When supporting, is taking ignite or exhaust a personal preference?

Epic Murph·Jun 29, 2016·2 votes·916 views

Lately I've been taking ignite instead of exhaust whenever I support. I like it a lot better compared to exhaust but I'm afraid a lot of adc's will get pissed at me for using it. I know exhaust can be useful for locking down assassins and high damage dealers, but running more builds could remedy this.

So my question is, is using ignite or exhaust (as a support) up to personal preference? Will more people flame me for using ignite? (pun intended)

9 Comments

KaiokoJun 29, 20162 votes

It's a personal preference but you should also keep in mind what your team comp is and what the opposing team. If you're playing against a team with a lot of assassins or "all-in" reset abusers for example, exhaust is almost always better. If you're playing against a soraka support, not taking ignite is rather foolish.

RevaliJun 29, 20161 votes

ignites good for agressors, exh is the safer spell

and by aggressors I mean poke, mage, and all-in types of supports

Bard Leona Karma Blitzcrank Thresh

for example of aggressive/poke laners.

ModDesonanceJun 29, 20161 votes

Ignite is pretty good on mage supports, but exhaust is almost always better in a straight out 2v2 duel situation. I typically take exhaust if they have assassins or champions that are mobile enough to get to your apc or adc (Zed, yi, kat, kha, etc...) Disclaimer: I'm not a bot lane main.

CubíxJun 29, 20161 votes

It is somewhat personal preference, but it also can depend on champ select. For example if the chose say soraka and an adc that builds early lifesteal (like vayne or draven) then ignite will be more beneficial because it will lower their sustain, but if you were against like twitch and an engage support (alistar or leona) exhaust is better because that lowers the damage output of the adc when they try to follow up on their support.

TheLazySunbroJun 29, 20161 votes

Ignite is a personal fav. on my Thresh and Blitz since I land most of my hooks and if you add Thunder-lords consider your lane won on your fist combo , takes away more then half the ADC hp

Bard is the only one I take Exhaust on, I just don't feel comfortable using ignite with him, doesn't fit his style.

Other then that if there's a burst/assassin/Full AD then I would take exhaust also

HexaDecimelJun 29, 20161 votes

Teams tend to focus the primary damage dealers on the opposing team. I tend to go with exhaust as its more helpful in saving a teammate that is getting jumped on. Especially if I am playing a damage heavy support that doesn't offer shields, healing, or something that can directly save my adc.

I don't think that ignite is bad, but I prefer the chance that I might save a teammate over the chance that I may get a kill as a support.

KodyackJun 29, 20161 votes

depends on many things, including what you want.

generally I take exhaust, though ignite works for all in/agressive supports more often, and defensive supports or against more than one enemy AD hypercarry exhaust is usually better.

so basically it depends on what you like, what your team is, and what the enemy team is.