Master Support Strategies: Expand Your Champion Pool in League of Legends

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction
2. The Importance of a Small Champion Pool
3. Understanding Mastery and Confidence
4. Categorizing the Support Role
   • 4.1 Hook Champions
   • 4.2 Enchanter Champions
   • 4.3 Mage Champions
   • 4.4 Melee Engage Champions
5. The Role of Countering and Drafting
6. The Rock Paper Scissors System
7. The Impact of Meta on Champion Pool
8. The Significance of Blind Pickable Champions
9. Crafting Your Champion Pool
10. Conclusion

The Importance of a Small Champion Pool

In the world of League of Legends, there is a common belief that in order to climb the ranked ladder, one must have a small champion pool. However, if we take a closer look at the top players in the game, we often see a trend - most of them have a majority of their games spent on 2-4 champions. So, is it true that having a small champion pool is beneficial? And if so, why is that? In this article, we will delve into the reasons behind the importance of having a small champion pool and how to determine which champions should be included in it. While we will be focusing on the support role in particular, the underlying principles can be applied to all different roles.

Understanding Mastery and Confidence

One of the main reasons why it is recommended to have a small champion pool is the concept of mastery. By consistently playing only 2-4 champions, you develop a deep understanding of their limits and capabilities. This understanding gives you a significant advantage in the game and boosts your confidence. You start to grasp the nuances of your champion, such as knowing when you have enough damage to secure a kill, recognizing power spikes, or understanding when you are most vulnerable. These small but crucial details are hard to achieve if you are constantly switching between different champions.

Categorizing the Support Role

To further explain the importance of a small champion pool, let's categorize the support role into four subclasses: hook champions, enchanter champions, mage champions, and melee engage champions. While there can be more specific classifications within each subclass, we will keep it simple to provide a general understanding. Having champions from different subclasses in your pool allows you to pick something that complements your team composition and enables you to counter the enemy support in the drafting phase.

4.1 Hook Champions

Hook champions excel at forcing engages and making impactful plays. They serve as the primary engage tool for the team. In a rock-paper-scissors scenario, hook champions counter enchanter and mage champions because they can disrupt their game plan before they can scale.

4.2 Enchanter Champions

Enchanter champions focus on supporting their team by healing, providing stats, and offering minimal crowd control. While champions within the enchanter subclass may play similarly, it's crucial to have diversity within this subclass as well. For instance, Janna and Bard may fall under the enchanter category, but they function very differently from Soraka and Sona. By having a variety of enchanter champions, you can adapt to different situations and playstyles.

4.3 Mage Champions

Mage champions bring high burst damage and range to the support role. They counter enchanter and melee engage champions by outranging and outdamaging them. Their ability to poke and control the lane makes them a formidable presence.

4.4 Melee Engage Champions

Melee engage champions are durable and excel at engaging teamfights. They usually have better defensive stats, which allows them to absorb damage and initiate fights. Melee engage champions counter hook champions due to their defensive capabilities. It often benefits them to get hooked and disrupt the enemy team.

The Role of Countering and Drafting

Understanding the rock-paper-scissors nature of the support subclasses is crucial for effective drafting. Different champions counter each other in a strategic manner. For example, hook champions counter enchanter and mage champions, while enchanters counter melee engage champions. Mages, on the other hand, counter enchanters and melee engage champions.

It's important to note that the matchup dynamics can change with each meta. The current meta in Season 12 has favored enchanters as the strongest support subclass due to the bounty system and the durability patch. These factors allow enchanters to scale well into the mid and late game, making them highly impactful.

The Impact of Meta on Champion Pool

The meta heavily influences the strength and viability of different champions. Keeping up with the meta helps you identify which champions are performing well, giving you an edge in optimizing your champion pool. As the meta evolves, it's important to adapt and ensure your champion pool aligns with the current trends.

The Significance of Blind Pickable Champions

A good champion pool should include at least one blind pickable champion. Blind pickable champions have fewer unfavorable matchups and can fit well into various team compositions due to the versatility of their kits. These champions provide a significant advantage to your team as you can confidently blind pick them. Currently, champions like Karma, Renekton, Bard, Thresh, and Seraphine are considered excellent blind pick choices due to their flexibility in different roles.

Crafting Your Champion Pool

To craft your ideal champion pool, start by selecting a champion that you genuinely enjoy playing. This will ensure that you stay motivated and committed to mastering them. From there, aim to include champions from different subclasses to enhance versatility. For example, if you enjoy playing Janna, you can add Blitzcrank as a hook champion and Leona as a melee engage champion. Finally, consider adding a blind pickable champion, such as Karma, to complete your pool.

A well-rounded champion pool allows you to adapt to various team compositions and gives you a significant advantage in the drafting phase. By focusing on a small pool of champions and mastering them, you can improve your gameplay and climb the ranked ladder more efficiently.

Conclusion

In conclusion, having a small and well-rounded champion pool is crucial for success in League of Legends. By limiting the number of champions you play, you can develop mastery, gain confidence in your abilities, and focus on other aspects of the game. Categorizing the support role into subclasses and understanding their interactions through countering and drafting enables you to make strategic decisions in champion select. Additionally, staying up to date with the meta and including blind pickable champions further enhances your chances of victory. So, start crafting your champion pool and witness the positive impact it has on your gameplay. Climb the ranked ladder with confidence and strategic prowess!