When do you choose between exhaust and ignite as a support

After having an uncountable number of ADC's bitch about taking kills because I ignited a fleeing enemy they had no chance of killing, I take exhaust to avoid the aggravation.

Ignite generally adds more early game kill potential.

is default because they're going to have at least 2 burst-oriented champions that really need to be cut down to size.

If they have at least 2 threatening healing-reliant champions, you take . If someone else on your team already has it, you usually don't need to take it.

if you are more focused on early kills and snowballing in general. Like Thunderlord's, it's a lot more relevant early on. if you prefer utility and a "fuck you carries and your fucking damage" button that is useful in ALL stages of the game.

Up to you.

i usually always take exhaust because i main leona so that in itself already has a ton of kill potential without ignite and it's safer to take exhaust in case a fight goes wrong, you can exhaust the adc and they do way less damage. only time i take ignite is when we want a steamroll kill lane or when they have a healer.

It depends, on whether or not you're playing a kill lane or a more passive farm lane.

If you're playing a kill lane (with a support like Zyra, or Brand), then Ignite tends to be better, because you can more easily secure kills. However, if you are playing a more passive or peel-oriented support (Like Braum or Leona), then Exhaust is better, so that you can peel more effectively.

Of course, go Exhaust if their team is assassin heavy, or Ignite if they have a lot of healing, but that's a general rule of thumb to follow.

Lmao at the "if they have a healer" igniters... GW no longer works on allied heals.

Nevertheless, I almost always lean towards Ignite because I feel it adds much more to my laning presence and thus helps me win bot lane more often. The added burst is often all you need to help get an early kill that starts the snowball, be it on a support that usually does dmg like Sona or one that typically doesn't like Janna (she especially benefits from Ignite I feel, she's so loaded with peel and CC that Exhaust seems overkill whereas Ignite gives her something she doesn't have, ie surprise burst, you'd be surprised how many people do not expect the Ignite damage).

I'd only go on my support if A) not playing Sona and B) we picked ourselves in a shit match up and I'm trying to salvage it by getting as much defensive stuff as I can. Well, maybe if I played Soraka I'd pick up Exhaust more often, her CC/peel isn't as reliable as the others.

IMO Ignite has more potential to win early trades, won early trades win lanes, won lanes tend to win more games.

Exhaust is if you want to help peel. Ignite if the enemy have a massive healing bitch champion (mundo), or if you just want to team deathmatch bot lane early game.

Generally exhaust is best, but ignite gives more kill pressure while being less safe.

I just always use exhaust lol.

Kill pressure vs utility. Match-ups, champions, etc.

If your name is Leona, the choice is often up to you. If your name is Soraka, not so much.