[Detective100]

So, I did some searching, and saw that Golden Bolt is the skillshot that most underperforms when compared to other skills of its nature:

*Disclaimer*: I do not have the means to see how fast each skillshot moves, so I have to compare on the assumption their speeds are mostly similar

Golden Bolt: CD: 12 Range: 12 Damage: 10

Skillshots with the same CD:
Silver Javelin: CD: 12 Range:12 Damage: 10 Inflicts slow.

Skillshots with lower CD:
Gale burst: CD: 8 Range: 10: Damage 8, has knockback
Fireball: CD: 10 Range 10.Damage: 7. 3 second burn.
Poison Darts: CD: 7 Range: 12 Damage: 8. Inflicts 3 sec poison.

Skillshots with higher CD:
Earth Bomb: CD: 13 Range: 10 Damage: 9 has knockback

Ice spike barrage: CD 13 Range:15 Damage 8. Deals frost (slow and -10% dr)
Scarlet Darts: CD: 13 Range: 11 Damage: 8. Inflicts 3 sec bleed.


When compared to the one skillshot that has the same CD, Silver Javelin, the golden bolt lacks any CC in comparison.
This is when compared to the opener of Metal mind you, who has much more CC in the tree than sand.

Skillshots with higher CD are only higher by one second, and while they are slightly weaker by 1 or 2 sd damage (with perhaps the exception of scarlet darts, with the 3 second bleed), each skillshot has an effect on hit that can benefit the user.

Skillshots with lower CD are where we'll find the highest disperancy.
Fireball is 3 seconds lower and inflicts burn that both slows and adds up damage to match up with Golden Bolt.
Poison Darts has a whopping 6 six seconds CD decrease, and inflicts poison on hit for either 1 more SD damage if it starts the poison, or causes confusion if the enemy was already poisoned. 
Galeburst's CD is 5 seconds lower, deals only 1 damage less, and has knockback as well.


When one looks at each skillshots besides Golden Bolt, one can notice a trend: Each one inflicts either CC or DoT on the enemy upon landing. Perhaps we can do the same to golden bolt, and tune it as neccessary to match the other skillshots?

[Teemo]

Okay. At first, I was going to laugh at you because Golden Bolt is genuinely one of the better projectiles in the game. When you made a comparison to Silver Javelin I laughed.

Then I went in-game and checked. Who in the ever-living fuck thought Silver Javelin should be 12 cd? It used to be 20 why was it lowered, isn't metal strong enough already? Holy fuck.

Aside from what I HOPE was an oversight, there's really one projectile that's consistently better than Golden Bolt. It's Fireball. For some reason, the burn/slow chance is guaranteed, and the four fire ticks add up to about three spell damage. Overall, the spell is 10 spell damage with a 3s slow on a 10s CD. Which is insanely good, better than it should be. It's one drawback is that it has 2 less range than bolt and javelin, but for the sheer damage output it's more than worth it.

Those two are ridiculously out of line from all the other projectiles. As much as I like all three of these trees, (I'm sand fire rn and a known metal fanatic), fire and metal's should really, really get nerfed and sand's deserves no change.

Golden Bolt does what it's meant to do. It has the one of the better damage/cd ratio out of the other projectiles with the drawback of having no added bonus. It has one of the highest range which is strong with these types of spells.

It may have the similar dps as Galeburst or Rock Bomb or Ice Spike without extra utility, but it has a unique job and does it well. It shoots far, hits hard and fucks bitches.

Poison Dart and Scarlet Dart ticks have both been lowered to 0.5. They do less damage but have added effects with their respective trees.

I think it's absolutely fine as it is, but IF there was going to be a change to Golden Bolt, it'd have to be a very, very minor cd decrease.

[Detective100]

I was going to argue about the range at first, but then I noticed that is indeed tied with 2nd place with two other skillshots. (The winner in terms of range is ice barrage)

I'm not yet sure if the change to poison/blood tics was implemented yet, which is why I adressed them as 1 SD damage tics until it's confirmed.

While it might have similar dps to earth-bomb, I am inclined to disagree on galeburst. It being 5 seconds lower CD wise is a great benefit to galeforce, and that is without even taking the knockback into account.

I still think that the best way to make golden bolt stand out is by giving the skill its own CC and then tune the numbers up or down accordingly. I had considered mud, but I suspect people would crucify me if I'll dare suggest it, even if I'll say that the skills' numbers should be nerfed to compensate.

[Teemo]

Galeburst is better yes. Its 8 cd vs 12 cd for 8 damage vs ten. The knock back is a major bonus too. Its stronger, the best out of the two I mentioned earlier. I dont exactly think that's too much of an issue honestly considering the differences in these trees.

The only issue I do have with galeburst is that its incredibly hard to see.

Blood has been 0.5 sd for awhile. The poison nerf isn't confirmed, youre right about that.