Support is the hardest role

SnakDatSmilesBak·Jul 24, 2017·6 votes·3,948 views

Other roles don't even come close. Yes every role has unique difficulties, support just has the most. Supports need to manage so much of the game. If you compare each role's responsibilities to a support's responsibilities it becomes clear that support simply has the most jobs to do. Even jungle, who admittedly has a lot to do, doesn't have as much to do as a support.

As a support you need to: Ward everywhere Watch the map at all times Track summs Track enemies Track wards Clear wards Peel Engage Cs (the right way if you're melee) Help adc cs (easier said than done) Roam Help take towers Take drags (not all supports can solo drag) Invade Zone Clear blast cone Poke Heal/Shield (at the right time) Ping (people don't really ping mia at my elo) Fight a 2v2 lane (so much easier said than done) Set up objectives and fights Set up pushes with BoC

People really don't realize how hard supporting is until they do it enough to the point where they start to see their mistakes.

Edit: and you have to deal with like 4 game changing actives on top of basic abilities

55 Comments

KaeblenJul 24, 20174 votes

##The approach you take to the game is wildly different, when you play different roles.

ADC - generally focus on cs until late game. some will sacrifice cs for lane trades. they never worry about roaming, unless you're in high elo. very kill-oriented class. entirely based on in-combat micro, and positioning. managing minion wave is also very important.

Top - easy to tunnel vision. constantly brawling with opponent, but usually tanky enough to not die from it. need to be a good 5v5 engage late game. can fill roles ranging from peel-support, to unstoppable bruiser. good timing for engage and disengage very important. usually has the tools they need for most any 1v1 or 1v2 fight. counterpicks influence this lane dramatically.

Mid - usually play damage dealers, and are most effective when they roam to assist other lanes. need to constantly worry about ganks, due to a very open lane, and often ward better than other roles. AOE abilities mean that managing minion waves is much easier than other roles. Needs map awareness, and good use of AOE's, and the ability to disengage.

Jungle - looks at the game similar to a game of chess. needs to know exactly where the enemy jungler is (despite not being able to see them) all game long. needs to plan long in advance (due to map travel times) where to focus their attention and gank, and where not to. needs to "rescue" failing lanes, snowball wining ones, and counter an opponent they can't even see. You are also responsible for the neutral objectives.

Support - your job is to play god. don't worry about killing anything, your allies are more than happy to do that for you. you decide who dies, on both teams, and when. in order to do this you need to know what is happening in all lanes. you need to engage enemies, use cc, and heals, and are the only player who specializes in disengage. You have more responsibilities than anyone else, and (just like god) you doing a good job usually means that things "magically" work out for your allies, whether they attribute this to you or not.

I've arranged the list from the top, who are more micro focused players, to the bottom who are more macro focused players. I readily admit that I understand mid lane least, because I play that role least.

SnakDatSmilesBakJul 24, 20171 votes

Man i wish it was like this. And if it is like this then I'm dong something wrong. What usually ends up happening is I win the fights for my adc, I manage the wave for my adc, I ping and tell mid where to gank, I take neutral objectives like dragon or herald when the jungler refuses to listen to me, I gank mid and top, I ward everything, I take towers, I split push for top, I invade. It just feels like to carry as support you have to do everyone else's job for them.

DukuesJul 24, 20173 votes

............................................................................................................. Support is the easiest role in the game LMFAO. Yes it is difficult and mastering it is insanely difficult. But... lmfao its the exact opposite of hardest.

Jungle is the hardest role followed by mid/top. Adc is above support but below the others.

Whats as bad if not worse in high elo than an auto filled team? Any auto filled support main team.

You can throw others laners into the support role and although they may suck, your team still has a fair chance of winning. But throw a hardcore support main into another role? Team is in for some trouble.

SnakDatSmilesBakJul 24, 20175 votes

Supports are literally the busiest players in game. I've played every role, supports have to watch and manage more than any role.

Also I didn't downvote you, I think it's stupid to down vote opinions unless they're offensive or obvious trolls.

And as for your last point, no that's not true. I'm a hardcore support main but I can reasonably hold my own in any role.

DukuesJul 24, 20171 votes

{quoted}

Supports are literally the busiest players in game. I've played every role, supports have to watch and manage more than any role.

You act like every role doesn't have a lot to manage. You can't just simplify other roles to promote one role.

SnakDatSmilesBakJul 24, 20171 votes

I'm definitely not trying to simplify other roles. It's just that in my experience support has by far the most to manage compared to any other role. I've played them all.

I'm not saying other roles are easy, just that support has the most to manage, which makes it the hardest.

DukuesJul 24, 20171 votes

I get this is an opinion piece but saying "I have played them all" doesn't really hold much weight here. Most of us have played all roles. On a personal level my worst role is top and I find it hardest to play, but I don't think its the hardest role in the game.

Look its hard to say since neither of us are high elo players. For me... although mastering support is very difficult for the reasons you mentioned I feel it is the easiest role to transition into or start to learn. And although it may be hard to rank up playing the role in certain elos in my eyes doesn't mean that role is super difficult, just has less overall impact on games. But I guess that leads to defining what does difficulty as far as roles in League of Legends mean? Is it just the number of things you need to do in a role? The amount of impact a role has? The mechanical skills it takes to play the role? etc.

League is a complex game and is what makes the measurement of how difficult a role is to play complex. I believe it involves the variables I listed above plus more. Due to this, I believe jungle is the most difficult role to play. Jungle has the most control over the map and objectives (at least dragon/baron). You have to decide which lanes you will try to help gank and when. Jungle camps give different level of xp and there are different ways to clear and different routes to clear depending on your champion and the game. Jungling is always different as it is a game of chess verse the enemy jungler. Jungle has a large impact on the game so if you can outplay the enemy jungler there is a decent chance of your team winning the game. There is an equal chance of you being outplayed by the enemy jungler and creating a large disadvantage for your team.

Will you farm more in the hopes of outsclaing the enemy? Will you try to force more ganks to build a lead for your laners? Will you focus more on counter jungling and counter ganking? When do you take objectives? Where is the enemy jungler and when you know where they are what does that mean for you? If their top to you go top to help? Gank mid? Gank bot? Counter jungle? Take dragon? All these decisions are constant and changing throughout the game every game. Making the right call is not always easy and can be very difficult. If you are an amazing jungler then yes winning is a lot easier than in other roles. But getting to that level is insanely hard. Also don't forgot jungle changes every season. Not just a couple item changes or new meta champions in that role, but literally jungle camp spawns/exp/gold/routes. Almost every season a large change made to these areas of the jungle making for a new learning/relearning curve.

SnakDatSmilesBakJul 24, 20171 votes

The weight that "I've played them all," carries is that it provides context for my opinion that supports have the most to manage out of any role. If potential impact is used as a measure of difficulty then I admit that jungle is the hardest. Perhaps saying supports have the hardest role is too much, I meant that to me supporting is the hardest because supports have the most to manage out of any other role.

hi ìm grootJul 24, 20173 votes

Wait, I thought this was an obvious troll post lol :x. I was a supp main Thresh and this season im a jungle main. But I play every role at a fairly high level and I definitely think supp is the easiest. All those things that you listed that a support has to do, is basically the same stuff... anyone would need to be doing, only difference is since the support actually has the least active role, he can assist in keeping track of things going on in other parts of the map easier than someone who's cs'ing or actively worrying about trading with their laner.

SnakDatSmilesBakJul 24, 20172 votes

Supports do not have the least active role. How did you come to that conclusion as a support main?

hi ìm grootJul 24, 20171 votes

Because lane phase is this... Keep eye on mini map Ward when appropriate Space between myself and enemy laners so as not to lose trades Keep an eye out for opportunities to make plays in my lane or elsewhere

As an ADC that list is literally the exact same, except the whole time I'm having to make sure I can grab as much of the cs as possible, and I know im the high value target they're going to go for in a gank.

You can add things like "peel for adc" as being something extra you think a support has to do, but thats just legit the mechanics of a fight for them depending on what support they are. Its like saying an adc needs to remember to position and auto attack.

SnakDatSmilesBakJul 24, 20171 votes

But a support also needs to position and auto attack in lane. Supports really have more responsibilities than other roles imo.

SnakDatSmilesBakJul 24, 20171 votes

But a support also needs to position and auto attack in lane. Supports really have more responsibilities than other roles imo.

No other role needs to ward as much as a support. No other role is as responsible for peeling. For the first half of the game, the support usually tanks for the adcs also.

Edit: I think mechanics on support are as important as mechanics on an adc

hi ìm grootJul 25, 20171 votes

But a support also needs to position and auto attack in lane.

Yes... so does adc.

Supports really have more responsibilities than other roles imo.

You're just being vague.

No other role needs to ward as much as a support.

Thats just apart of the job, they're best equipped to, and lose the least from not being in a lane cs'ing and getting experience. Its not a difficult thing.

No other role is as responsible for peeling.

Blatantly untrue, depending on the situation any role can be on peel duty. Even an assassin might want to end up just helping to burst whoever is going to dive the adc, if the adc is the strongest on the team.

For the first half of the game, the support usually tanks for the adcs also.

If its a support tank... again, thats not a difficult task, its just him doing his job in the fights while the adc does his. Its definitely more IMPACTFUL on the winning of bot lane that the support can play fights well, but its not the most difficult.

I think mechanics on support are as important as mechanics on an adc Depends on the elo. Higher up, everyone will be gunning for that adc and believe me, if that adc sucks they'll get him regardless of what you do. At the lower elo where backline dives are unorganized and poorly played then ya the adc can get away with sucking and still pull off abit of damage. But positioning mechanics are hugely important, if a mage supp gets caught out at the start of a fight, but manages to push all his button, he's damned near done everything he'd have done anyways if he'd been alive the whole fight, if a tank supp gets caught out then they're useful for the amount of CD's they'd require to be killed and can buy time for the team to get off some counterplay, sustain/shield supps would be fk'd but positioning on them is the easiest because they never have a reason to be forward. But if an adc gets caught out, and they'll be the ones worth the most resources to pick, then their death was only worth the summs/CD's that were needed to blow them up.

So no I'd have to wholeheartedly disagree, the adc's mechanics are hugely more important than the supports. I get autofill supports all the time, and hardly notice it. Usually when I lose a game because we got to late game and our adc couldnt position themselves decently, I can look them up and find out it was an autofilled adc.

R1NGW0LFJul 25, 20171 votes

as a support, i tend to duo queue a lot and i make my buddy set up wards and objectives to, its just in communication.

MarshbouyJul 24, 20173 votes

Ward everywhere Watch the map at all times Track summs Track enemies Track wards Clear wards

sounds like being a jungler.

Peel Engage

sounds like being a jungler

Roam Help take towers Take drags (not all supports can solo drag) Invade Zone Clear blast cone

sounds like being a jungler.

Set up objectives and fights

sounds like being a jungler.

Pie CubedJul 24, 20172 votes

Support is easy to play, hard to master. It's mostly because it's not mechanics and flashy plays that people don't appreciate the work done by the role; it's more macro and control.

Also, if you have a competent jungle and support you should have two good shot callers, since they aren't worried too much about CS and can focus on the bigger picture.

SnakDatSmilesBakJul 24, 20171 votes

[{quoted}](name=Pie Cubed,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=pEh5zgjW,comment-id=0004,timestamp=2017-07-24T16:35:03.633+0000)

Support is easy to play, hard to master.

I agree, I think I should've clarified the distinction.

koshkyraJul 24, 20172 votes

Tank/ADC/Assassin/Mage/Support

In order from easiest to hardest imo

Tanks take years to die and literally cant make mistakes ADCs are the most protected by their team and have many Defense+Offense items to build Assassins have high mobility to cover up their mistakes Mages need to land slow skillshots and get hard countered by MR since they have 3 pen options and one of them is a niche item Supports have millions of things to keep track of and tons of item actives

SnakDatSmilesBakJul 24, 20171 votes

Tanks can make mistakes, and don't take literal years to die. I get what you're saying but hyperbole didn't help. I think it's hardest because supports have the most to keep track of.

Big LincolnJul 24, 20172 votes

so delusional rofl

SnakDatSmilesBakJul 24, 20171 votes

What's your problem?

RivuoJul 24, 20171 votes

{quoted}

What's your problem?

Probably because you made a post even bronze people would laugh at

RivuoJul 24, 20172 votes

This is the dumbest post ive ever seen holy

SnakDatSmilesBakJul 24, 20172 votes

This is such a mean comment, man. What did I do to you?

RivuoJul 24, 20172 votes

{quoted}

This is such a mean comment, man. What did I do to you?

Honestly its just the stupidity of the comment.

Cs (the right way if you're melee) -------- Supports do not CS. If you CS its because you have relic in which you have an execute Help adc cs (easier said than done) ----------- You hit the caster minion once if its full hp under tower for your adc. Roam ------------------- Something everyone except adc does Help take towers -------------------- ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????? Take drags (not all supports can solo drag) --------------- ???????????????????????????????? Invade --------------------- ??????????????????????????????????? Zone ------------------------ ??????????????????????????????????????? Clear blast cone ---------------- ???????????????????????????????????? Poke ----------------- ????????????????????????????

What the hell, Support is harder because you have to clear blast cone?

99% of the stuff you listed is stuff everyone does no matter what.

SnakDatSmilesBakJul 24, 20172 votes

I think you need to chill, I'm not responding.

khorneyJul 24, 20172 votes

supp is the easiest role it is however the most mentally draining due to being the teams slave and no matter what u do u will lsoe and for some reason its always the supps fault. its easy due to u dont have to worry about a damn thing besides warding and helping ur team im not sure how thats hard? it is boring as shyt though

OurLestradeJul 24, 20171 votes

Top < Mid < ADC/Support < Jungle. From a Taric/Braum spammer.

SnakDatSmilesBakJul 24, 20172 votes

When you start taking responsibility for neutral objectives, support becomes harder than jg. Yorick support can solo drag and herald easily. It's honestly hard managing objectives and lane at the same time.

JQKAndreiJul 24, 20171 votes

You're just making your life harder by taking other's roles in yours. You don't have to take responsebility of neutral objectives, vision at most but that takes 5 seconds, I wouldn't consider it "hard" to do while laning.

SnakDatSmilesBakJul 24, 20171 votes

Yeah you're right but when I can solo dragon while my team takes herald or towers, why shouldn't I?

JQKAndreiJul 24, 20171 votes

Because:

You don't have smite to secure it, you risk of either losing, dying or both.
You leave your adc alone, enemies can either get a pick from him, freeze him away from farm and/or collapse on you.
If by chance the jungler is there you're either 3v1 at drake or 3v1 bot. Either way you lose an objective.

SnakDatSmilesBakJul 24, 20171 votes

Yeah, you're right. That's why I wait for the right time to do it. That's why i set that situation up where i can solo dragon. That's where the difficulty comes from. Learning how to do that against better and better opponents is hard.

R1NGW0LFJul 25, 20171 votes

isn't it more normal to help distract the enemy team and sneak off the jungler to the objective?

SujirenJul 24, 20171 votes

I think top is the hardest, you have to not only keep your farm up, sometimes lane vs absurd counterpicks, deal with lane freezes and jungle camps, but also find ways to make impact on the map from the most isolated lane with a well timed teleport or roam.

SnakDatSmilesBakJul 24, 20171 votes

{quoted}

I think top is the hardest, you have to not only keep your farm up, sometimes lane vs absurd counterpicks, deal with lane freezes and jungle camps,

Support is the same thing except you're keeping someone else's farm up instead of yours. Ever played bard into brand or blitz? It's about as hard a counter pick as you can get.

but also find ways to make impact on the map from the most isolated lane with a well timed teleport or roam.

Gotta do this with supports also but without tp. Edit: sometimes you can have mobi boots

JQKAndreiJul 24, 20172 votes

Hmm, I disagree. Top is all about knowing your matchups and how dangerous the jungler is.

Counterpicks, farm denying, freezes and jungle camps are a problem in every lane. On toplane counterpicks have some more effect early but that alone doesn't make it the hardest role.

SnakDatSmilesBakJul 24, 20171 votes

I'd go so far as to argue that counterpicks don't have more effect early in top lane as compared to bot lane. Bot lane is relatively more snowbally than top because in bot there are two people getting gold and xp and two people getting denied gold and xp. In top there is only one. This makes counters more effective in bot lane because when counter picks work they work better than they do in top. However, it is harder to counter pick in bot lane than it is in top because there are two champions in bot lane and only one in top.

JQKAndreiJul 24, 20172 votes

I very strongly disagree with this. Counterpicks in top are very heavy, you can literally get one kill and deny the opponent 90%+ of creeps all the way until you dive him over and over again where the jungler can't even help. There are matchups where one toplaner has no chance on earth of getting a kill on the opponent.

Botlane is way more versatile, if you screw up early it's not that hard to stay back and farm when it's safe, you can't get deniend off of all minions. Complete stomp matchups are very rare.

Miror BJul 24, 20171 votes

Support is only really "hard" in low ELO because the majority of botlane carries (players, not characters) are ridiculously bad, hence why I'm able to comfortably play mordy into like 90% of them and outright destroy them. It's often why I suggest to newer support players to KS/greedy-build as much as possible, as while giving the botlaner kills and trying to "protect" them is nice and all, a polished poop doesn't suddenly make it of high quality.

SnakDatSmilesBakJul 24, 20171 votes

Are you smurfing? Bc I'm not and it's more mentally taxing than any other role I've played in gold.

JQKAndreiJul 24, 20171 votes

Honestly the most mentally taxing role is jungle, and I've also mained every role at some point.

SnakDatSmilesBakJul 24, 20171 votes

I consider support more mentally taxing than jungle because you also have to watch your adc. I agree that jungle is very difficult and requires careful thought and quick decisions. But, I still think supports have more to manage since a good support will gank just like a jungler but also maintain enough lane presence so his adc isn't run over. This isn't even taking into consideration that fighting and laning as a 2v2 is much more difficult than killing jg creeps.

R1NGW0LFJul 25, 20171 votes

i actually agree with the jungler.....cause if anything goes wrong the knee jerk reactions is where the hell is the jungler. but if it goes wrong in top lane they don't yell at the support.

R1NGW0LFJul 25, 20171 votes

i can agree with that.....i love when i yank someone out of a 3v1 and they charge back in......now we have 2 idiots ready to die

AR URFJul 24, 20171 votes

Jungle is the hardest role. Need to worry about counter jungle, dragon control, rift herald control, and 3 lanes. Laners just need to worry about cs and not dying.

One Ashe OnJul 25, 20171 votes

Supporting isn't hard but it's team reliant. Don' mix the two.

-A main Support.

R1NGW0LFJul 25, 20171 votes

All and all as a support main i can only half agree with this post, it sounds like a lot of the problems mentioned in this post could be solved with proper communication. in most the games i play the team will at least buy vision for a while and then leave it to me to ward dragon and baron later in the game. In all honesty every person will think the role the main is the hardest as they get so into the role they play, whether it be top, jungle or support. The thing is you have to learn to adjust to these things and try not to take to much at a time, it'll just snowball until you feel like you are carrying the world of the round on your shoulders. Just do what you can and don't do what you can't it's that simple.

the rules i follow when i support are.....

Poke when you can ward/destroy ward when able to do so call out enemy locations when i see them changing KS only when i have to(saving a team mate or just kill securing in general) CC roam and set up engages when we can win the team fight

You make it sound like Supports just need to carry the whole team, when in reality you only need to carry the carries. If you can do that it all clicks into place.

Sorry if it seems like I am bashing you as that is not my intentions..

May the stars guide you

Soraka