Support Methods for Staying Alive...

As a support, I think that the decision of whether to get vanguard or not may be a tough decision. Is vanguard a support item? or is it an item that a carry would use?

Perhaps it is an item that anyone can get...

Lately I've been recognizing the importance of supports who need to stay alive... so many times we see weak supports feeding the opponent. Should we actually take a bold stance initially and greedily farm an item like vanguard real quick?

What's the point of supporting if you can't stay alive to support? I recognize that a character like pugna has an ultimate which really seems to support the idea of being able to stay alive... so sure he could farm all the support gear with out the need of a vanguard because his ultimate has such a fast cool down and it keeps him alive...

Through this concept I was able to realize the real important and initial purpose of Wind Runner's ulti... and that is to life steal. Even though her ulti is weak in damage, it does get stronger and she can always collect damage to improve the life steal through it...

When you think about it, you realize that it is just a familiar version of pugna's ultimate, his being magical, hers being physical...

So a Satanic on Wind Runner actually makes sense... Satanic + Monkey King bar.

But to get an item like vanguard so that she can stay in the battle and get off her critical shackle shot?

To vanguard or not to vanguard.....

Through the supports I've played I also realize that dark seer's method of staying alive is his surge and sheer farming capability... his ultimate doesn't keep him alive like wind runner's or pugna's which is probably why vanguard and HoD are the recommended items....

Support getting Vanguard. Wat.
Hey, at least it could be worse. Like Divine Rapier.

Yeah, isn't that so strange? Support getting vanguard?

It's only the recommended item for dark seer in the very game you play....

Pshh that silly vanguard... Silly recommended items list...

Strangely, I have just realized that Wind Runner is the ONLY support/escape in the game...

If supports aren't staying alive through escape, then they must be doing so by either some other kind of skill or item like vanguard....

Pfft nothing wrong with a Divine Rapier on a support as long as when you die your carry is able to pick it up.

Hi Kyfoid nice to know you're still around. Your suggestions are always amusing.

It's actually an item that no one should get. Ever. Unless of course, the item gets huge buffs in 6.79, but that applies to everything in the game.

For the sake of discussion, you should get survivability with Bracers (most likely followed by Drums of Endurance and/or Ghost Scepter. The latter is hard to farm especially as a support but can really do well against dps carries if you can make sure you're not going to get any spells on you.

Ok, so looking at the Dark Seer example again, here we go. First item assuming you're solo suicide lane is soul ring so you can spam that ion shell endlessly. This with surge gives you some great survivability on it's own. Short of a complete chain stun, you should get out of most situations.

Next up, Arcane boots for normal speed and the mana for your team mates. Grab a mek and you're up to $4556 gold. Assuming you haven't bought a single tp, ward or any regen, you should be about 20 minutes into the game. Next up, as Dark seer you should be initating team fights, Grab yourself a blink or shadow blade as another 2150 minimum.

At this point of the game, you have your "core" items. Vanguard is another 2225 gold that really doesn't prevent much damage. You're actually better off with a hood which is 100 gold cheaper and gives better regen (8/s vs 6/s) and gives you 30% spell resistance vs blocking 40 damage 70% of the time.

Finally, it builds into Pipe giving more regen again and more team utility.

Hope all of the above makes sense. Vanguard is not a great item really, for any hero. Even that block chance isn't going to help you escape.

Never get Vanguard on a ranged support.If you want survivability, get Rod of Atos. Stop with the dumb suggestions.