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Anyone have some tips and tricks for Leona? Looking to become a OTP Leona support main...

SortaAvgSideKick·11/30/2018, 4:35:53 AM·1 votes·1,174 views

So, as the title states, I am looking to become a OTP Leona main for ranked during the 2019 season. Anyone have good suggestions for itemization? As for runes, the general consensus is Aftershock, Font of Life, Second Wind, and Unflinching in the Resolve tree. For second rune choice, I was thinking of Legend: Tenacity and Presence of Mind/Triumph. Rune shards are debatable at this point. As for summoner spells, is my first spell, but what is a good second spell?

Itemization wise, is useful/viable/a good idea? Should the item line be my first completed item? Should boots be the first completed item? With being so strong, should I ban her immediately, or do I hope that my ADC picks her first? If she is on the other team, how do I build to deal with her? What is a good rule of thumb for itemization? I am terrible at itemization.

As a CC heavy support, should be the one to engage in team fights, if so who do prioritize with my CC? If I am not supposed to engage, what is my battle plan? CC bruisers or ADCs first?

What champions in general should I be wary against? and seem very problematic with their ultimates.

Thanks for any advice you share!

3 Comments

Frosted Tips11/30/2018, 4:53:29 AM1 votes

Honestly Morgana is really hard to deal with because of Black Shield. For Leona any time you get a bad lane you just need to survive until you can afford item 3117 and just roam ASAP. Make sure to use your W when you are close to enemies and only Ult if the target is already immobilized or can't run any other way. Also I personally almost always build:

Start item 3302 Then (good lane) item 4302 (bad lane) item 3117 Then just the opposite item above Then item 3109 Then item 3401

Silly Neeko11/30/2018, 5:07:07 AM1 votes

Some tips.... stand near the end of the bush in bott lane closest to them with Q start. Nearly no point in starting anything else imo. Sit in bush, auto q auto the ward they place for free gold.

Depending on the matchup determines what your second spell should be. Ignite or exhaust is going to be the go tos depending on if they are a burst damage bott lane or if they are a squishier possibly healing lane.... but also personal choice. I use both depending on if im feeling more aggressive or more defencive.

Personally i do the extra max HP with my last row of resolve tree, and demolish from time to time if i think we are more likely to win lane. Honestly knowing the matchups and playing her a bit you will catch onto the lanes you are more likely to win or not. Otherwise i would be sitting here for an hour talking about how things could end up going but not going, or how i didnt think it would go but it is going, etc.

She is best paired with people who will engage with her... Kaisa, Kalista, Draven... they are some of the best paired with her.

All supports with heavy disengage/counter engage will be a bit rough. Janna for sure is one that i pick into leona, same with Thresh. Morgana is another major issue champ for her.

Depending on matchup and how it is going also, i might go for a Frozen Gauntlet, Knights Vow, Thornmail even for Vayne for example for first item and build depending on the situation. If they are a heavy criting i might even go randuins omen (like Yasuo)... also depending on matchup, i might go for Swifties, Mobis, Tabis, or Merc treads.

She should ONLY engage fights when there is going to be follow up, when you are locking down the enemy so the ally can get away, or to keep one of the enemies out of the fight. For example, i went onto a jinx ADC while my team was fighting because i could tank her, and the rest of the team was able to fight their team.

Leona will nearly always be the one initiating the fight unless the enemy has hard engage as well (or disengage) and you think that it is best to let them start the fight. This is different depending on matchups etc.

BlueBilberry11/30/2018, 6:35:42 AM1 votes

You might also want to watch a few of the streamers who specialize in the champ - to get some idea of the macro/micro play that isn't usually covered by any "written" advice. iOki is one streamer in particular that comes to mind (if you can put up with his swearing). A few of the other support mains have also been breaking out Leona too recently - so use Leona, support and a selected rank as search terms on Youtube or Twitch to get some more ideas.

Also be careful focussing too much on Leona - have a backup support plan. Why? Leona just had a new skin released - so Riot has left her a bit strong - FOR NOW. (If Leona is strong, then the expensive skin is more likely to sell.) Don't be surprised if you find her nerfed in the very near future (some of the recent patch changes seem to hint that tank supports could be facing a few nerfs shortly).