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The All Gold Build, the Vision War, and the New Support Meta

Reiyen·10/31/2013, 8:01:23 PM·2 votes·1,025 views

Hi, my name is MasterofSome, and I'm a supportaholic.

In my League of legends playgroup (which consists mostly of other bros from around my school) I am, as far as I know, the only one to run my all-gold centered Support build. I run all GP-10 Seals and the full three GP-10 Quintessences. On top of that, I play somewhere around 1-0-29 masteries, picking up the GP-10 masteries, the starting gold mastery, the Biscuiteer, the Explorer Ward, and Pickpocket. I have typically opened up my buy with 2item 2043 and 3item 2044, as well as one of either color potion. This has given me immense advantages in the early vision war and sustain (because I control the side-brushes). In my opinion, the new Support Meta is going to make maintaining vision much less dependent on gold and more dependent on combat ability. Thus, it is pulling much of the support's role in the vision-war and handing it to the damage-dealers. This is exacerbated by making vision wards visible. I could go on a long rant on how frustrating it is to see my particular style of Support play nerfed by the new meta (my IRL friends have heard the shpiel). What I would like to ask if supports such as myself (that really did not mind being basically ward and aura-bots with boots) will find ourselves less satisfied with the new support role. It feels to me that the "problems" with the support in S3 were identified by non-supports, people that really liked to buy damage items and pwn noob scrubs. I would like some assurance from Riot that there is effort being put into the new changes to help protect my kind of support-play. My kind of people have been the supports for a long time, and it is disappointing to hear of some of the changes to my main (pretty much only) role. Will my GP-10 Runes and Masteries become basically worthless as the meta moves away from gold-centric laning phases? Or will I still be able to out-ward enemy supports and feel like I have a meaningful contribution to the vision war? I used to buy item 2049 and green wards because I was so committed to having wards out all over the place. I am low-elo, so not many other people liked to ward, lols.

What about truly creative vision items? I understand we will have Trinkets and all, but I think a neat way to keep people like me that just loved being the main vision-warrior interested and happy would be items that let me win the vision war if I am willing to invest in them over auras and such. Maybe something that grants all champions true-sight for like .75 seconds and then keeps stationary units revealed this way visible for like 2 more? This could be like a global ward-sweeper. Perhaps an item with an active like Wriggle's that drops a green ward, but also has the power of instantly removing any enemy wards that happen to be there (yet does not continue to reveal the invisible afterwards?).

Sum-up question... how possible will it be for me as support to continue to assert myself as the leader in the vision war and to deliberately out-vision the other team?

(and random other idea, what about a ward that has a cone of vision instead of a radius? or a ward that can see into bushes even if not there, but does not otherwise reveal the invisible? These would allow more and more tactics in ward placing and purchasing, requiring great forethought and planning).

6 Comments

Solan Stonewhip10/31/2013, 8:20:29 PM2 votes

i think that you'll find that with the mastery/rune changes (still not released in detail) that we'll find that pickpocket goes away. they might even be eliminating the gp10 runes altogether.

the reason for these changes probably has more to do with the feel from competitive players at the top rather than from the minority whom you represent.

just to be clear. RIOT will actually be helping you become a better aura bot by giving you access to more gold.

what they are doing is changing the vision game to something that creates more battles and adds another dimensions to the game rather than falling flat.

i think we'll find that the vision wars in s4 are actually more dynamic and not less. but i could be wrong about that, but i don't think so.

finally i would suggest that your play style should and will evolve as you play more games. once you acquire more experience you'll come to accept that having everyone participate in warding is better for the team and likely you'll still be the principle warder because u will purchase the sightstone.

RIOT is attempting to take the money out of the vision wars (which later in the game, the richer teams always win) their whole goal is to make it easier to come back later in the game.

lastly the pink ward changes. with the exception of how this is going to make stealth champs OP. (especially eve) i actually like this change. because of how it's going to evolve the game even more.

as for your additional items. i think RIOT will make changes if they find that things work/don't work as well.

oh and i like the idea of the cone of vision. maybe it will be a future update. it's an a cool wrinkle

AllGold10/31/2013, 9:35:34 PM1 votes

You know what i run. i just run. thats the secret.

Eyrgos11/1/2013, 7:52:45 AM1 votes

I just played the new Support-system on PBE... I personally hate it. We can't be leaders in the Vision War, we're literally the same as anyone else Vision-wise... it killed what made being a Support fun for me for the most part. I hope they change it so Sightstone & Ruby Sightstone alike raise your Ward Cap to 4/5 respectively...

bahamutkaiser11/4/2013, 9:11:25 AM1 votes

I like to support too, but I will never cooperate with the buy all the wards 0 CS meta. Guess I can only play kill lanes because playing with income is not what I play this game for...