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It does not matter how much dmg increase Loki's abilities get, he will still be played as a bruiser. Assassins have a common theme of burst and high mobility. Loki has high mobility but lacks ability burst.
The problem with current Loki is that people are abusing his effective strategy of applying a 5s slow, easy harassment of the backline thanks to stealth and ultimate, reducing people's dmg up to 20%, and stunning 1 or more people. If done by a squishy Loki, he will die too quickly which forces him to play super conservative (like old Loki). This is why it's better to abuse his abilities and high base dmg and instead, build tanky.
The issue with Loki's kit is his Flurry attack. This ability needs an improvement (not dmg increase) or at least a complete change. Hi-Rez tries to keep Loki's identity but when people build Loki pridwin, glad, slege, etc., it isn't keeping his identity, it's changing it completely.
Also note, I'm not talking about how good Loki is or how bad he is. I'm referring to his identity problem.
Good notes of the rework:
- Stealth change made it easier to detect Loki and is revealed if hit for .33s.
- Decoy no longer can just proxy waves and is instead used to box people, apply item effects, or peel, etc. Also procs passive to punish those who ignore it.
- Loki's ultimate is slowed down and is more of a skill shot than before. Allows people to react to the situation easier but also gives Loki more control of the fight with the cone stun and cripple.
- Loki's Flurry attack helps him clear better and faster both in lane and in the jungle. He also has a coned slow over his previous single target slow.
Bad Notes of the Rework:
- Decoy lost its ability to distract objectives which were unique to Loki's trickery.
Loki's laugh cannot be heard by the user so it's hard to figure out if the enemy could hear it.- Some Loki skins (Infiltrator) make much louder and exaggerated laughs which make them almost impossible to use to sneak.
- Loki's Flurry is very delayed and an overall dmg decrease compared to auto canceling.
- Loki is no longer effectively played like an assassin but rather a good bruiser harasser.
In my opinion, what makes Loki an assassin or warrior is determined by his Flurry ability. Something needs to change in Loki's kit to make him more of an assassin. Loki is awkward to play because there is a mix of the new and the old Loki in his kit with the quick auto canceling with his Vanish and Decoy, but slow and delayed Flurry and Assassinate. It does not feel like the best of both worlds.
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