Playing the same champions over and over again can get quickly boring. There are exceptions, of course. Some players can play thousands of games with just one champion and still have fun. But most of us aren’t like that. We need that rush of excitement that comes with picking a new champion.
On that note, if you have ever played support, or even if you are a support yourself, you are familiar with its concept. Your job is simply to keep your allies alive with heals, to engage fights with the best Blitzcrank hook’s the world has seen, or to stop the enemies engages with the perfect usage of your spells. If it doesn’t sound too exciting, you are not wrong.
That’s why we formed this list of 10 best off meta supports that will re-ignite your fire for playing support. With these champions, you will win games, but most importantly, you will have the time of your life!
Table of Contents
Pantheon
For a brief period, Pantheon was a contested support pick. It was popularized by Griffin, the LCK team that was notorious for playing off-meta bot lanes. They would usually pair Pantheon with Taliyah, but there are tons of other combinations you can go for. And if you are not playing duo with your adc, that’s still alright, as Pantheon works with traditional ad carries as well.
He can be played as a support because he doesn’t need a lot of resources to get going. He has an extremely strong early game due to his all-in potential. If anyone walks into your stun range, they’ll be forced to use their Flash to escape, or even better, you will get a kill. His ultimate Grand Skyfall is also perfect for engaging fights and roaming.
While building full lethality can be tempting, I would advise you against it. You are still going to be playing the front line, and you need at least some defensive stats in order to stay alive. Keep an eye on u.gg and follow their recommended builds.
Veigar
The Tiny Master of Evil is not a popular pick. Anywhere. You can use that to your advantage. Many players aren’t familiar with what he does and they often underestimate what he brings to the game. His Event Horizon can completely turn the fights around, and Primordial Burst can execute most of the champions.
Here are a few things to keep in mind. He has extremely low range so you shouldn’t pick it if the enemy is playing a poke composition. On top of that, he takes a while to get going, so be patient. His “E” is a perfect ability for setting up ganks so don’t be shy to walk up in lane when you see your jungler around bot lane.
Brand
Brand is one of those mages that you don’t really know where to put. He’s not exactly a mid laner, he’s definitely not a jungler and it’s very rare to see him played as an AP carry instead of an ADC. However, he absolutely excels when put on the support. The ideal time to pick him is when the enemy has a team composition that wants to run into you.
His high base damage and a relatively cheap build path allow him to be a force to be reckoned with from the get-go. Most of the time he can keep the enemies in check by himself. His Pillar of Flame and Conflagaton combo allows him to push any wave, and poke enemies as well.
Throughout the game you will remain relatively powerful. You will have the ability to completely take over any teamfight if enemies don’t focus you. But, there are a few downsides to playing Brand too. You are at the enemies’ mercy if they outrange you. You are also not tanky and can’t facecheck bushes before objectives.
Lux
Shifting from Brand, we’re jumping on one of his best counters, Lux. Lux is not per se an uncommon pick, but she’s never stuck long enough to be considered part of the meta picks. She brings lots of damage and countless shields to the team she’s on.
But when is the perfect time to pick her? Lux is a generally safe option regardless of what you’re going up against. However, I would be wary of these scenarios: the enemy has a lot of gap closers, and I have a scaling ad carry. She works best in combination with the likes of Caitlyn, or Sivir who want to keep their lanes pushed all the time.
Galio
Not many players have seen Galio support and may even be buffed by what makes him viable support. But, there was a time when pro players were forcing this pick. Nowadays it’s not great, but it’s also not bad.
Whenever Galio’s ultimate Hero’s Entrance is available means his team has an advantage. He can join any fight from pretty much anywhere on the map. And he doesn’t just appear in it. No. Just like every hero, Galio makes a stunning and memorable entrance. He knocks up the enemies within a specific range and shields his allies.
His Taunt combined with his E, Justice Punch, make him a perfect champion for setting up ganks and fights. Lastly, when you combine his basic stats with a tank build, he becomes practically immortal. We have a more in-depth guide on how to play Galio support here.
Heimerdinger
Heimerdinger support? Are you trying to make me troll my team and lose? Of course not! In fact, Heimerdinger is the most consistent support on this list! He’s so simple it’s very easy to get a grasp of his kit and put in one amazing performance after another.
His towers are a great zoning tool later in the game. But that’s not why he’s on this list. His early game push is extremely valuable and he will always have priority over the enemies. That means you and your adc will be able to move first if any fight occurs in the river or jungle.
Ashe
Ashe is a niche pocket pick that has been growing in popularity as of late. But, she’s very hard to play perfectly and can be punished easily. There’s a reason why you don’t often see two ad carries on one team.
However, if you learn how to play her decently, she will suddenly become one of the best utility supports. Her Hawkshot (E) is an amazing spell that has a global range and reveals targets it passes next to. It’s a perfect spell for tracking the enemy jungler.
Lastly, the low cooldown on her ultimate ability Enchanted Crystal Arrow means that she can set up kills all the time. Her Volley also grows in strength as the game goes on. It’s a good disengage tool as well as a great way to chase down your opponents.
Shen
Shen is slightly more popular compared to some of the other champions on this list. He was even played in the pro play due to the fact he is played on the top lane as well. He is a melee champion, and as such, he suffers greatly versus ranged supports. That’s where his taunt, Shadow Dash, comes in clutch. It lets you close the distance to enemy carry and that is often enough to kill them.
As the game goes on, his ultimate becomes more and more important. You can use it defensively on your teammates once the enemies engage. Another great use of it is on the teammate that is looking to engage and run into the enemies.
Gragas
If you need a champion that can both engage and disengage, Gragas is your pick. His ultimate Explosive Cask can disrupt any teamfight. But, as easily as you can turn the tide of a teamfight to your side, you can also turn it against your team by knocking the wrong targets.
He’s the best when paired with the likes of Kalista and Samira, but he can also be played with other ad carries.
Zoe
If you still didn’t find a champion that intrigues you, this is my last resort. Zoe is not a conventional support, and there’s a good chance you have never even seen her be played as one. But, that just means it has been kept a secret for a long time! She’s also very hard to play, but more on that later. She has excellent pick potential with her bubble, as well as a good poke.
However, she is very short ranged. If you find yourself playing against a long-range champion such as Lux, Ashe or Karma, you will lose. If you find yourself playing vs Nautilus, Alistar or Pyke, you will lose because Zoe has no mobility.
By now you must be wondering, “is she even worth playing?”. The answer is YES. Even though the matchups I mentioned are losing, that doesn’t mean you can’t win. You will have to be better than your opponent, and when you see their Nexus explode your win will be even sweeter.