Good afternoon everyone and welcome to this week's FOTM report. This week's champion, Ziggs hasn't seen a strong spike in solo queue play (yet), but is certainly seeing his fair share of play in the professional scene along with many other champions that benefit from Luden's Echo.
Introduction
Good afternoon everyone and welcome to this week's FOTM report. This week's champion, Ziggs hasn't seen a strong spike in solo queue play (yet), but is certainly seeing his fair share of play in the professional scene along with many other champions that benefit from Luden's Echo.History of Ziggs
Originally a champion renown for being an extremely obnoxious stalling champion that prolonged games to a point where it was extremely boring for spectators to watch, Ziggs received nerfs on his Q - Bouncing Bomb in terms of radius as well as a huge cooldown nerf his ultimate late in Season 4.
In a similar time frame, Athene's Unholy Grail was also nerfed several times, making Morellonomicon a much stronger AP item in comparison, one that favored "burst" champions rather than high mana cost "poke" champions.
Why Is He Popular Now?
Personal Buffs
After a long period of time, Ziggs finally received a mana reduction on his bouncing bomb in Patch 5.6.
Item Nerfs/Buffs:
Nerfs on Morellonomicon in patch 5.1 and buffs on Athene's Unholy Grail in patch 5.6 indirectly reduced the power of burst champions and increased the power of poke champions.
LUDEN'S ECHO
This item brings back much of what Ziggs lost in when the radius of his Bouncing Bomb was reduced. Not only that, but it also allows him to consistently full clear waves using his Q much earlier than usual, as well as continuously providing long range burst damage across enemy teams.
Thoughts on Ziggs
Way, way, way back when Ziggs was first introduced, almost nobody played him except for phantomlord. He was a risky, highly skill-based champion until Season 3, when his Satchel Charge was increased from 275 to 325 radius. At this point, he finally had a decent escape mechanism and finally accrued enough buffs to be a threat.
As he stands now, I think he's very viable and likely sits in the middle of Tier 1 to the top half of Tier 2 where I have him now. As things progress I may start moving him up for the waveclear and poke master he is.
He's super annoying to deal with, unless you have a dash/blink, his satchel charge wrecks everyone. And cool new skin,
ReplyDelete@SSJ I am not sure I like the way you explain the nerf to his Q.
ReplyDeleteIt was a trigger radius nerf NOT a nerf to AoE Damage and Luden's certainly doesn't change much except for the extra damage which, as you pointed out, allows for even quicker/more efficient wave clear.
arcanist ziggs op. 3badass5me
ReplyDeleteYou accidentally said nerf instead of buff in the personal buffs section.
ReplyDeleteI think he meant a reduction, which is a buff...
ReplyDeleteNerf = Lower in this case...? Or maybe just a typo...
He means a mana cost reduction
ReplyDeleteExactly, I agree. Ziggs is AWESOME!!!!!! sick... if enemy doesnt have pro assassin. even then
ReplyDeleteYou should maybe mention how Vel'koz's release affected him. I think I remember you mentioning that Vel'koz is the new long range, wave-clear champion on the block back when you dropped him out of God tier after his ult cooldown got nerfed.
ReplyDeleteI've played a lot of Ziggs. I had a higher than 80% win rate in Season 3, with around 30-40 played games. Not just nowadays, but as i got better in league i found Ziggs to be unreliant that it becames boring to play him.
ReplyDeleteIf you don't get a lead or get camped pretty hard it became quite impossible for you to stay on your own, specially without flash as your only escape mechanism tends to be your W, plus, even with scalling or flat mana regen runes he runs out of mana quite quickly, if you get someone with wave clear (even if it's meele, for example Riven, with her shield and dodging abilities, even if you harass her a lot, she can out sustain you and without mana you can't even Ult bot or top lane) considering you have to run Chalice on Ziggs delaying your power spike. I'm gold so i might be horrible wrong but that's my opinion, as someone who reads/analize/watch a lot of league.
Still think that in Solo Q Ziggs is a bad pick for several reasons.
ReplyDelete1. Because of the current "tank-meta" his Q will just get absorbed by the front line. Most of the time during mid-late game the opponent would have build an Locket of Solari which pretty much negates all of his Q damage to the tanks.
2. Most Mid Mains tend to main Assassins like Zed/LB/Katarina/Ahri which can destroy Ziggs Level 6+. Also they will outroam Ziggs pretty easily.
3. Incredible vulnerable to all in team comps which are run pretty often in the current meta (Hecarim/Shyvana/Sejuani/Leona).
I think he still does pretty good against other utility mid laners like Lulu/Orianna/Heimerdinger/Luz but I still think (besides Heimer) they bring more Utility to a teamfight.
I do think with a heavy front line (2/3 tanks with a great disengage kit) who can peel real good combined with another poke heavy champ (EZ/Corki/Kog'Maw) he is very viable.
yeah fuckeronies.. I hate those front line tank fuckeronies if they are pro and stay at the front and Carries hide well. but it depends on your ELO. Rank ranges.
ReplyDeleteDunno what to say you have good reasons but if you can play ziggs, it is what it is. you can rekt. You can escape with the stachel charge. run to the edge of it then bounce away.
It's easy to reposition yourself but still it's kinda unreliable and not that good for evading skillshots.
ReplyDeleteAnd what you said, ELO really makes a difference. Till Gold people just want to go all in on the carries and the ones that are really fed win, or just bad focus, or just plain luck. I have never ever lost lane with Ziggs, even vs the likes of a Zed or Kata, but in a TF without proper peeling you are just useless.
OT: I hate it when you lose a TF and as ADC you get blamed for focussing the tanks. As ADC you are the only that can DPS the tanks down.
yup rank makes a diff
ReplyDeleteThe only adcs that can even damage tanks this meta are Vayne, kog and maybe kalista unless you are extremely fed and the tanks are behind. Other than that, if you are focusing tanks as ADC, you should be getting raged at.
ReplyDeleteNot really correct Jim. As stated if a tank is low, kill it and also in let's say a corridor fight are you supposed to walk in melee range of the tanks so that you can reach the carries on the other side?
ReplyDeleteWhy choose Ziggs over Xerath? Xerath seems to do everything but better
ReplyDeleteHum, im sure that you need to know that how to clear the wave, the first minutes of the game before you got the athene
ReplyDeleteNot having to charge Q is nice. Ahh and Ziggs' ulti is a bit more... Explosive.
ReplyDeleteI just bought this champ and am having a ton of fun with him, though it would be nice if the aiming reticle showed where the bomb would bounce (Like what it shows when Heimerdinger ults his grenade)
ReplyDeleteNow that could be useful.
ReplyDeleteI am surprised that I hadn't thought about that. D:
1. Xerath has less kiting (Minefield + Satchel > Stun + single-cast slow)
ReplyDelete2. Xerath has less aoe with his ult (Mega Inferno Bomb > Rite of the Arcane). Also, it's way easier to dodge Xerath R than Ziggs R.
3. Xerath has zero mobility (Ziggs has satchel)
Would appreciate if you included things like counters and who to pick Ziggs into. Not necessary but always appreciate some insight on FOTM champs.
ReplyDeleteViable or not, Ziggs has to be one of the most fun mid laners ever created. I mean, come on, a little crazy rat with a grin on his face who throws bombs all day? Take my money
ReplyDeleteViable for sure. OP? dont know.
ReplyDeleteI didn't say he was op, just said he's fun, and as any poke champion he suffers from the same weakness as the others, it just takes an all-in to bring him down easily
ReplyDeleteAlways fun when you land two Qs on a carry and then they have to back or die, making it a 4v5.
ReplyDeleteOh yes sorry my friend. You didnt get what I meant 100% =). I was just saying that as a statement. I know you didnt say he is op lol.
ReplyDeleteYEAH. All-In r4pists can kill him.
yeh exactly. One Q blasts... real hard
ReplyDeleteYeah if you get ahead on Ziggs with just Sorc's, Athene's, and Luden's you can almost Q + R anyone who is weak (APC or ADC more than likely) and kill them.
ReplyDeleteOh and gotta love stealing objectives. 2 Barons and a few dragons yesterday.
LMAO! True!!! Athenes.... for de stats. so you can spam at peace.
ReplyDeleteSorcerer's Shoes for MS of course and magic pen that is needed. then Luden's Echo the shocker blaster AP item. Really hurts. Then would be good to buy Void Staff and maybe some tankiness perhaps (rylai?) in the later game.
You could go Rylai's.
ReplyDeleteI recommend getting Rabadon's after Luden's. Then Void Staff. Last item is optional. Zhonya's is always good as well.
Also, only go for Luden's if you are doing well early because getting it while behind isn't nearly as good as Rabadon's.