User blog:Lukeatlook/Pyro's Item Overhaul 8 - The Support Project


 * What is "Pyro's Item Overhaul"?

It's a set of custom patch notes that are meant to enhance and/or fix the problems with itemization in LoL. Previous episodes were a hit or miss, sometimes correctly predicting items implemented by Riot, sometimes being far off (...almost everything else).


 * What is the scope of the overhaul?

Pretty much everything. The idea is to increase diversity in item builds by rebalancing the current items, possibly introducing few new ones when necessary. Keep in mind while assessing this part of the project that more or less all item categories will be affected, so this is far from over.


 * Why?

TL;DR here would be: To have more than top 3-5 champion picks for every role in LCS with cookie-cutter builds. Item builds should be more reactive, not predefined for a whole class of champions.

The Support Project
Let's start with an observation: Support builds are quite limited. You have your GP10 item, which most of the time is defined by your champion pick (some champions have a choice between two items, the rest always buy the same item), you upgrade it for 500g, you get a, and possibly boots. Aside from the situations when you don't upgrade your, that's over 3000 gold on the GP10 item and Sightstone alone, not counting boots. This is far less diversity than the laners - or, with the new season, jungler - have. At no point after starting lane is there any path to be chosen - all you can do is to pick the components towards your unchangeable core.

For most supports, or  is the only bigger item they get to choose before the game ends, especially on higher levels of play. And even in the long matches, it's the things like, or  that are more popular than  and. Oh and with the preseason, prepare for occasional and  - still picked over Zeke's and Censer.

As for full AP support, they will often leave unfinished and opt for the usual AP things like  and. This is fine and whatnot, but the higher the elo, the less viable the full AP "support" is. And some supports, like and, aren't really that much into the idea of going full AP - and they shouldn't be forced to.

Supports need more choices in their builds. Junglers have 16 ways to finish their core 2250g item. Supports deserve some, too. If you believe that support builds aren't limited, then go and check scoreboards for the last few competitive games.

The GP10 Lines
I've been going over this for almost a year now, but we need alternative finished GP10 items. Here and there I've sketched a few designs, and it's time to revisit that. Guidelines of the changes here:
 * Tier 1 items are slightly altered to make up for changes to regen
 * Tier 2 upgrades now have a and/or  as a component
 * Tier 3 upgrades - 2 per item line:
 * Old upgrades are slightly tweaked - Talisman is 100g cheaper (2000g), FotM and FQC are a bit buffed in their main stat
 * New upgrades cost 2400g (Medallion's one is 2600), build out of bigger (1000g+) components and don't grant CDR
 * Overall designed around HP-regen-AP symmetry, with the Ancient Coin now having MS as the defining stat of that item line

Mt. Targon line=
 * +80 health (+5)
 * Unchanged.
 * What a buff!
 * What a buff!


 * Recipe: +  + 320g
 * +200 health (+25), +50% base health regeneration
 * Unchanged.
 * The regeneration from this item took a hit with the preseason changes, so the raw health got a tiny bit buffed.
 * The regeneration from this item took a hit with the preseason changes, so the raw health got a tiny bit buffed.


 * +600 health (+100), +10% cooldown reduction, +100% health regeneration
 * Combine cost lowered to 285g from 485g (total cost lowered to 2000g from 2200g)
 * Unchanged.
 * Unchanged.
 * Again, following the trend of making up for the preseason changes to regeneration. It used to grant 20 flat regen - now it grants about 12-15 upon purchase, coming back to 20 around level 16. This justifies the decreased cost.
 * Again, following the trend of making up for the preseason changes to regeneration. It used to grant 20 flat regen - now it grants about 12-15 upon purchase, coming back to 20 around level 16. This justifies the decreased cost.

New Targons upgrade

 * Crescent Shield of the Lunari (new item)
 * Recipe: +  + 535g (total cost: 2400g)
 * +50 armor, +400 health, +150% health regeneration
 * (same as FotM)
 * Grants +30% bonus movement speed that builds up over 2 seconds when near turrets or Void Gates.
 * Whenever a nearby ally dies, you gain 50% of their total AD and AP for 10 seconds. If you take down their killer, they also get the full gold reward.
 * If more than one ally wields the item, the passive procs for the closest one only.
 * Whenever a carry falls, the tank is often left to slowly die with no chance to do anything. This is a great towerdiving/tower defending item that can change that picture.


 * -|Shurima line=
 * +5 movement speed (new), +25% mana regeneration
 * Unchanged.
 * Movement speed is now the defining characteristic of this item line.
 * Movement speed is now the defining characteristic of this item line.


 * Recipe: +  +  + 140g
 * +10 movement speed, +25% health regeneration, +50% mana regeneration (+25), +2 gold per 10 seconds
 * Unchanged.
 * With changes to regeneration, this item received a huge nerf (it used to have same flat regen as Frostfang). This is to bring it back to its old state.
 * With changes to regeneration, this item received a huge nerf (it used to have same flat regen as Frostfang). This is to bring it back to its old state.


 * Combine cost lowered to 535g from 635g (total cost lowered to 2000g from 2200g)
 * All stats and effects unchanged.
 * 100g cheaper, no changes to its functionality. Cheapest GP10 tier 3 item.
 * 100g cheaper, no changes to its functionality. Cheapest GP10 tier 3 item.

New Medallion upgrade

 * Mask of Emperors (new item)
 * Recipe: +  + 350g (total cost: 2600g)
 * +10 movement speed, +40 ability power, +300 health, +50% health regeneration, +50% mana regeneration, +2 GP10
 * +15 magic penetration
 * (same as Talisman)
 * Reveal a large nearby area for 5 seconds (2000 range). 60 second cooldown.
 * This item, huh? The active isn't as powerful as the one of Talisman, but the stat bundle is quite impressive. With both health and AP, it's the middle ground between the other two item lines. The regeneration, however, is a bit lower.


 * -|Freljord line=
 * +10 ability power (+5)
 * Mana regeneration and gold per 10 removed
 * Also restore 7 mana on proc
 * Mana regeneration moved to the Tribute passive. Now you need to be active to restore it. AP increased to 10, flat GP10 removed - you're encouraged now to upgrade this item. A bit more risk involved in choosing this item line.
 * Mana regeneration moved to the Tribute passive. Now you need to be active to restore it. AP increased to 10, flat GP10 removed - you're encouraged now to upgrade this item. A bit more risk involved in choosing this item line.


 * Recipe: +  + 320g
 * +20 ability power (+10), +25% mana regeneration (-25), +2 gold per 10 seconds
 * Also restore 10 mana
 * Following the trend of moving mana regen to Tribute procs.
 * Following the trend of moving mana regen to Tribute procs.


 * +60 ability power (+10), +10% cooldown reduction, +50% mana regeneration, +2 gold per 10 seconds
 * Also restore 10 mana
 * Unchanged
 * A straightout buff to the item, as the tier 1 and 2 are now a bit riskier.
 * A straightout buff to the item, as the tier 1 and 2 are now a bit riskier.

New Frostfang upgrade

 * Goblet of True Ice (new item)
 * Recipe: +  + 535g (total cost: 2400g)
 * +40 ability power, +30 magic resistance, +100% mana regeneration, +4 GP10
 * Restores 2% of missing mana every 5 seconds.
 * (same as on FQC)
 * Restore 25% of missing health and 50% of missing mana to target ally. 90 second cooldown.
 * This is the healing and mana restoring part of Mikael's Crucible. The cleanse stays there.

The Sightstones
Problem: All supports build - and upgrading it to  doesn't feel rewarding for some of them (especially the ranged ones).

We need to state few things outright: Sightstone is a support item. Yes, it's not a problem when the jungler gets one occasionally - but that decision has to have some drawback. If the meta requires junglers to get the second Sightstone, it supresses diversity in jungle roster (domination of Lee Sin and other champions who can afford to not spend gold on their own items). So, to put it briefly, we need Sightstones that feel satisfying for supports as items, but aren't a must-buy for junglers. Basically junglers need to either be restricted from buying it or buying it needs to have a drawback.

I've came up with two designs, one leaving the current Sightstone intact and expanding on it, and one shaking things up a bit:
 * "Healthpack" version: Sightstone upgrades grant 200 health + one of the few available statistics (health, mana, regen, AP). Sightstone upgrades require a GP10 item to purchase.
 * "Specialized" version: Sightstone costs 400g, grants no health and requires a GP10 item to purchase. Sightstone upgrades grant a select statistic (health, mana, regen, AP).

In both cases:
 * At level 9, the upgraded Sightstone unlocks a unique passive that affects your Stealth Wards and Vision Wards.
 * This is consistent with how the trinkets upgrade at level 9.
 * Power of a Unique Passive is inversely proportional to the versatility of provided statistics.
 * This means a Sightstone with mana will have slightly better vision enhancement than the one with health or AP.
 * Increasing the Stealth Wards limit from 3 to 4 is out of the question - every support would have to go for it every time.


 * Healthpack version: Unchanged.
 * Specialized version: Cost lowered to 400, ward charges lowered to 3, health removed (no longer builds out of Ruby Crystal). Requires GP10 item to purchase.
 * Specialized version: Cost lowered to 400, ward charges lowered to 3, health removed (no longer builds out of Ruby Crystal). Requires GP10 item to purchase.


 * Recipe: +  + 400 g (total cost: 1600g/1200g)
 * +400 health (in both versions)
 * At level 9, gains :
 * Your Stealth Wards last for 4 minutes.
 * Your Vision Wards have +2 health (7).
 * NOTE: Doesn't have 5 ward charges anymore (down to 4).
 * Pretty simple and can be used by anyone. The Vision Ward effect is probably more important than the Sight Ward effect.
 * Pretty simple and can be used by anyone. The Vision Ward effect is probably more important than the Sight Ward effect.


 * Recipe: +  + 100 g (total cost: 1300g/900g)
 * Healthpack version: +200 health, +300 mana
 * Specialized version: +400 mana
 * At level 9, gains :
 * +2 charges (total: 6)
 * Whenever your Vision Ward is being destroyed, you retain vision of the area for 5 seconds.
 * Cheap, yet effective. 6 charges is a lot.
 * Cheap, yet effective. 6 charges is a lot.


 * Recipe: +  +  + 240 g (total cost: 1400g/1000g)
 * Healthpack version: +200 health, +50% base health regeneration, +50% base mana regeneration
 * Specialized version: +50% base health regeneration, +50% base mana regeneration, +15% cooldown reduction
 * At level 9, gains :
 * You gain one charge whenever a nearby ward is being destroyed.
 * Your Vision Wards regain their health points if they haven't been attacked in the last 10 seconds.
 * A "sustain" option, allowing you to restock wards during vision wars as long as you're near them when they're killed.
 * A "sustain" option, allowing you to restock wards during vision wars as long as you're near them when they're killed.


 * Recipe: +  + 565 g (total cost: 1800g/1400g)
 * Healthpack version: +200 health, +40 ability power
 * Specialized version: +60 ability power
 * At level 9, gains :
 * You can place wards at an increased range (1000 units - Feral Flare range).
 * Your Vision Wards reveal all enemy Stealth Wards in the range, even those obscured by brush/walls.
 * Allows you to ward from longer range, which could be a lifesaver on squishy champions.
 * Allows you to ward from longer range, which could be a lifesaver on squishy champions.

This is a closed system, which means it's possible to change things a lot as we see fit.

The Actual Support Items
This is where supports say "Okay, I have my two core items. What do I buy now?

Ability power
It turns out that supports actually do need ability power after the season 4 changes as well as CDR. Most support items don't grant as much of it as they could, and to make up for that we occasionally see Mejai's Soulstealer on champions like Janna, and of course the core Zhonya's on Morgana.


 * +30 ability power, +25% base mana regeneration
 * +5% movement speed
 * A straightout buff to the item, albeit rather a small one. The MS passive now doesn't stack now with other items. Possible component for new midlane items.


 * +60 ability power (+20), +100% base mana regeneration, +10% cooldown reduction
 * +5% movement speed (-3)
 * Your heals and shields on another unit grant them 25% attack speed for 6 seconds. This does not include regeneration effects or effects on yourself.
 * In sheer stats, this becomes comparable to Chalice/Morellonomicon. If you're playing Karma, Morgana or Lulu in the middle lane, it might actually become worthwhile. Otherwise, it's still great on them in the support role.


 * +80 ability power, +50% base mana regeneration (new), +10% cooldown reduction
 * +10% movement speed (+4)
 * Summons 2 invulnerable ghosts for 6 seconds to seek the two nearest enemy champions. If they touch an enemy champion, they slow their movement speed by 40% and reveal them for 2.5 seconds. Ghosts that fail to find a target return to the wielder, reducing the item's cooldown by 40 seconds each. 120 second cooldown.
 * Basically a mage Zephyr. Situational, not as outright efficient source of DPS as Morellonomicon or Athene's, but in right situation a viable pickup

Armor
As it is, supports have no satisfying way to gain armor that wouldn't be a typical tank/bruiser item. is a risky investment that doesn't really suit the support role, used only by Morgana to get the insane synergy with her ultimate. This should be solved by introducing the following upgrades to. For the full list of changes to tank items, see The Tank Project.


 * (new item)
 * Recipe: +  + 700g (total cost: 2500g)
 * +50 armor, +400 health, +300 mana, +20% CDR
 * Reduce damage taken from critical strikes by 25%.
 * It's a tank item, mostly. The situational crit protection is the item's highlight.


 * (new item)
 * Recipe: +  + 730g (total cost: 2500g)
 * +50 armor, +300 mana, +60 ability power, +20% CDR
 * Reduce the mana cost of all spells by 1% per 1% of health missing.
 * For midlaners, this should be an alternative to Zhonya's Hourglass as their anti-AD core.

Magic resistance
For the full list of changes to tank items, see The Tank Project. Overall Mikael's got a huge hit as a standalone item, but if you want to stack anti-AP defense, it's actually better - suggested new Frostfang upgrade Goblet of True Ice functions as the new Mikaels (upgrades from Chalice) with the heal, just without the cleanse; old Mikaels retains the cleanse.


 * +60 ability power, +30 magic resistance (+5), +50% base mana regeneration, +10% cooldown reduction (-10)
 * Restores 2% of missing mana every 5 seconds.
 * Restores 15% of your max mana on kill or assist.
 * Less CDR, lower price - overall item suited for both midlaners and supports. Mages will be receiving other tweaks to their items.


 * +300 health (+100), +60 ability power, +25 magic resistance, +10% cooldown reduction
 * Grants nearby allies +25 magic resist and +75% base health regeneration.
 * Greatly increases the power of a lane minion and grants it immunity to magic damage. 120 second cooldown.
 * Buffing this as a lategame item, enabling purchasing it on midlaners.


 * +400 health, +25 magic resistance, +10% cooldown reduction
 * Grants nearby allies +25 magic resist and +75% base health regeneration.
 * Shield yourself and nearby allied champions for 5 seconds, absorbing up to 60 (+100% magic resistance) damage. 60 second cooldown. (600 range) (rebalance)
 * Shield scales with MR instead of levels, making the item less of a must-have item in every situation, and more a specialized purchase.


 * +50 magic resistance (+10), +100% base mana regeneration, +10% cooldown reduction
 * Removes all debuffs from an allied champion (cannot be used on other champions while unable to use items). 90 second cooldown.
 * Without the heal and Mana Font, Mikael's should be a more situational and specialized purchase - and no longer a must-have on every support. The active removes ALL debuffs now.

With Goblet of True Ice providing heal and a better Censer, can we stomach a nerf to Mikael's Crucible? I guess it's fair, now all "true supports" won't be confined to this item and items like Twins and Censer will be an option I don't know, there are too many variables to say that NOOOOO I WANT MY MIKAELS UNCHANGED I DON'T CARE IF IT'S OVERPOWERED OR NOT

Health
If the suggested changes to Sightstones go through, some champions could need raw health after getting the AP version of Sightstone. Also, with some of the GP10 items not having CDR, some champions might want some heavy CDR after their core GP10+Sightstone build.


 * +400 health (-100), +300 mana, +100% base health regeneration
 * On leveling up, restores 150 health and 200 mana over 8 seconds.
 * Grants +60% Movement Speed to you and nearby allies when moving towards enemies or towers for 3 seconds. When this speed boost ends, it emits a shockwave, slowing nearby enemy champions by 80% for one second (60s cooldown).
 * A slight buff to supports. They don't need more health on the item, but they very much do need the lowered price.


 * (new item)
 * Recipe: +  + 830g (total cost: 2500g)
 * +400 health, +60 ability power, +20% CDR
 * When out of mana, you may cast your spells paying with health.
 * Designed with mages in mind, but can be utilized by supports as well. With mana-oriented passive it probably shouldn't be a problem on manaless champions.


 * (new item)
 * Recipe: +  + 350g (total cost: 1800g)
 * +300 health, +100% base mana regeneration, +20% CDR
 * Increase experience earned by 10%.
 * It's meant to be picked up early for the accelerated leveling, so the item is cheap, but not really slot efficient (the user is encouraged to sell it and buy something better later on).

Other

 * On use: Gain 15% CDR and for 3 minutes.
 * When out of combat for more than 10 seconds, your mana regen increases by 100%.
 * This one fills the niche for champions who prefer maxing out CDR over stacking AP and dealing damage to towers. Since the elixirs are a choice now, we don't have to account for every single champion taking this one.
 * This one fills the niche for champions who prefer maxing out CDR over stacking AP and dealing damage to towers. Since the elixirs are a choice now, we don't have to account for every single champion taking this one.


 * Moved to the Figher Project. More about it in the next post. It could still be bought by supports, I guess.
 * Moved to the Figher Project. More about it in the next post. It could still be bought by supports, I guess.

Next Step

 * The Carry Project, including but not limited to a complete Critical Strike rework.
 * The Fighter Project - combining the tank project with the carry project.
 * The Mage Project, taking a close look at items like DFG and trying to put an end to the everlasting war between and.

Please leave your comments below, they're the only way for me to move the project forward :) The more critical the comments, the better.