Better support in League of Legends

To become a better support in League of Legends, you need to master vision control, understand your ADC's playstyle, provide effective crowd control, and make impactful roams, much like a skilled coordinator who ensures the team operates smoothly and effectively.

The Big Picture

As a support, your primary role is to assist your team by protecting your ADC, controlling vision, and providing utility through crowd control and healing/shielding. Think of yourself as the team's strategist and caretaker, making sure everyone has the information and assistance they need to succeed.

Core Concepts

1. Vision Control: Placing and clearing wards to maintain map control.
2. Laning Phase: Partnering with your ADC to secure farm and apply pressure in the bot lane.
3. Crowd Control and Utility: Using abilities to control enemy movement and protect allies.
4. Roaming: Leaving your lane to assist other lanes and secure objectives.
5. Objective Control: Helping your team secure key objectives like Dragons and Baron Nashor.
6. Peeling and Protection: Keeping your carries safe from enemy threats.

Detailed Walkthrough

Vision Control

Vision control is like having surveillance cameras around the battlefield, giving your team critical information about enemy movements.

1. Warding: Place wards in strategic locations such as river bushes, jungle entrances, and objectives. Control Wards are especially useful for denying enemy vision and maintaining key areas.

2. Sweeping: Use Oracle Lens to clear enemy wards and deny them vision. Regularly check common ward spots and prioritize clearing vision before major objectives.

Laning Phase

The laning phase is your time to establish dominance in the bot lane, much like building a strong foundation in the early stages of a project.

1. Protecting Your ADC: Position yourself to block skill shots and trade effectively with the enemy bot lane. Use your abilities to peel for your ADC if they are engaged upon.

2. Engaging and Trading: If your champion has strong engage or poke abilities, use them to harass the enemy and create opportunities for kills. Coordinate with your ADC to maximize damage and minimize risks.

Crowd Control and Utility

Crowd control and utility are like having tools that can either stop the enemy in their tracks or boost your allies’ effectiveness.

1. Ability Timing: Use your crowd control abilities (stuns, roots, slows) at crucial moments to disrupt the enemy and protect your allies. For example, use Thresh's Flay (E) to interrupt a dashing enemy.

2. Healing and Shielding: If playing an enchanter support like Janna or Lulu, focus on keeping your carries alive with timely heals and shields.

Roaming

Roaming is like a manager stepping out of their department to assist other teams in the company.

1. When to Roam: Look for opportunities to roam when your ADC can safely farm alone or when the enemy bot lane recalls. Roam to mid lane or the jungle to help secure kills or objectives.

2. Effective Roaming: Use the element of surprise to gank other lanes. Coordinate with your mid laner or jungler for a more effective roam.

Objective Control

Controlling objectives is akin to achieving key milestones in a project that provide significant benefits to the entire team.

1. Dragon and Baron: Place wards around these objectives and be ready to assist your team in securing them. Use your vision control to spot enemy movements and avoid being caught out.

2. Rift Herald: Early game control of the Rift Herald can help your team push for tower advantages.

Peeling and Protection

Peeling and protection are like a bodyguard’s duties, ensuring your carries stay safe from harm.

1. Positioning: Stay close to your carries during team fights, ready to use your crowd control and utility to protect them from assassins or diving enemies.

2. Ability Usage: Prioritize using your abilities to disrupt enemies who threaten your carries. For example, use Janna’s Howling Gale (Q) to knock up an engaging enemy.

Understanding Through an Example

Let’s use Leona as an example:

1. Laning Phase: During the laning phase, use Leona’s Zenith Blade (E) to engage and her Shield of Daybreak (Q) to stun enemies. Coordinate with your ADC to maximize damage during trades.

2. Vision Control: Place wards in river bushes and use Control Wards to secure vision around Dragon.

3. Roaming: When your ADC is safe, roam to mid lane with your Solar Flare (R) to secure kills or apply pressure.

4. Team Fights: In team fights, use your crowd control to lock down key enemy targets and peel for your carries.

Conclusion and Summary

To be a better support, focus on mastering vision control, effectively supporting your ADC during the laning phase, providing crucial crowd control and utility, making impactful roams, and protecting your carries in team fights. By honing these skills, you will significantly enhance your ability to support your team and contribute to their success.

Test Your Understanding

1. What are the key factors to consider when placing wards?
2. How can you effectively trade in the bot lane as a support?
3. Describe a scenario where roaming would be beneficial for your team.
4. What are the primary responsibilities of a support during team fights?

Reference

For further learning, check out resources like Mobalytics for in-depth support guides and ProGuides for champion-specific tips and strategies.