Change Korhal and Buffer

[ThunderDrop]

So I feel like Korhal and Buffer are unnecessarily boring items that are forced onto certain characters depending on your team composition. Both items work exactly the same in terms of mechanics and benefits except that one gives physical resist while the other spell resist. The benefit for your team by including these items is big enough that every team needs to be bringing both of them to every team fight. Here is the problem though... if the benefit of the items makes them an automatic buy than in most cases, both teams will bring both a korhal and buffer to their team fights negating the real bonus that the items bring as you are essentially only evening the battlefield by having them. In essence, when you have team fights, all characters on both sides in the fight are going to be receiving the buffer aura and the korhal aura. Why then have these items at all?

 

On top of the fact that every team is going to get these items therefor the effect of them is negligible, the players who actually buy these items are being penalized. The items provide only mediocre benefits to the player who actually holds them and so the player is being asked to reduce their own effectiveness in order to provide a team benefit that only serves to keep you on equal footing with the other team. In effect, the question is not... "who is going to help out the team?" but rather, "who is going to take a hit for the team?"

 

Together, these two factors make playing a supportive game both boring and unappealing. I'm not saying that the role is unnecessary but that these items make people dislike the support role in AoS.

 

I propose a change...

 

In short... merge Korhal and Buffer and make the aura effect a toggle with a 3 second cd between physical resist and spell resist as well as making the aura unable to stack.

 

This helps us in two ways: First, this would force teams to choose between having superior physical resist or superior spell resist in a team fight and not both. Usually your team will choose based on the enemy team composition but this will mean that at least some skills or characters on the enemy team are not going to be effected by your aura. This forces a state of compromise that the enemy team can potentially exploit. Second, the player who gets roped into getting the support item is now playing an important role in buying the item. This player gets to choose what is going to hurt more in team battles. Additionally, you introduce the potential to toggle the effect mid battle depending on which characters are engaging in the moment.

 

I feel like if you made these changes you would be changing a part of what it means to be in a support role from an obligation to an enjoyable task. Instead of being forced to play a less important role in team fights in order to provide an even battleground you are being asked to take charge of anticipating the needs of the team and ensuring that your team takes the least amount of damage. I'm sure that this was the intention of the items in the first place.

[taznkid]

You clearly do not understand the idea of Support hero...

 

These items, of course you would not get it on say, Vergil or Nova. That's because this would hinder their damage tremendously.

You get it on heroes like Micro Gravitus or Rory. Why? Because their skills are so item independent, they are still immensely effective even getting these aura items.

 

Your argument also seems all over the place....first you say the item provides mediocre benefits, then you say that aura can play a big role.

I'm so confused.....maybe it's just your wording or something but I don't understand.

 

Do those items still give Cooldown Reduction? I can't quite remember...if they do, then they are fine, if they don't, then I think they should.

Edited April 23, 2015 by taznkid

[ThunderDrop]

The items give only mediocre benefits to the character who holds them while the aura over your team is where the real benefit is found. The aura effect is negated though when both teams bring the same items to a team fight. My suggestion is simply to make the item set actually make a difference in the game because right now they don't unless you are facing a pub team of noobs who don't have any team work.

[WhaleTits]

by that argument, any given item that both teams have "is negated" simply because both teams have the item.

[taznkid]

The items give only mediocre benefits to the character who holds them while the aura over your team is where the real benefit is found. The aura effect is negated though when both teams bring the same items to a team fight. My suggestion is simply to make the item set actually make a difference in the game because right now they don't unless you are facing a pub team of noobs who don't have any team work.

The VERY FACT that you have to get it is important. Why? Because if you do not, your team is suffering. Furthermore....mediocre benefits? Korhal and Buffer have some of (if not THE BEST) resistance stats in the game, with a chunk of health, and also builds from the very nice GP3 item Miner's Goggles.

 

The very above fact influences In-House drafts, because those auras (along with Chilling Artifact) can make a difference in a team fight.

[Doom]

by that argument, any given item that both teams have "is negated" simply because both teams have the item.

 

If it's an aura item that affects all of your team and all the other team, then technically yes (unless we are talking about one team being composed of spellcasters vs a team of only AA and both only getting spell buffer, thus hurting the spellcasters a lot more than aa-reliant physical damage dealers. I think he just wants to get buff to the individual bonuses of both, to make something like the defense equivalent of Coat of Arms, an item that is worth getting on some heroes, even if you are never beside your teammates.

[ThunderDrop]

If it's an aura item that affects all of your team and all the other team, then technically yes (unless we are talking about one team being composed of spellcasters vs a team of only AA and both only getting spell buffer, thus hurting the spellcasters a lot more than aa-reliant physical damage dealers.

This is part of the motivation behind my suggestion. The other reason is because the items do not add any dynamic to the game aside from saying, "hey... come stand beside me... oh wait... you're doing that anyways because it is a team fight."

 

In short, they do not give any advantage to one team or the other if you are versing an even somewhat competent team and they do not reward either the player who holds the item or the team that is trying to take advantage of the item because your behavior would be the same whether korhal and buffer existed or if they did not.

 

If you took them right out of the game... I do not feel like the game would feel any different and to me, that seems a shame.

[taznkid]

This is part of the motivation behind my suggestion. The other reason is because the items do not add any dynamic to the game aside from saying, "hey... come stand beside me... oh wait... you're doing that anyways because it is a team fight."

 

In short, they do not give any advantage to one team or the other if you are versing an even somewhat competent team and they do not reward either the player who holds the item or the team that is trying to take advantage of the item because your behavior would be the same whether korhal and buffer existed or if they did not.

 

If you took them right out of the game... I do not feel like the game would feel any different and to me, that seems a shame.

Ahh okay now THAT i can understand. And I DO have to agree with that. Taking the item out...well, it might hurt the income of tanks/supports due to lack of good GP3 items, and it gives them a bit less options for HP/Resist, but besides that you don't lose much.

[EterNity]

These items are not being forced into anybody. They are just necessary for a team's success. It's all opportunity cost on which team members carry it.

[ThunderDrop]

They are just necessary for a team's success.

This is exactly the point though. The items are necessary... but they are entirely boring. My suggestion makes for an item that would still be necessary but at least adds to the dynamics of the game instead of simply existing.

[WhaleTits]

If it's an aura item that affects all of your team and all the other team, then technically yes (unless we are talking about one team being composed of spellcasters vs a team of only AA and both only getting spell buffer, thus hurting the spellcasters a lot more than aa-reliant physical damage dealers. I think he just wants to get buff to the individual bonuses of both, to make something like the defense equivalent of Coat of Arms, an item that is worth getting on some heroes, even if you are never beside your teammates.

 

Its not a global aura, and it doesn't persist after the holder dies. So no. Even in a mirror match up, it doesn't make any sense to say that both teams having the item negates its value/effect. And while I do agree that the items themselves aren't the most inspiring, they are also the "purely defensive" support options, as opposed to more offensive options such as silver soul, kassia, and eternal drive. Not every support item should have an active otherwise supports would literally be running around with 10 abilities.

[NoWaterJustIce]

Its not a global aura, and it doesn't persist after the holder dies. So no. Even in a mirror match up, it doesn't make any sense to say that both teams having the item negates its value/effect. And while I do agree that the items themselves aren't the most inspiring, they are also the "purely defensive" support options, as opposed to more offensive options such as silver soul, kassia, and eternal drive. Not every support item should have an active otherwise supports would literally be running around with 10 abilities.

 

You forgot the taser and sword breaker (though the first is more likely)

[Jaysi]

You don't even get these items every game. If you're against a comp with no AA carry (let's say they took a caster carry), then you don't necessarily need an item like chilling unless you enjoy it as a push hero. Sometimes the enemy team has no significant spell or physical damage, and you can skip getting one, especially when you only have one tank and no support. Also the enemy composition will effect your build order of these items, some heroes are strong early game and you will pick up that defensive item earlier than others.

 

It is not as black and white as you make it out to be.

[taznkid]

You don't even get these items every game. If you're against a comp with no AA carry (let's say they took a caster carry), then you don't necessarily need an item like chilling unless you enjoy it as a push hero. Sometimes the enemy team has no significant spell or physical damage, and you can skip getting one, especially when you only have one tank and no support. Also the enemy composition will effect your build order of these items, some heroes are strong early game and you will pick up that defensive item earlier than others.

 

It is not as black and white as you make it out to be.

True enough. Every so often I have a game where Spell Buffer is not needed, and if their primary Physical Damage is Cain and Starscream, then Chilling would probably not help that much (since their abilities dish out Physical Damage fine regardless of the debuff).

 

Korhal though I think you pretty much need every game.

[OPReN]

You don't really need both depending on enemys comp...

[Jaysi]

You don't really need both depending on enemys comp...

 

Thanks for reading my post upren

[OPReN]

Thanks for reading my post upren

Don't force opren to read

it's TL;DR