The Best Support Champions in League of Legends: A Comprehensive Guide
In the ever-evolving world of League of Legends, the support role stands out as a cornerstone of any successful team composition. While marksmen and assassins often steal the spotlight with their flashy plays, it’s the support champions who lay the groundwork for victory. Their ability to protect allies, control key objectives, and turn the tide of battles makes them indispensable. This guide delves into the best support champions in League of Legends, highlighting their strengths, playstyles, and the impact they bring to the Rift.
The Role of a Support Champion
Before diving into the list of top-tier supports, it’s essential to understand the fundamentals of the role. A good support player must balance protection, engagement, and vision control. They are the backbone of the team, ensuring that their carries can farm safely in the early game and dominate in the late-game team fights.
Support champions typically fall into two main categories:
Tank Supports: These champions are built to absorb damage and protect their allies. They excel at initiating fights and holding the front line.
Enchanter Supports: These champions focus on buffing their allies with abilities that enhance movement, attack damage, or survivability.
Both types are crucial, and the best support champions often blend elements of both playstyles.
Key Factors to Consider When Choosing a Support Champion
Skill Ceiling: How complex is the champion? Some supports, like Bard or Thresh, require precise timing and mechanics to maximize their impact.
Synergy with Team Composition: A support champion’s effectiveness is heavily influenced by the rest of the team. For example, a tank support like Leona pairs perfectly with a squishy ADC like Tristana.
Current Meta: The meta, or “most effective tactics available,” changes with each patch. Some supports rise to prominence during certain seasons, while others fall out of favor.
Top Support Champions in League of Legends (Season 13)
1. Thresh – The Chain Warden
Thresh is a classic support champion who has remained relevant for years due to his versatile kit. His hook (Q – Death Sentence) is one of the most iconic abilities in the game, allowing him to lock down enemies or save allies from dangerous situations. His flay (E – Flay) and ultimate (R – The Box) make him a nightmare to deal with in team fights.
Why He’s Great: High utility, strong engage and disengage, and excellent scaling.
Playstyle Tip: Focus on landing hooks to secure kills and protect your carry from divers.
2. Leona – The Radiant Dawn
Leona is the quintessential tank support. Her kit is all about locking down enemies and setting up kills for her team. With her Zenith Blade (Q), Solar Flare (R), and Eclipse (W), Leona can single-handedly turn a team fight in her favor.
Why She’s Great: Amazing engage potential, tanky build options, and a powerful ultimate that zones enemies.
Playstyle Tip: Look for opportunities to all-in during the early game when your abilities are most impactful.
3. Bard – The Wandering Caretaker
Bard is a unique champion who excels at roaming and providing utility. His Caretaker’s Shrine (W) heals allies, while his Tempered Fate (R) can turn the tide of a fight by stunning multiple enemies. His ganks are notoriously difficult to counter when timed correctly.
Why He’s Great: High mobility, game-changing ultimate, and excellent map awareness tools.
Playstyle Tip: Focus on roaming early and setting up vision control in key areas like river and Baron.
4. Nami – The Tidecaller
Nami is an enchanter support who offers a mix of healing, buffs, and crowd control. Her Aqua Prison (Q) is a powerful tool for locking down enemies, while her Tidecaller’s Blessing (W) enhances the attack damage of her allies.
Why She’s Great: Versatile kit,