Fixing the Support-Mage Problem

matrinox·Feb 14, 2015·1 votes·593 views

In the past (and now), any time a support is given good scaling, they become better as a mage. In response, Riot lowers their scaling but buffs their base ability numbers. This turns them into abusive supports which in turn nerfs come in to turn them into just alright supports.

The dream of support itemization will never work. Giving more scaling on supports makes them a better support Mage, not a better support. I've got an idea to fix this, although it may be a bit brittle. Here goes:

Increase scaling but put a cap on scaling

This means supports can scale up very well but because of the cap, if they are played mid lane, they will quickly become useless after 1 big AP item like rabadon's death cap (same thing with tank stats like on Leona/Taric). Good solution or too brittle?

tl;dr cap support scaling so that they can scale fast with less AP but don't just become mid lane mages because of the potentially higher scaling with more stats

6 Comments

Raja ChachkiFeb 14, 20152 votes

I usually do the opposite. I play champs such as Anivia Annie Orianna Syndra as support, mainly because of their poke and their ability to hard CC. However that is irrelevant. I disagree with your solution. I think that supports should be allowed to play as mages, even if they are complete utility mages. So with that statement, i guess I also disagree with Riot's support balance philosophy).

matrinoxFeb 14, 20151 votes

Problem is, that will always mean supports are simply shittier mages. Whatever Mage isn't strong mid in the meta is a support

BluePolarizerFeb 14, 20151 votes

Why?

What's wrong with supports being played mid? Alot of them only have 1 damage ability, and the rest is utility. By putting a support mid, you're giving up damage for utility, and that's a tradeoff. If your team needs damage, you wouldn't put Lulu or old Janna there, you'd put Syndra, Annie or Xerath. If your team needed utility and peel for other damage dealers (like a carry jungle or carry top) then you run a double support comp.

SlytherinUmbreonFeb 14, 20151 votes

What's wrong is that Riot is unable to keep a consistent stance on anything. They keep saying they like/are ok with Breaking the Meta, but then they keep changing their mind :/ -Lee Sin goes multiple seasons with almost no nerfs. -Very few problems champions that enter the Jungle end up getting emergency nerfed out of the jungle in the very next patch. -Unicorns of Love play Jungle Twisted Fate. Everyone gets hyped, but then over time start saying "Meh, Jungle TF isn't that great." -With the soft reset nerfs, Twisted Fate becomes one of the first champions to get emergency nerfed out of the jungle in a very long time.

So yeah... I've pretty much completely stopped trusting Riots balancing decisions /

matrinoxFeb 14, 20151 votes

The last thing about soft resets has nothing to do with TF jungle. It's about stopping ADC support from getting camp level 1. They even stated that it would inadvertently hurt ranged junglers.

You're right that Riot keeps changing stances but with supports, they've been very consistent that supports should scale meaningfully, to have the same profession in other RPG-like games. Supports don't do that now, except ones that build tanky. AP supports are just mid lane utility mages, the bad ones are supports

matrinoxFeb 14, 20151 votes

Sorry what I meant to say is that supports with good scaling just end up being played mid lane with more gold funnelled to them as carries instead of more supportarive roles with low econ.

The problem to solve is allowing supports to scale meaningfully without them just being gold funnelled carries in the mid lane