I thought it might be fun to share some things regarding my favourite supports that I regularly play.

I'm updating this irregularly.



Thresh is a very versatile champion that lanes well with pretty much any ADC (marksman), even better with those who can quickly follow up on his engagements and provide good burst by any means. While, after all the changes and nerfs, he doesn’t pack as much tankiness - meaning bullrushing anyone is not an option – Thresh is still arguably the most dangerous support in good hands. Reading the game and your lane opponent is mandatory to make good plays.

1)
A trick that needs some timing and aiming, but that - more often than not – catches people completely unawares. Despite the rather small hitbox of Thresh’s hook, you can still take advantage of that (there’s a rumor that Death Sentence has a slightly bigger hitbox at the end of the hook).

Basically, when you have to (a) take a right angle corresponding to where the enemy ADC is standing and (b) time your hook’s launch to pass through a minion just as it dies – herefore hitting the target just as he doesn’t expect it. This maneuver has granted me quite a few kills, as the ADC that stands behind his minions feels relatively safe when playing against sinkers like Thresh and Blitzcrank.

This is generally easiest to pull off when you’ve pushed the lane near the enemy turret, and the minions have packed as a wall. You just have to aim it well enough to not hit the by-standing minions and care for those who are repositioning themselves, as minions sometimes tend to block you at bad times. The second opportunity is from a bush. For the best scenario, the enemy doesn’t either have the lane bush you’ve crawled into warded, or you’ve cleared it with a Vision Ward of your own. This way, the element of surprise is 100% Garen-teed.

2)
Dark Passage, aka dat lantern throw, is Thresh’s signature move and extremely useful at all points of the game. I am not going to repeat the basic usages of it, so I’ll just point out some things people often forget/might not think about.
(a) Flashing while your ally picks the lantern will pull him to your new location, meaning a 100% secured escape. This can also be used as an opener for a jungler gank to locate him right next to the enemy. Another good way to safe both yourself and your teammate is to run about opposite directions. If and when the enemy chases the ADC, throw your lantern to him from safe distance away for easy escape.

(b) You can check a lane bush with the lantern in case an enemy jungler might be hiding in there. This means you can spare money from constantly having to ward it. Also useful in case you’re unable to destroy an enemy support’s pink ward in there. You can also use it to make hitting Death Sentence through fog of war easier
(c) Probably known by everybody by now (I’d hope), but just in case: you can pull your jungler waiting behind a wall with Dark Passage. Usual combo goes Q -> W -> Q -> E/R -> R/E

Always check bushes with Dark Passage if you’re not aware of where the enemy team is. Better be paranoid than dead.

3)
In case you find yourself at bay with hitting your hooks from afar. Wait for enemy ADC to come closer for last hitting, walk near them and cast Flay to pull them towards you. They’re greatly slowed for 2 seconds. Use the first second of it to try to see if they’ll flash – if they don’t, you’re right next to them and should be easily able to hit Death Sentence.
Alternatively if they’re close enough and you have your ultimate, cast The Box. IF they flash at this point, you can try to hit them with a hook, and pull them through a wall from The Box. Also, try to hit your E sideways to hit more than one person when jumping in with Death Leap (love that name]. This way more people will be also flung to the walls.

The key to hitting an enemy with skillshots is patience: let them make the move before you. Of course, this is situational – sometimes waiting means missed kill chance.

4)
Thresh may have low AA range (for a ranged support), with a maximum range of 475 (450 in PBE). He has potential to harass with his Flay’s passive empowered auto attacks. There’s the risk of enemy harassing back of course. So how do you make the trades winnable against someone like Caitlyn, who normally has easy time trading 2 autos for Thresh’s one. You can use the aforementioned shielding tactic to take all out of your mana usage. Otherwise, the other way to “safely” harass a marksman (with any support for that matter, but especially for Thresh) is to wait for them to stop to attack a minion. This way, they have to choose between (a) taking damage or (b) losing CS.
The whole point of being a good support is putting out constant pressure when possible in every way imaginable, while making it harder for your enemies to do the same. Also, you should be hacking away at any melee supports, such as Leona, Blitzcrank or Malphite (yes, I’ve seen one). Thresh’s empowered harass does add up very quickly at early levels, making zoning easy. Of course, always avoid exposing yourself to counter-harassment needlessly. Read your opponent, see how he reacts and act accordingly.

Additionally, buy Doran's Shield as a first item in every lane where you're going to be harassed yourself actively (vs Annie, Caitlyn), or when you know you need extreme tankiness (vs Leona, Blitzcrank)

5)
Every player nowadays knows that if Thresh throws his lantern backwards (and over a wall), there's a high chance of a gank incoming. This makes enemies paranoid. They don't have vision of your backyard, and will flee as soon as they see the light/throw. This means you have free harass/chase on fleeing duo laners who think they're being ganked.

Pull the shield back to you and try to aim a hook or flail. Panicking enemies are less likely to dodge succesfully. You also get nigh' free zoning in the process. Also, after you have succesfully deceived them a few times, they might not react in time when your jungler actually ganks via lantern pull.

This works just for giggs as well for or simply trolling the enemy. The reactions.

6)
Sometimes you miss your hook, but it's not the end of the world. Normally, try to position your ultimate in a way that shield both your ADC, and fends of would-be-attackers from your tank/bruiser. Then you can use Flay to pull 2-5 champions to your wall, then hook another one. And try to stay alive.

If an enemy uses Zhonya's Hourglass, then position yourself in a way pops one wall directly on the enemy for 99% likely denied escape.

If you know your enemy has flash, don't pop it right away when engaging.

7)
Quite simple: Orianna sends out Command: Protect on Thresh while Thresh lands a Death Sentence on an enemy, followed by Death Leap and The Box, opening Orianna to use Command: Shockwave on as many enemies as caught and bringing banging them to walls of oblivion.

NRS