@Meddler & @Reav3 - Should We Redefine The Support Role and Separate it From Champs?

Years ago you tried to address the same problems the Support role is going through now. It seems to be a reoccurring trend to make the Support role more relevant with more items, increasing the amount of gold they get, and more. You tried it and it didn't work. The problem is not the amount of gold they get, the items they are building, or the amount of EXP they are earning. The problem is you never really defined and got a firm grasp around the Support role. We know what an ADC is and what these champions are building. We know what a Mage is and what they are going to build. Do we and you know what a Support is? No. I do not think we do. We have characters like Malz, Ziggs, Brand, Zyra, Naut, Vel, Lablanc, Veiger, and more coming into bot lane and doing the jobs of Enchanters and even some Tankier Supports better.

The problem seems to reflect your idea that at the expense of damage, a unique kit, and fun gameplay, utility is what a Support really needs. Utility trumps a unique kit, damage, and fun gameplay over anything. To further that idea you create items that increase the effectiveness of heals and shields, promoting that hey . . . . . I am a boring Support with nearly no damage, a unique kit, and fun gameplay . . . . but enjoy this heal/shield I am going to spam cast on you the rest of the game.

Riot, you either need to get these champions out of bot lane and continue this trend of making the Support role as bland as possible and revolving champion kits more around utility than damage, gameplay or an identity . . . . . or you need to remove the Support role entirely and evaluate what the role means to this game. The community is telling you they do not like the role. The community is showing you they prefer champions with more damage, more gameplay, and a unique identity. A Malzahar Support is offering more than me playing as Karma Support because his kit actually does damage, is unique, and is offering better gameplay. I am not doing anything else as Karma but buying 3 shield enhancing items, sitting in the back line and pressing one button. Get it together and don't say the champions are not the problem. The Support role is the first problem, but the champions inside the role are being downplayed so much.

CHAMPIONS SHOULD BE A CHAMPION AND BE ABLE TO SHINE ON THEIR OWN. Besides Nami and Soraka, every other champion in this game should be able to shine on their own . . . . and in a lane on their own . . . . you are purposely downplaying specific champions in the Support role and not allowing them to shine as champions. These champions need to stop being balanced, reworked, and thought of nothing more than a sheld/heal bot. REMOVE utlity from these champions and allow them to be able to deal damage, have a unique identity, and offer new gameplay that these "new Support meta champions" are offering. Get your act together.

Any champion can play a support. Any champion can buy a sightstone. The problem is the role and the champions you are downplaying on purpose. Either put constraints on what champions can be played as a Support or remove the role, call it something else, and balance champions around a lane and champion identity . . . and not around utility and the current ideas about what a Support is. The community is telling you what they want . . . . they don't want a shield/heal bot.

> Years ago @-Alexander "Xelnath" Brazie > > Supports often fell behind other players in income, levels and lategame impact. We’re addressing these concerns by heavily adjusting support gold to put more money in the pockets of duo-lane supports. Along with this, we’re making changes to help core support champions scale their utility instead of their damage, and reinforce their unique identity while opening up new items that put all the new gold to good use and make their impact felt in late-game teamfights.