who is the best support right now?

[quote=Vynertje][quote=GrandmasterD]There is no ‘best’ support, but the top four is probably [[Tahm Kench]], [[Soraka]], [[Alistar]], and [[Thresh]]. Other good supports are [[Bard]], [[Nami]], [[Sona]], [[Janna]], and [[Leona]]. Would not advise to play anything else unless you know what you are doing, but considering the title of this thread, I would not say that is the case. [img=https://i.imgur.com/k5oZX8K.gif][/quote] Top-4 includes [[trundle]] atm[/quote]

[quote=TheSilverDust][quote=Vynertje] Top-4 includes [[trundle]] atm[/quote] [quote=GrandmasterD]There is no ‘best’ support, but the top four is probably [[Tahm Kench]], [[Soraka]], [[Alistar]], and [[Thresh]]. Other good supports are [[Bard]], [[Nami]], [[Sona]], [[Janna]], and [[Leona]]. Would not advise to play anything else unless you know what you are doing, but considering the title of this thread, I would not say that is the case. [img=https://i.imgur.com/k5oZX8K.gif][/quote] I just observed that most of those top five (including [[Trundle]]) are mostly tank supports (except [[Soraka]]), I just want to know why these became famous.[/quote]

[quote=The_Nameless_Bard]I think part of it is the fact that tank supports just use the extra gold better and a lot of good tank items are around these days, but that's just a guess on my part. Utility supports don't need much gold to do their job – that's how most of them were designed – because in previous seasons that was a good trait to have due to how little gold supports were getting. Now it just means those supports have gold their kits weren't designed to need.[/quote]

[quote=FalseoGod][quote=The_Nameless_Bard]I think part of it is the fact that tank supports just use the extra gold better and a lot of good tank items are around these days, but that's just a guess on my part. Utility supports don't need much gold to do their job – that's how most of them were designed – because in previous seasons that was a good trait to have due to how little gold supports were getting. Now it just means those supports have gold their kits weren't designed to need.[/quote] I think that's so relative still. The pre-nerf predominance of [[brand]] support fights this notion. I think the main reason actually is because armor is still the best defense stat atm due to armor pen being in a pretty meh state. However, aggressive mage "supports" can still use gold really well to basically forgo some supportive items and deal massive AoE damage (Zyra, Brand, Morgana not so much but still, Vel'Koz). Unfortunately, appart from Morgana (and Zyra..ish) these supports pretty much [i]need[/i] to snowball. I do agree that utility supports are in the worst state between the "I can go full ap" supports and the full tanks in terms of item scalling flat. However, this is probably the reason why you see diamond + players rushing splitpush on these, starting with [[banner of command]] for more extra gold, and then ZZ'Rot, creating pressure in two lanes at once.[/quote]

[quote=The_Nameless_Bard]I was only referring to utility supports there. Stuff like Vel and Karma suffer from other issues.[/quote]

[quote=GrandmasterD][quote=Vynertje]Top-4 includes Trundle atm[/quote] I put that under the “... unless you know what you are doing”—category, because it does require intrinsic game knowledge of why it is good. Additionally, I do not see that trend lasting very long; Riot has a habit of killing things like this before they get much screen time. [quote=TheSilverDust]I just observed that most of those top five (including [[Trundle]]) are mostly tank supports (except [[Soraka]]), I just want to know why these became famous.[/quote] Supports can, unlike during earlier seasons (one & two mostly), actually accumulate a significant amount of gold during the game. Additionally, they can only put so many wards down at a given time, so they are essentially forced to spend it on items. Pure utility supports were the original supports because they did not need items to function; a [[Janna]] with no items can do the same things a [[janna]] with six items can do – don't you dare to bring up the scaling on say, W – so, regardless of what you buy, your champion won't really improve in terms of effectiveness. Now take a look at the other “supports” – call me a pretentious twat all you want, I don't think the support role is very support-y any more –, there's either the mages or the tanks; mages scale great with ability power and tanks utilise defensive stats well because they end up being the front line, soak damage, and usually have quite a bit of crowd control which they can keep using due to them being able to stay alive for so much longer. Add to this that the items which grant defensive stats usually come with more utility ([[Randuin's Omen]], [[Righteous Glory]], [[Frozen Heart]]) and the fact that defensive stats became far more powerful since the preseason patch (see [[Last Whisper]] and [[Void Staff]] changes, as well as the death of [[Blade of the Ruined King]]) and you have your answer.[/quote]

[quote=NicknameMy]Tank meta -> tank supports Weak armorpen -> easier for supports to tank Lots of AD champs -> oh wait[/quote]

[quote=UnstoppableBacon]Play Tahm to win games. Annie can be sneaky good as she likes to melt tanks and Tibbers scares people (mostly me but whatever).[/quote]

[quote=bogis15][quote=GrandmasterD][quote=Vynertje]Top-4 includes Trundle atm[/quote] I don't think the support role is very support-y any more –, there's either the mages or the tanks; mages scale great with ability power and tanks utilize defensive stats well because they end up being the front line, soak damage, and usually have quite a bit of crowd control which they can keep using due to them being able to stay alive for so much longer. Add to this that the items which grant defensive stats usually come with more utility ([[Randuin's Omen]], [[Righteous Glory]], [[Frozen Heart]]) and the fact that defensive stats became far more powerful since the preseason patch (see [[Last Whisper]] and [[Void Staff]] changes, as well as the death of [[Blade of the Ruined King]]) and you have your answer.[/quote] I agree with this! I personally really enjoy playing mage champions, Morgana is my support of choice. I'm sure, as many have stated, there are "better" support champions out there but if you work well in 2v1, 2v2s in lane and even team fights later in games you would be crazy not to like her [[Dark Binding]] ability. She is versatile enough if you find yourself alone in lane to be able to freeze the lane and possibly even pick up a kill or two if the enemy chooses to over-extend.[/quote]

[quote=NicknameMy]Not the best support right now but he has a lot of potential: [img]http://na.leagueoflegends.com/sites/default/files/styles/scale_xlarge/public/upload/article.header.nasus_chromapack.jpg?itok=6QyoRiZY[/img] What [[Nasus]] as support offers: Great usage of [[spellthief's edge]], [[frost queen's claim]] and [[thunderlord's decree]] to poke his opponents out of lane with his very spamable [[spirit fire]]. [[Wither]], nuff said, no ADc likes to play against that. Because of that spell only he got played jungle once, so don't underestimate it. [[spirit fire]] reduces the armor of targets inside it, this allows your ADC to deal more damage and works great in combination with burst ADC's like [[graves]]. A giant meat shield with [[Fury of the Sands]]. Increased size and more tankyness allows him to block projectiles and the percentage damage on it lets every enemy suffer which comes close to you or your carry. You also become very tanky with items like [[Ruby sightstone]](3. highest HP in the game on an item!!!), [[zeke's harbinger]] and [[banner of command]]/[[locket of the iron solari]]. Strong waveclear even without a lot of AP, making stalling out for lategame carries also a viable strategy, while he can dominate the earlygame. Obviously, damage against champions falls of lategame, but he still has [[wither]] and the Armor shredd for utility. He also, similar to [[Brand]], most of the time ends up as the top or second top damage dealer of his team. All in all [[nasus]] support is basically a more utility-focused version of [[brand]] instead of damage focused. His advantage is also that he can't miss his damage spell like [[brand]]. Of course, don't pick him against sustain lanes, but otherwise, he should be a strong pick, especially because of the potential to chain CC an enemy with [[frost queen's claim]] -> [[wither]].[/quote]