LoL Patch 26.11 Support Changes are big, from changes to the role itself, and to items and champions associated with the role. Riot has clearly put a focus here on what many consider the weakest role.
Let’s take a closer look at the changes and what they might add, or take away from the Support role.
Support Adjustments
This patch, we are taking a holistic pass on the enchanter-heavy support meta that has stabilized and stagnated over the course of the year. We have a set of buffs and nerfs designed to promote tanks into the support meta, as well as some minor and major reworks to certain support items and their functionality.
First off, we have a straight buff to Grubs. In line with 26.9’s changes to role quests to open up some amount of roaming and laning flexibility back into the laning phase, we are also buffing Grubs as a destination to roam to for supports.
Damage Per Tick, Per Grub: 3 / 9 / 12 || 1.5 / 4.5 / 6 ⇒ 4 / 12 / 16 || 2 / 6 / 8
Summoned Voidmite HP: 60% of Melee Minion ⇒ 100% of Melee Minion
Firstly, we have the most direct changes to the role. The main focus here is on the enchanter supports, often the least impactful, especially in solo queue. The main change here is to help support roam more, which plays into an earlier buff in 29.9 that stopped Supports from being as punished for leaving the lane.
Items and Spells
The spells and items are the key things that are looking to bring the changes to the support role.
Frostfire Tempest: Triggers on Ult cast ⇒ Readies on Ult cast for the next 5 seconds, triggering the moment an enemy champion gets within the range or after 5 seconds
Damage Redirection: 12% ⇒ 14%
Heal: 10% ⇒ 12%
Armor and Magic Resist: 25 ⇒ 30
Build Path: Fiendish Codex (850g) + Bandleglass Mirror (900g) + 500g = 2250g ⇒ Blasting Wand (850g) + Bandleglass Mirror (900g) + 650g = 2400g
Ability Power: 60 ⇒ 65
Ability Haste: 20 ⇒ 15
Mana Regen: 125% ⇒ 150%
REMOVED Unique – Coordinated Fire
NEW Unique – Control: Gain 15 Ability Haste for your abilities with Immobilizing effects
NEW Unique – Command: On immobilizing an enemy champion, mark them as 6% Vulnerable for 4s (Vulnerable enemies take % increased damage)
Fixed various bugs, including no longer double dipping on both heal / shield power and Grievous Wounds / Shield Reaver
Bounces now prioritize lower health allies
Blue Bubble Damage Reduction: 75 – 255 (Level 1 – 18) ⇒ 50 – 194 (Level 1 – 18)
Blue Bubble Damage Reduction: Damage reduction affects the next non-0 instance of damage, regardless of how large it is ⇒ Damage reduction affects the next non-0 damage cast source (temporal carry-over)
Purple Bubble Damage: 50 – 170 (Level 1 – 18) ⇒ 40 – 160 (Level 1 – 18)
Purple Bubble Damage: Damage triggers on hit, or on certain abilities / items ⇒ Damage triggers on next damaging attack or ability, reduced for AoE effects (i.e. Nami E)
Cooldown: 90 – 40 (Level 1 – 18) ⇒ 75 – 40 (Level 1 – 18)
Shield: 45 – 180 (+25% AP) (+5% bonus HP) ⇒ 40 – 150 (+20% AP) (+6% bonus HP)
Armor and MR: 35 (+80% bonus) ⇒ 45 (+75% bonus)
Shielding: 30 – 100 (Levels 1 – 18) (+10% bonus AD) (+5% AP) ⇒ 20 – 100 (Levels 1 – 18) (+10% bonus AD) (+5% AP)
For the most part, these item changes are buffs. There are a few, like Moonstone Renewer that are nerfs. There is also a nerf to Imperial Mandate, which is almost a totally targeted nerf at Nami. Echoes of Helia is another nerf for enchanters.
Summoner spells will see Summon Aery will get an early game nerf, with a similar impact hitting Aftershock. Though Guardian is getting a buff.
Overall, these changes are good for Support. The nerfs are hyper-focused on a few niche champions. We rarely see so many changes targeted at one specific role, and while no champions have been hit (a small nerf to Brand’s armour), it’s a lot of changes to items and summoner spells.
It will be interesting to see how these changes actually flow once live on the servers.
