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Support mains.. how do you deal with the stress?

Stars Shaper··7 votes·2,591 views

I've decided to improve at Taric and get also some shots to the Support role which always appealed to me because I've always been playing characters that in a way or the other built around being the best for the team.

My experience anyway is turning me away from this game entirely, my last match is a clear synthesis of what I regularly meet:

Totally off-meta teamcomp (Liss top, Shen jungle and Pantheon mid) another thing I've never had problems with especially when I see that we can get some good plays (global presence should have been awesome with this comp). Too bad that Shen built AD and never EVER came botlane even after the third gank from the enemy jungler, he stood farming and ganking top (and failing to it) because his premade buddy was playing there. My ADC (Miss Fortune) stood still getting each and every bubble from Nami and when told not to stand still he answred: "but you never stune" which was clearly happening instead.

Anyway... what brought me to hate the game was the total disregard I got intheir replies, Shen and Liss basically turmped over me telling me that I shouldn't blame them for my fails, that I should play safe (notice that we were ganked under turret by Shyvanah all the god damn times), they were just clever enough not to spam insults 'cause otherwise they would be bannable.

So... Do I really need a freaking 5 men premade in order not to get submerged in this toxic waste of community?

63 Comments

Hethalean14 votes

I deal with the stress by only caring about what I am doing.

I assume that no one else is coming to help, and that my ADC and I are on an island. Any ganks or TPs in my favor are a blessing. Anything else is just what it is. If I got ganked, there are plenty of things that I could have done to averted that.

I also try not to think about how anyone else could be playing better as that is just a dark dark road that leads to you potentially trying to tell them what they could be doing... which never ever ends well.

I also try to just learn from mistakes, but never dwell on them. You made a mistake. It's unfortunate, but not the end of the world. It's not something to be stressed about.

OH, and I also mute people pretty quick if they even look like they are talking trash or will talk trash.

Stars Shaper2 votes

As a midlane main this attitude indeed resulted a good choice, I have some difficulties on traslating it into the Support role probably because of it being more reliant on what others do. It keeps being a good suggestion though.

{quoted} OH, and I also mute people pretty quick if they even look like they are talking trash or will talk trash.

I always tried not to do this because even in the waterfall of trash talk one might write something useful and I might miss it.

Hethalean2 votes

[{quoted}](name=Stars Shaper,realm=EUW,application-id=ZGEFLEUQ,discussion-id=E9zW40ER,comment-id=00020000,timestamp=2017-03-06T15:43:24.504+0000)

I always tried not to do this because even in the waterfall of trash talk one might write something useful and I might miss it.

Yeah, I definitely agree there. However, I hedge my bet and as a silver scrub, I'm probably not going to miss much. I also just follow the team around, so I just go where other people go. :) I might miss 'ward up X' or whatever, but I'm trying to learn better warding so I'm hoping that I'm already on top of that.

I feel you on the 'more reliant on others'. It's a tough one too to carry from Support because of that. I mean you can still carry, but you need more follow up (also shout out to Brand/Malzahar/Zyra :P). Sometimes as a support, it feels like trying to spoon feed a baby who doesn't want to eat if your team isn't really following up on good engages.

Fondling Gems1 votes

Taric is not for those with low tolerance. Since you are heavily dependent on who you bond with you can't just shut out everyone else. At the same time you can get heavily flamed because people can get frustrated at themselves, and then others, when they mess up their combos with Taric.

You have to keep in mind Taric is inherently stressful for your ADC to play with because they suddenly have two champion's kits to worry about but only control over one of those kits. As such he can cause a lot of frustration and backlash from ADC's while also having to work very closely with them.

While I fully support all Taric players I would recommend at the very least duoing with an ADC who knows how to play Taric if you are going to play him. Personally I don't do this but I also have thick skin and am very friendly while also already having a lot of skill on Taric so I know how to take most of the extra load off my ADC. For anyone trying to learn him though I definitely recommend only playing him with a bot laner you know or in normals.

BLACK REALM GOD1 votes

lol same goes for anyone using kalista, kench, and bard. it's a sad day in tinker town when being paired with a player who's unfamiliar with your support kit.

Fondling Gems1 votes

Yup, Taric and Kali especially. Tahm can at least act dependently and has control over whom he swallows and Bard can roam well. Taric and Kali just suffer if they aren't near they are alone and can't function fully without allies who know what they are doing.

BLACK REALM GOD1 votes

the one thing i hate the most about playing taric is that if you invest in your passive armor first your ally complains non-stop about how much you're not helping... when that happens sometimes i find myself walking a little too far away more often than normal.

OnlyYouCanHearMe1 votes

I think this reply really sums it up. By focusing on your own gameplay, and not what other people are doing, you will be that much more likely to improve, and that less likely to get bogged down in flame wars over what someone else is doing.

It's also a very good mentality to not expect anyone else to win the lane for you. As a support, I don't even expect my adc to win the bot lane. It's my job to carry that lane for him/her. Depending on what my adc is comfortable with, sometimes that means setting them up for early aggression and kills. Sometimes that means just keeping the enemies off them so they can farm safely.

Believe it or not, things are actually so much better for supports now than they were back in season 3. Now, people at least shift some of the blame off onto the junglers and mid/top for not roaming enough. Back then, it was always the support. And pretty much only the support.

Picanha961 votes

{quoted}

I think this reply really sums it up. By focusing on your own gameplay, and not what other people are doing, you will be that much more likely to improve, and that less likely to get bogged down in flame wars over what someone else is doing.

It's also a very good mentality to not expect anyone else to win the lane for you. As a support, I don't even expect my adc to win the bot lane. It's my job to carry that lane for him/her. Depending on what my adc is comfortable with, sometimes that means setting them up for early aggression and kills. Sometimes that means just keeping the enemies off them so they can farm safely.

Believe it or not, things are actually so much better for supports now than they were back in season 3. Now, people at least shift some of the blame off onto the junglers and mid/top for not roaming enough. Back then, it was always the support. And pretty much only the support.

Did you happen to forget me? I earnestly supplicate please help me!

OnlyYouCanHearMe2 votes

I have not forgotten you! But at this point, there isn't anything else that I can do. Your situation will have to be handled by either a Rioter in the Help and Support board, or via email. I wish there was something that I could do to help you, but I'm only another forum member.

Picanha961 votes

{quoted}

I have not forgotten you! But at this point, there isn't anything else that I can do. Your situation will have to be handled by either a Rioter in the Help and Support board, or via email. I wish there was something that I could do to help you, but I'm only another forum member.

I could use an extra pair of hands when supplicating Porocles for help.

I sent the email twice and made two threads on this issue! Next thing they ban me for spam....

boo9101 votes

this

and also you handle it by simply murdering people

your jop is to protect the carry, and when team fighting starts, to protect the team.by any means nessesary The moment you finish sightstone and redemption, go damage and blow everything up. the sight of your carry murdering everyone is equivalent to watching a child be successful later in life. that you raised.

the rewards for being a support are wonderful, and cancel out the stress you feel

elduris6 votes

Some of us play Nunu, take Smite, and run around the jungle instead of actually supporting. That's one way to deal with stress I guess.

OnlyYouCanHearMe2 votes

I just died a little inside [zombie-nunu-hearts]

edit... just to be clear... died because it's the funniest thing ive read all day.

BigBellBrute5 votes

[{quoted}](name=Stars Shaper,realm=EUW,application-id=ZGEFLEUQ,discussion-id=E9zW40ER,comment-id=,timestamp=2017-03-06T15:32:38.748+0000)

I've decided to improve at Taric and get also some shots to the Support role which always appealed to me because I've always been playing characters that in a way or the other built around being the best for the team.

My experience anyway is turning me away from this game entirely, my last match is a clear synthesis of what I regularly meet:

Totally off-meta teamcomp (Liss top, Shen jungle and Pantheon mid) another thing I've never had problems with especially when I see that we can get some good plays (global presence should have been awesome with this comp). Too bad that Shen built AD and never EVER came botlane even after the third gank from the enemy jungler, he stood farming and ganking top (and failing to it) because his premade buddy was playing there. My ADC (Miss Fortune) stood still getting each and every bubble from Nami and when told not to stand still he answred: "but you never stune" which was clearly happening instead.

Anyway... what brought me to hate the game was the total disregard I got intheir replies, Shen and Liss basically turmped over me telling me that I shouldn't blame them for my fails, that I should play safe (notice that we were ganked under turret by Shyvanah all the god damn times), they were just clever enough not to spam insults 'cause otherwise they would be bannable.

So... Do I really need a freaking 5 men premade in order not to get submerged in this toxic waste of community?

The first rule of Support is it's always your fault. If you're playing Raka and the top laner dies it's your fault for not ulting. Being level 1 is no excuse.
If the ADC goes ham and dies it's your fault. Being back at the base buying is no excuse.
If the mid laner dies because there weren't wards, it's your fault. Yes you must ward the entire game board starting at level 1 with just one trinket. BTW if you go warding and 2 players from the other team jump you. That you asked for an escort is no excuse.
If you're playing Morg and your ADC is constantly being pulled by Blitz because he can't position properly, it's your fault. That it has only been 1 second since the last time it was on him and is down is no excuse.
Slay even one minion and well you're the pits of the world.

Rule 2. If the team wins, you get no credit. If the team loses, see rule 1.

Friendly Ram4 votes

normally by listening to music and just using pings so i don't type out something i'll regret. If i get really annoyed at the idiots on my team i usually just try and have fun chatting with the enemy team.

ZT Xperimentor3 votes

I like playing ivern & tahm as supports for trying to save my partner from their stupidity; but yeah I agree the community has become so hostile, it's no wonder nobody wants to play the role.

Hethalean1 votes

It's why I was so happy that Brand/Zyra/Malzahar came into prominence. They can control the lane pretty well themselves, and make a safe haven for the ADC if you play well. You really need very little help from the ADC until its time for the enemy laners to die. Then the adc can at least join for some Assists or the secure.

ZT Xperimentor2 votes

By offering coverfire, a nice alternative to go with too, while maintaining impact late game. Assuming it lasts more than early game.

LordGeovanni1 votes

the community has always been hostile just that now the power is being taken out of the supports hands and supports get nerfed for the mediocre damage they do versus enemies who refuse to build any defenses. thats why mages are being taken bot becuase riot wont nerf mid lane mages just because they showed up in place of a support.

Kei1433 votes

you babysit your team mates and tell them to blame the jungler instead.

http://i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/925/494/218.png_large

on a serious note. winning your lane is your (and adc's) job. not the junglers.

Also, tactic is a late game support. his AAs does alot of dmg mid / late game, so don't be afraid to go in and smack stuff.

Clutch shields / heals should be real good life savers as well. If you are playing him right, they shouldn't be able to dive you.

Makior723 votes

At the first sign of a hint of a micro aggression from my adc I mute them. And then I tell them they have been muted and to use pings if they need to communicate with me. This usually results in me getting ping spammed for the next 20 seconds or so and then they call down. I do the same for any other team mate. If the adc is playing like ass and all hope is gone for bot lane, I will go mid or top and try to make something happen.

Remember, you are your teams support. You are not your adcs babysitter.

NekoniClaws2 votes

Pick the right support. Ask your ADC their 'playstyle' in select (don't always take their reply or suggestions to heart). Focus on team comp, your opponents, and then chose who you're playing ( and pick something safe if you're early in the pick order).

Only play Taric when you're mentally steeled for it. He's considered one of the weaker supports so you're entering a game with a stereotype already applied to you. His weak laning phase is why ADCs tilt so easily with him. Taric is also very easy to counter so don't counterpick yourself until you're Mastery 6 or so and you won't be forced to play passive too often, (also if you're going passive, tell your adc)

Other supports to avoid because of tilt: Zyra Malzahar > Will KS by accident Fiddlesticks Morgana > Disrupt CS when played poorly Brand Lux > their Ults are designed to kill multiple targets, your ADC knows this Thresh > Everyone IS. Watching. EVERYTHING you do. Bard > WHERE IS MY SUPPORT!? PING? PING?PING?PING?PING?PING?PING?

As for the dodging? IKR? You can ask if your adc 'needs to stay longer to farm for boots', very subtle hint. Can stop the feeding. Probably won't.

Ÿun1 votes

Nah, i wouldn't avoid playing champions that I want to play just to avoid tilting the ADC. If the ADC is the type of person who tilts easily, then they would still tilt regardless of what champion you play because every support champion is liable to some form of mistake(s). For champions that have more costly consequences, just make sure you know how to play that champion well so that you don't lose because of bad mechanics, but because of a misplay/mistake.

NekoniClaws1 votes

I do agree it's everyone's right to choose their champ =) This is just a tactic for if someone's emotionally friable, so it should help a newer support player to know how to avoid unpalatable situations, if they like.

I have to say that, though blind-picking an easily countered champion -is- a technically a mistake too, (if you're not yet competant enough to handle the possible results) -It's just a mistake that happened in champ select.

Ÿun2 votes

I haven't faced much toxicity directed towards me as a support except every once in a while where I get a retarded ADC who runs into the other team to die and blames me for being "useless". I think it's probably because I don't talk much in terms of telling people what they should/shouldn't have done, so there isn't really anything for them to argue with me about. However, if they do make an inflammatory remark about something I've done, I try to make light of it (i.e. joke) and it usually stops there. If they still continue, then I just ignore/mute.

People really hate being told that they're wrong or being told how to play their champ, so maybe change how you word things?... This isn't really a good example and is contradictive to what I've said in the next segment but it's the easiest example I can think of to highlight what I mean:

Instead of saying: "MF, you have to dodge those bubbles", you could say something like "Damn, that nami is really good at landing bubbles"

Saying it this way puts it in a more positive light (doesn't sound like you're "attacking"/blaming her), and at the same time subtly implies what you really wanted to say.

Sometimes things are better off left unsaid, like your MF that keeps standing still, or someone who is feeding. Telling them to stop doing that isn't going to change much, because you have to remember that no one really WANTS to feed. It's like telling someone who's mad to stop being mad, and expecting them to be able to instantaneously stop.

Sickly Summoner2 votes

Awwww.....it's too bad ur EUW or I would totally friend u <3 Uhm....by taking break from support and playing jungle XD Meditating...not playing for a while until there's new stuff for supports to do :3c

Stars Shaper1 votes

Thanks for the thought xD

Geauxx1 votes

Thick skin, that's basically it... for me anyways.

IcyPepper4 votes

It doesn't necessarily work like that for everyone, unfortunately. Ask any engineer, anything can bend or break with enough stress.

Hell, look at concrete. The thing can compact and take compression like nobody's business, but the moment it bends and experiences tension... well, there's a reason why reinforced concrete is a thing.

Point of my metaphor is that a thick skin is harder to cut through, but it's still going to get banged up over time. Nobody's invincible from emotions, we're all human.

Geauxx1 votes

maybe if it's consistent through multiple upon multiple games straight.

Otherwise that's not the case.

Have to question the metal/concrete comparison though, humans have proven to be emotionless, some humans anyways.

IcyPepper1 votes

maybe if it's consistent through multiple upon multiple games straight.

Otherwise that's not the case.

Humans are fickle. Some require ongoing stress to crack, sometimes it just takes the right conditions for a single moment to do it. It varies, just as in engineering.

Not all metaphors are 100% comparable, and even then I'm not speaking for all human beings. "It doesn't necessarily work like that for everyone, unfortunately," after all. Humans are more complicated than metal, so the comparison is only to make a point, not an infallible law about human nature. I can calculate how much a beam will deflect under a certain load, or how much stress will break or bend a beam. You can't do that with humans. Well, not entirely.

Geauxx1 votes

Unless you have tested that with every human, you wouldn't actually know and just base this off limited speculation.

Goes with the saying that no human is made the same, otherwise we'd have full understand how every person feels when they do something.

Makes you wonder what some mass murderers feel everytime they kill someone just for the hell of it, what caused it, who knows.

Some, as you said and i will agree, did out of that breaking point...Others though, did it just to do it.

IcyPepper1 votes

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you're wrong at all. I'm just not saying that's the case for everybody. There's multiple perspectives on the matter, and not everything works for everyone.

The reason I felt it necessary to pipe up was that your advice... wasn't very helpful in context to OP. Telling someone to toughen up (which I think was the implication) sometimes works, and sometimes it does not. In this case, it probably wasn't all that helpful.

Geauxx1 votes

Thats why i made sure to include the "me anyways" part, just to make sure people don't get too mixed up ;o

Ariel the Cruel1 votes

Bury it and watch your blood pressure rise.

I'm hoping for a record by next year.

50000000000000001 votes

For me I just stopped taking the game so seriously.

Aldapsayar1 votes

Play support Brand and carry, lol. But seriously just assume you have 1v9 every game. Then you will accept such shitty games as something usual and you have no stress xd Or duo with friend. Other than that... Only you can see what to do.

Mig891 votes

All roles are stressful man. As a mid main i would assume you'd enjoy supporting as its almost playing mid without the farming. I had a 60%winrate on zyra last season(my first season ranked). most ADCs at my elo are not the best so knowing i can box out both enemy laners if i get even the slightest of a lead, I can make sure my adc can at least farm. Not focusing on farm also helps open up possibilities of shotcalling better.

PeelDpotato1 votes

Your soul dies hehe xd.

Stars Shaper1 votes

D:

Kaioko1 votes

You should be able to withstand a gank by just Shyvana under your turret especially as a taric support. Shyvana doesn't exactly have the ganks and taric is an extremely defensive support. They have a point when they argue that it's not their jobs to babysit your lane.

Learn to play without relying on constant ganks would be a start.

FurriesAreHot1 votes

Honestly, I dont see toxicity on that level very often. I often mind my own business and just play.

Telephone Booth1 votes

420 blaze it

rengar vore1 votes

/mute all

Narsicus1 votes

I tend to focus mostly on what I am doing and what I do in game to help the team win. Looking at enemy team comps/item builds to see what counters I might need (ex: Mikael's to remove important cc or Locket to help team survive burst) and what I might need to do (focus on keeping a specific assassin off the adc or something).

Sometimes you screw up, but focusing on what you CAN do is always better than focusing on past events you cant change.

That all being said.....

If this is a persistent issue for you I might recommend moving away from Taric. Taric is a great champion with a game changing ultimate but his other abilities are relatively weak and he is very team reliant, especially when it comes to actually making good use of that invulnerability. Picking a champion with greater individual strengths or very clear tells to the team (nothing says 'go in and kill them now' like an aoe stun) might be good for you in the long run.

Mages are notorious for still being rather powerful even when played support, they have crowd control and still put out decent aoe damage. Or if you want to stay tank Leona, Braum, and Nautilus all are very durable and come with lots of cc.

Of course if you really like Taric just ignore this last part, but he is very team reliant and if your team's performance is stressing you out to much it might be something to consider.

seasaltcake1 votes

I just play Sona and float around doing my best. If my team isn't filled with complete utter idiots then we should win. If we don't then not much I can do to help that lol.

Just focus on what you can do as a support, if someone goes wrong think on what you could have done to prevent it. Just remember you can't help everything, like if the jungle gets executed by camps or if your adc thinks he's playing a tank.

BLACK REALM GOD1 votes

yes you need a 5 man pre-made if you want to have a team with a pre-game plan. there is not enough time or willingness to co-operate among a random gaggle of yuppies to actually form a plan at champ select. trying to do so is how arguments start. just play your champ and your lane. if everyone did that then there would be so much less stress involved.

even as a support all you need to do is negatively affect the enemy team and positively affect your own team. that's how you win in solo queue.

LordGeovanni1 votes

i game jump go to over watch and deal with diffrent types of idiots there just transfered my ps3 gta online character to my ps4

BobFrankly1 votes

Learn to play Zyra support. Yes really. Then presume your ADC is an idiot. Dont tell him that, but play like he's not going to help you. If you can score a kill, don't worry about what your ADC says because you did most of the damage. But don't chase kills. Get into the mindset that it's about helping your ADC get a higher creepscore then their ADC. Zoning does this. Damage does this. Kills do this. However, your death does not, so avoid dying.

Once you get your game pattern down, the stress level goes down. You KNOW how you're going to approach a game.

Taric support? If you really like Taric, and feel he fits your playstyle, then go for it. But know that you're going to have a hard time landing your stun against mobility ADCs like Lucian, Ezreal, and Tristana. Personally, I consider Taric a niche/counter pick against AD heavy teams, as that's where he really shines, but that's me. However the Zyra support advise still applies. Presume your ADC is incapable, and play accordingly. If they start to show signs of intelligence, then you might choose to be more aggressive.

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