First of all, if you're at low - mid elo (I.E. 1700 or below) I wouldn't recommend using this strategy in random games or solo queue.

In fact, even in high ELO, if you're a good player you're going to benefit more from being good at something else.

BUT, for the competitive player, it is essential to understand Supporting, why to do it, how to do it, and the effect that it has on a team.

Shall we?

Let's.

Where is Soul Shroud?

Well, dear summoners, this is the part where me and the rest of the world don't always agree when it comes to Supporting.

Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with Soul Shroud.

But personally, I'll take an earlier randuin's/aegis/shurelya's any day, any team comp, any time. (See what I did there? *Sunglasses.)

And then, I generally find there are other items I want.

The fact of the matter is, as a support (At a competitive level) you intentionally leave farm to other champions who need it.

IF you have an AD Carry in your lane, you will farm enough for a philo stone, a heart of gold, and then leave 100% of the farm for the Carry.

I'M SERIOUS. 100% of it.

So, as you can imagine, you're not gonna be getting a lot of farm if you do that! So every bit of gold you get, makes a big difference.

If you'll take a look at the Sona Build. Greed... 1 Gold, every 10 seconds. Most people think it's fairly bad (It's not great), but for a support, it's just what you're looking for.

1 gold every 10 seconds, implies that in 30 minutes of game, (1800 seconds) you will get 180 gold. Not that much right? And thusly, in an hour of game, only 360. (Correct me if my math is wrong.)

But... Now we see Sona's runes. We have 3 more gold per 10. So now we have 4 Gold per 10.

In addition, we build a Philo Stone and a HoG. For about 10-20 minutes we will have 6 Gp10. They will not likely pay for themselves, but, they will be warmly welcomed.

This is the secret reason why Sona is actually one of the better supports. Her unique combo of skills allows you to get these Gp10 quints and not feel like you're losing anything.

So, the simple, (Obvious) math is, in 30 min, 180 * 4 = 720 gold. Now that sounds okay right?

And in 1 hr, 1440 gold. Not too shabby, considering we're trying to keep our items building while our carry gets fat.

But you will try to do it when your carry is not there farming.

You are the second tier, supporting the carry.

What better way to support the carry, than to let them have gold?

*Sunglasses.

If you farm efficiently while the carry is not there farming, you should be able to sneak in enough farm to support at a basic level.

Coincidentally, because you will be starved of gold, this is why your items need to be support, but also tanky. Otherwise you will just feed. Luckily, the best tank items double as the best support items, and the other team won't likely focus you once you've finished a few.

Although they might, so you need to be wary.

Support. It sounds simple but in practice, takes a lot of skill.

You are the oil to the kog's of your team comp. You make everything run more smoothly, no hitches.

You WILL NOT forget to use your activates on your items, because a support is only building their items to support more effectively. If you forget to activate your support based items, you're not doing anything but wasting a champion spot.

Items like Shurelya's when your team is initiating/chasing or running.

Item's like Randuin's for the same instances, or mid team fight to kite your enemies who are trying to reach your carry.

Your skills, all of the champions I've listed have CC's, which range from slows to snares to stuns to silences to roots to pop ups...

Your role is to make your team do everything they do better and more easily, and make everything the enemy team is trying to do harder and less effective.

You must understand what is going on.

"Why is that Trundle running right past me? I'M SAFE!"
---Ashe has been slain---
*FFS TARIC WAKE UP*
"I'm not the one who died, feeder."
*Might as well have been you 'censored'*

You need to know how to react once you realize what is going on. :

"Why is that Trundle running past me? I'M SAFE... OMFG ASHE LOOK OUT!"
---Ashe has been slain---
*FFS TARIC WAKE UP*
"Sorry Ashe :("
*'Censored'*

You need to be ABLE to react BEFORE it's too late. You might be the only thing that can save your Ashe!

"Why is that Trundle running past me? ASHE! *Dazzle*
*-As Ashe recalls- thx taric*
"No problem Ashe, I got's you ;D *Sunglasses"

It's even more your job as a support to protect and make things work than it is the tank's job.

You're under farmed. You're not even through to the first item yet. You've been forbidden your precious farm by DuffTime, it all goes to the carry.

The cruel joke?

IT'S YOUR JOB TO BUY THE WARDS, AND YOUR JOB TO KNOW WHERE THEY GO!!!

HAHAHAH!!! AND I'M SERIOUS!

Since supports are generally champions who's skills fulfill the role of supporting by themselves, and farm-hungry champs like Off-Tanks, AP carries, and AD carries are going to be getting all the farm, it falls on either you or the jungler to buy wards.

Generally, you can give the silent nod that the jungler wards one half using the wriggles that most junglers get, and you can ward the other.

At a competitive level though, it's disgusting HOW MANY wards the support champions buy. It's a wonder they aren't -completely- useless by the end of the game!

You should only probably buy 1 ward for the common passage way to the lane, however. At a lower ELO, the ganks aren't as dangerous, the players aren't as skilled, and because of that, the gold for extra wards isn't used as efficiently.

Feel free to let me know.

I will do my best to answer any questions you might have.

This is just the way I CHOOSE to support. That's why you don't see soul shroud anywhere.

You may choose a technique that you prefer or works better for you, whatever wins you the games. But again, if we were here to discuss your methods for supporting, the guide wouldn't have my name at the top of it.

Play-styles win games, and your play-style has to match your build. These builds work for me. They provide me bonus CC's and Buff's, tankiness and defensive on hit effects and spell shields, and beneficial auras for the team.

Sounds like an idea that I'd be in -support- of, if I were you!

*Sunglasses.