Karma support tips?

GranGrimorie·Mar 30, 2016·2 votes·1,029 views

I main support and as people usually rage for going lux and I cant stop ulting, I decided to go karma, soraka wasnt working out though I love her.

so heres my build

, to proc that slow from tether, , , .

Its a shield based build to emphasize her massive defiance, Im open to suggestions please

12 Comments

Athenes LuluMar 30, 20162 votes

Land your skillshots. Though that should be a given.
Do more R>E and R>W more than R>Q.
Rylai's isn't really necessary if you can land a Q while you tether, so save your bucks on something else.

I'm a shit Karma, but that's mainly because I just suck at trying to do #1.

SilverSquidMar 30, 20161 votes

Do more R>E and R>W more than R>Q.

RQ is nearly always the best option in laning phase. And if you build AP/Mpen and they don't have a tank, it will stay useful.

Rylai's isn't really necessary if you can land a Q while you tether, so save your bucks on something else.

Rylai's will add a 1s 40% slow to your Q and an instant 20% slow to your W. Also remember that Q has a casttime, which means you risk that a fleeing enemy can break the tether more easily. Rylais makes your offensive utility way more reliable.

@OP: item 3504 is useful on Karma, but better on Sona, Soraka and Janna.

I like going item 3098 item 3110 item 3116 on Karma. It makes you ridiculously tanky against AD, your slow/root more reliable and allows for more AAs in fight, so more mantra resets. If the enemy has a fed midlaner, this won't work well though, and if you are good with Karma, an AP build is usually more effective, as can be seen on champion.gg

Athenes LuluMar 30, 20161 votes

{quoted}

RQ is nearly always the best option in laning phase. And if you build AP/Mpen and they don't have a tank, it will stay useful.

Was referring to teamfights, but good point.

aquaticwonderMar 30, 20162 votes

Play Karma solo lane where she is supposed to be played.

Deep Terror NamiMar 30, 20161 votes

You might be interested in this guide from Midnight Karma; http://www.mobafire.com/league-of-legends/build/r-karmamains-subreddits-karma-support-guide-a-spiritual-455279

Maximum MordeMar 30, 20161 votes

Luden's echo is really nice on her, if you can slot it in. Personally, I build her almost full out offense cause she can do quite a bit of damage.

GranGrimorieMar 30, 20161 votes

so your all saying I go pokey on her? I dont know I'd rather be shielding late game then have her damage fall off. RQ is insane but far from reliable... missing or worse minion block.

Maximum MordeMar 30, 20161 votes

With AP and Pen, her damage Never falls off, and RQ is one of the easiest skillshot in the game to land. Karma's shield gains a lot from AP as well so that isn't out of line with your goals. Build tanky AP, skip the Censer. That item is pretty noob trap. It's too low effect for it's cost. Low Ap, the passive isn't that good, the only good thing about it is the CDR that you can get other places.

I'd only get the censer if for some reason we had like 3 auto attack based champs, then maybe. The reason it fails so hard is it doesn't work on Karma herself and a large portion of the time you will be wanting to shield yourself to weave in and out for your W or to throw Qs and get out before they can retaliate. And let's be honest, unless you delay your other items to get it first, you won't be using it in lane phase which really the only time it's any good.

GranGrimorieMar 30, 20161 votes

oh and a important question is support karma viable compared to other support champs? I like karma but dont want to be a burden

SilverSquidMar 30, 20161 votes

She is good in soloQ (may ~~god~~ nagakabouros have mercy on SoloQ's soul) because she is a more well rounded mix between Lux and Janna support. Or put differently; she can deal the damage Janna wishes she had and has the utility Lux players try to convince you she has, when they lock her in to play "support", but buy mejais, rabadons, dont place a single ward and steal all kills.

The good thing about her is that you can pick her and then be useful in many lanes, top, mid, support and even jungle if you mastered her (it's still cheesy tho). You can very easily make up for most of your team's shortcomings.

That being said, if your ADC knows what he is doing and you are reaching plat+ levels, you are going to be more effective with other supports. People learn to avoid your poke in lane, junglers will abuse the fact that you push the lane and that you have very soft disengage. And lategame the catch potential and hard disengage of other champions just becomes more useful than Karma's damage and soft... everything. Karma's root and slows are nice, but it's nothing compared to the disengage or crazy stuff some Thresh, Braum or Bard mains can do. Also Karma's damage looks bleak compared to the kind of damage a good morgana root or thresh hook allows your ADC to do.

I would say that Karma is a very good support from bronze to gold and a decent one in plat. If you wanna main support in diamond, you will probably find yourself playing her less and less.

AbyssphereMar 30, 20161 votes

Laning phase try to be obnoxious but don't go too risky to poke, you aren't defined by your early lane bullying. RQ is rarely not the best option early, use RE when escaping ganks and that's about it.
Don't get baited into thinking you're just a poke bot. As you progress from the laning phase RQ quickly falls off for support Karma. Look for when you can make picks with RW and focus on keeping people alive with RE when they're being jumped on. In early team fights/skirmishes it's really up to you to figure out if RQ or RE is more useful - if you can see targets you want to burst AND slow, RQ is probably best, but otherwise I'm iffy on it.
You don't need to be full AP "support". Never buy a Luden's, it just doesn' work. IMO Rylai's is pointless on her and I -love- Rylai's. The tether slow is lovely but you won't need it if playing perfectly - aim for that ;)
I like both Locket and Censer a lot. Locket amplifies your RE which is amazing and Censer is really useful as it gives you some AP and is great for taking objectives. Would definitely recommend you continue purchasing them.
Take Windspeaker's instead of Thunderlord's. Windspeakers is just ridiculous with her RE and Locket. Thunderlord's will contribute to your laning but falls off horrendously - Windspeaker's helps keep you relevant late.

Not sure I have any other tips. I'm not a huge Karma main but this is what I've noticed with her both from playing her myself and watching others play her.

GranGrimorieApr 1, 20161 votes

getting mixed reactions here to rylais or not to rylais... and then theres censer vs not