bitter attitude about her as a Champion. Most people who enjoy her -do not want her reworked-. They love her just how she is. But, can she stay that way?
I feel there is a decent solution. One that would make -everyone- happy. This would include both people who face Soraka in lane, and people who play Soraka in lane. This would also work in teamfights.
I believe Soraka's heal (remind me of the name-- Astral Blessing if I recall? Infuse being her mana/silence and Starcall being her... Stars?) should work similar to Kassadin's Force Pulse-- you cannot cast it until a certain number of spells are cast nearby. Now, bear with me, and let me explain my thoughts.
I feel it should work this way: The first couple of spells would let her cast it, however it would be weaker than live. A couple more, and it would be current strength. Even more, and it might be slightly stronger. Starcall would NOT work towards this count (too low of a CD, of course). If this still seemed oppressive/problematic, it could be changed so that it only works off of enemy spellcasts altogether, and not her own-- though I feel that would not be necessary. What "number" is needed, and what the maximum "stacks" are, would have to be tested-- I'm not a numbers person, I couldn't tell you, I just tend to think of things from a design/ideological perspective.
Thematically (I choose to address this first because it is the simplest way), this would work as a "Blessing" would require a "tribute" of spells.
As for the person facing her in laning phase, it would feel good because they know if they mindlessly spam their spells, they're going to be punished by having that erased-- essentially they're wasting mana (assuming that's their resource). They know if they are decisive with their spells, Soraka may be forced to react in a way that is not in her best favor (how it should be)-- she might choose to use her heal at a reduced value, or she might choose to silence with Infuse and run off, waiting until she has a stronger one.
As for the Soraka player herself (or himself), it would feel good because they have more tools to work with. The player can choose to hold off for a greater heal, in hopes that they will get the opportunity, or the player can use it earlier, in hopes that the CD coming back sooner will help them to a greater effect. There's more decision making, but it can allow more skillful play. This would also allow the player to still compete in all roles (arguably)-- Top/Mid/Support, without detracting from one by hitting her too hard (I believe). Even in the bot lane where ADC's rely on autos, Lucians and Ezreals toss out Qs, Soraka harasses with Infuse (or restores with it), and the enemy support spell-casts.
As for the teamfight phase, I feel things would have to be watched, since spells tend to be tossed at a far faster rate, allowing her "greater heal" to come up far more often. I feel this could be a problematic area, however if that were to be too great of a problem (which I don't think it would be), a -minor- nerf to her scaling on her heal (Astral Blessing?) would be enough (and I do mean -minor-). [Edit: A friend of mine suggested, as a fix for this portion, that her "force pulse stacks" work similar to Tear of the Goddess in that it would count the first spellcast or two, but then it would wait around 1 second or so before it would count more, to not be abused this phase.]
As for the pre-teamfight phase, it would feel good because she can still preserve one of her niches of countering poke comps by healing off poke, however, it would require a skillful reading on both the opponent's and her own of when she's going to heal the poke, for a hard engage (instead of live where the second or two it's done, she heals). She still works to counter them, but if played right on both sides, things can be done versus the other.
Overall I feel this change would be healthy for everyone-- the players of the Champion and those who play against her.
What are your guys' thoughts on this?
