As a support player I'm saddened...

Chemistral·Jun 3, 2017·6 votes·867 views

Frankly it seems that every time I decide to tune in and watch a live-stream of competitive League, 90% of the time or more the supports are always and . I know why they are chosen over say and but it's just gotten to the point where I'm not even excited to see these matches as I once was. It seems that every other role has a wider pool of champions than support and that it'll stay like this for quite a while unfortunately.

Now every once in a blue moon I do get treated by someone playing something else and that spark of excitement is renewed again. For the most part though this is usually how my reaction is to these match-ups:

Logs in to League and sees a notification about an ongoing match "Hmm X team vs. Y team I wonder who the supports are.." clicks link and tunes in "Oh look...it's and again...." [slayer-jinx-unamused]

I know I'm beating a dead horse here but when it's the same 2 champions out of over a pool of 130+ I think Riot needs to take a look at the support champions not just the support role.

17 Comments

Miror BJun 3, 20173 votes

The problem of course being that nerfing those two will just bring things down a notch, as from what I can understand the "competitive tiers" sorta look like this:

S-tier: Lulu/Zyra/Karma/Rakan (with Xayah) A-tier: Nami/Braum/Kench B-tier: Literally everything else

ChemistralJun 3, 20172 votes

By all means I didn't mean to call for a nerf if that's how I sounded. Rather, I just think that going forward from here on out Riot needs to focus more on Supports and their kit instead of just trying to buff supports overall. Therefore any new support to be released can be on par kit wise with Lulu and Karma or any supports in line for a rework are made with the competitive scene in mind not just "Let's make supports fun since people as a whole don't enjoy it as much as the other roles."

While it's true that it's a high skill ceiling, highly in-demand position that most don't want to play I understand Riot trying to 'fix' the role, but I just think it's time to try leaving the role alone and perhaps focus on the champions in the role. As odd of an example it just seems like Lulu and Karma are the Fox and Marth of Super Smash Bros. Melee. Yes you can win with the other characters but when it comes to the competitive scene those two are ore often than not picked over the rest.

If Riot make more supports with the potential of those two then we could see some more variety in the support role.

dolce de lecheJun 3, 20171 votes

Kench is B-tier, I love him to death but he either needs clueless enimies or great teammates, he also needs an adc who can handle the early game, with no steroids, no heals, no sheilds, only one method of protecting the adc, which doesn't even let them attack, during which you will likely take dmg instead, negating no dmg overall, so long range lanes are even better against him, along with kill lanes, he is also slow and melee, so poke lanes are great against him, if anything he is middle of the pack, maybe close to the top of B-tier in the lower elos, as there will be less counter picks and knowledge of matchups, but overall he's just subpar to a lot of supports, no matter how fun I may find him, or how much he fits my personal playstyle.

Miror BJun 3, 20172 votes

If we're looking at it solely based off of laning alone, then yes, kench would be considered "sub-par". The fact he has probably one of the best mid/late-games for a support barring things like brand/nasus (the latter being sleeper-OP right now as relic shield stacking allows you to create very easy siege comps) is what salvages him though. While some supports have the ability to roam rapidly, shield teammates, and CC enemies, kench is one of three to be able to do all of those (Shen being fringe at best and Galio being a better solo-laner) making him an almost must-take should games randomly have my s-tier banned out.

dolce de lecheJun 3, 20171 votes

I totally get what you mean. I just personally feel that supports have the most impact during lane, and their differences really show during that phase. His potential is great and he excells mid game. Fr tho one of the reasons he isn't a-tier to me is because of the meta. Sheilding, healing, and range being really important botlane, as well as more reliable hard cc(due to Tahm's reliance on getting close and drawing a fight out to get hard cc), makes a lot of other champs better, or at least easier to play with as an adc, while still being effective. Also, with the health reduction on items the meta has kinda completely gone against him(hyperbole). I do think he is pretty balanced tho, just not his time, like a lot of other champs.

woodvsmurphJun 7, 20171 votes

people legit need to start playing kayle support: matches pushing power of zyra or karma early

offers heals plus speed boost to escape ganks and sustain in lane

slows and tons of dps gives her engage, kite, and skirmish potential equal to or better than others - especially when you factor in 15% armor shred for your adc via her passive

ult means you can totally bait out enemies into wasting their ults lvl 6 and actually come out even or ahead if tower dove lvl 6+ if the enemy only brings 1 person to help with the dive (3v2)

Warlord ScrapJun 3, 20173 votes

No offense but at least lulu is an actual support. Just over a month ago everyone was complaining about mage kill lane supports. People need to understand some champs are always going to be more meta than others.

NielarkenJun 3, 20171 votes

item 3123 item 3165 summoner 14 This is why. Riot believes in dumpstering any support that is not a mid lane reject. So that the mid lane rejects can actually destroy bottom lane with little to no effort.You dont see an item that increases damage done to shields do you?

III BAKURYU III Jun 3, 20171 votes

Meta > Specific champions Hate to say this but we're not going to see 500 champions being played, sorry but that's just not how it works in meta changes, reworks, the LCS stage.

Soraka is 100% useless as much DMG that goes on these days she would just feed for the most part. Even if she is played you would need 5 TEAMMATES not 5 people who played 30 games but a true team to work around her, Immortals/Adrian played her and well... Immortals couldn't win NA and Adrian is .... where again ?

Sona is a champion that I do see being played in the near future(3-4 weeks into split/Playoffs/Worlds) but Karma and Lulu have shields, speed buffs, a better ult that can't really wiff like Sona's can.

Either stop watching or play those champions yourself and see which is better in a team environment.

I'm not talking to your directly Chemistal, so don't think I'm talking S$it or anything!

ChemistralJun 3, 20172 votes

I know, I just wish Riot perhaps tried to add more supports that support (no pun intended) the meta or are flexible to adapt to a change in the meta. Lulu's and Karma's kits just fit well into almost any team comp and if we had more champions with the flexibility of those two then the role could get interesting to watch again.

III BAKURYU III Jun 3, 20171 votes

Just stay calm, most of the early Support champions are only being played because every team are just trying to fill for each other(sounds wrong). We will actually see a decent amount of supports in the coming weeks/months.

Thresh, Janna, Nami, Morg will be making a return and Braum, Zilean, Sona will too also in my theory/prediction