User blog comment:QuantumFeint/Botlane meta - where did all the supports go?/@comment-6061249-20140906234658/@comment-15244341-20140907121617

Then Vel Koz support and Zyra support get fed from the duo lane and do about twice the damage they would do as inmobile skillshot reliant mid laner that has been destroyed by ganks and champions with a stronger laning fase.

Karma, Vel Koz and Zyra are weird champions. As mid laners, they are pretty much mediocre and there are champions that do their "thing" better than they do. As bot lane champions they provide enough damage and crowd control that they can dominate in 2v2 fights far more than Sona, Janna or Soraka would ever hope to. And this is the underlying issue with supportive champions. If you pick Janna-Varus (a lane I quite like the mid-late game of) into Draven-Zyra, you are goind to get fucked up the butt. Period. True supports deal NO damage and their CC can only do so much to help in constant skirmishes against a stronger laner.

It's basically the same everywhere. Why don't people play Poppy top lane if her late is so goddamn insane? Easy, because she gets shit on by 99% of the popular top laners. Why don't people play champions like Zyra midlane? Because then someone like Syndra murders you every time you so much as show your face around mid lane.

People play what wins games, not what other people think they should play. As long as a champion is strong in a role under normal (read, not being Janna vs 5 non-jump melee champions) conditions, people will play them over the "team friendly Riot approved" options. I'm pretty much a Braum/Thresh/Janna player in bot lane and I know people at Plat would much rather have me pick Zyra into 80% of the ADCs than Janna, even if their job is the same (peeling and counter engage) and I'm not a Zyra main. Why? Because if I'm Zyra we can fight and I can zone, but if I'm Janna either the jungler does the most awesome job at ganking or we are never ever getting a kill against a strong bot lane.

Also, farming is where ADCs get their gold. Assists and GPM items is where supports get their gold. If a Vel Koz, Zyra or whatever gets a kill and gets rolling, you suddenly have two mid laners. You'd have to be bronze or stupid to not see the high value of an extra utility mage on your team. Suddenly Zyra has her Sightstone, Frost Queen's Claim and a Haunting Guise. Bam, now Zyra is threat number 5 in your team instead of CC bot McCleansypants.

Same thing with tanks. I love tanks. I believe initiating and soaking damage is one of the most exciting things you can do in a videogame. But Tanks are bad. Why? Because you can pick Lee or Eve, have initiation and not suck at fighting skirmishes. And I still play Sejuani jungle if the teamcomp looks good for it and don't hate Lee players. It's a matter of just accepting it and moving on.

Is this good? Its isn't, supports should be preferrable in bottom lane over mid utility mages. Is Velkoz a support? No one forces you to play him as one, but he can certainly be played as one with his amazing base damage and passive plus okay crowd control.