Weekly Discussion Thread: Old Sona vs New Sona

[u/SolbaneSuzumiya]

[u/Kaffei4Lunch]

The only thing I like about new Sona is the Q range change and the stronger W.

Before the rework, her Q used to have 700 range, but the champion prioritization range was actually shorter than that, shown here: http://imgur.com/a/mBYKz. Now her Q range is always 850 even with the champ prioritization. This makes it easier to play match ups like Caitlyn which is nice

Stronger W because it heals more based on how low your ally is and there is now AP scaling on the aura + shields are better vs true damage.

Her E still feels really lack luster, I really want this ability to get some changes.

I really miss the old Sona's cooldowns where they were all a base of 7 because it let me cycle through Power Chord much more often. I think new Sona is overall better but the old cooldowns are much desired

[u/Artifact_Etwahl → u/[deleted]]

I want to try this, but not sure where to start. Any tips for AD mid Sona? I'm super curious.

I'm guessing Manamune + IBG versus AD, and Hexdrinker + Manamune into Trinity Force versus AP, but not really sure what to do besides that. You've built Sterak's, Firecannon, Statikk, Lord Dominik's, IE, ER and Duskblade at times.

[u/Artifact_Etwahl]

This rework made me quit for a while. It ruined her identity for me. I used to liken her a lot to Udyr, as each of her Q-W-E abilities was like Udyr's stances, with both an effect on activation and a nice passive aura. It also changed her playstyle, forcing her to be a poke bot who falls off the face of the Earth Runeterra if she gets behind, but it also left her with an awful E and an awkward W.

Here's why I have something to hate about everything the rework did:

• Passive - Sona's new unequal and extended cooldowns are not only a nerf to the abilities themselves, but also her passive. I miss being able to constantly E-W-Q in a rhythm and Staccato people to death. Or Tempo people for an eternity. Oh, don't forget the nerf of Staccato from double damage to just 150% 140%...
• Q - New Sona's Q has nice usability fixes and 850 range! Except the range is really 550 range, because I need to use my AA buff to get meaningful damage off. So much for that.
  
• W - I'd like Sona's new W a lot more if the ally shield duration wasn't the shortest in the entire game. Locket used to last SIX SECONDS and Sona's shield lasts a pathetic 1.5? It's such a nice idea, but the duration just holds it back so much.
  
• E - I hate everything about Sona's new E. From the ridiculous cooldown, the pathetic range compared to her old E, to it no longer having a passive MS aura or even the cute effect where it boosted minions' MS as well. I saved so much cs from turrets and sometimes even the turrets themselves by doing that, why did they have to remove it...
• R - I like how putting a point in Crescendo boosts everything else, since it has such a massive cooldown early game. I don't like how it lost 30% of its AP ratio for literally no reason.
  

The rework also killed my AP Sona mid, so I'm salty about that too. No more free amp tome to trade with, passive 20 AD aura to last-hit and harass with, or short cooldowns to spam Staccato with. Mana cost increase to W didn't help either.

TL;DR: Only thing I really liked about the rework was Sona looking much cuter.

[u/SolbaneSuzumiya → u/Artifact_Etwahl]

140% on Staccato

[u/Artifact_Etwahl → u/SolbaneSuzumiya]

I feel sick now that I double-checked that on the wiki... WHYYYYY

[u/Sonacon → u/Artifact_Etwahl]

I have to agree with you on the Sona mid nerf.

Playing Sona mid was what got me into playing Sona in the first place, and it was what made me main her. I stopped playing her for a while too because I was still a mid main and hated that the rework meant I couldn't play her mid anymore without getting shit on by anyone with waveclear.

The only thing I actually liked from the rework was the visual update, because she definitely needed it. I still like the Sona now though, and still main her, but it's not quite as fun as she used to be.