Before you give up a life o’ farm and a 10/0/0 KDA for a 0/0/10, there are a few things you should know beyond the fundamentals. Speaking from experience, here are 5 things I wish I was told before I mained support.
Considering ditching your current role and coming to the light side (aka the Support role)? Well, you’ll be in for a journey… And one that hopefully leads you up the Ranked ladder. The Support role is by far one of the most fun and influential roles in the game.
Sure, I may be a little biased as a fellow Support main, but there is nothing more satisfying than saving an overextended enemy from the brink of death, pulling off a game-changing engage, and carrying through strategic warding and objective shotcalls.
However, before you give up a life o’ farm and a 10/0/0 KDA for a 0/0/10, there are a few things you should know beyond the fundamentals. Speaking from experience, here are 5 things I wish I was told before I mained Support.
A common misconception — and one I personally fell foul of for much longer than I would like to admit — is that Supports should solely focus on their ADCs. It’s easy to think this, considering you do spend a large chunk of the early game battling it out with them.
While there will certainly be times that you need to stick to your ADC like glue throughout the game, treating this as a universal role is bound to set you up for failure. You are a Support for the whole team. You need to assess where you’re most needed, look for across-the-map opportunities, and be prepared to assist with objects even if your ADC isn’t in position.
Restricting yourself to your ADC’s proximity also means you won’t be able to roam or secure picks, nor effectively establish deep wards in the enemy jungle… leading us nicely to our next point.
Carries are notorious for tunnel visioning on kills… But Supports? It’s enemy Control Wards.
No matter how tempting it is, you should always take the time to assess the situation before trying to clear an enemy Control Ward.
Consider the enemy team’s location, check that your teammates are in position to assist if you get collapsed on, and make sure you aren’t needed elsewhere on the map (e.g., a potential skirmish).
You should also check if the vision is actually communicating useful information. There is no point risking your life to clear a poorly-placed enemy Control Ward; if anything, this will work in your favor. It’ll stop your opponent from purchasing a new one and finding a better vision spot.
Yep. I hate to break it to the “jung diff” players out there. The responsibility of securing objectives shouldn’t just fall on the Jungler. While every role should help with objective control, as a Support, you have the means to make a big impact.
Since you don’t have to focus on farming, you’re able to pay extra attention to the map. This enables you to catch game-changing information that other teammates might miss or accidentally overlook, such as:
You can also roam and set up vision control before an objective spawns, ultimately opening up more opportunities for your team to take (or contest) objectives.
As a Support, it’s easy to overlook your own positioning in the lane. However, your positioning is just as (if not more) important as the ADCs.
With effective positioning, you can control the tempo of the lane and create phenomenal pressure. You can force the enemy to lose out on gold and XP, and give your ADC more means to farm, play aggressively, and secure game-changing picks.
Your lane positioning will ultimately depend on your Champion, your ADC’s win conditions, and the matchup. However, you generally should look to position in a way that ensures you remain a threat, but aren’t overextended to the point your ADC can’t follow up or the enemy can poke you for free.
We have plenty of guides that can help you get a better sense of how to position as a Support on our blog. You can also review pro games on our Twitch channel to see how Support positioning plays out in practice.
Sadly, as much as I hate to admit it, your efforts will go unappreciated. There will be times when you transform your ADC into a 1v5 killing machine, only to end the game without a single honor from your teammates. It’s soul-destroying (and tilt-inducing) stuff at times.
But hey, when your efforts are appreciated, whether from an ally complimenting a pick-catching deep ward or a perfectly-timed shield? It is truly the best feeling in the world, and a whole lot more fulfilling than a “WP” for simply securing a kill or two.
Plus, your hard work will certainly be appreciated in other ways — like a quick and easy climb up the Ranked ladder.
Becoming a Support main in LoL doesn’t just mean throwing out the occasional shield and placing down Control Wards; you need to have phenomenal macro awareness, quick reflexes to save allies, and a tilt-proof attitude. You also need strategic positioning throughout the game.
If you think you have what it takes, then check out our guide on how to transition to a new role in League. If you have any other questions, whether about the Support role or the game in general, be sure to drop us a message in our Discord group.
