Boards›Gameplay

Tired of Support (Former Support Query)

Jyoeru··12 votes·2,070 views

This post is for you if you mained support and got burnt out. Just looking for what role and character you switched to and if that has proven better/worse or nothing at all for you.

For me, I started as Soraka, placed Silver II last season as Blitz, hit Bronze III then back up to II as Zyra this season so far, started fooling around with Trundle and decided to take him to ranked after getting an 80% or so win rate with him in normals, then pummeled back down to Bronze III and pretty much almost Bronze IV.

I've enjoyed support until this point, where I am finally starting to learn a bit about the game. It's annoying to get blamed for everything, even when you're on your A-game (and in a few cases, carrying the team). I've fooled around with the other lanes and feel like I do okay at top--even won some ranked in mid. But 90% of my collection is support characters, so now I have to figure out which lane I'd enjoy and which characters I can play with.

So, if you have given up support main and switched, please chime in and let me know where you found even better game play. Thank you :)

20 Comments

Tormyth2 votes

do you still enjoy the playstyle of support helping allies and keeping track of wards and such? and how are you at csing? if yes then jungle is pretty much the same mindset only you roam more and keep tabs on buffs/other objectives.

Jyoeru1 votes

I've tried to jungle. The problem is I don't like most of the JG champs. I just don't like their play style. I also have little experience in JG, so I am horrible about knowing what I need to ask for and how to keep in the JG to farm until level 6. I don't know when to gank and where to be heading for a gank. I don't know how to counter-jg.

That will come in time, but I really need to find a champ I can enjoy in the JG. I remember liking Yi. Champs I love:

Teemo Heimer Zyra Soraka (well, at least until I started playing Teemo, she was my 1-30 main, but I don't play her much anymore) Blitzcrank Trundle (but he's only worked out for me in non-ranked games, and I've not taken him to JG)

If you have any good videos you like for jungle learning, and champs you think I might like that relate to that list, please do share and I will start checking it out. I do think I'd better enjoy a solo experience with that strategy element.

MrwiOzV6pB2 votes

I usually have the some of the best stats on my team as support even when I'm losing, except like snowbally tanks. I think if you're losing, even as support you should have the 1st or 2nd highest stats on your team to know you did truly as much as you could. If everyone on your team has like 1 kill and you have like 4 as an AP support that's usually a sign you were in a game that wasn't possible to save. Very few times teammates can be so unreliable when you're playing support it's best to KS (Kill Secure) to at least get a teammate fed by some assists.

Also with a support like Soraka I highly recommend basing a pick like that based on your team comp. She's really good, but if you don't have a decent tank on your team by mid game your team will normally get deleted. She doesn't do hardly any damage if you're going full HP regen Soraka and her heals are useless if the enemy team has enough power to kill your teammates within a couple secs.

Jyoeru1 votes

I get a lot of S- to S+ rankings when I play. I know I generally am doing very well if that's any indicator. And when I am with an ADC who isn't doing it right from my POV, I have no problem taking their CS and kills. In fact, having started playing around with Heimer support here lately, I've been WAY more aggressive with that take-over. If my ADC is way behind on CS (not because of me because I put my turrets along the wall to control bushes) and can't or won't get kills that needed to happen, I will take over the lane and get the gold so we can push lane and move on to other things.

In that regard, Heimer has become one of my favorite supports because he isn't as dependent on his ADC. I can keep people off my turret while my ADC sits at base for the fourth time dying to stupid. It's amazing how many games we win when I play Heimer that I know I would have lost playing most any other support.

Toastey1 votes

Why is this downvoted...

Well, I played support for a while to learn the rhythms of the game and proper positioning and the importance of flexible itemisation. I never really got burnt out; I still enjoy the role a lot. If you enjoy high mechanical skill and outdoing yourself while outplaying the enemy, I suggest mid.

Alternatively, if you like consistency and being a solid performer, try out ADC. You'll have a bit of an edge here in that you'll know what supports can and cannot do for you, so you'll know when it's inappropriate to blame your support :>

If map play is what you enjoy most, and you find yourself trying to control key junctions of the map with vision and pressure, then try out jungling.

RiotRiot Sotere1 votes

Was a support main Season 1 and 2. Then moved away, now I'm back. I found the transition that was easiest for me was into the jungle, since I was already good at seeing what was happening around the map and establishing vision control. Nunu for instance, plays a very supporty role from the jungle and if you're good at controlling vision, he'll help you get even better at it.

The other thing I did was played champions with easy match-ups top. Yorick and Teemo were my first ventures, and Lulu is a good one nowadays.

DeathBurst1 votes

I only started in S4, but my experience has been almost exactly the same. Support main at first, then transition to Jungle (I tried Vi and Amumu) because that was the other place where you didn't need to last-hit, then I started to play Garen top a few patches before the Juggernaut update.

Now I play mostly Tanks/Juggernaut, whatever the lane (Garen/Mundo top, Sion jungle, Braum/Leona support), but I don't regret my experience as Support. I have a higher-than-average map awareness and vision control than other solo-laner thanks to that initial phase.

Samael111 votes

Ironically, Support is my retreat from when I burn out on Jungle and Top.

You want to hear real bitching? Play Jungle. If you aren't constantly and successfully ganking every lane, always, someone's going to complain. It doesn't matter if you have crippled another lane, and constantly have 4 or 5 vision wards in place and are clearing enemy vision, there is usually always one person that cries about how you're neglecting them.

Even if they are having a terrible laning phase, I appreciate my supports when they are warding and supporting.

Jyoeru1 votes

{quoted}

Ironically, Support is my retreat from when I burn out on Jungle and Top.

You want to hear real bitching? Play Jungle. If you aren't constantly and successfully ganking every lane, always, someone's going to complain. It doesn't matter if you have crippled another lane, and constantly have 4 or 5 vision wards in place and are clearing enemy vision, there is usually always one person that cries about how you're neglecting them.

Even if they are having a terrible laning phase, I appreciate my supports when they are warding and supporting.

I've tried to JG, and I absolutely dislike it. I read the QQ toward the JG, and it's usually worse than what I get as supp to that <insert character here, I'm not saying Vayne, but most likely it's Vayne> ADC who wants to bully the lane no matter the enemy team comp, pings, or statements I make regarding my limitations as a support.

For example, was trying out Oriana support a couple weeks ago (don't really like her too much), and was hanging back behind my ADC playing safe, as it seems like Oriana's toolkit in that role requires, and my ADC was popping off on me about being in the frontline and how she played a game with an Oriana mid who dominated killing everything. Considering that my build was not glass canon, but rather actual support focused, with my points starting in the shield and maxing that first, I tried to explain this to my ADC, but to no avail. Abuse to the point I had to mute him and others on the team.

But those JGs, they do tend to get it bad.

khorney1 votes

why is picking fill mean picking supp....i was using leo a lot and janna as supp then since i was bored because you cant carry as a supp like these 2. i started going like ap supp why becuase you can have a better impact on the game

Zielmann1 votes

Been a support main since pretty much part-way through Season 1 (when was just starting to become widespread to run adc+support bot lane). I actually grew to enjoy and appreciate my role as a ward-bot, even in Season 3 when it was at its worst. I liked being responsible for that higher-level strategic role while also either working as an initiator or keeping teammates alive.

I quit playing SR almost completely when the Season 4 vision changes rolled in. I hated it. I didn't know how to really contribute with my preferred supports when I couldn't just go owning map vision by myself. I was miffed at the rise of the "any mage with cc is now a viable support" strategy that became widespread. My traditional supports were useless when you could still get some utility and a lot more damage out of Annie or Veigar. Or Syndra. Or even LeBlanc...

I'd always been a fan of ARAM, so starting Season 4, I basically switched to playing only ARAM.

This season, I'm actually finding myself pulled back onto SR and supporting again. I've adjusted to the vision changes that happened, and generally feel like I'm a better player now than I was back in Season 3 anyhow. And Windspeakers really makes my preferred traditional supports (Janna and Nami) feel relevant (if not maybe a little too good?) I'm having more fun and success with support so far this season than I ever have.

BALDG1VEN BOOMER1 votes

I haven't given up yet but I'm on the brink. Got placed S2 last season and this season B3 and It's just been a back and forth toss between B3 and B2 so far but as of late I've been having cruddy matches which Is why I'm on the brink.

ZT Xperimentor1 votes

Supports & junglers are often the most thankless positions; and often the first to be left hung out to dry. With the removal of assist-sprees supports are even more starved than before; both in gold and feeling like they're accomplishing something.

Mawaii1 votes

Supports can't do anything on their own, meaning that you should not play support if you want to rise in soloQ. Best support mage to switch to would be Annie or Brand. Annie is a very simple burst mage that can handle the middle lane as well as "supporting" botlane. I also enjoy playing Soraka as a support but is 100% reliant on having a good team. No matter if I heal my team for 80k health it is meaningless if my team works against itself and the goal of winning the game.

TallyZrg1 votes

I love support and excel at it. I just mute my team when they try to play the blame game and just focus on what I can control (which is my own game).

People play league to have fun, not to change the minds of people who are usually closed minded, stubborn, immature, and don't care because of internet anonymity.

So remove the unfun parts and enjoy your main role. Also if you go in with the mindset that you're going to try your best and improve as a player / learn from games you are less likely to care about what some random may or may not be judging you for, cause you are doing your best to learn :)

rtbf2256182411 votes

Idk i started as Veigar Support in Season 4 and got placed higher than all my friends were after 2 seasons of expierence.

Now i'm one of the best Janna players in the world. (I think)

Also i play Jungle as my secondary role when i tilt as Support and don't feel up to carrying.

ThatH1N11 votes

I was a support main but this new que has put me off of it. IF you que support you get it EVERY TIME.....

Feelsbadman...

Athenes Lulu1 votes

I started my League "career" as a support main because no one takes it, and my internet was too shitty to even handle last hitting.

Later, I tried other roles, such as mid, jungle, ADC, and top feed. Turns out that they aren't for me because supporting is actually playing a different game from that of your teammates.

Even took it to soloQ, and getting blames? Nah, that's everyday stuff; I'm used to it anyways. It's like jungler mains have to deal with whiny teammates and carry their shitty asses at the same time; getting blamed is just second nature. Also, not telling anyone in particular to "git gud", but if you know how to play smart and keep your cool, you'll realize that people who blame are almost always the bad players and that getting blamed is quite rare. The longer I played, the more I got used supporting, and all those "problems" are just everyday shit. Bad teammates, toxic teammates, idiots who has no idea on what on earth is a Lulu support, idiots who doesn't even know how botlane functions... you name it!

But seriously, no matter how much shit supporting has; every role has their own kind of shit.

Yeah, yeah, it stinks trying to climb alone because duh, supports are supposed to function with at least one other person. But if you like tactical things, go jungle. If you like playing and showing off mechanics, go ADC/mid/top. No one's stopping you, it's okay to take a break here and there.

Kal Vas Flam1 votes

I just recently joined the ranks of support and am enjoying playing making champs. Zilean is my go-to right now, but I enjoy Nami, Blitz, Janna, and other champs that can turn the tide of battle with smart positioning and timing rather than just raw power. It's hard to stay faithful to it because when you get bad carries you're struggle becomes 100% harder. But at least as support you can offer some protection to weaker players and try to give them an unfair edge.

Laning phase is still incredibly boring though.

MrBuffington1 votes

I mean, I've mained support on and off throughout the time I've played the game. The only other roles I really play are ADC, Mid, and Jungle. ADC has kind of a specialized champion pool, so it might be difficult for you to make that switch. I think Mid is probably easiest to switch to, given overlaps in champions (You can keep playing Zyra; Lulu is common; Morgana and Annie very easy to pick up in mid lane) although this next patch will probably have Zed and Xin 100% pick/ban, so it may be difficult picking up a mage (although the Zeds in Bronze/Silver aren't usually something to worry about).

I placed in silver my first ranked season, dropped into bronze the following season and climbed out. I found it easier to climb as a mid/adc.

More from Gameplay

3 Refunds per season, upvote if you want 3 refunds per season.
Gameplay764 comments
7,167
votes
3 Refunds per season, upvote if you want 3 refunds per season.
Gameplay156 comments
3,510
votes
UPVOTE FOR URF
Gameplay606 comments
2,440
votes
Yes plz.
Gameplay456 comments
1,721
votes
3 Refunds per season, up vote if you want 3 refunds per season.
Gameplay114 comments
1,716
votes
When is ANYONE at riot going to address the awful new player experience?
Gameplay634 comments
1,383
votes

More by Jyoeru

Navigating Bronze as Support (Tip Thread)
Gameplay16 comments
4
votes
Sigh Pyke
Gameplay9 comments
4
votes
Seeking some feedback regarding Zyra
Gameplay5 comments
3
votes
Your matchmaking is atrocious
Gameplay1 comments
3
votes
How do you know when it's you?
Gameplay27 comments
3
votes
Option to Drop Queue After Failed Start
Gameplay0 comments
2
votes