Talk:Ekko/@comment-4124337-20150528075651/@comment-26441222-20150528105851

I don't think he needs to lose anything. In lane, that third slow combined with the speed boost is what gives him the chance to reposition after successful harass, because even with a speed boost, he needs to get out of range quicker. He's squishy, and he doesn't need retaliation after successfully pulling off his combo. He should be punished if he fails and doesn't get the passive off. In teamfights, it gives his allies a chance to follow up if his combo doesn't score the kill, and unless he's fed, there's a strong chance it won't. His OTHER slows are a skillshot initiator that's over by the time the fight starts, and a short-lived predictive move with a long delay that's more useful as a zoning tool than actual CC, both on moderate cooldowns that prevent them from being re-used in the time it takes for him to dump all his damage and need to get out. That third slow is just enough utility. Without it, he wouldn't be a "utility assassin". He'd be an AP bruiser without the bruiser part.

If you want to take away the slow on his passive, take away the on-target cooldown, too, and while you're at it, just play Diana, because that's exactly what she does. Ekko is a skirmisher, and that doesn't work if his enemies are able to chase him immediately after he makes his play, OR if they disappear before he's able to try again. He can't just blow his ult every time his moderate damage "assassin" kit doesn't seal the deal. You said his burst damage is similar to Diana's. Diana is not an assassin. Her primary role is fighter, and her secondary is mage. More importantly than labels, she can keep beating on her target's face if they don't die right away. Ekko can't, unless they're very close to dead anyway. His damage output is NOT standard for an assassin. It's low. His entire concept revolves arount taking multiple runs at a target. He is not LeBlanc with slows. He's more like Nidalee without the mana-free spammable damage skills and frequent healing. Something else she has that he doesn't is the ability to dash over a wall after unloading damage, because he just used Phase Dive to trigger his passive after a double Q hit, and its cooldown doesn't reset.

TL;DR: He has low damage for an assassin, and requires that parting shot CC to reposition for another attempt (as his concept dictates) without them chasing/punishing him or getting away too fast. A "utility assassin" is meant to be stacked with utility.