Greater Stealth Totem overshadows Sightstone in almost every way.
See Title.
Currently, Sightstone costs 800 gold (health makes it 50% cost efficient), holds 4 charges, and player must be in the fountain to recharge.
Greater Stealth Totem, purchasable at level 9 for 250 gold, can hold two 3-minute totems, with a 60 second recharge time.
I main support, and do see the value of an early Sightstone in laning phase, but as the game progresses, it feels as if it falls off heavily. I often drop 2-3 wards during a Siege or prepping an objective. Meaning I'll have 1 left without having to recall. While people with an upgraded trinket can merely wait 60 seconds (which is about the time to recall, and walk to T2 turrets) for an extra charge. Not only that, but the recharge is faster than the ward's duration. You can drop 2, wait and drop another 2 before the first totem even comes close to expiring. But as a support, the Sweeper Lens is far too valuable not to take, which forces me into carrying around an unoptimal item.
I also understand that having a higher cap on wards is valuable (such as Ward Wars) dropping one right after the area was cleared. But, the Sightstone was a solution to a S3 problem. Supports, who were burdened with vision control. using all their gold income on wards by creating a Nearly limitless pool of wards. But I think it's time to rethink the item to bring it up to date.
Maybe adding some more stats to it (CDR, GP5, Health Regen), increasing the ward cap (4 stealth wards for sightstone, 5 for ruby sightstone.) or just having a recharge system, either by time, or gains a charge on Kills/assists or even clearing an enemy ward can give a charge. Again, I just want to bring the item in line with something that feels worthy of taking up an inventory slot, and not be outshined for a trinket.
TL:DR: Why is the upgraded Yellow just trink so much better than the sightstone. Can we buff sightstone to not feel like an inadequate trinket?
for your trinket and still not have to buy wards.