Originally posted by tytyos

I didn't expected much from the Varus buffs but holy shit this is disapointing

Originally posted by iHaveRyzenAbove

Those Senna buffs are actually huge, I don't know if buffing her this much is really necessary at one time.

Originally posted by bns18js

It's the wrong nerf. It might achieve the same end result power wise. But it would've much more healthy for the game to hit the damage and not the CD.

Can u/RiotPhlox explain why the CD instead of the damage was nerfed? Feels like nerfing the active damage would lower burst damage in the game that everyone is complaining about, fit better with the theme of the item being a repositioning tool for a DPS class, discourage poaching from non-marksmen who get it for its active nuke(talon), and still let the item feel good for why it was created --- let marksmen have agency(dodge/kite/chase) and fun.

I just cannot understand the CD nerf instead of an active damage nerf. What's the thought process here?

Originally posted by moody_P

thoughts on shyvana? I do believe she was slated for buffs

Originally posted by SkeletonJakk

I mean he IS getting buffed, but is it lower than mundo?

Originally posted by tytyos

Obviously i don't have the stats you have access to, but from my experience and from data websites, only galeforce Varus does well in the current meta, and the 30s cd nerf will probably affect him way more than those buffs.

The way i see it is that the mana buff wont change the fact that you have mana limitation early game and will not be enough to skip PoM or manaflowband so it won't really do much.

The ult buff is alright but you still can't use it as a primary engage tool in most cases because of how easy it is to dodge.

Lastly to comment on Varus performances, with a 1.5% pick rate and 60% of games being played lethality/AP, the crit Varus games are mostly just otp and mains who play the champ well enough to compensate for his many weaknesses

Originally posted by HorrowLP

As someone that plays AP Shyv over AD, the reason I do it is because its just more fun and flashy. Also it leans more towards the dragon theme than AD does.

For AP, you're blasting out powerful fire, like a dragon ought to. For AD, you're just punching things. I don't pick a dragon to just punch things, that isn't visually satisfying. Seeing a fireball chunk people for nearly half their life though? That is satisfying.

Originally posted by maybeatransgirl

Hello I was wondering if you could tell us if the veigar buffs are coming next patch? He seems to be struggling greatly with the removal of glacial related items.

Originally posted by J0rdian

Yes, but she has above 50% winrate building frostfire, and that item is also getting buffed. Are you concerned people will notice that build path's strength along with the buffs and she might be too strong.

Her winrate is garbage atm because people are building eclipse every game for some reason.

Originally posted by TreeKeeper15

Could you give us some data on this? I know a lot of people are adamant that AP Shyvana is better than AD so it would be nice to have data to back the claim up. If you can't provide it, that's totally fine and thanks for your comments!

Originally posted by DiGodKolya

hey man, i don't really care for the syhvana part but just wanted to let you know its really amazing how you and other devs share information into how you address issues (balance wise).

I hope even after you receive backlash for patches (and lets be honest, some are questionable) you know that your work is appreciated and im really glad you guys do this. Other games could learn.

Originally posted by J0rdian

You can get enough sample size by using all ranks and multiple patches for 10k games. Which is more then enough to get a good estimate on the strength of it, it's clear it out performs any other mythic. Even when checking commonly built secondary items/runes that could potentially inflate/decrease a mythics winrate.

I was mostly just curious how Riot approaches making changes to champions when they are building poorly and can adapt. For example I know Gangplank also suffers from this where Ravenous Hydra is insanely good on him but not built much.

Originally posted by ZelosRiven

How is riven doing for the balance team atm?

Originally posted by TreeCutter2000

Hey Phlox, really appreciating your feedback on Shyvana.

I prefer AD Shyv, in part because I've off/on mained her since S3, but mostly because I like to be a champ when my ult isn't up.

As of now Shyv is the only champ in the game I can think of that who's ult doesn't cd when dead. If you changed this somehow it would buff AP Shyv a smidge more, while making games from behind as Shyv less tilting. The whole no rage regen while dead makes Shyv more feast or famine which is personally a style of champ I usually avoid.

Also what would you think of buffing the overgrowth rune for junglers? As of now it ramps much slower for average junglers, and Shyv is the only farm style jungler that appreciates tank/bruiser stats (i.e. Yi/Karthus won't suddenly be taking it). I know Sejuani takes it, but it doesn't give a lot of hp, its mostly just to activate warmogs by her second item. (Also Sej could use the tiny buff)

Originally posted by zeroBackwards

I feel like I'd like to make the argument that players came to prefer AP Shyvana because of circumstance rather than inherently preferring it to the other options. Shyvana's mini-rework where a lot of power was shifted into her ability to use her E as a nuke shined really really hard. Historically, before that happened, she was consistently a brawling on-hit or tank-oriented character which makes a lot of sense with her kit: a dragon jumps at you and just starts running you down.

Well, it's been more than a while since those changes and AP was just stronger as opposed to her original playstyle for a while so it's really no wonder that AP is the more common build path. Personally, I've been playing Shyvana top off and on since season 4 and still don't understand what the allure with AP is, or even it's power fantasy. I feel like that fantasy with the fire breath is really disconnected from what old Shyvana players liked about her, like myself.

Originally posted by PM_ME_EDGEWORTH_NUDE

What are your thoughts on Ezreal? He's pretty much had the lowest winrate among ADCs for the entire patch. Dude got nerfs after nerfs between the Muramana changes and the Q bugfix/nerf and has gotten nothing in return. Yes, I understand that Ezreal usually has a below 50% winrate because he's a very popular character, but his play rate's also decreasing alongside his winrate (still the 3rd highest play rate, probably because a lot of those people are just switching to Jhin or Kai'sa), and said winrate usually hovers around the mid 47%-48%, not 46%.

Part of me wants to think his winrate is because people are still rushing Manamune over Divine Sunderer (the latter being a much stronger 1st item in my opinion), but I don't have the data on that. I just wanted to hear you guys' opinions on his current state.

Originally posted by Ronizu

Hey! One thing that could help AP Shyv without adding more damage to her E would be a slight decrease on E cooldown. Losing the 20% CDR from Nashors and 10% early CDR from Runic really hurt her AP builds. The items themselves aren't that bad on her, it's just that she can't get near similar amounts of CDR now.

Buffing E CD would also help out toplane Shyvana a bit. By the way, what are your thoughts about Shyv top at riot? Do you view it as an unhealthy thing that should be discouraged or are buffs that would also significantly help top Shyv very much possible?

While still a buff, E CD reduction wouldn't benefit AD Shyv jungle nearly as much outside jungle clear. Most of the time one E mark is enough in a duel and if the fight lasts long enough for the second E to come up, it's most likely decided already. It's quite rare that I can actually keep smacking people constantly in a way that a slightly higher uptime on the E mark would actually have a significant impact. Thanks on the insights!

Originally posted by BADxW0LF1

May I ask why the imperial mandate nerf? Feels kinda bad as a support.

Originally posted by Waxburg

Don’t mean to derail here but wondering if there’s been any talk around Zac? His self healing off blobs has been feeling rather down with the introduction of 60% grievous wounds and his clear speeds have been hit a bit with the changes to camps resistances this season.

Originally posted by Finesse02

Any thoughts on Jax?

Originally posted by Finesse02

Our builds aren’t supposed to be that complicated but some people are still always taking bork second even though it’s not always optimal anymore. Bork was just so good for Jax.