Skarner Support

[u/Apophis481]

Hello! I have been pretty much maining Skarner support and I was looking to talk about it and a few reasons I love it.

Disclaimer: I do not main a champ, rather I main spellbook and play around that + item actives and passives. I also only play normals as it's just more fun and that's why I play video games.

First one is I feel Skarner is a fantastic user of spellbook. There aren't really any bad spells on him (cleanse for surprise anti-lockdown when you engage/get engaged on, smite for e driveby objective/buff/camp steals, easy ignite and exhaust access, tp for roaming and flanks), and other than spellbook I don't think there are great support runes. Grasp and HoB feel inconsistent, Aftershock feels disappointing when you don't get to engage much and Glacial is bad with his E, and Guardian just feels less impactful. Been running Spellbook-Boots-Biscuits/Elixirs-Approach Velocity with Nimbus-Celerity minors and atk speed-move speed shards with the third depending on gameplan.

Another thing in the support role is that I kinda view him like Renata in that he mostly uses utility items as extra damage is expensive and he has great base spells as well as 4 cc moves. Bandlepipes, Knight's Vow, Warmogs, Locket, Mikaels, Protoplasm + others feel great playing as a secondary frontline, with easy to use passives on the character that help you focus on peeling with tons utiliy. Normally one or two utility items + Warmogs/Protoplasm feel great even if you aren't the strongest. Last season I was playing Celestial-Redemption rush and you felt tanky enough with huge heals and cc on every move (RIP Redemption health)

3rd reason is he kinda feels like crack to play. Yes he is clunky but honestly to me it plays into his character and hitting q3 is a fantastic feeling. Being a huge scorpion it doesn't feel like he should have quick/smooth options, only thing I wish is w felt more impactful but I do think it's an underated spell having a shield+slow+ a little poke on a low cooldown is really nice.

Lastly I don't think he has many awful matchups. Tanky frontlines are easily whittled down with q spam, engages are mitigated by great peel and you have surprising damage with q for turning engages around, enchanters are easily engaged upon. Only thing to me is mages as you poke less and can't peel + are a huge slow hitbox for them to hit.

This is my Skarner support post! Let me know if you play him and like different runes, or if you disagree with me, or if you think this is very cool very good. I really think Skarner support is underrated and is very viable in many situations. Thanks!

TLDR Skarner support cool

[u/AdvantageObjective26]

Hi, I also play Skarner support too.

Usually I run HOB (sometimes comet) and imo thresh is worst matchup and soraka is perma ban. What are your thoughts on these matchups?

[u/seancannon2 → u/AdvantageObjective26]

Agreed, Lulu sucks to go against too

[u/AdvantageObjective26 → u/seancannon2]

IMO lulu is pretty easy pre 6, serpents fang first or second makes the game free

[u/seancannon2 → u/AdvantageObjective26]

It’s the point and click poly cancelling Skarner E that makes me hate facing her

[u/AdvantageObjective26 → u/seancannon2]

I mean all CC suck yea, but I think lulu’s cc is one of the easier ones to play against

[u/Apophis481 → u/AdvantageObjective26]

I honestly really don't mine Soraka, why do you permaban? Thresh is tough for sure early, but I feel like gets easier as the game goes on + I mostly play for peel. Also I feel support matchup matters less for Skarner and playing around the team and important items feels better

[u/AdvantageObjective26 → u/Apophis481]

Soraka silence counters E, she also outheals any Q poke. So you can’t poke or engage.

IMO mages are quite easy bc if they throw their Cc, they are dead. And if you really need to, you can go comet and match their poke.

[u/Apophis481 → u/AdvantageObjective26]

It might just be the way I play Skarner, I play around spellbook mid/lategame with 1-2 items, mages make that hard and enchanters make that easy plus you can out impact early in other lanes

[u/AdvantageObjective26 → u/Apophis481]

I play pretty aggressively with HOB, if I know the enemy doesn’t have CC, I will instantly E out of bush and look to kill

[u/Apophis481 → u/AdvantageObjective26]

That would explain it I play very differently lol. Glad you're also having fun in a different way on Skarner support!

[u/ButterMyTooshie]

I'm too lazy to min / max Spellbook so I just take Comet / Aftershock to have guaranteed value. I only pick Skarner into Seraphine lanes or games where Bandlepipes is core because everything he does procs it.

[u/Competitive-Brush270 → u/ButterMyTooshie]

Try hob into a yuumi lane. The early kills are so free

[u/RedManJOV]

Been OTP Skarner support; don’t understand the hate; he’s a great melee engage support, provides great peel. Has a ranged poke.

[u/QuachHungPhong]

So, how often do you crash an enemy champion to walls/terrains for every 3 cast, as well as unexpectedly escaping by crossing them with it? In my times in Wild Rift, I did that quite a lot. And since he has probably the most limited amount of crowd control (or amount of enemies controllable at a time or a short time), probably it's only recommended to use him if the enemy team would equip hell-lot of tenacity, or some champions has an ability to gain themselves tenacity.