@Riot Akali Possible Buffs

Aka Hikari·Sep 19, 2013·7 votes·1,529 views

Hello everyone, I just created a NA account to post my ideas here :d

[My real summoner name is Kami Phoenix, I'm a high elo player (D1 90LP+ for 6 months now derp derp w/e), and a big Akali player (refer to my guide on Solomid.net for more informations).]

So basically Akali is pretty balanced after her nerfs, maybe a little underpowered tho especially at high elo.

Actually buffing Akali without making her overpowered isn't hard :

Make her Q animation faster. ATM if you R + Q while jumping your Q will be delayed compared to the R which is pretty annoying.
Remove the cast time on E - Zed doesn't have any, why should Akali have one ?

These two changes could make her a lot more confortable to play.

15 Comments

FF1224Sep 19, 20132 votes

I agree Akali is clunky in her current state and needs some QoL. Those changes though would buff her instant burst which is EXACTLY what riot is trying not to do. (Rengar) In my opinion Akali should be a fighter-assassin such as Diana. She should have weaker burst, but lower cooldowns. Just my person opinion though.

SayathSep 19, 20132 votes

Reducing cast time is a very dangerous territory. Certainly, playing-as it feels awesome. However, making Crescent Slash instant like Zed's E means that a double MotA detonation happens that more quickly. In general, this reduces the time available for the opponent to react to the situation - reducing potential counterplay.

As I've analyzed in past threads (http://forums.na.leagueoflegends.com/board/showthread.php?t=3402930 and http://forums.na.leagueoflegends.com/board/showthread.php?t=3485169) that's the wrong direction to take. Fundamentally, Akali needs more individual counterplay, not less.

Regarding Crescent Slash in particular removing the cast time will only become an option, a possibility, once its detonation of MotA is significantly gated or entirely removed. Before it would only worsen a situation already in critical condition.

Feel free to add me on EUW (Sayath) / NA if you want to discuss this issue in detail. I always enjoy seeing a different perspective. Over the past few months I've invested lots of time, in order to mark the problems that plague Akali and find potential solutions. Maybe you can help?

Aka HikariSep 20, 20131 votes

Lack of individual counterplay ?

In 1v1 situation Akali is good but isn't the best assassin in 1v1 situation. Let's say Fizz or Kassa, how do you counter play these champs ?

Akali W post laning phase is a shitty spell, you just need an oracle or pink to counter it totally and at high elo or premade, you will get pinked every teamfight or every 1v1 situation.

SayathSep 20, 20131 votes

You need to look at this from a different point of view. The live balance team has a finite amount of resources to distribute. Changing Akali means prioritizing her over other champions.

However, work is only invested when the changes make the game better, not worse. Game health (enjoyment while playing) is a top priority.

Band aid fixes like the ones you are proposing are generally not implemented, because people get attached to them. Then removal suddenly carries a high cost and disrupts the player base of that champion further.

Therefore, only changes that make the champion healthier (both in terms of playing-as and playing-against) while carrying low development cost can be implemented immediately. However, in practice we haven't found one single such change. All our ideas carry medium to high development costs and can't just be pushed to live without lots of testing.

Surely, there are champions with even less counterplay than Akali. Yet, she has a reset on kill mechanic which has the potential to destroy lower level players. The same can't be said for the champions you listed. Most of them terrorize high and low ELO equally. Furthermore, Kassadin is already considered a problem by live balance and will be tackled appropriately in an upcoming patch ( 3.13 ?). Simply put, just because other champions are even more problematic than Akali doesn't justify making her more frustrating to play against.

I'm sorry. I would like to see Akali changes by next patch, but if I think such will happen I am delusional. This is the harsh reality. If you want to convince Rioters, you will have to learn their design language and talk on their level. Then they will listen.

What we need to do is pinpoint issues and come up with solutions. Then we can actively influence the design process and guide live balance towards making our champion better.

Aka HikariSep 20, 20131 votes

Ok I talked harsh, I'm going to explain more.

ATM Akali is in a bad state - Her Q lvl 1 deals no damage and her pre-6 laning phase is almost impossible in some matchups. It's pretty ok tho since she got a good mid game (roaming). Her late game is bad, her teamfight ability is bad (W is useless), her splitpushing ability is bad aswell (no escape).

What I want to highlight is that at a good level of play or against organized team this champ is almost impossible to play.

Maybe Q animation is too much but at least the cast time on E is non-sense and won't make the champ OP at all.

But it could be interesting to know if Riot wants to balance the game around high level of play and tournament or all around for every level of play because it's pretty obvious that some champs are better at a level than others - "noobstompers". If you ask people which champ to get out of Bronze/Silver/Gold they will answer Akali and other assassins and will also say sometimes don't play Akali beyond Plat because it sucks.

Opposite : Ahri/Orianna - These champs if played poorly aren't effective. If played at 100% are too strong.

HextenSep 22, 20131 votes

Fizz has 2 skillshots, so you can dodge them, and they will do nothing.

Kass is getting nerfed next patch, since he has no individual counterplay.

Like it or not, Akali has no individual counterplay as well. Every skill she has is guaranteed; they are all point-and-clicks. She can't make a mistake with these skills, therefore no chance to outplay her, the champion has to outstat Akali to beat her, but she has no room for error in her kit currently.

You pointed out that her shroud is not effective in high elo because of true sight, maybe the solution here is to fix that instead?

LichbladeSep 22, 20132 votes

@Kami, I understand your love for the champion I have read your guide on solomid, its very well written.

On topic the suggested changes that you have gave won't actually solve Akali issues in the long run, these QoL changes always look good on paper when the champion is considered 'weak' but when they become OP then we will be banging our heads on the table thinking 'why did we gave this change in the first place.

This is what happened to her E procing off Q, now they can't simply remove it because alot of players are probably attached to it as mentioned by Sayath.

Out of all the ideas I'm surprised that you didn't thought the best way to help Akali in D1 is a change into how her W works seeing that players always counter it.

Akali players needs to start realizing that she needs to be balance on her own - Stop comparing to other Assassins like Kass or Fizz, As Sayath as mention that is no excuse to make Akali Op or frustrating to play against, thats why Akali was nerfed in the first plce and why she doesn't deserved to get buffed until we have fully relieved her frustrating elements.

When that is done then Akali is allowed to get buffs here and there.

Aka HikariSep 22, 20131 votes

I talked with Sayath ig so yeah I see your points.

About her W , I think that's this spell post lane sucks hard but I don't know how to change it tbh. I don't use it in teamfight except against AoE.

LichbladeSep 23, 20131 votes

I'll start off with some ideas for thought - If you can add one thing that makes Twilight Shroud useful in a skillful way even tho there is a pinkward/oracle present what would you add?

An example: Imo: I think movement speed, skillful Akali players can make use of this while unskillful ones can't. What do you think?

Aka HikariSep 23, 20131 votes

Anything would be good tbh, MS is a good stat tho so why not.

LichbladeSep 23, 20131 votes

xD...thats isn't the point, I was asking specifically what a D1 player would like to add, mine was an idea but you just blindly said anything would be good.

It tells me that you don't know whats best for Akali other to make her outstat her opponent. This may sound harsh but its true.

So I'm going to ask the question again lol what would you want as a D1 Akali main on Twilight Shroud that would be useful to you that will help you be able to make plays if Twilight Stealth did not worked?

(I'll give an example into what I think.)

I think movement speed is a good stat because it makes the Akali player engage into making use of movement speed, should he/she use it to chase or escape or juke around with it? it adds alot of decision making instead of slap bang giving free stats, that's something that Akali doesn't needs as she is very easy to play.

Basically Akali should unlock more power at Diamond then at bronze because her skill power should scale in the environment she is in.

Some questions I would like to ask

How much do you value Crescent Slash procing off MotA?

Are you aware that there is a bug on Akali that if you used up all of her ultimate stacks and die, she will regain max charge on revival no matter what amount is left? (This in particularly may be the very cause reason her ult has no downtime as Sttatikk pointed out.)

How much do you value the Stealth on Akali's W? Seeing that it stomps noobs so hard in bronze and it gets countered at Diamond.

Do you think the current CD of Shadow dance 30/22.5/15seconds is too long?

I would really like to see what you think. xD

Aka HikariSep 23, 20132 votes

How much do you value Crescent Slash procing off MotA? : Zero, I play Akali since S1 I'm used to play her without the E proc.

How much do you value the Stealth on Akali's W? Seeing that it stomps noobs so hard in bronze and it gets countered at Diamond : Zero post laning phase but can be used at 100% in 1v1 situation against someone like Vayne if needed, still I don't like it in teamfights.

**Do you think the current CD of Shadow dance 30/22.5/15seconds is too long? **: No I don't really care about it, if I find the CD too long I would get Ionian or Blue Buff.

LichbladeSep 24, 20131 votes

Interesting thank you for your feedback, they will be valuable.

Btw what region do you play Lol on?

Aka HikariSep 24, 20131 votes

EUW

UkireSep 19, 20131 votes

I agree, with the ease of being able to counter Akali with oracles, pinks, or Lee Sin's having these two slight changes would help her burst potential to make her more of a presence in higher elo games.