Support – in Powerpoint FormBy Spellsy

Introduction● Support is a simple role, but it has many nuances and is

the foundation for the team. ● Since the support does not farm in lane, it gives them more

freedom to position in lane to harass, ward, and zone because they are not locked into staying near the creeps.

● Supports are somewhat less traditionally impactful on the game. Meaning that support players have to be very disciplined and consistent to not make mistakes, because its hard to “come back” from those mistakes.

● Supports are often blamed, but keep your head up, and look at it as constructive! ☺

Different Support Play Styles

● Direct impact supports – Better for lower level play● Win lanes by making kills and CS gaps● Win team fights with Skills/Items

● Indirect impact supports – Better for higher level play● Impact the game more through vision control● Saves teammates rather than makes kills

● These play styles are character independent. Some characters suit certain play styles better (ex: Leona – Direct, Soraka – Indirect); however, they are definitely both viable on each support.

Warding

The "Spellsy" Ward

Good for when you are purple and you pushed the first tower early,and want to maintain control.

The Ninja Baron Ward

Nice counterplay vs Oracles, you can see them baron but they will not see the ward

Warding: Mid-Late game● Warding Objectives:

● Keeping objectives such as dragon/baron and buffs warded is important; however, it is sometimes overhyped. Make sure that you are using your ward meaningfully. Ward baron if they can sneak a baron (ww, mundo, etc.), else ward ~around~ baron.

● Adapt your warding to the pacing of the game.● If you are doing well, be aggressive with your wards. Ward

their brush, ward past the objectives so you can retain control, ward their jungle and their lanes so you can try to create pick off kills.

● Ward while retreating!● When you are chasing after someone or fighting and such,

make sure when you are running away (after battle is over, or in the battle) to drop wards as you run away.

Oracles● When should you get oracles?

● I believe its counter-intuitive, but I think the best time for supports to get oracles is when the team is losing. If your team is losing, it is more risky to get oracles (easier dived/killed), but it brings more reward. Countering opponents’ offensive wards will stifle their aggression, and allow for a comeback (or force them to be aggressive with no vision coverage, thus leaving them susceptible to ganks)

● Other than that, it is important to have an oracles when it gets to mid-late, around the time of objective battles (like around baron, or ~2-3 drag)

● When should jungles get oracles?● Early when the team is winning (or in very very high level

play, all the time). Getting oracles allows them to force objectives/ganks.

Laning!● General Laning:

● Since you are not farming, make sure your positioning is meaningful – don’t just stand back lazily, always have purpose.

● When you go warding make sure that not only you’re safe, but your carry is too! Also, try to leave when its least impactful.

● How do I choose to be assertive?● Time your harass with creeps dying, forcing their AD to

choose from retaliating your harass and missing a creep or getting the creep and giving you free harass.

● When do I kill towers in lane?● Pushing the tower in a winning lane can be bad, because it

gives them the chance to recover. So, if you can, kill the tower when you are either neutral (even) or losing!

Builds● The one Core build: From there it

branches:● Aegis of the Legion “Rush”

● Core → Aegis → Shurelya's Reverie → Iron Solari● When to get?:

● Doing ok, can get aegis before 22 min. (Normal lane duration)● Shurelya's Reverie “Rush”

● Core → Kage’s Lucky Pick → Shurelya's Reverie → Locket of the Iron Solari

● When to get?: ● Doing poorly (just getting your HoG at 15 min), doing really

good (3 gold per 10 in 12 min), or if the lane phase is going to be long.

● Other:● Zekes – Good for late game support; Soul Shroud – Iffy.

Opening builds● Starting Builds: VS ● 4 green wards opening:

● I get this in most games these days, because it allows you to not only ward more early game, but when you go back for Philo stone you don’t have to buy wards and will still have 1-2 left from start of game.

● 2 green 1 pink opening:● I get this if I’m going more aggressive early. This is more of

a “direct impact support” opening. Allows for good bush control and possible gank openings.

● Also good if the opponent is starting with a 1 ward build (ex: Alistar starting boots + 1 ward + 1 pot or something)

Support: When to pick?● Versatile laner, good if lacking CC and tankyness

● Can work bot with kills, reliant on hooks + AD

● Aggressive and Defensive, good kite and best protect

● Highest dmg support, High kill potential at 6

● Fun burst support, can win lanes then game!

● Great early with anti- AS, great late with BB

● Good poke, but more so ran with W max and ult focus

● Great sustain, punishes low dmg comps

● Reliable stun, burst, and survivability. All around laner

Lane Combinations● : Has weak dmg in lane, but great range and kite.

● – The kiting duo makes for a counter-aggressive lane● Counter: Vanye Soraka – Hard to punish farm lanes with

Ashe.● : Has strong lane, with high range and sustained poke

● – Super harass lane with Cait pressure and Sona Q● – Push/Pressure lane with Cait Q spam and safeness● Counter: Taric - High armor makes Cait’s low dmg

irrelevant● : Has a bit of everything, poke, escape, trade.

● – With her burst and his burst/poke, strong kill lane● – Strong harass, and kill potential at 6● Counter: MF lanes – Can force trades and abuse Corki’s

range

Lane Combos - Continued● : Is similar to corki, with more burst and less sustained

● – The shield with aggressiveness of Ez owns.● – Range on Ez’s Q synergizes with lux Q range! (and burst)● Counter: Taric or Alistar, high CC beats his

slipperiness/poke● : Has high armor, high burst, low range

● – The level 6 combo is scary, and high burst 1-3● – Armor on Armor makes high pressure unkillable lane● Counter: Janna or Soraka, Graves punishes aggressive

supports● : Has great late game, and safe early game

● – Kog can abuse BB not only late, but also early● – Can protect Kog’s range gap late game with ult● Counter: Cait can punish his short natural range

Lane Combos – Continued● : Does a TON of dmg in lane, master of “trading”

● – best trading support, MF best trading AD, simple.● – High damage AD + High CC lane = KILLS

● Counters: People who can disrupt trades, Janna/Nunu/Taric● : Has a great aura ult, nice in AoE focused teams

● – Stun + boomerang really strong harass, and double ult● – Tailwind + Ult = SPEED, good lane with shield + rang● Counters: Dueling carries/supports – Sivir excels in

teamfights, so 1v1/2v2 focused carries beat her.

● : High burst early, great late, SHIT mid● – Play up her biggest advantage, early burst● Counters: Anti-Kill lanes, Cait soraka, Janna Ashe

Lane Combos - Continued● : Great laning, serious poke, and great trading. Low dmg

late● – Shielding with E-Q too good to pass up

● – Can finish low opponents from poke

● Counters: Farm, but not too weak, lanes such as Kog

Nunu/Soraka

● : Weak laning, great mid-late, lots of early dmg in ganks● – Needs that babysit early game. Even CS = win for you!

● – Can babysit with e and w/q if frisky, or can be kill lane

● Counters: Offensive lanes: MF, Cait + Aggressive supports.

Masteries● There are 3-4 generalized sets of masteries I run:

1. Heavy Utility (21 or more in utility)● I use on passive ranged supports: Janna, Soraka, Sona W max

2. Medium Utility Medium Defense (14 in utility, most rest in def.)

● I use on passive melee supports: Nunu, Taric (sometimes), Ali E max

3. Heavy Defense (21 or more in defense)● I use on aggressive melee supports: Leona, Taric, Ali

4. 9/7/14● I use this if I want to run bursty support: Sona Q max, Lux

● Make sure to adapt the masteries to YOUR play style. For example, if you like being aggressive with autos, get speed mastery instead of mana regen mastery – etc.

Runes● When Runing for support there’s 1 main thing you MUST

have: ARMOR, whether it be in marks or seals - you need it!

● Two Standard pages I would prepare would be: ● Armor Marks; Gold Seals; Mana Reg/Level Glyphs; Gold

Quints● MR Marks; Armor Seals; Mana Reg/Level Glyphs; Gold

Quints

● The first page is a more greedy page, you should run this if you can get away with it (ex: Farm lane bottom).

● The second page is a more defensive heavy page, you should run this if you are going to be really aggressive in lane, or if they have a significantly scary team (Lee jungle, Cass mid, Leona MF bot – you know)