Kassadin: A Forgotten Champion Reemerges in the Esports Scene
Kassadin, a champion that was overshadowed after the 5.4 nerfs, has recently received some love from Riot Games. In this article, we will discuss why Kassadin is just as good, if not better, than before the nerfs.
If you prefer to listen to an explanation, check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDvJA5JxJt8. Please note that the video quality is not the best, and I apologize for that.
1. Patch Difference
Let’s first look at what happened from patch 5.3 to 5.4.
- Riftwalk range: reduced from 700 to 450 (ranged champions have an average 525-550 AA range)
- Riftwalk mana cost: reduced from 75 to 60 mana
These were significant nerfs. The slight reduction in mana cost hardly compensated for the decreased range in Riftwalk. It quickly became evident that Kassadin was not as strong as before, particularly at higher levels of play. His engage and poke potential during teamfights became weak, and long-range marksmen could easily damage him without fear of retaliation.
Now, let’s move on to patch 5.5.
- Riftwalk cooldown: reduced from 7/5/3 to 6/4/2
- Riftwalk range: increased from 450 to 500
- Riftwalk mana cost: reduced from 60 to 50 mana
This patch brought only buffs for Kassadin. The range of Riftwalk slightly increased, the mana cost decreased further, allowing for more ultimates before the mana cost becomes too high. Additionally, the cooldown reduction enables more frequent jumps. However, these changes did not immediately convince players.
Let’s analyze the overall difference between patch 5.3 and 5.5, as many people tend to focus on individual patches.
- Range: reduced from 700 to 500 (a decrease of approximately 29% in range)
- Mana cost: reduced from 75 to 50 mana (a decrease of 33% per stack)
- Cooldown: reduced from 7/5/3 to 6/4/2 (a decrease of 14% at level 6, 20% at level 11, and 33% at level 16)
It’s important to note that his overall burst damage remained unchanged. Despite losing some range on his ultimate ability, Kassadin can now use it more frequently with lower mana costs. This allows him to afford more ultimates throughout the game.
2. The Math
Let’s analyze the impact of these changes using an example.
In patch 5.3, Kassadin could perform 3 ultimate jumps, whereas in patch 5.5, he can perform 4 jumps at level 16.
- Range: 2100 – 2000
- Mana cost: 525 – 750
- Cooldown: 9 seconds – 8 seconds
Comparing the two, you pay an additional 225 mana to jump 100 range less, but you can do so 1 second quicker. Overall, this change is manageable since the damage remains unchanged. It’s important to consider that the additional ultimate and stacking can increase the damage output. Additionally, the slight decrease in range allows for easier activation of Lich Bane if purchased. Another advantage is the ability to potentially jump over 4 walls, increasing the effectiveness of Kassadin’s mobility in close quarters like the jungle.
Although his early-game range potential was nerfed, the reduced mana costs make it easier to continue fighting with other abilities. The lower cooldown makes it easier to engage or escape over walls more frequently. In a vacuum, his ultimate ability wasn’t significantly nerfed in terms of range, and the buffs in mana and cooldown open up opportunities for even more mobility, which skilled Kassadin players can leverage, especially in confined spaces.
While it’s true that you will have less range in many situations, you will have more mana to use, increased damage output, and lower cooldowns to make plays. Adjusting to the reduced range and adapting your wall-jumping strategies will lead to success. Kassadin is at least as strong as before in patch 5.5, with a safe laning phase against most AP champions and immense kill threat in the late game, making him a formidable pick in both soloQ and competitive play.
3. Kassadin in the Current Meta
Kassadin is currently a sleeper pick in the meta. Unless teams start playing and winning with him, he won’t regain popularity. You can contribute to his resurgence by playing him in ranked or normal games. He performs exceptionally well against many top picks in the current meta. If you don’t think he’s worth banning or picking in ranked, be warned, as I will not hesitate to pick him and wreak havoc on your team. Moreover, he remains a useful pick in the competitive scene and can be flexed into the top lane. He is one of the few AP champions who can handle LeBlanc and even outscales her.
In the future, I will release a comprehensive guide on how to play Kassadin, including matchups and strategies for both soloQ and competitive play.
Thank you for reading, and if you have any comments or questions, feel free to reach out to me on Twitter @antdrioite.
keywords: Kassadin, champion, nerfs, Riot Games, range, mana cost, cooldown reduction, buffs, damage, mobility, meta, competitive play, soloQ