The standard support starting items nowadays are limited to wards and potions - and sometimes and . I think that there are some better - way better - starting options that could give you a significant advantage early. Allthough I suggest major items for a start, I don't forget that wards are still the biggest asset for a bot lane.

For burst lanes the offers a huge advantage at level one, because combined with defense masteries you are pretty much invulnerable to auto attacks, you have almost twice the amount of health compared to an ADC and additional armor and health regeneration really help. This can help this lane snowball more compared to a start.

The poke lanes profit from a as the mana regeneration for the ADC is godlike and the support often already has a heal. Also a very good option is a , since poke supports tend to have an abysmally low base health. It is also the most coste-effective start, allowing for a rushed .

Lastly sustain lanes only need + or + s for save farming. The early CDR aleviates their healing capabilitie's biggest weakness, beeing a rather long CD (look at ).

As the bottom lane still needs Sight Wards I suggest letting the ADC buy them. Why ? Don't they need AD for poke and last hitting more than anything ? Yes, but only to a certain extend. Typically ADC's are very weak in the first levels. It falls to the support to protect them with agression or poke and sustain. Supports are really strong in this lane and it makes sense to boost their capabilities rather than give an ADC 10 more AD. The or + s start is one possibility, but I think that +Sight Wards+ s also is a very decent option.

To sum up I show some example applications:

• OLD - (ADC) Sight Ward+ +X (SUP)
  The ADC tries to maximise burst with items, sacrificing sustain, the melée support desperately tries to outheal poke until he lands his combo.
• NEW - +Sight Ward+ (ADC) (SUP)
  The ADC has enhanced burst and health for when it matters. The Support can take a lot more AA poke, even with minor sustain and has a much larger health pool for when he tanks for his lane partner in a fight to death.

• OLD - (ADC) Sight Ward+ + (SUP)
  The ADC tries to maximise his AA damage to poke at maximum range and use the occasional skillshot, the long range support tries to apply his Q-poke and heal, but this only works until both run oom.
• NEW - +Sight Ward+ (ADC) (SUP)
  The ADC now has less damage, but his support can be more liberal with pokeing, essentially balancing damage output but gaining more freedom to use abilities. This also provides more sustain, eg when it comes down to who has the longer breath.
• NEW - +Sight Ward+ (ADC) (SUP)
  The ADC now has less damage, but the overall weak spot of the lane, the chances of an early death on the support are greatly diminished. And if the enemy can't kill you, you will have the upper hand sooner or later.

• OLD - (ADC) Sight Ward+ + (SUP)
  The ADC tries to maximise DPS and poke, sacrificing sustain, as his support will provide him with that and he need to make up for the lack of damage from his support. The support tries to provide the sustain. Take the support out and you win this lane, Soraka has a hard time recovering from a level disadvantage.
• NEW - +Sight Ward+ (ADC) + + (SUP)
  This drastically reduces periodes of weakness wher a heal or silence is not up. And in the long run, Ezreal can just kill anything. Alternatively start on Soraka also would make this lane stronger.

I really would like to hear your thoughts on this, and get experience other than my own. This is more a theoretical discussion as a real game application until the rough edges are smoothed out.