User blog comment:Contractas1/Nidalee - Mistake or Miracle?/@comment-2112140-20131104202042/@comment-4296199-20131106124017

True.... The real issue though is the early game honestly. Almost 600 magic damage from a long range poke is extreme for a poke. It makes it unfun for people who have to go through that, and it makes her into a low elo stomper because of this. It's kind of the same issue Master Yi has, but she's the reverse of him.

Despite the whole mana sustain issues, she's got too much safety in the early game. Long range high damage poke, heal and traps. By level 6, she also gets free low CD dashes and more movement speed.

At the very least, Riot can rebalance the spear so it can hit people easier, but not be "OMG FREE ULT EVERY 6 SECONDS DAMAGE".

Btw, how about this for the traps: they have less damage, shred and vision time, but you can throw it in a line nuke first to lay it down. The first target that it hits while in mid air take the effect and are slowed instead of revealed.