Mid-Season 7 Class Update- Enchanter and Disruptor (Support) Part 1: Starting Items
The issue with the Support role in League is that no one wants to play it besides those dedicated to it (and I mean DEDICATED). More people should want to play Support, so the goal here is to widen the number of viable Supports by introducing new, powerful starting items that will shape the way they play by making them provide unique benefits for their team in amazing ways. These items also do not rely on gold to upgrade them. You just simply have to play a little game to upgrade them.
STARTING ITEM REWORK
All current Support starting items have been removed from the game
New Starting Item Line- Paladin's Hammer Line
Intended Users: New Breed of AD Bruisers/Juggernaut Supports
Paladin's Hammer 400 Gold +8 Attack Damage +50% Base Mana Regen. UNIQUE Passive- Holy Crusade: This unit will heal nearby allies for 9% of their damage dealt to enemy champions upon the damage being dealt. (Melee Only) (650 units range) UNIQUE Passive- Spoils of the Crusade: Damaging an enemy champion will reward this unit with gold equal to 1% if the damage dealt (up to a maximum of 4 gold per tick of damage). UNIQUE Passive- Paladin's Vow: This unit cannot kill enemy minions. UNIQUE Passive- Glory to the Light: This item upgrades upon the user gaining 500 Gold from Spoils of the Crusade.
Lionfang Mallet Paladin's Hammer Upgrade +15 Attack Damage +100% Base Mana Regen. +10 Armor +10 Magic Resist UNIQUE Passive- Holy Crusade: This unit will heal nearby allies for 12% of their damage dealt to enemy champions upon the damage being dealt. (Melee Only) (650 units range) UNIQUE Passive- Spoils of the Crusade: Damaging an enemy champion will reward this unit with gold equal to 2.5% if the damage dealt (up to a maximum of 10 gold per tick of damage). UNIQUE Passive- Paladin's Vow: This unit cannot kill enemy minions. UNIQUE Passive- Glory to the Light: This item upgrades upon the user gaining 1500 Gold from Spoils of the Crusade.
The Legendary Lion's Mane Lionfang Mallet Upgrade +45 Attack Damage +150% Base Mana Regen. +35 Armor +35 Magic Resist UNIQUE Passive- Holy Crusade: This unit will heal nearby allies for 18% of their damage dealt to enemy champions upon the damage being dealt. (Melee Only) (750 units range) UNIQUE Passive- Spoils of the Crusade: Damaging an enemy champion will reward this unit with gold equal to 0.75% if the damage dealt (up to a maximum of 3 gold per tick of damage). Active- Bath in the Light: After a 2.5 second delay, the area around this unit will begin to bath in holy light, healing nearby allies for 3% of their max health every second and dealing 2.5% max health true damage to enemies within the area. Enemy champions hit are also slowed by 10%. This lasts for 6 seconds. (90 second cool down) (500 units range)
New Starting Item Line- Alchemy Orb
Intended Users: AP Damage Heavy Supports
Alchemy Orb 400 Gold +10 Ability Power +250 Mana +25% Base Mana Regen. +4 Gold per 10 Seconds UNIQUE Passive- Mana Alchemy: Gold gained by this unit other than through the normal passive gold generation is converted into mana for them to spend instead of gold. UNIQUE Passive- Gold Alchemy: 10% of the damage dealt by this unit to enemy champions is converted into gold, which is then converted into mana by this item's other alchemy passive. UNIQUE Passive- Rising Alchemy: This item upgrades upon converting a total of 1000 gold into mana.
Dimension Orb Alchemy Orb Upgrade +20 Ability Power +450 Mana +50% Base Mana Regen. +10% Cool Down Reduction +5 Gold per 10 Seconds UNIQUE Passive- Mana Alchemy: Gold gained by this unit other than through the normal passive gold generation is converted into mana for them to spend instead of gold. UNIQUE Passive- Gold Alchemy: 15% of the damage dealt by this unit to enemy champions is converted into gold, which is then converted into mana by this item's other alchemy passive. UNIQUE Passive- Rising Alchemy: This item upgrades upon converting a total of 2500 gold into mana.
Origin of Space and Time Dimension Orb Upgrade +60 Ability Power +750 Mana +75% Base Mana Regen. +20% Cool Down Reduction +3 Gold per 10 Seconds UNIQUE Passive- Grand Alchemy: 35% of the damage dealt by this unit to enemy champions is converted into mana. Active- Power of the Orb: Summon a 750 unit wide wall of dark matter at the target location after a 0.75 second delay that blocks enemy movement. Enemies near the wall are slowed by 30% for 0.25 seconds. The wall lasts for 4.5 seconds. (90 second cool down) (800 units range)
New Starting Item Line- Void Pendant
Intended Users: Roaming/Gank Supports
Void Pendant 400 Gold +5% Movement Speed UNIQUE Passive: +20 Movement Speed out of combat UNIQUE Passive- Journey Into the Abyss: Upon this item being purchased, two portals appear at the bottom-right and top-left sides of the map in the exact middle of Top Lane and Bottom Lane. Units that have purchased this item can channel on the portal for 5.5 seconds to teleport to the other side of the map. This can be interrupted by damage. UNIQUE Passive- Sacrifice: Enemy units that die will leave behind Anchored Energy that is only visible to the users of this item. These Anchored Energies can be picked up by a user of this item to grant them a stack of Void Power. The next time they travel through one of the two Void portals on the map, all stacks of Void Power will be consumed to grant the user of this item 4 Gold and restore 3 Health to them for every stack of Void Power they have. They will then lose every stack of Void Power. UNIQUE Passive- Corrupted Power Granted: This item upgrades upon the user giving the Void 50 stacks of Void Power.
Prophet's Necklace Void Pendant Upgrade +150 Health +50% Base Health Regen. +7% Movement Speed UNIQUE Passive: +25 Movement Speed out of combat UNIQUE Passive- Journey Into the Abyss: Upon this item being purchased, two portals appear at the bottom-right and top-left sides of the map in the exact middle of Top Lane and Bottom Lane. Units that have purchased this item can channel on the portal for 4.5 seconds to teleport to the other side of the map. This can be interrupted by damage. UNIQUE Passive- Sacrifice: Enemy units that die will leave behind Anchored Energy that is only visible to the users of this item. These Anchored Energies can be picked up by a user of this item to grant them a stack of Void Power. The next time they travel through one of the two Void portals on the map, all stacks of Void Power will be consumed to grant the user of this item 5 Gold and restore 5 Health to them for every stack of Void Power they have. They will then lose every stack of Void Power. UNIQUE Passive- Corrupted Power Granted: This item upgrades upon the user giving the Void 100 stacks of Void Power.
Void Arbiter's Blessing Prophet's Necklace +450 Health +150% Base Health Regen. +10% Movement Speed UNIQUE Passive: +30 Movement Speed out of combat UNIQUE Passive- Journey Into the Abyss: Upon this item being purchased, two portals appear at the bottom-right and top-left sides of the map in the exact middle of Top Lane and Bottom Lane. Units that have purchased this item can channel on the portal for 4.5 seconds to teleport to the other side of the map. UNIQUE Passive- Sacrifice: Enemy units that die will leave behind Anchored Energy that is only visible to the users of this item. These Anchored Energies can be picked up by a user of this item to grant them a stack of Void Power. The next time they travel through one of the two Void portals on the map, all stacks of Void Power will be consumed to grant the user of this item 2 Gold and restore 6 Health to them for every stack of Void Power they have. They will then lose every stack of Void Power. Active- Portal Across Dimensions: After channeling for 5 seconds, teleport to the target allied champion or structure. (150 second cool down) (6500 units range)
New Starting Item Line- Nature's Wand
Intended Users: Traditional Caster Utility Supports
Nature's Wand 400 Gold +50% Base Health Regen. +75% Base Mana Regen. +5% Cool Down Reduction UNIQUE Passive: +5% Heal and Shield Power UNIQUE Passive- Nature's Gift: Whenever this unit heals or shields an allied champion, they are granted 3 Gold. This is disabled for 10 seconds upon killing an enemy minion or monster. UNIQUE Passive- Nature's Wrath: Whenever this unit damages an enemy champion, they are granted 3 gold. This is disabled for 10 seconds upon killing an enemy minion or monster. UNIQUE Passive- Natural Growth: This item upgrades upon the user gaining a total of 300 Gold from this item.
Greenfather's Favorite Sapling Nature's Wand Upgrade +100% Base Health Regen. +125% Base Mana Regen. +10% Cool Down Reduction UNIQUE Passive: +10% Heal and Shield Power UNIQUE Passive- Nature's Gift: Whenever this unit heals or shields an allied champion, they are granted 4 Gold. This is disabled for 10 seconds upon killing an enemy minion or monster. UNIQUE Passive- Nature's Wrath: Whenever this unit damages an enemy champion, they are granted 4 gold. This is disabled for 10 seconds upon killing an enemy minion or monster. UNIQUE Passive- Natural Growth: This item upgrades upon the user gaining a total of 600 Gold from this item.
Root of the Old World Tree Greenfather's Favorite Sapling Upgrade +150% Base Health Regen. +200% Base Mana Regen. +20% Cool Down Reduction UNIQUE Passive: +20% Heal and Shield Power UNIQUE Passive- Nature's Gift: Whenever this unit heals or shields an allied champion, they are granted 2 Gold. UNIQUE Passive- Nature's Wrath: Whenever this unit damages an enemy champion, they are granted 2 gold. Active- Breath from Beyond: After a 1.5 second delay, a breath of life erupts from this unit, causing nearby allied champions to be healed for 20% of their max health and gain 25% Movement Speed for 3 seconds, decaying over the duration. (90 second cool down) (550 units range)
New Starting Item Line- Kinkou Banner
Intended Users: Pure Warden Supports
Kinkou Banner 400 Gold +50 Health +10 Armor +15 Magic Resist UNIQUE Passive- Protect the Innocent: Whenever this unit takes damage from an enemy champion, they are healed for 5% of the damage dealt after the damage is dealt. They gain gold equal to half of the health restored by this passive, up to a max of 5 gold per heal. This is disabled while an allied champion is not within 1250 units of this unit. UNIQUE Passive- Balance: This item upgrades upon gaining 500 gold from Protect the Innocent.
Mask of Twilight Kinkou Banner Upgrade +150 Health +75% Base Health Regen. +20 Armor +35 Magic Resist UNIQUE Passive- Protect the Innocent: Whenever this unit takes damage from an enemy champion, they are healed for 7% of the damage dealt after the damage is dealt. They gain gold equal to half of the health restored by this passive, up to a max of 7 gold per heal. This is disabled while an allied champion is not within 1250 units of this unit. UNIQUE Passive- Balance: This item upgrades upon gaining 1250 gold from Protect the Innocent.
Fallen Leader's Mask Mask of Twilight Upgrade +350 Health +150% Base Health Regen. +40 Armor +50 Magic Resist UNIQUE Passive- Protect the Innocent: Whenever this unit takes damage from an enemy champion, they are healed for 10% of the damage dealt after the damage is dealt. They gain gold equal to half of the health restored by this passive, up to a max of 2 gold per heal. Active- Twilight Shield: This unit and nearby allies are granted Invisibility for 0.5 seconds and then Camouflage for the next 4.5 seconds. The user of this item gains 25% increased movement speed during this time. (120 second cool down) (750 units range)
Thoughts and opinions? Currently, the Support role is rather lackluster and I think ONE of (not the entire issue) is because the starting items are just gold generators. While Supports need gold generators, I think it would be cool if the gold generators themselves didn't require gold to upgrade and came with actually really cool effects that shaped the way the Support played. The amount the item warps their gameplay can range from Nature's Wand all the way to Void Pendant.
