Akali - Before the Rework

Finally, the Rogue Assassin, or as she was known before her rework, the Fist of Shadow.

We have a discord too:

New Twitter:

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Turns out the first forum post in the video was for OLD Akali when I was supposed to find one for new Akali. Here's two modern Akali "balance discussions", just pretend I use them instead.

Took me over five rewatches to finally notice that.

Couldn't post, edit, or stream for a long time since I got sick, and some of the redone lines in this video unfortunately are me while still a bit sick. Hopefully fully better for next video.

Timestamps:
0:00 Introduction
0:33 Release Akali & Early Assassins
2:17 Old Akali Abilities
6:39 Old Akali in Play
7:55 Akali 1st Rework & Stealth Changes
9:54 Akali Rework
14:50 The State of Akali Post-Rework
16:41 K/DA Tinfoil Hat
17:25 Conclusion
19:49 Outro

Video credits: (In order of appearance, forgot to add credits in video)

See my AD Thresh Itemisation Guide on MOBAFire:

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Music used in order:
Zelda & Chill III - Hyrule Field - Gamechops
Zelda & Chill - Kakariko Village - Gamechops
Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Master Kohga Battle
Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel OST - Battle Theme #5
K/DA - POP/STARS Instrumental
Zelda & Chill III - Hyrule Field - Gamechops

Hey, you read the description, big PP energy to you!

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Now for some random tags and stuff for the algorithm, ignore these:
#LoL #Akali #BeforetheRework

[lekoe]

I totally forgot her R had a stun on first cast right after the rework, that's nuts

[GuardianGrarl]

Her back in the new splash art deserves its own After the Rework.

[chedisLoL]

Seeing old Season 3/4 footage makes me wish for a League classic server where they maintain the game from season 3/4 without any new champions or major patches.

[nocreepnocreep]

A big part of the Akali rework for me was how it affected the lore. Unlike Mundo or Warwick where their lore was just retconed, Akali’s took the approach gangplank did and pushed the story further. Having her leave the kinku order from shen and Kennen and fight the noxians who invade Iona her own way.

[spearhead]

I still 100% miss the old Akali. Ever since the rework I've never found her actually fun to play. Whether it was at the beginning when she was most broken to after the nerfs to somewhat balance her or still now. Whether Im doing well and carrying or if Im feeding, I have about the same amount enjoyment, which is very little. The old Akali on the other hand, I could enjoy whether I was doing well or not. She was simply a fun champ to play. I haven't felt that enjoyment from any other champion since then. I can still enjoy some matches, but goodness its all disappointing compared to the fun I had with my Akali back in Seasons 7 and 8 before the rework. While I know it won't happen now, I've dreamed of a rework ever since.

[IYPITWL]

Old Akali had a clear trade window: Q and wait till mark almost falls off, then auto-Q-auto. This was her best burst combo and you used her W shroud to help pull that off and used E when possible for extra damage. She was really fun, and had clear counterplay. A pink ward would reveal her in shroud, negating the invisibility.

What you say about old Akali players disliking the rework is true. While I miss the investment of all the old champs I've played that get reworked (except Quinn - her being a bird was weird) Akali is the one I dislike the most. I never touch the new champ and she was my most played before.

[ZanZerejin]

I remember a EUphoria episode (LEC podcast) where they were talking to a developer about new champs (and Akali was mentioned in this) and pros got to ask questions too. Bwipo asked why the newer champs have a overloaded kit and the answer they got was "It's easier to remove something if it is too much then add". So that is why newer champs quite often have too much, easier to remove then to add. Even if it is unhealty for the game.

[elbashaanas]

I was old Akali main, I actually had 70% win rate with her and I even got 43 kills once in a high platinum game, I took a break from league and after😮 4 years of hiatus, I came back and I couldn’t find my old Akali, The new one is very confusing for me.

[Neotenico]

I definitely agree that Riot overtuned Akali in order to make money off the K/DA project, and feel the same way about Kai'Sa.

As far as ignoring turret vision goes, I think this was an effort by Riot to add a new mechanic to the game. It took as long as it did to remove because I think they really wanted that mechanic to work out, but after realizing it was pretty much impossible to balance something like that, they had to scrap it.

[hannemanisunderrated]

I miss old Akali so so much. She was the first assassin I ever played when I started and I had around 100k on her. I play the new one sometimes but I prefer the old one.

[EclipsaMyrtenaster]

I miss the old Akali, man. The rework was fun, especially when you can cast her ult on the ground. Really fun to do the trick where you'll ult on the side then flash on top of the enemy champ to stun them

[CptShrimps]

The biggest tragedy of the Akali rework is losing the old Blood Moon Akali skin. The new one doesn't hit nearly the same :'(

[myonwontstfu]

The only ap assassin I am ready to call fair is Eve. I know it's an opinion very little people share but I believe assassins should only have escapes if their kits lack something else essential. Their job is cleanup, so they have no right to get out alive if they failed to do the job. At least tie their escapes to very long cooldowns that are also important damage tools so they must sacrifice pick potential if they wanna escape

[hisnameiskish]

Pre-Rework Akali was literally my favorite champion in the game. I am deeply saddened that I lost another favorite to Reworks that completely changed their kits. Her skill expression came from understanding how to play match ups and then your mechanics on how to play fights/get out of the early game. Because she was so one dimensional it meant that good players could exploit you for not being good in lane and just relying on Akali being really good with a lead. It also meant that her early laning was really exploitable by a lot of champions as well by keeping you behind and barely able to farm. However, Rework Akali is honestly one of the coolest champions in the game and feels so good to play when you figure out the new kit, and so fun to watch at the highest levels of play. The Rework was really well done. So, while I would give almost anything for Old Akali back, I wouldn't want it to be at the expense of losing New Akali. I really wish they would do like a "Blast from the Past" event or game mode where you can play Reworked champions in their Pre-Rework state. Would be so fun to play old Akali, Scion, and Irelia again. That or release some of the more popular ones as like "New Champions" where they have the same kits, but it's like an old mentor or parent or they were brought in from the past by some big event in Runeterra. I just want old Akali back without losing new Akali.

[JugandoJueguitos]

Thanks to this series I learned that Riot's approach is really simple. Just make everything a Skillshot

[UltimateGround]

Well damn, Akali was busted but not even her can get me out of bronze

[MrsCookieCream]

She was the first champion I hit lvl 7 with but I could not play her at all after her rework. I like simple champions and for me her play style changed way too much so I couldn’t really enjoy her after that. Now I only play her maybe once a year.

[avocowdov.]

Sucks the old akali tank build was not mentioned. That build terrorizes the high elo solo q in kr for a while she tanks deals tons of dmg and heals a ton leading her to tank more.

[gladJonas]

Pre rework Akali was my favorite champion by far, after the changes she's just a different champ

[Abbyyssall]

Have been playing league since season 1, in season 2~3 i started playing almost only with Akali until her rework and was excited for her rework because riot almost never changed her, she was abandoned... Now I just miss so so much the old Akali (She was so abandoned that there was a game breaking "feature" on her kit that stayed until her rework, that was: getting out of her W circle before using a skill or aa and instantly coming back would still let her be invisible without delay... so yeah, i remember killing darius and pantheon without they even touching me)