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Why Ezreal Support isn't just a "Non-meta pick".

Sonic Adventure·11/25/2018, 4:22:54 AM·60 votes·17,484 views

I've seen this discussion on the boards and wanted to give some thoughts.

I am a Diamond player supp main. I love getting matched against non-meta supports, especially when they surprise me and kick my ass. Yes, even if I feel like a noob. I am a defender of non-meta picks, but Ezreal is a special case. He has a combination of 4 huge problems:

  • No CC.
  • No utility.
  • No damage without items.
  • No tanky / can't mitigate damage.

And I will add, his damage is outplayable since it's mostly skillshots -> This can be important too. (A big plus of Malz is that even if the enemy is challenger, your ult won't miss if you're in range).

Other non-meta supports (that still get flamed):

  • Annie, even without gold and 0/10, can always be very impactful since her AoE stun component is not gold reliant.
  • An Ashe provides much better vision than Ezreal, and on top of that has one of the best initiators in the game and + reliable slow.
  • A Shaco still has hard CC's, vision & zoning from boxes, a slow from E, and all while being able to go tanky if he wants.
  • A MF has a long range AoE slow, high out of combat mobility, AS for clearing wards & reliable harass through minions.

Nearly almost any champion, as random as you imagine, will happen to have something. Heck, even a 0/10 Yasuo support can land a 4-5 man tornado + ult with no items and give your Orianna an easy Quadra, or can save your team with a Windwall (pls don't though).

Ezreal is a rare, BIG exception that has no CC at all, utility, or damage without items. This means that if you are not ahead in gold, you are most likely bringing very little to the table, making games where you are behind frustrating and much more difficult to turn around.

I love non-meta picks and I think many champions can support effectively, but I can see how they should bring at least something that is not gold reliant: either CC, utility, or damage without items. Most supports bring at least 2 of these if not more. Ezreal is one of the few champions that have 0 and even when ahead it's just a poke that doesn't go through minions, and only after getting 5000k gold you add some minor cc granted you rush Iceborn after getting boots, supp item and tear. Many Ezreal supports rush Manamune, meaning the only minor CC they can offer comes around their 20 min mark in game.

Anyway, have a great weekend = )

[sona-playing]

118 Comments

DuskDaUmbreon11/25/2018, 5:00:15 AM39 votes

That's one thing people tend to forget about supports: They have to offer more to botlane than just damage.

Even the most greedy and damage-oriented of supports still has CC. Brand still has a stun, Zyra still has a root and a knockup, Shaco still has a fear. Ezreal has nothing.

If you have no utility and no CC (not even a decent slow), you're not a support.

Bootleg Gay11/25/2018, 4:33:01 AM14 votes

These reasons are why I like to play Lissandra support. Doesn't require a huge lead, reliable cc, can initiate or peel, and she's one of the best champs to pick for locking down assassins that would try to jump your teammates.

Plus I just love her thematically, and she's satisfying.

TheGr8WhiteD11/25/2018, 7:39:29 AM10 votes

Anyone who plays Ezreal support is either A) An Ezreal one trick and got autofilled, which I still think is absurd but okay B) Trying VERY hard to just be a special snowflake as if hes special for playing a completely fucking useless pick.

Its really that simple. Dont debate with these people. They are desperate for attention.

Eleshakai11/26/2018, 6:54:17 PM6 votes

Well said.

A support who is just a damage champ is essentially just a low-income midlaner or adc. How useful is a midlane or an ADC when they're 3k gold behind? Not very, typically. So the support needs to bring something else to the table.

Zeppelins circus11/26/2018, 8:53:45 AM6 votes

The real issue is not about Ezreal support, it is about the "adc that is supported by Ezreal support". Any decent botlane duo will just rush the adc who we know has no cc, and know the ezreal will just run away abandoning the adc.

Try peeling something like a Noctune or Kayn off with ezreal and not get your adc splatted.

Pika Fox11/25/2018, 3:37:05 PM3 votes

Ezreal can generate a lot of gold quickly, and frozen fist provides more utility than people give it credit for. Ezreal support is a fun and valid off meta support pick.

Metal Janna11/25/2018, 4:36:17 PM2 votes

You know that thing where Miss Fortune makes you have to stay far away from behind minions so you don't get Q'd for half your health? Ezreal can abuse that.

SSmotzer11/25/2018, 5:28:48 AM1 votes

And what about Gangplank support?