My theory to balancing AOC

Damn, you've awoken some ancient evil

In my mind when balancing there is a 3D graph.

It has Damage and Healing on the X axis, mana cost vs distance available on the Y axis (more complicated than this actually) and frequency and repetition on the Z axis (what most people call 'player skill' is represented here, but when I'm balancing, I have to balance 'statistically' and that's another long note).

CDR is on the Z axis because it affects the frequency which which a given ability can be used. AoEs on the other hand don't actually count as increasing their damage or their frequency when they hit more targets because you need to hit more targets.

Technically a MOBA has more difficulty balancing its AoE attacks than an MMO.

MOBA AoE is balanced earlier on, by the fact that there is a laning phase, and some other things. And it's still not true in the sense that most people think of it. If you get to endgame against a good Gadget and their teammates work with them well, your only chance of winning is to never clump up unless you know her Ultimate is down. And it will never be down unless she killed a bunch of people with it.

I tried to keep the post short, and ofc it is lacking a lot of nuance as a result.

Predecessor is free. If you care to go deeper, go there.