User blog comment:Grrrbear26/Executioner's Calling RIP.. I THINK NOT/@comment-1330314-20141219014745/@comment-1330314-20141219115615

I completely disagree that GW is a "fantastic mechanic". punting minions is a fantastic mechanic, as is the synergy between 's active and it's gold generation upon damaging enemy champions. Fantastic mechanics are mechanics that are rich with gameplay and interaction, and that provide clear, visible power. Grievous Wounds does none of that. Currently it's either applied as a point-and-click effect or a passive boost, does nothing against most champions, yet seriously harms the few who are dependent on sustain to function. It barely qualifies as a mechanic, since its application is always secondary to other effects.

If you don't think literally halving the effectiveness of a mechanic is a hard counter, here's putting it another way: suppose you had an item whose effect halved the damage of the enemy mage, or the enemy ADC. Suddenly, those entire classes would become practically useless, since they'd halve a significant portion of their power halved. The same applies to Grievous Wounds and sustain: healing/regen, when included in a champion's kit, consistutes an important part of their power budget, and having an effect around that can slash that power in effect constitutes a hard counter.

It's also worth mentioning that you're confusing counterbuilding and counterplay, which are not the same thing. Counterplay is the ability to react to the plays an opponent makes on a play-by-play basis, such as by dodging a skillshot or timing an ability right. Counterbuilding is basically the power to build in such a way that you're better-equipped to deal with the enemy team, and certain champions in particular. Counterbuilding does not constitute counterplay, and is not a replacement for it. Bringing up penetration is also not a good argument, since pen not only doesn't constitute a hard counter to resists or tankiness (armor-stacking champions are still tanky against champions who buy ), but is also in a fairly poor state, to the point where it needs a rework for purposes of clarity and gameplay (it lacks both).