I think Blitzcrank is a good candidate for the modernization treatment

Lùmen·Jul 30, 2017·43 votes·1,753 views

AKA the WW style update. Literally modernizes the character that he already is. I think it'd be perfect for him, with the right changes. No gameplay changes needed imo..

EDIT: I guess you're alright perfectly right with how Blitz shouldn't rely solely on his Q to not be useless to his team but it's just the way I like him because I play Mord&Blitz botlane and whenever my Blitz partner lands a hook it's pretty much a free kill or forced summs almost every time. But yes, you ppl are definitely right

33 Comments

SharjoJul 30, 201726 votes

No gameplay changes needed imo..

But that's not modernisation, that's just a straight VU then.

BlakiepugJul 30, 20172 votes

{quoted}

But that's not modernisation, that's just a straight VU then.

A visual update would still be a modernization of the champion's aesthetics.

SharjoJul 30, 20178 votes

But not by their gameplay, which is the whole point of the "modernization" idea. I'd argue that Blitzcrank does need a modernization to give him more gameplay avenues than to literally just be the hook-bot.

BlakiepugJul 30, 20171 votes

{quoted}

But not by their gameplay, which is the whole point of the "modernization" idea. I'd argue that Blitzcrank does need a modernization to give him more gameplay avenues than to literally just be the hook-bot.

I have to disagree. When I think about changes like class reworks where they specifically only get "modernized" gameplay updates, I still see the same champions as the were before just made worse in a lot of cases (I am still salty about Rengar). Just changing the way they play doesn't really modernize them to me, it's just giving them a different kit. The visuals is really where the heart of modernization lies in updating old severely outdated art.

EpicurusJul 30, 201714 votes

There were quite a few gameplay changes with that WW update...

BlakiepugJul 30, 20172 votes

{quoted}

There were quite a few gameplay changes with that WW update...

I'm pretty sure OP means the visual update should be similar to Warwick's where it stays very true to the original champion, and not like Galio's where they just made a new champion and gave it his name.

EpicurusJul 30, 20171 votes

I suspect that is what OP means, but it is not what OP said.

ArakadiaJul 30, 20179 votes

I disagree. For two reasons:

His current Q is so strong that it eats up a massive part of his power budget. I do not see how he can be modernized without nerfing his Q and spreading power else where.
His Q is extremely poor to play with and against. No matter what happens someone feels bad. Either Blitz misses and loses a huge amount of his kit or Blitz hits and the hit target feels terrible because its unlikely they will live due to the hook's pick potential.

GelsominoKillerJul 30, 20176 votes

I think the hook should not be touched.

It's his signature move, his core identity, what makes blitz blitz.

It is fair that the hook eats a good amount of his power budget

ArakadiaJul 30, 20177 votes

Warwick's targeted bs ult was also super iconic. Evelynn's perma stealth is super iconic. Twitch's bursting teams from stealth is iconic. Kassadin's silence was iconic. Fizz's E is iconic.

His hook eats too much of his power budget. Its not okay.

You can't ignore the two points I made. A skill like Blitz's always ends up with someone feeling shitty. Either you get hooked and its unlikely you will live, or even get to react before he uses CC chains and his insane base damages along with allies to kill you, or he misses and loses a shit ton of his kit. People don't call him a ward bot after he misses Q because its funny. This is not okay.

Secondly, you can't modernize his kit without nerfing his Q. If you want to make his passive scale off health or armor or something a tank support would buy, well you can't cause thats a buff. If you want his E knockup damage to scale off something rather than AD that a tank or support would buy, you can't cause that would buff him too. You have to remove power from his Q in order to give power else where.

GreenLoreJul 30, 20175 votes

Actually it was said that Eve will keep her permastealth in some way. They'll surely tweak it,but it will still be there(similar to Warwicks blood hunt mechanic,that got changed but still remained)

Though I agree that Blitzs hook will likely be nerfed in some way. Maybe it won't pull as fast as it used to anymore?(slowly reeling in the target) or you might need to do something else before you can hook someone.

ArakadiaJul 30, 20172 votes

Actually it was said that Eve will keep her permastealth in some way.

I know this but you can guarantee Riot will do something to make it healthier. Notta chance it will remain how it is and function the same. Assuming Riot knows what their doing with Eve.

Though I agree that Blitzs hook will likely be nerfed in some way. Maybe it won't pull as fast as it used to anymore?(slowly reeling in the target) or you might need to do something else before you can hook someone.

Slowling reeling sounds interesting assuming the victim could still do stuff while being reeled. A secondary requirement could work really well, I just have no clue how. I thought about having his Q only pull them a portion of the way and have them get closer based off Q rank. That might feel clunky though,

ModAcademy KaynJul 30, 20171 votes

Ubisoft Iconic

TwitchInMyPantsJul 30, 20171 votes

Yeah though it keeps him from having an ult that isn't just some tagalong burst for your Q and low power pure utility on everything else. The Q is a factor in his identity, but lowering its mana cost, increasing the cd, but creating some ranged fighting tool that maybe rewards you with 1s off hook for hitting champions or something similar would make him a more interactive laner. I think he's fairly balanced as is, at least when item balance isn't goofy, but he could be more than just a hook bot.

Look at how much impact/identity Thresh's hook gives him yet he's allowed to do other things due to the amount of risk in the hook. I think Blitz hook should still be better than Thresh hook, but if you know both champions the fact Thresh has a variety of unique things just makes him the more attractive pick.

ChaosThiefJul 30, 20172 votes

i mean there's always the Blitz-hooking-Ezreal interaction, where even though you hit ezreal he shifts away anyway.

Blitz honestly does feel like he's awful to play, in both regards. So much is tied into that single Q that he actually can cast it only like, what, 3-4 times without a mana item early on, before burning his entire pool?

Aloexx RatfootJul 30, 20171 votes

Any displacement can do that off blitz hook, even flash.

Just Blame JennyJul 30, 20175 votes

Wouldn't mind a rework on this one.

Don't get me wrong. I don't think he's overpowered. If anything, he feels weak against a halfway competent team.

But his kit is just so damned binary in a way most modern kits aren't.

Either he hits you and you're dead, or he misses and he's dead weight.

Not exactly riveting gameplay.

BlakiepugJul 30, 20173 votes

{quoted}

Wouldn't mind a rework on this one.

Don't get me wrong. I don't think he's overpowered. If anything, he feels weak against a halfway competent team.

But his kit is just so damned binary in a way most modern kits aren't.

Either he hits you and you're dead, or he misses and he's dead weight.

Not exactly riveting gameplay.

Idk, I enjoy Blitz's current gameplay style quite a bit. Not every champion's kit has to be complicated af to be fun or interesting to play. Heck, I get a lot more enjoyment out of Blitz's kit than I do some of the new champion's and reworks like Kayn and Galio.

GreenLoreJul 30, 20174 votes

Overall I am pretty sure that Blitz could use some gameplay tweaks. He is simply too much of a onetrick pony.

Either he hooks a good target and deletes it. Or he doesn't and is useless until he can try again.

ClementineJul 30, 20173 votes

Blitz needs a full VGU

Brutalitops01Jul 30, 20172 votes

True that he's outdated, but did you know that Blitzcrank's Q used to be targeted, longer range than it is now, and you could (well you still can) combo with flash to increase range even further? Stand outside turret range, target enemy with hook, flash into turret, they die.

SanKakUJul 30, 20172 votes

We already have Nautilus, why would we need a new Blitzcrank? Blitzcrank's fine except for visual inconsistency with his Q.

Just fix his visuals and he's done.

NymzoJul 30, 20172 votes

{quoted}

I guess you're alright perfectly right with how Blitz shouldn't rely solely on his Q to not be useless to his team

No, we should never change that.

All pure disrupters ( Blitzcrank Thresh Rakan Zilean ) have one ability that they need to hit to win the lane. If they hit sucessfuly on the good target, they are rewarded.

But if they miss or hit the wrong target, they should be punish, both in lane and teamfight.

The main ability should also have a long cdr and cost quite a bit of mana.

It's the reason why Thresh is strong, he is not dependant on his q, doesn't cost that much mana and in later ranks, doesn't have that much cdr.

TwitchInMyPantsJul 30, 20174 votes

Thresh and Rakan both have abilities that are more nuanced than Blitz and end up having unique utility for their role. Blitz Q eats a TON of power budget, Thresh hook has risk but is a core identifier of his playstyle, yet the flay and lantern both are unique abilities that allow him to control the lane even if hook fails. Blitz is balanced to where he's super dangerous if his Q lands since he can combo E + R and use W's attack speed with it, but if he's off CD of Q he's relying on a mini knockup and a 1s silence, he's basically half a champion. Even Zilean who's reliant on the bomb at least has a versatile speed/slow move and a revive ult.

I think if the Q was reworked to have a slightly longer cd, but lower mana cost and he was given some other tool (maybe something ranged, or maybe a passive) and he lowered his cds 1s at a time or something, you could make a more interactive Blitz that isn't just a hookbot.

NymzoJul 30, 20171 votes

I disagree.

It's true that Thresh and Rakan have something different than Blizcrank but in the end, they are all disrupters.

And the thing is that if enchanters are all about being defensive and better at peeling but suck at snowballing their adc, disrupters are the exact opposite.

They can peel of course, but because most of their spells are suppose to be use offensively, it's far from being the best.

This is not a Thresh thread but I just want to point out that his e is kinda removing that weakness. Hell I would even say his e is the sole reason why Thresh wil lalways be strong but that's topic for another day.

Still, I still want Blitzcrank to at least get VU and maybe a few changes like a new passif and more since he was designed as a top laner.

Wayward KilljoyJul 31, 20171 votes

{quoted}

No, we should never change that.

All pure disrupters ( ) have one ability that they need to hit to win the lane. If they hit sucessfuly on the good target, they are rewarded.

But if they miss or hit the wrong target, they should be punish, both in lane and teamfight.

The main ability should also have a long cdr and cost quite a bit of mana.

It's the reason why Thresh is strong, he is not dependant on his q, doesn't cost that much mana and in later ranks, doesn't have that much cdr.

Except Thresh has a W that saves the ADC too, and can help disengage with his ult and w... None of his skills revolve around the others and can be used independently.

Rakan doesn't rely solely on his W, can heal and shield, and none of his abilities are forced to work together to be viable

Zilean's kit is overrun with utility, his bombs aren't the only thing about him that his kit revolves around. His identity isn't tied up in one skill.

Blitzcrank? His W combos with his Q for lock down :D His E moves him into position for him to Q :D His ult functions as burst and lock down for... when he Qs... What else does he do as a support?... Oh right all he does is provide lock-down that mostly requires him hitting his Q... "But wait his W and R can be used if he walks up to the enemy champion" Please tell me what other supports have to walk right up to the enemy botlane :|

NymzoJul 31, 20171 votes

{quoted}

Except Thresh has a W that saves the ADC too, and can help disengage with his ult and w... None of his skills revolve around the others and can be used independently.

I forgot to write it with Thresh but the fact that Thresh has amazing defence options is a reason of why he is too strong.

Rakan doesn't rely solely on his W, can heal and shield, and none of his abilities are forced to work together to be viable

Zilean's kit is overrun with utility, his bombs aren't the only thing about him that his kit revolves around. His identity isn't tied up in one skill.

You don't seem to understand what I mean. Allow me to explain:

Disrupters are good about snowballing their adc, right? And how do you snowball your adc? By locking down a key target? And how do you lock down a key target? By CCing them of course. Now notice that aside from their ultimate...

Blitzcrank has 2 cc but as you mention, he relies on his q.

Rakan has one cc, his w.

Zilean has also 2 cc, but one is a strong slow that help him set up for the Double Q.

The exception is Thresh but not food the good reasons I'm afraid, again.

It's true however that aren't tied to one skill like Blitz but that wasn't what I meant when you quoted me.

Blitzcrank? His W combos with his Q for lock down :D His E moves him into position for him to Q :D

Euh, I think you got the skills in the wrong order. W is the movement speed, e is the knockup.

His ult functions as burst and lock down for... when he Qs... What else does he do as a support?... Oh right all he does is provide lock-down that mostly requires him hitting his Q... "But wait his W and R can be used if he walks up to the enemy champion" Please tell me what other supports have to walk right up to the enemy botlane :|

I don't think it's really fair that you compare a champion that was designed as a top laner back in the day who has a very old kit.

Also I'm pretty sure most Thresh players run straight at you when they want to hook you or flay you but whatever.

Legacy HydralphaJul 30, 20171 votes

Would love for Blitzcrank to be modernized. I'm assuming by "No gameplay changes needed imo.." you mean he doesn't need changes to his playstyle. IMO too much power is put into hook, I would love for the hook to stay but hopefully he doesn't completely rely on it.

KillaburnJul 30, 20171 votes

I want his passive to be his W activating when he uses a skill (has 15/12/10/9 cooldown) and his Q should remain (but lower the power). His new W would his left arm grabbing a teammate(the opposite of his Q because blitz was created to help people and not a robot of death). His E would remain too and finally his R would be the same but lower the damage and make enemies CC with slow (because he is a supp). Plus, they should make them slow moving to balance this new passive.

Ionian VulpixJul 30, 20171 votes

Random thought: Make him shoot his arms like the characters in ARMS. If he grabs someone, he drags them halfway and dashes the rest, like Naut, and knocks then up too. That way he'd be required to commit to hooking someone and his E could become something else. Again going off the ARMS analogy since I'm addicted, maybe have his E make him ranged and knock back targets ? I actually like his current ult as is and think he does need some sort of mobility so his W is pretty good for that

MeBuffULongTimeJul 30, 20171 votes

I agree, his age especially with the simplicity of his kit and his base skin is really starting to show. I wouldn't even really mind if he stayed as a support although hew as intended to be a top laner if they would do something about his hook --> knockup/burst combo.

AmetDeCryptJul 31, 20171 votes

he's got old taric syndrome. is his q up? run from him. is it down? he's useless. I had an idea that was kind of silly that blitzcrank fires a hook out which then sticks on to an enemy champion and he can then channel is q to slowly reel them in to him but can't move while channeling, reel speed increasing with level of course until he can pull them back in to him. champions can move within the decreasing radius of the hook but can't walk out, and if they walk back it reels faster.