Support and how their current state has made the meta stale A response to Ghostcrawler

Irelia Bot··2 votes·547 views

TL;DR why the current support role has made part of the meta stale with a concept to change it.

I am responding to Ghostcrawlers post here http://boards.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/c/gameplay-balance/TBjVqkmq-are-ad-carry-mains-ever-happy-with-the-meta?comment=0039

As it stands support almost always is a high utility champion that sits in bot lane and leaches experience from the marksmen. It has been this way since season 1 before I started playing during the Riven patch. Now what has made this the case? Based on what I have seen it is the result of the marksmen as a class being more focused on items then experience and also having a early game where they are supposedly less likely to survive pressure when solo. In return they get to build glass cannon and do massive DPS late game. They also get help during their"vulnerable early game" by having a support to reduce the likelihood of them getting killed, denied gold and all around set back.

I understand that there has to be 5 places for 5 players to go but is there any possibility to make it more ideal to have the 5th player who is currently in the role called support have to move around the map more. Currently there is never a realistic level advantage to counteract the often large gold disadvantage in a solo vs duo meaning that which ever duo lane does better often has a foot up over the other team. What I am saying is would perhaps making supports best to be roaming instead of staying and defending the ADC in most games be a healthy thing to consider for more diversity in roles being played?

Say if support items increased Exp gained by 25% (just a number to throw around as an example) for each level that an ally has over the support. So that a level 13 jax and level 12 leblanc with a level 9 soraka would result in the soraka getting a 175% exp boost while also having the shared exp boost removed or greatly reduced help make the state of bot lane less stale? Basically the idea is changing supports to a second jungler/roamer instead of baby sitting the marksmen to compensate there "weak early game" with perhaps the support roaming to mid once or twice when bot lane is pushed and the marksmen is backing.

Might something like this be be considered to end the stale 1-1-2-j standard meta and perhaps also make marksmen a strategy to consider instead of being mandatory every game?

Potential downsides to this? If someone is unwilling to let the support who is several levels lower then them catch up a bit this could be considered bad. Sitting in that top bush for 3 minutes would actually hurt both the top laner and junger/support/roamer more if nothing is being gained in doing so since less exp is gained for the top laner. Marksmen would have to fend for themselves like mid and top are already usually doing. Getting killed early on and then having someone baby you would set you even farther back; might be a slight problem, but has been reasonably manageable in other mobas. Lets be honest though these are all a matter of opinion on being good or bad depending on the roles you tend to play and how you play and how well you are doing.

Last thing I will say is that changes happen in this game all the time. People adapt and come to be alright with the changes hence why this game is still being played when with tall the talk about the glory days of season 1 or 2 . So lets here peoples theoretical liking and disliking of this concept of supports being most effective moving around the map instead of being a baby sitter.

2 Comments

Ghiefelstein1 votes

I think the support champion you are looking for is Bard.

WorsePlayerUSA1 votes

marksman are mandatory to bust down towers.

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