If Karma was designed for mid lane, why does she feel like a support even when I go full AP?

Let's pretend for a second, that Riot actually knows what they want Karma to do; When reworking they tried making her akin to , both mages that work in midlane (quite well actually), but are primarily played support. The incentive was to make her a capable sololaner, but leave duo-laning a viable option. However, they kind of fucked her over in 5.10, when they removed 2 damage options from mantra. The two reliable damage options. So now her damage is a gamble that can be bocked by the enemy frontline.... something you don't want an AP-carry to be hindered by.

With their idea of "increasing contextual decision making" they made RQ all about damage, RW about CC and RE about shielding. But RQ and RW are unreliable and RE is hyper reliable. So, Karma is an unreliable carry, but a VERY reliable protector. It's much more easy to just protect other carries with your hypercharged shieldvalues and let them carry you.

If they gave Karma a reliable damage option (shieldbomb, anyone?), she would feel more like an AP carry that can support, instead of a glorified support in midlane.

BEcause riot decided that karma is a support, so her kit has been changed to reflect her support status and now, while she stil ldoes a lot of damage, her kit feels like that of a support because it IS a support's kit. Fuck rito, seriously, I hate karma support and would be so happy to see her mid where she is supposed to go.

karma deals a heavy damage but she is low range

also i believe she was designed as a support

finally, it is the best build to go full ap on certain supports like zyra, morgana, velkoz etc, even sona, it is not something bad

you should get a sightstone though

she wasn't designed for mid lane..or support..or jungle, top, adc..nobody knows what she is

You can be supportive without going support,I have no fucking clue how you "feel" like a support,you don't have sightstone,golditems,supports items etc.

Because she has Utility. Riot likes to trade Utility for Damage. If a champion has too high of both, they become the primary pick.

Riot wants to paint Karma as a leader/team player, so they've shifted more of her power into her Utility to reflect their vision of her identity.

Wouldn't be surprised if she gets a small nerf post worlds, where she saw TONS of playing. She can be played in either role, you didn't specify WHY you think she feels like a support.

Her burst is definitely there. Maybe her ratios aren't as nuts as some of the other AP Mids, but she has so much utility.

She was always a supportive mage, similar to Lulu mid or even Orianna/Morgana.

She's weak at dealing single-target damage or bursting someone down, because that's not her role. Her strengths are poking, control and utility.

You pick her if you want to poke the enemy down in longer teamfights, while also keeping their juggernauts and divers away from your team.

Because changing lanes doesn't necessarily change the champion itself?

because shes a support mage.

she was originally designed as a support champion. people figured out, that she worked best in mid lane, similar to how zilean used to be played mid.

when they reworked her, they obviously intended to keep that part of her identity.