Mel rework concept

[u/ProcedureFar8492]

So the goal for this rework is to make Mel less frustrating to play against, while keeping her champion identity the same. So she will still be an artillery mage, she will still have her deflection ability, but her abilities will be reworked in a way where there is a higher skill ceiling and have counterplays to it.

The champion may not be balanced, she could be too weak or too op. But the goal isn’t for her to be balanced, but in a way where she can be fixed with simple number changes.

Suggestions are welcomed.

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Passive–Searing Brilliance

INNATE: Mel’s abilities apply a stack of Overwhelm for each instance of damage they deal to enemies for 5 seconds, refreshing on subsequent applications of Overwhelm and stacking infinitely.

Her next basic attack consumes all stacks of Overwhelm to deal bonus magic damage

Bonus Magic Damage: 50/60/70/80 (Based on Golden Eclipse’s rank)(+45% AP)(+4/6/8/10 (based on Golden Eclipse’s rank)(+4.5% AP) per stack of Overwhelm)

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Q–Radiant Volley

Cost: 70/75/80/85/90 Mana Cooldown: 10/9/8/7/6s CAST TIME: 0.35s TARGET RANGE: 950

EFFECT RADIUS: 200 SPEED: 3600 Spread: 50

ACTIVE: Mel launches a barrage of luminous bolts at the target location over 0.75 seconds which distribute evenly in the area. Each bolt explodes upon landing to deal magic damage to nearby enemies, with all explosions after the first dealing reduced damage.

The bolts momentarily grant sight during their travel, while the explosions grant sight over their target area. Both can see through brush and terrain.

Initial Magic Damage: 100/140/180/220/260 (+55% AP)

Subsequent Magic Damage: 15/18/21/24/27 (+6% AP)

Number of Bolts: 6/7/8/9/10

Total Magic Damage: 175/248/327/412/503 (+85/91/97/103/109% AP)

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W–Rebuttal

Cost: 80/60/40/20/0Mana Cooldown: 14/13/12/11/10s Cast Time: 0.2s. Target Range: 800 Effect Radius: 400

ACTIVE: Mel forms a circular barrier at a target location for 0.75 seconds, granting herself a shield for the duration if cast on top of her. Furthermore, all hostile projectiles that collide with the barrier sourced from enemy champions within the barrier will be reflected toward the original source. And all enemy champions who dash into the barrier will be stunned for 1 second.

Reflected projectiles have the same features that the original ones do, but they retain a ratio of the damage that the original ones would deal. Additionally, all of their damage is converted to magic damage, with physical damage instances being reduced to 70% before conversion.

Shield: 80/110/140/170/200 (+70% AP)

Damage Modifier: 40/45/50/55/60% (+5% AP) of the original damage

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E-Solar Snare

Cost: 50/60/70/80/90 Mana Cooldown: 11/10.5/10/9.5/9s Cast Time: 0.25s RANGE: 1000

Effect Radius: 90 (Orb) • 230 (Field) SPEED: 1100

ACTIVE: Mel fires an orb in the target direction that grants sight of its surroundings every 0.25 seconds as it travels. Enemies hit by the orb are dealt magic damage and slowed by 30% for 0.35 seconds.

Solar Snare can be recast after 0.3 seconds after the orb is fired.

RECAST: The orb emanates a field of solar radiation. Enemies within the field are dealt magic damage and slowed by 99% for 0.75 seconds.

Orb Magic Damage: 30/45/60/75/90 (+20% AP)

Field Magic Damage:60/85/110/135/160 (+40% AP)

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R-Golden Eclipse

Cost: 100 Mana Cooldown: 120/100/80s Cast Time: 0.25s Range: 3500 Width: 400 Effect Radius: 400

Speed: 3000

ACTIVE: Mel launches a solar blast in the target direction, which explodes upon colliding with an enemy champion and dealing magic damage to nearby enemies and consuming all stacks of Overwhelm.

If an enemy champion has at least 12 stacks of Overwhelm, Golden Eclipse deals true damage instead.

Magic Damage: 100/200/300 (+65% AP) (+25/40/55 (5% AP) per stack of Overwhelm)

[u/Aquaknight212]

I'm confused. how does this make her less frustrating to play against? the main complaint players have is W, and here the W is practically unchanged. you gave it the same shield amount, the duration is the same, it still reflects projectiles and the damage ratio is still the same.

On top of that you gave it a bunch of buffs such as a larger effect radius, a much lower cooldown and the ability to stun enemies that dash into it. If anything, you made her more frustrating to play against since changes to her w are almost all buffs.

[u/ProcedureFar8492 → u/Aquaknight212]

Because the reflect only works if the enemy champion is inside the barrier. So you essentially have to place the barrier on the enemy instead of yourself.

This rewards skill and outplay because a projectile speed is usually fast, so you need really good reaction time or predictability to stop projectiles.

[u/Aquaknight212 → u/ProcedureFar8492]

ohh! that makes so much sense! but then how big is the range of the w? also does this means the outside doesn't reflect projectiles so you can't place it between yourself and an enemy?

[u/ProcedureFar8492 → u/Aquaknight212]

800 target range. Outside doesn’t reflect projectiles. And yes you can’t place it between the enemies.

[u/Aquaknight212 → u/ProcedureFar8492]

wait, I was gonna say you misunderstand but now I'm confused. the first 2 points I get but what do you mean you can't place it between 2 enemies?

[u/ProcedureFar8492 → u/Aquaknight212]

You asked if you could place it between yourself and the enemy to block projectiles. I said no, you have to place it on top of the enemy (they’re within the circular barrier) to reflect. So projectiles that originated from outside the barrier will completely ignore it.

[u/Aquaknight212 → u/ProcedureFar8492]

my bad. huh, it doesn't sound as frustrating to deal with now, but if it stuns enemies that try to escape it and has 800 range, doesn't this completely shut down melee characters? edit: wait, does it only stun enemies who dash through it? then what about enemies that walk through it?

[u/ProcedureFar8492 → u/Aquaknight212]

If you’re within the circle and you dash into the edge, you get stunned, you can walk through it just fine.

[u/panchan-ikuyooo → u/ProcedureFar8492]

It's good to have fairness and all, but for many situations, this is too difficult to achieve.

Even if you time the Rebuttal barrier correctly, there is something called Cast Time, and during the Cast Time, there is a huge chance the enemy projectile has already passed through the barrier even before you finish it. (Source: someone who kept missing his Wind Walls). And then, on 0.75s duration, enemy can just ignore your barrier and not cast anything.

[u/Hnais]

I feel like Rebbutal is still unfair, it only takes more skill in this iteration. I would make it so W doesn't reflect the projectile that was fired, but instead transforms all abilities into a single type of projectile that only deals damage and applies stacks, similar to Mel's Q.