Riot Targets Akali with Nerfs
Riot has been taking player complaints about excessive damage in League of Legends seriously by implementing nerfs. Following recent nerfs to champions like Irelia and Galio, Riot has now turned its attention to Akali.
The nerfs being tested for Akali specifically target her Q and W abilities, which are important for laning. Her Q will no longer provide self-heal, and her W’s invisibility mechanic will no longer hide her from towers. Additionally, her W cooldown will be increased.
Perceived Frustration and Professional Play
Although Akali currently has poor win rates and ranks low among meta champions for both top and mid lanes according to the Champion.gg stats site, the changes being made to her W are not meant to impact her solo queue stats. Instead, the goal is to reduce the “perceived frustration” of playing against her. The implication is that Akali’s W is so frustrating to play against that it affects the mindset of opponents, even if she isn’t actually a strong champion. This change raises the question of whether it is significantly different from other frustrating champion mechanics like Teemo’s blind.
On the other hand, the change to Akali’s Q is likely to be welcomed, as it will make her weaker in professional play. Akali is frequently picked in pro play due to the sustain provided by her Q during the laning phase and the kill threat she possesses at level six. By nerfing her Q, Riot aims to bring more balance between professional play and solo queue.
The Future of Akali
However, it is puzzling why Riot is nerfing Akali without providing any compensating buffs. After her rework last year, it would be unfortunate to see her become obsolete due to excessive nerfs.