Kog'Maw, the Mouth of the Abyss
Overview:
Despite being such an early addition to League's roster, Kog'Maw has always had a strong identity - only really needing a minor update on Riot's part to give the little grub a bit more counterplay and room for skill expression.
These changes aren't meant to stop Kog'Maw from being an adorable, acid-spitting siege engine, but rather to use existing elements of his identity to give him more distinct and synergistic strengths while further playing up the hunger that seems to be a natural part of all voidlings.
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While exploding on enemies upon death is by no means a bad function to give a champion, Kog'Maw's current Innate feels more like a consolation prize for failure, rather than a tool that can help him find success. This new Innate, while explaining where all that vomit comes from, should also further reward supports for protecting Kog during his formative early levels while curbing some of his mana hunger.
Kog'Maw's previous slime trail wasn't out of place on an acidic, low-mobility character that wants to keep their distance, but Kayn losing the ability to ghost through walls provided an opportunity for a more thematic defense mechanism. While this replaces some damage and utility with (much-needed) survivability, it should also let Kog's long range and vision-granting ultimate shine even more.
All values in blue are meant to give a general idea of the ability's properties, and are subject to change.
Class: Marksman
Recommended Positions: Duo Sidelane (Carry)
Complexity: Low
Innate: Void Ooze
Enemies that die within 3 seconds of being damaged by Kog'Maw leave behind Void Ooze for 8 seconds, which Kog'Maw can eat by walking over to restore 2% mana. Every 6 drops of
Void Ooze eaten grants Kog'Maw 10% bonus mana regeneration.
If Kog'Maw attacks a minion within 250 units, he will instead bite it, executing it and instantly gaining Void Ooze's benefits if it's below (175% total AD) health.
Q: Caustic Spittle
PASSIVE: Kog'Maw gains 15/20/25/30/35% bonus attack speed.
ACTIVE: Kog'Maw launches a corrosive projectile in the target direction, dealing 90/140/190/240/290 + (50% AP) magic damage to the first enemy it hits and reducing their armor and magic resistance by 20/22/24/26/28% for 4 seconds.
Range: 1130
Targeting Type: Skill Shot - Line
Cooldown: 8
Cost: 40 mana
W: Bio-Arcane Barrage
For the next 8 seconds, Kog'Maw's basic attacks gain 130/150/170/190/210 bonus range and deal 3/3.75/4.5/5.25/6% + (1 per 100 AP)% of the target's maximum health as bonus magic damage against non-structures.
Every 6 drops of Void Ooze eaten permanently reduces Bio-Arcane Barrage's cooldown by 0.25 seconds.
Bio-Arcane Barrage's bonus damage is capped at 100 against minions and monsters.
Range: Self
Targeting Type: None
Cooldown: 14 (once effects end)
Cost: 40 mana
E: Churn
Kog'Maw gains 40% bonus movement speed, is ghosted, and can ignore terrain for 1.5 seconds. During this time, he leaves behind a trail of acidic drool that persists for 4 seconds, slowing enemies by 20/28/36/44/52% and dealing 25/40/55/70/85 + (15% AP) magic damage to them each second while they stand within it. Immobilizing effects will interrupt Burrow.
The first time Kog'Maw tunnels through terrain, he is healed for 48 to 328 (based on level). If he's not in combat with enemy champions, Burrow's duration is increased by 4/4.5/5/5.5/6 seconds. While tunneling through terrain, Kog'Maw has unobstructed vision.
Receiving damage from an enemy champion or dealing ability damage to them after the duration is increased reduces the remaining duration to 1.5 seconds. The effect also cannot remain active out of terrain for longer than 1.5 seconds and will cancel completely if Kog'Maw uses a basic attack.
Range: Self, 250 (trail width)
Targeting Type: None
Cooldown: 21/19/17/15/13
Cost: 90 mana
R: Living Artillery
Kog'Maw launches a ball of acid into the air that drops after 0.6 seconds at the target location, dealing 100/140/180 + (65% bonus AD) + (25% AP) magic damage, increased by 0% to 50% (based on the target's missing health), and revealing enemies hit for 2 seconds. Living Artillery's damage is doubled against enemies below 40% health.
Each subsequent Living Artillery within the next 8 seconds costs an additional 40 mana, capping at 400 per use.
Range: 1300/1550/1800
Targeting Type: Skill Shot - Circle
Cooldown: 2/1.5/1
Cost: 40 mana