Why /not/ build AP on Soraka?

DJ Di0·Jun 15, 2015·2 votes·4,660 views

http://i.gyazo.com/6726b7d770a01fa5d0678c1e588f4dec.png

So just got done with a ranked and built quite a glass canon-esque build on Soraka support. It went pretty decently, and the heals were amazing (think I was regen-ing 600+ hp a pop) http://i.gyazo.com/2647632fcede852ae198966776f96a88.png

A major downside to building her with a lot AP is that she'll be extremely squishy. Imo it's worth the risk, though; if you can position well and do your best to stay in the back-line, you'll be able to sustain yourself with Q (hitting multiple champions with one pretty much fills you to full late game)

Anyone else build her this way?

9 Comments

OJ191Jun 15, 20152 votes

It's an ongoing argument that will never really have an answer.

If you build AP, you have stronger heals which you can self-sustain through the cost easier, but you get blown up easy.

If you build defensive, you lose a lot more HP from the heal cost, while the Q heal is much less both flat and % wise, but you don't get blown up.

PS: if you're landing many Qs the enemy is probably bad, since even without taking into account how squishy missing Q's makes soraka, an AP fuelled Q actually does quite a lot of damage.

DJ Di0Jun 15, 20151 votes

{quoted}

It's an ongoing argument that will never really have an answer.

If you build AP, you have stronger heals which you can self-sustain through the cost easier, but you get blown up easy.

If you build defensive, you lose a lot more HP from the heal cost, while the Q heal is much less both flat and % wise, but you don't get blown up.

PS: if you're landing many Qs the enemy is probably bad, since even without taking into account how squishy missing Q's makes soraka, an AP fuelled Q actually does quite a lot of damage.

True; I feel her Q is a little like Nami's. You almost play a mind game of sorts with the person you aim it at, haha.

1000angrybeesJun 15, 20152 votes

Honestly, not building ap/mana regen on soraka with her current kit is just stupid.

It's completely better to take advantage of the amount of health she gives and the amount she receives from her Q while doing damage.

Her e packs a punch too.

CrunchyfiedJun 15, 20151 votes

AP is always good, although locket, mikaels should always be prioritized if they are necessary.

7thHeavenJun 15, 20151 votes

Leblanc Talon Free gold

3TWarriorJun 15, 20151 votes

I think soraka would be more viable if her W didn't drain 10% of her hp at a time...but basically she trades her life for yours

sona doesn't do this but has longer cooldowns and less crowd control

nidalee can burst heal for a ridiculous amount and can ward bushes with traps

alistar CAN heal that fast but has less of a heal and requires deaths in the vicinity

bard can do nothing but support and allow epic wall jumping

nami...she heals for a decent amount at a time and burst-damages champs while having the best crowd control type only on a delay. she can even increase the carry's damage

taric has huge heals on a huge cooldown and buffs ally armor...he really needs some work though

lol Janna heals a lot but most people don't stand still for it

overall, I think Soraka's kit was less toxic when it never missed and restored mana but didn't burst the enemy adc down early match

KougaJun 15, 20151 votes

Are you the target?

If you ARE the target (i.e., the enemy has high burst, mobile assassins, and you have primarily tanky teammates) then they will try to murdergib you. Build defenses (resistances > health, since you lost % hp, it doesn't help as much).

If you are NOT the target (i.e., the enemy has more sustained damage but lower burst, more bruisers, or you have other squishier, better targets on your team) then sure why not go higher AP? If you can play safely, the extra AP will let you pump up your team a lot more.

FaRmErXJun 15, 20151 votes

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Fashion MageJun 15, 20151 votes

I always build her AP. Adcs and mages don't start building tanky because they're squishy, neither should Soraka. You can build her AP so that she'll be a glass cannon healer, or you can build her tanky, and she'll be a mediocre healer that can't save anything and won't be focused as a result anyway.