[ Updated ] Xerath, the Magus Ascendant Rework on PBE Today!

Update: Added in a several red posts and discussion! The Xerath update is also now on the PBE - check it out here.

According to Xelnath, Xerath's rework is coming to the PBE later today! To prepare, he's posted up an overview of the new kit, as well as a feedback thread for summoner's to share their thoughts.
Continue reading for more details!

Here's Xelnath with the details:

"Summoners! 

The Xerath rework is here and ready for testing on the US PBE. We wanted to help better shape Xerath to fit the modern League of Legends environment, improve the character’s feel and sell his fantasy as a mage commanding unleashed power.

After listening to your feedback, we’ve made the following major changes:

• Passive: No longer grants armor, now grants % magic penetration and restores mana on basic attacks.

• Q: Can now be charged to increase the spell’s range. Mana cost and damage slightly increased.

• W: Is now a targeted AoE explosion that deals additional damage in the center and slows all enemies struck. Enemies in the center are slowed more.

• E: Is now a skillshot missile which stuns champions.

• R: Is a combination of Xerath’s old W and R.

• Immobilize yourself to gain a super-long ranged attack which deals magic damage each time you click the cursor for 3 seconds. (Max 4 shots)

Our intent is to ensure that Xerath’s core pattern is fun and engaging, but his ultimate use is a rare, powerful long-ranged attack.

Please provide feedback – our future tweaks to Xerath will be influenced by your input.

Where should we be focusing our feedback?

• Ultimate - I am particularly interested in feedback on Xerath's ultimate. It has a very unique control method that will take some getting used to.

• Spell names - this is a unique opportunity to contribute your idea for what Xerath's spells should be called. I'll be reviewing EUNE, EUW and NA for ideas!

• Range - Xerath's ult gives him ridiculous range. This is intended to be his strength. Please let me know how it feels both as user and victim.

• Relative power of abilities - I want to know if you feel like too much damage is tied up in a particular ability.

• Skin VFX - His Battlecast and Runeborn skins have new colors. Provide feedback!

• Audio - How do his new abilities sound?

Where should I not be focusing my feedback?

• Molten Xerath - This skin hasn't been updated yet.

• Xerath's model - We did not overhaul his model, just add animations for the new Arcanopulse and ultimate attack.

Xerath has been in development for a while and we feel reasonably confident in his core abilities and VFX. I do want to hear your concerns, but keep in mind, we are not very likely to dramatically change Xerath's Q/W/E visually.

Thank you guys, I am looking forward to letting you see a few iterations of Xerath before he goes live. 

-Xelnath
Wizardlock of Game Design 

P.S. Zenon the Stoic has kindly offered to help me with Xerath. Please assist him if he has any questions."

Once the dust had settled and people got their hands on the new Xerath, Xelnath posted this update:

"Whoa! Great feedback everybody.

I'm really impressed you guys have put so much time and effort into the replies.

A few bullet points:

Quote:

R is too hard to dodge 

I agree - at level 6 and 11, its way too hard to dodge and hits too hard. Will tune this back. 

That said, I want to try an experimental version of his ultimate on the next PBE push where you get more shots but they hit for less. If this isn't satisfying, we'll revert it.

E - will not be making this targetted. I can consider letting it pass through minions - but then the stun will need to be much shorter at rank 1. There's a lot of value in this ability having the high damage, single target save/stun it has right now.

I do agree that I miss having a clear way to stun a backline target - but short of turning his E into an W style aoe stun, I don't feel there's a clear win here that isn't extremely frustrating.

I'm excited you guys love the rework so much. This makes me beam with pride. :)"

He also commented on an OLD iteration of the ult, saying:

"It originally fired 30 shots in about 2 seconds. Very cool ability, but was too visually disruptive to work. Agree that if we go with the limited number of shots, we need to convey more power and weight to each blast."