How did it happen? I've been a naut main for a long time and i am really glad he is getting attention. I mean, his cc is crazy, so i was always confused how he wasnt more played before. What do you guys think of this new meta? Could he be played in worlds, do you think?
Mirage Seraph2 votesI think the main reason his supporting suddenly got popular is because of the riptide/shield changes mixed with Cinderhulk putting tank junglers into the spotlight. Previously, all of Nauts power was in his shield and his riptide was nothing more than a strong slow. Now his shield can be used more like a shield and his riptide is his damage now.
Naut Support, in my opinion as a fellow Naut player/pseudo-main, has always been good, with some variation depending on the popular ADC at the times, screw Lucian and his slow-breaking dash and minion wave advantage... But with Riptide being his new bread and butter his entire shtick isn't hook in, shield, riptide, and hope your ADC isn't playing Lee Sin and actually follows up on your 3 seconds of CC because now you're useless for 10 seconds. Now it's hook in, shield, and go to town on the ADC as their support peels you off as their ADC has to decide between hobbling away (and taking multiple riptide hits!) or counter engaging which, with a Naut sitting on top of you, probably isn't the easiest thing.
TL;DR, Shield/Riptide power shifts put him on a better power level with other tank supports, Cinderhulk put him in the spotlight.
Erockandroll1 votes[{quoted}](name=Mirage Seraph,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=xEVAu9dE,comment-id=0001,timestamp=2015-04-21T00:56:23.303+0000)
I think the main reason his supporting suddenly got popular is because of the riptide/shield changes mixed with Cinderhulk putting tank junglers into the spotlight. Previously, all of Nauts power was in his shield and his riptide was nothing more than a strong slow. Now his shield can be used more like a shield and his riptide is his damage now.
Naut Support, in my opinion as a fellow Naut player/pseudo-main, has always been good, with some variation depending on the popular ADC at the times, screw Lucian and his slow-breaking dash and minion wave advantage... But with Riptide being his new bread and butter his entire shtick isn't hook in, shield, riptide, and hope your ADC isn't playing Lee Sin and actually follows up on your 3 seconds of CC because now you're useless for 10 seconds. Now it's hook in, shield, and go to town on the ADC as their support peels you off as their ADC has to decide between hobbling away (and taking multiple riptide hits!) or counter engaging which, with a Naut sitting on top of you, probably isn't the easiest thing.
TL;DR, Shield/Riptide power shifts put him on a better power level with other tank supports, Cinderhulk put him in the spotlight.
I think it's Ironic because Riot intended to be a viable Jungler, but his Titan's Wrath was a knifes edge in balancing because you broke it, and he was doing nothing, or you didn't and he was doing massive damage at the same time. Which is why they shifted his power on to his Riptide. And this Ironically made him a better support than Jungler.
Mirage Seraph1 votesI think it's Ironic because Riot intended to be a viable Jungler, but his Titan's Wrath was a knifes edge in balancing because you broke it, and he was doing nothing, or you didn't and he was doing massive damage at the same time. Which is why they shifted his power on to his Riptide. And this Ironically made him a better support than Jungler.
Honestly it helped his jungling quite a bit as well, but perhaps not quite as much. Which is fine, if I'm not mistaken Nautilus was showed to be a possible support in his champ spotlight, but I could be mistaken, it was a while back. But I don't see why he shouldn't be balanced around support as well, he fills a similar niche as Leona after all.
Zmuecat1 votesThe support role has always been very flexible, especially after the introduction of the gold generation items and the utility tree got itself updated to be... Better. Any champion can technically go down there so long as they pick up the right gold item and grab Sightstone. They're even better off if they have a reliable means of peeling for the ADC.
Naut just popped up down there, most likely, because a pro did it and everyone jumped on it. If he's able to play on the same level as Leona, Thresh, and Morgana, there's a good chance he'll show up at worlds.
Sirsir1 votesI've done it a few times since Relic Shield came out, but it became popular when pros did it in the LCS (shocker)
Meep Man1 votesPeople are sheep, thats how it happened. Urgot was played earlier in the LCS and I guess after 3 years of "Did you mean Crapgot?", a small shield buff instantly made him "Did you mean URGOD!?"
BluePolarizer1 votesTake my word for it:
any tanky melee that doesn't need too much gold and has CC can support. Korean pros even ran support Irelia in 1 game.
I'm calling it now: Support Xin Zhao. 3 forms of CC, self-sustain, ridiculous base damage, can actually build damage if he gets ahead or in deep late game.
