User blog comment:Deshiba/Melee Supports Comparison/@comment-24058976-20140502042212

I agree that these are all supports that are melee, but I feel that Kayle and Nautilus also fit the role.

Kayle for one is listed as a supp and is melee, it's just that her skills are all ranged and she normally doesn't have a reason to build as tanky as the other supports you've listed. They all have supportive means (slow, heal+speed, damage negation) and any damage she deals provides the stacking resistance debuff.

The only other difference is she can fill other roles and still provide all the supporting elements without the need for assistance. Does this deny her the destinction, though? I feel that most other supports are a bit "quirky" when playing roles other than support (I don't think Braum can function outside of support unless he can jungle).

Nautilus is 4 forms of CC and a shield (which is self-serving, like Nunu's Q). No matter where he's going (unless it's AP Naut for the massive damage E and Ult execute) he's going to be relying on his teammates to put out damage while he's doing his job. Like Blitzcrank, he's probably listed as a "Fighter" because he lacks any "real" interaction with his partner champion through abilities and passive.

I think that he's honestly just like Blitzcrank as a support, providing a lot of damage, CC, and being a tanky person to stand by.

It's champs that can fill the position that assumes the role but usually require a selfish lead to function that I feel shouldn't be included. From tanky champs like Garen/Voli with little CC that need to stick to damage oriented champs like Pantheon/Wukong, they require items to not fall off, unlike real supports.