[Rework Suggestions] Sona - Maven of the Strings
So, I've seen a few posts regarding how supports fit in with their team and how they are at some point to have a class rework, I'd like to touch base on a few idea's based on what I think would make great Sona changes. I guess you can call me a Sona main, although I'm nowhere near Mastery points with some of the people I have met, I do play her the most out of any other support with about 130k Mastery Points. The concept of a combo-based champion has floated around in everyone's mind at some point, and another concept being a manaless support. I'd like to propose Sona as a support that follows both of these moulds with an interesting twist. So, here's my shot at it:
Passive : Medley Sona's Etwahl channels music into magic, bringing song to life. While she is capable of playing any masterpiece, it's power comes from three components. Sona doesn't have basic abilities or mana, rather she composes songs through the three components. She can store 3 at any given time, and each combination adds different effects to the auras in her songs. Second Passive: Leitmotif Whenever Sona has a song ready, she will passively radiate a weak aura based on the main component used: Forte: Allied champions near Sona gain 5/10/15/20 (+10% Sona's AP) magic damage on hit. Anima: Allied champions near Sona gain 5/5/10/10 Armor (And half that much magic resist). Allegro: Allied champions near Sona gain 5% bonus movespeed that decays on leaving the aura. The bonuses applied scale with her Ultimate's level.
Sona's Q : Forte For each Forte in Sona's current song, her song gains new effects: 1 Forte: Fires two homing bolts at the nearest enemies dealing 30/60/90/120/150 (+40% AP) magic damage, prioritizing champions. 2 Forte: Sona also tags herself and nearby allied champions, granting them increased attack capabilities. Increases bolt damage by 20%. 3 Forte: Sona's next auto attack is a Powerchord, dealing 20 - 250 damage (+25% AP) bonus magic damage. Bolt damage increased by another 20%. Total Bolt damage is now 42/84/126/168/210 (+56% AP). Powerchord damage scales on level.
Sona's Attack Buff has different effects based on the third component of the song: 3 Forte ----------------- (QQQ): Sona and her allies deal a bonus 20/30/40/50/60 (+20% AP) bonus damage on their next attack. 2 Forte, 1 Anima (QQW): Sona and her allies deal a bonus 10/15/20/25/30 (+10% AP) bonus damage on their next attack, and gain bonus Lifesteal/Spellvamp for a short duration. 2 Forte, 1 Allegro (QQE): Sona and her allies deal a bonus 10/15/20/25/30 (+10% AP) bonus damage on their next attack, and gain increased attack speed for a short duration.
Sona's W : Anima For each Anima in Sona's current song, her song gains new effects: 1 Anima: Shields Sona and nearby allied champions against 40/50/60/70/80 (+20% AP) damage for a short duration. 2 Anima: Heals Sona and one nearby ally, prioritizing the one with the lowest health, for 30/50/70/90/110 (+20% AP) Health. 3 Anima: She provides half the heal to every allied champion within her shield range.
Sona's heal also provides secondary benefits based on the third component of the song: 3 Anima ---------------- (WWW): The heal now scales off of missing health, becoming .5% stronger for each 1% missing health each target has. 2 Anima, 1 Forte - (QWW): Sona and her target gain 2%/4%/6%/8%/10% Bonus Armor, and half as much Bonus Magic Resist. 2 Anima, 1 Allegro (WWE): Sona and her target regenerate an additional 15/25/35/45/55 (+10% AP) Health over a short duration.
**Sona's E **: Allegro For each Allegro in Sona's current song, her song gains new effects: 1 Allegro: Sona gains a movement speed boost, equal to 11%/12%/13%/14%/15% (+5% per 75 AP) bonus move speed that decays to a flat 10%. 2 Allegro: Allies nearby Sona are tagged, gaining 10% (+2.5% per 75 AP) bonus move speed for a short time. 3 Allegro: Sona and allies tagged by her song gain 10%/12.5%/15%/17.5%/20% slow resistance.
Sona's move speed buff provides secondary benefits to herself and her allies based on the third component of the song: 3 Allegro ------------------ (EEE): Allies tagged by Sona gain her full movespeed buff. 2 Allgero, 1 Forte -- (QEE): The movement buff to Sona and her allies increases by 50% when approaching enemy champions or towers, and rapidly decays. 2 Allegro, 1 Anima (WEE): The movement buff to Sona and her allies increases by 50% when moving away from enemy champions or towers, and rapidly decays.
Sona's R : Masterpiece Cooldown: 24 / 22 / 20 / 18 Sona plays her song, unleashing it's effects. She can cast this again within 6 seconds. If she doesn't, 6 seconds are taken off her cooldown. Second Cast : Encore Cooldown: ** 30 / 28 / 26 / 24** Sona replays her most recent song, unleashing it's effects a second time. However, it does 80%/70%/60%/50% reduced damage (if it does any), and puts Masterpiece on an increased cooldown. Sona starts the game with one level in this ability. After she takes the second level, she gains access to a new combo: 1 Forte, 1 Anima, 1 Allegro (QWE): Sona next power attack becomes a Crescendo, dealing an increased 50/100/150 (+50% AP) damage and forces the target to dance for one second. If used, it increases the cooldown of Masterpiece and Encore by 6 seconds.
So to be clear, she only has one usable ability, and it requires mostly timing and knowledge to be able to use it. In a way, she is still the simple Sona we know, but we can't just faceroll our keyboard anymore to win. We'd be opportunistic supports, since we have long cooldowns, we'd primarily be about maintenance of our ADC's and saving our song for situations where they'd be necessary. It'd also require us to learn and memorize different combinations of Forte, Anima, and Allegro to bring the perfect song to every occasion.
That being said, Sona would also become very complex and difficult to balance. Hence why in Encore I reduced damage dealt on the second cast, so she can't easily become a bursty mage support. She'd still have the same damage potential she does now (Albeit, on a longer cooldown), but even I, loving Sona as I do, would not be able to stand Sona being capable of dealing 312% of her AP by pressing R twice, especially early game. (Right now, she can do 138% AP with a Q and Powerchord).
So, now for Match Ups:
Sona does well against:
She would do well against bursty champions as she can ready a WWW heal fairly easily and double cast it for burst healing to make up for what the adc is losing, and hopefully allow them to get away. Additionally, with the exception of Blitzcrank and maybe Bard, these champions are squishy and low health, making them prime targets for a Powerchord slap every once in a while. Harassing your enemies out of lane would be one of the best ways to ensure your ADC is safe.
Sona does poorly against:
Champions capable of long term sieges, constant poke, and DPS will provide major problems to you and your adc, since your long cooldowns can be abused by your enemy laners. Additionally, champions who ignore whatever resistance bonuses you may provide or silence you will also prove to be problematic as they will just melt you and your adc. However, with help from your jungler, you can prevail as your stun can provide the opening needed for them to have a successful gank.
Sona works well with: Just about anyone, actually. Seriously. She's got enough burst to accentuate a bursty mid or ADC, her weaknesses can be made up for with a poke heavy ADC, and if (hopefully) your team has a Tank, Sona will fit in and act like the glue to keep the team working together and alive.
Typical Builds
Sona, being entirely reliant on Cooldowns, will want as much CDR as possible. She will benefit from a 12/18/0 or 0/18/12 Mastery Page for the 5% CDR (And either Thunderlords for burst or Windspeakers for extra healing). An average buildpath may include:
- >
->
OR 
-> 
-> 
-> Situational Items
OR
-> 
-> -> 
-> 
-> Situational Items
Is how I usually build her anyways, although she may not be able to burst as often as before.
I'll probably try to draw a graphic on how Sona displays which song components she has and add it down here. Basically, think like an Ammo indicator, but with a circle/music note/(if you are playing Arcade Sona) DDR Arrow with the components corresponding color (Blue, Green, Purple). As for Powerchord's and Crescendo's, you'd see the blue ring (or on DJ sona, the visualizer) like normal, but on Crescendo, maybe it'd be a gold colored version, or maybe cycle through all the colors in a cool sort of rainbow effect.
Let me know what you think!