Understanding league of legends supports

In the realm of competitive multiplayer online battle arenas, League of Legends supports play a crucial role in shaping the outcome of each match. While often considered a selfless role, support champions wield significant influence through vision control, protection, and crowd control that empower their allies and hinder enemy strategies.

The Role of a Support

Supports are one of the five standard roles in League of Legends and are typically paired with the Attack Damage Carry (ADC) in the bottom lane during the early game. While they do not focus on farming gold through minion kills, support players contribute by providing utility, protection, and map-wide assistance.

Primary Responsibilities

1. Vision Control: Placing wards to prevent ambushes and providing team-wide information.
2. Peeling: Shielding or using crowd control to protect carries from threats.
3. Engaging or Disengaging: Initiating fights or helping the team retreat safely.
4. Roaming: Moving around the map to assist teammates and influence other lanes.

Types of Support Champions

Support champions come in diverse forms and offer various utility roles to strengthen team composition. Choosing the right one depends on your playstyle and team strategy.

Enchanters

Enchanters are support champions who focus on healing, shielding, and boosting their allies. They usually stay in the backline and keep their team alive during teamfights. Champions like Janna, Soraka, and Lulu fit this category.

Tanks

Tanks excel at absorbing damage and providing crowd control. Their primary purpose is to initiate fights or protect their teammates by zoning enemies and soaking up abilities. Champions like Leona, Braum, and Nautilus are popular tank supports.

Mages

Support mages offer ranged poke and utility. While they tend to be more fragile, they compensate by contributing heavy damage and crowd control from a safe distance. Champions such as Zyra, Brand, and Lux fall under this type.

Key Skills for Support Players

The difference between a good support and a great one often lies in mastery of game mechanics and the ability to read unfolding situations. Here are several essential skills for any aspiring support player.

Warding and Map Awareness

Supports are typically responsible for most of a team’s vision. Learning optimal ward placements and timing your control wards can prevent ambushes and provide critical information for objectives like the Dragon or Baron.

Positioning and Timing

Being in the right spot at the right time can make or break a fight. Supports must balance staying safe with being within range to land critical abilities or disengage threats. Timing your abilities - particularly crowd control or heals - is vital during skirmishes.

Communication and Game Sense

Supports often act as shot callers in team environments. Communicating enemy movements, ward placements, or objective priorities helps your team stay coordinated and focused. Developing game sense - understanding when to roam or engage - comes with experience.

Popular Support Picks in Meta

The meta, or most effective tactics available, shifts continuously in League of Legends. Keeping up with champion buffs, nerfs, and item changes will help you stay relevant. Champions like Thresh, Nami, and Renata Glasc are currently favored due to their versatility and strength across various team compositions.

Conclusion

While often underappreciated, support players form the backbone of every strong League of Legends team. Whether you're peeling for your carry, setting up game-changing ultimates, or ensuring vision control throughout the map, your impact is undeniable. By mastering a variety of champions and understanding the game's nuances, support mains can lead their teams to victory from the shadows.