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What is the difference between mages and supports?

Ghiefelstein··5 votes·964 views

There are several champions who can't decide between being a support or mage. Lulu, Zyra, Zilean, Karma and Morgana for example. These champions tend to get nerfed and kept in that state until Riot decides what direction they want to take them. Once they have a clear niche, they are allowed to be strong again. So can we help these champions find their place in the game?

First some examples of champions who found their niche: Soraka Gets to be the ultimate healer. She can be strong in that role without becoming an oppressive solo laner. Annie Is more focused around her bear Tibbers. She received several changes to accentuate that strength.

However, many champions are not as lucky. They were nerfed and have been waiting until Riot finds time to take a serious look at them. Lulu Was nerfed for her solo lane performance. Riot said she was not in an ideal position but then never talked about her again. Zyra She needs some more love than just plant indicators. Her plants have so much potential and she could at least get a new passive. Zilean Recently reworked, but I still don't see what his future in the game is. Riot said they missed the mark number-wise (especially for midlane). But do you think he has a clear identity now? Karma I almost never see her. Maybe that is why I can't think of anything that makes her unique or interesting? Morgana Is she a support or a mage? I feel like she is more often played for her raw strength (long root) and not for strategic purposes (spell shield).

Let's discuss what a mage/support is supposed to do in this game. Because many of these champions need a niche before they can be strong again. It is time for more diversity!

6 Comments

IcyPepper5 votes

Depends on what their primary and secondary is. Mage supports (mage primary, support secondary) tend to have high burst/dps to handle their own, but enough utility to be useful in a teamfight even if they're behind. People with enough practice, generally in both the support and mage role, can take these suckers to bot lane and rock. Syndra Velkoz Annie are good examples. Their main weakness is that outside their cc, they don't have much else beyond damage. Syndra's ult is high burst, but provides no cc (unless you use your E afterwards, usually for a teamfight stun, but already mentioned that). Same with Vel. It's good for zoning, but can risk taking a kill you need to give to your adc that a stun would have done.

Support mages are the flipside, they got enough damage/waveclear to solo lane, but they excel best when working with others. After explaining the other, I shouldn't have to talk too much about this one. Sona is an example: she's primarily a support, but a talented player can go mid and not feed (I know, I know, but I've seen great Sona mids).

Your examples show the weaknesses of trying to balance the two roles, though. I'd say Lulu is a niche support that's good in the right hands (give it to a support main and watch the magic happen). Karma is a decent support, but I'd say she excels midlane when the laning phase is over (just like Taric and Sivir, her R+E is amazing. People have this single-player mindset, but when they use team abilities the teamfights get insane). Morgana, I'd say is mostly a support, but deals enough damage. Her ult, to quote the pros, is a counter-engage (like a Janna ult, except they take damage and cc if they ignore it) and makes people wnat to flash out.

Don't have much to say about Zilean, never really played him. His ultimate is great, but his kit is kind of... weird. Zyra, on the other hand, is like Annie when it comes to balancing. Buff support Zyra too much and midlane Zyra becomes a monster.

tl;dr: support/mage champions are in an odd spot, but the key to playing them is fulfilling both roles no matter which lane you go in. Midlaners can aid their team in teamfights, supports are still allowed to deal some damage

Sailor Mint3 votes

It's really hard to even imply that Lulu, a champion that is seeing play in three lanes and is the centerpiece of multiple strategies (i.e.: Juggermaw) is in a bad spot.

After her nerfs, she is lacking on the damage side compared to utility mages (i.e.: Orianna). She's a support who can be used in a solo lane, use farm and not be a liability to your team.

bad arcade kitty1 votes

morg is a very good mid, as well as annie i think their winrates at mid are better than as a support

Miku Lv991 votes

There kinda is no fundamental difference between them. It's sort of just which role they're supposed to be better at.

Ghiefelstein1 votes

So what role are they supposed to be better at? I feel like Riot never properly adressed that for Lulu, Zyra, Zilean, Karma and Morgana.

Kitten of Evil1 votes

The problem is that support is sort of fuzzy -- things that make a champion good as a support include:

Hard CC/peel Healing Shields Auras Decent base damage on spells Works without a ton of gold

A couple of these are also found on many mages -- namely, CC/peel, high base damages, and an ability to work without a ton of gold (usually due to scaling passives or an Mpen focus rather than pure AP stacking -- see Zyra Velkoz Brand ). So there's always going to be overlap between the two.

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