Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Thought: Clarity

Clarity is the ultimate trap, the honeypot to which all inexperienced summoners are drawn. There is no role for which this spell is a good option. It isn't even close, Clarity is by far the worst summoner spell in the game.

The problem with Clarity is that additional mana is not as effective a tool for winning lanes or games as other mechanics. An AP mid champion with Blue buff, which returns over five times Clarity's mana and gives 20% CDR, can still lose a fight or the lane if they're down one summoner spell. Taking Clarity is a sure way to put yourself at a disadvantage; it's essentially the same as sacrificing a summoner spell for an inferior version of Blue buff.

Clarity is in many ways the last vestigial remnant of the days before the mastery remake. The other pariah summoner spells, Fortify and Rally, have been removed and replaced. Clarity alone remains an afterthought, largely undisturbed by otherwise sweeping changes. Of all the current summoner spells Clarity is ripe for a remake.

To brainstorm, a process where any and all ideas should be entertained, here are a few suggestions:
  • Make Clarity grant blue buff instead of provide an instant mana return. Possibly make it ally-targetable.
  • Make Clarity temporarily apply a Spell Vamp buff to affected targets.
  • Make Clarity apply the Zhonya's untargetable effect.

Obviously each of these ideas has a host of problems. The first potentially reduces the value of counter-jungling by making the Ancient Golem camp less important. The second is simply asking for a return to double-WotA shenanigans. The third will hard counter certain burst champions (e.g. Leblanc, Veigar). However, this is brainstorming; never let practicality get in the way of ideas when your goal is to come up with as many ideas as possible.

I highly doubt anything in my bulleted list will ever be implemented, but the bottom line is Clarity needs to be replaced. It is a terrible summoner spell, useful only in ARAM/ARAB games for laughs, as a tool for trolling, or for low-level summoners who simply don't have other options.

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