https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCDwtw5DZQI&feature=youtube_gdata
View the first two examples in this video, the first one is from a real match, the second one is admitted staged to show a point, but is still a frequent occurrence.
They show how Prescourging against Phoenix is still important.
Both examples show different outcomes of the same move. You Prescourge in order to force your opponent to move backwards quickly, before moving forwards again. This results in a wastage of on average 1.5 to 2 seconds of the duration. Phoenix has a duration of 2.7, which does not leave you much left to play with. I understand the main problem most people have with phoenix is that they believe it has 'zero consequences'. This is a myth, you pay in wasted time, and as shown by the second example, when you combine a Prescourge deterrent with a simple fireball, your opponent pretty much has one chance to get back close enough to go offensive again. This is even more predictable than Teleport and other spells to counter with a scourge or another spell, as you do not need to get the timing exact as you would need to with Teleport, due to the time it takes to phoenix back to your opponent.
However, as this video shows, even if you do everything correctly,
Pre-Scourges in time, a Phoenix user can completely disregard this, come back and hit with his own
Scourge.
I would argue that your video actually made it pretty clear that there are consequences. As I already mentioned, as I was hit by scourge in that video I only had 1 chance to get back to my opponent to make an offensive move. It was an easy counter after that to hit me with a spell, all this video shows is that Assassin[ made a defensive mistake and was punished for it. Warlock is all about punishing mistakes.
I wouldn't really call this an issue. Yes it is an advantage over the other R spells, but if you look at Teleport vs Thrust in terms of defensive capabilities of getting out of situations, its a similar distinction. Yes, Phoenix is a better defensive spell. No, this does not make its mechanic not suited to Warlock. There is no reason why it should not be like this, unless its offensive power is greater than Phoenix. I would argue that Teleport is a better offensive spell than Phoenix, due to its possibilities for instant pushes, as well as because of what I already discussed about Phoenix.
This is a pretty similar argument to your last one. Again, I argue that this the reason why somebody would want to pick Phoenix. Remove this, and I will no longer take Phoenix, as I believe the other R spells would simply outclass it in terms of offensive capability. What use would this spell be if it was as useful as Thrust defensively? Thrust has much more of an offensive capability.
These are toilet arguments. Firstly, you can't judge a spell on how it performs with 'maxed' anything, due to the inherent imbalance in high gold situation for all spells. Hell, if you max duration mastery and use entangle maxed, the duration will end after entangle goes off cooldown. You can't argue this as a basis to show Phoenix is overpowered in any way. Secondly, does it particularly matter that you can get to the end of the map with Phoenix? What possible use does that serve, beside the use of Phoenix+Link combos, which you are able to cancel with a scourge long before you get anywhere near the end of the map.
When discussing this on RGC, I have often come across this argument:
'Phoenix is a lot harder to play.'
Yes, Phoenix might be harder to play than Teleport or any other R spell.
Which leads to the question:
Should spells be stronger because they are harder to use?
No, they shouldn't, and I have never argued this in my life. I stand by the belief that Phoenix is harder to use, but it shouldn't be stronger because its harder to use. We can only judge its potential based on how its used at the moment, and at the moment I don't believe its overpowered. Should that change in the future, it should be nerfed. That is how balance works in all games.
Concerning the list of potential 'reworks', some of the suggestions would not be 'reworks' at all, but direct nerfs. I do not believe the spell is overpowered, and I completely oppose any nerf. I personally don't believe that the spell needs a rework, but if enough people are behind it and it gets passed anyway, I'd like to suggest what I believe would be the most acceptable solutions, as one of the main phoenix players.
This would be a direct nerf, and I do not believe the spell is overpowered. Any less duration would especially ruin the spell.
2. Loses speed when getting hit
It's a possible 'solution' if the main problem people have with the spell is being able to come back soon after they are hit. However, I would like a duration increase to compensate for this, but not enough that if you are hit the extra duration the spell gained covers the time it takes to get back to the opponent. This would need to be carefully balanced, but would reward more skillful Phoenix players while punishing those that get hit more.
Overall, I would have to say this is my favourite suggestion, although I would prefer if the spell was not changed at all. If this was not coupled with a duration buff, it would ruin the spell however. It would definitely become underpowered.
3. Loses speed when changing direction
Far too limiting, pushes the user towards being more one dimensional and less creative with Phoenix. We should be moving away from this, not towards it.
4. Loses speed when using spells
Unfavourable solution, as it makes more sense to have less speed after you get hit, to punish phoenix users that make a mistake. Again, would need a buff to Phoenix at the same time.
5. Ends when using a spell
Oh god no. Completely defeats the purpose of the spell.
6. Much lower duration, but can extend itself by using spells.
Didn't work with invisibility, would work even less with Phoenix. As shown in my video, Phoenix is a cat and mouse game, its not a frantically rush the opponent spell so I can increase the duration spell.
7. Cooldown starts after the duration is over
Straight nerf, don't believe its needed.
Same as above.
9. Takes more knockback while using it
Prefer the reduced speed after getting hit suggestion. As shown by the Phoenix scourge bug in previous versions where you would occasionally get hit with too much knockback, this would send Phoenix to the other end of the spectrum after getting hit, completely unable to get back to anywhere, disadvantaging the spell much too much.
10. The spell has to accelerate its speed
Having a much slower speed at the start would make it too predictable for prescourging. With the duration at it is now, it would be impossible to use it offensively with scourge, and probably with other spells as well.
11. Ends when touching an enemy (and deals some damage/effect)
Unsure how this solves anything. Phoenix is no longer able to aggressively push with your Warlock after various nerfs to body mass while using Phoenix.
12. Make the spell always moving. You can change direction, but not the speed. You can cancel the spell any time you want.
Hell no. This would completely ruin the spell, and any chance of being able to scourge with Phoenix. You would need some major buffs to compensate, making the spell unbalanceable.
13 All spells deal less damage while using Phoenix
I don't think Phoenix is offensively the best R spell out there. Doesn't need changing in this area I think.
14. Make it apart from thrust and increase its cost ( and nerf a bit (cooldown for example))
I actually support making it apart from Thrust, it really shouldn't be a toggle. Without the cost increase and nerfs, though. It should cost the same as the other R spells.
15. Lava does 500% dmg to a phoenix user
Woahhhh. Scale that number down buddy. I would support this as a much lower number.
16. Phoenix ends when using Scourge
Again, I believe this would tip Phoenix too far into the underpowered zone.
17. Make players unable to use Scourge when using Phoenix
Even worse than the suggestion above in terms of being able to balance it.
18. Phoenix users take additional damage while using Phoenix
Similar to the knockback suggestion which I already answered.
19. Decrease the speed of Phoenix (For example, by 20%)
Probably my second favourite solution, but doesn't directly punish you for making a mistake by being hit as the losing speed suggestion does.
20. Make it change direction in a curve
Lol what? You can't be serious.
21. Unable to use spells while using Phoenix
Way too extreme.
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If you don't want to read all the suggestions I discarded, while I personally do not believe Phoenix needs any form of rework, if one were to be attempted these are the only ones I would support.
2. Loses speed when getting hit
It's a possible 'solution' if the main problem people have with the spell is being able to come back soon after they are hit. However, I would like a duration increase to compensate for this, but not enough that if you are hit the extra duration the spell gained covers the time it takes to get back to the opponent. This would need to be carefully balanced, but would reward more skillful Phoenix players while punishing those that get hit more.
19. Decrease the speed of Phoenix (For example, by 20%)
Probably my second favourite solution, but doesn't directly punish you for making a mistake by being hit as the losing speed suggestion does.
14. Make it apart from thrust and increase its cost ( and nerf a bit (cooldown for example))
I actually support making it apart from Thrust, it really shouldn't be a toggle. Without the cost increase and nerfs, though. It should cost the same as the other R spells.
15. Lava does 500% dmg to a phoenix user
Woahhhh. Scale that number down buddy. I would support this as a much lower number.
The third example in my video shows how there are effective ways to counter Phoenix. Utilising pillars is one of them, and there are various spells which are hard counters to Phoenix, such as entangle, time shift, recharge, and magma.