Tired of feeling helpless in bot lane? Picking the right support champion can make all the difference between a frustrating loss and a triumphant climb. Knowing which champions dominate the current meta is crucial for securing wins and boosting your League of Legends rank.
At a glance:
- Discover the top-tier support champions that consistently deliver wins in the current meta.
- Learn how to identify "A-Tier" champions that offer reliable performance and strong team utility.
- Understand when and why to pick "B-Tier" champions for specific team compositions and strategies.
- Avoid the pitfalls of "C-Tier" and "D-Tier" champions that can hinder your climb.
- Get practical tips on adapting your champion pool to patch changes and evolving metas.
Why Meta Matters: Understanding the Power of Tier Lists
In League of Legends, the meta (most effective tactics available) constantly shifts. This means that a champion who was strong last patch might be significantly weaker in the current one, and vice versa. Relying on outdated information can lead to suboptimal picks and lost games. Tier lists, like the one discussed in detail Current Best Support Picks, help you stay informed about the relative strengths and weaknesses of different champions by aggregating data from various sources, including win rates, pick rates, and professional play trends.
For example, the rise of enchanters like Lulu and Nami in the S-Tier is directly tied to their ability to amplify the power of hyper-carry ADCs. Conversely, champions like Yuumi have seen significant nerfs, impacting their effectiveness and ban rates, dropping them to a D-Tier status in some lists.
Top-Tier Domination: S-Tier Support Champions and How to Play Them
S-Tier supports are the cream of the crop. These champions boast consistently high win rates, game-changing abilities, and strong adaptability to various team compositions. Let's break down some examples:
- Nami: A versatile enchanter with potent healing, crowd control, and damage amplification. Her Tidal Wave can turn the tide of teamfights, and her Ebb and Flow provides both healing and damage, making her a strong laner and teamfighter.
- Playstyle: Focus on poking enemies in lane with Aqua Prison and Ebb and Flow, while keeping your ADC healthy. Use Tidal Wave to engage or disengage fights.
- Lulu: A hyper-carry enabler who excels at protecting and buffing allies. Her Polymorph silences enemies, rendering them harmless, and her Wild Growth provides a massive health boost and knock-up.
- Playstyle: Prioritize keeping your ADC alive with shields and buffs. Use Polymorph to shut down enemy assassins or divers.
- Milio: A newer enchanter who provides significant healing and attack range buffs. His Breath of Life ultimate can cleanse allies of crowd control and heal them simultaneously.
- Playstyle: Position yourself safely behind your team, focusing on healing and buffing allies. Use Breath of Life to counter engage against enemy crowd-control heavy compositions.
- Thresh: A high-skillcap tank support with unparalleled playmaking potential. His Death Sentence can hook enemies from afar, and his Dark Passage provides a safe escape route for allies.
- Playstyle: Look for aggressive engages with Death Sentence. Use Dark Passage to rescue teammates or set up ganks.
- Blitzcrank: Another tank support with game-changing engage potential. His Rocket Grab can single out enemies, bringing them into your team's grasp for a quick kill.
- Playstyle: Roam to other lanes to secure early advantages. Use Rocket Grab to catch enemies out of position.
Example: Imagine your ADC is getting focused by an enemy assassin. As Lulu, you can use Polymorph to disable the assassin, Wild Growth to provide a health shield and knock-up, and Help, Pix! to further shield your ADC, buying them valuable time to escape or deal damage.
Reliable Choices: A-Tier Supports for Consistent Performance
A-Tier supports are strong and reliable picks that can excel in a variety of situations. While not quite as dominant as S-Tier champions, they offer solid utility, damage, and survivability.
- Sona: A scaling support with strong sustain, crowd control, and damage amplification. Her Crescendo ultimate is a powerful teamfight tool.
- Strengths: Excellent scaling into the late game, strong engage and disengage.
- Weaknesses: Susceptible to early-game aggression and dive compositions.
- Nautilus: A tank support with multiple forms of crowd control. His Dredge Line hook can initiate fights, and his Riptide wave provides sustained damage and slows.
- Strengths: Reliable engage, high tankiness, good at locking down targets.
- Weaknesses: Can be kited, struggles against teams with heavy disengage.
- Zilean: A unique support who can speed up allies and revive them with his ultimate. His Time Bomb provides potent damage and crowd control.
- Strengths: Excellent utility, high damage potential, can save teammates from death.
- Weaknesses: Requires good prediction skills, vulnerable to assassins.
Decision Point: If you're facing a dive composition, Nautilus might be a better choice than Sona due to his superior crowd control and tankiness. Conversely, if you need sustained healing and damage amplification, Sona might be the better pick.
Situational Strengths: B-Tier Champions and Niche Strategies
B-Tier supports are viable but require specific team compositions or strategies to be truly effective. These champions often have unique strengths that can be exploited in the right circumstances, but they also have clear weaknesses that can be easily punished.
- Bard: A roaming support with unique chime collection mechanics. His Magical Journey tunnels can create unexpected flanks, and his Tempered Fate stasis ability can stall teamfights or set up plays.
- Playstyle: Roam frequently to collect chimes and assist other lanes. Use Magical Journey to create unexpected flanks and Tempered Fate to control teamfights.
- Pitfalls: Requires good map awareness and roaming skills. Can be vulnerable if caught out of position during roams.
- Karma: A versatile support who can provide shields, damage, and crowd control. Her Mantra-empowered abilities offer amplified effects.
- Playstyle: Use Focused Resolve to snare enemies and Soulflare to deal burst damage. Use Defiance to shield allies and provide movement speed.
- Pitfalls: Relies heavily on positioning and cooldown management. Can struggle against teams with high mobility.
- Renata Glasc: A utility-focused support with unique manipulation abilities. Her Bailout can prevent allies from dying, and her Hostile Takeover can turn enemies against each other.
- Playstyle: Protect allies with Bailout and use Hostile Takeover to disrupt enemy formations. Use Handshake to pull allies to safety or engage enemies.
- Pitfalls: Requires good coordination with teammates. Hostile Takeover can be unpredictable.
Example: If your team has a strong frontline and needs a way to disrupt enemy formations, Renata Glasc's Hostile Takeover can be a game-winning ability. However, if your team lacks a frontline, her effectiveness might be limited.
Avoid the Traps: C-Tier and D-Tier Champions
C-Tier and D-Tier champions are generally not recommended for ranked play unless you are extremely proficient with them. These champions are often easily countered, underpowered, or have been heavily nerfed. While they might be fun to play in casual games, they can hinder your climb in ranked queues.
- C-Tier Examples: Ashe (off-meta poke with limited engage), Miss Fortune (Poke with slow), Shen (requires team coordination).
- D-Tier Examples: Yuumi (healing significantly nerfed), Heimerdinger, Senna (requires gold income to scale).
Justification: While some of these champions can be effective in specific situations, their weaknesses generally outweigh their strengths. For example, while Ashe's slows can be disruptive, she lacks the engage potential of a Leona or the sustain of a Nami.
Adapting to Patch Changes: Staying Ahead of the Meta
The League of Legends meta is constantly evolving, so it's crucial to stay informed about patch changes and adjust your champion pool accordingly. Follow professional players, analyze tier lists from reputable sources, and experiment with different champions in normal games to discover new strategies and effective picks.
Example: If a new item is introduced that significantly buffs enchanters, you might want to prioritize picking champions like Lulu or Nami. Conversely, if a champion you frequently play gets nerfed, you might need to consider alternative options.
Practical Playbook: Quick Start Guide to Climbing with Support
Here's a concise guide to help you immediately improve your support gameplay and climb the ranks:
- Identify Your Playstyle: Do you prefer enchanters, tanks, or mages?
- Master 2-3 Champions: Focus on becoming proficient with a small pool of champions that fit your playstyle and the current meta.
- Stay Informed: Regularly check tier lists and patch notes to stay up-to-date on the latest changes.
- Communicate with Your Team: Coordinate your picks and strategies with your ADC and other teammates.
- Focus on Vision Control: Place wards strategically to provide vision and prevent ganks.
- Roam When Appropriate: Assist other lanes or secure objectives when your ADC is safe.
Quick Answers: Common Questions About Support Champions
Q: Is it always best to pick an S-Tier champion?
A: Not necessarily. While S-Tier champions are generally strong, they might not always fit your team composition or playstyle. It's more important to pick a champion that you are comfortable with and that complements your team's strategy.
Q: How do I deal with counter-picks?
A: If you are counter-picked, focus on playing defensively and minimizing your losses. Prioritize vision control and communication with your team. Don't be afraid to ask for help from your jungler.
Q: What if my ADC is playing poorly?
A: Focus on supporting your other teammates and securing objectives. Don't waste your resources trying to save a struggling ADC. Sometimes, the best course of action is to pivot to supporting a more reliable carry.
Q: How important is roaming as a support?
A: Roaming can be incredibly valuable, but it's important to do it at the right time. Don't roam if your ADC is vulnerable or if there are imminent threats in your lane. Roam when your ADC is safe and you can make a meaningful impact in another lane or on an objective.
Actionable Close: Embrace the Meta, Dominate the Lane
Mastering the art of support in League of Legends is about more than just mechanics; it's about understanding the meta, adapting to changes, and making smart decisions based on your team composition and the enemy's strategy. By focusing on the lol good support champions outlined here and continuously honing your skills, you'll be well on your way to climbing the ranks and dominating in bot lane. Now go out there and support your way to victory!