u/Sheemie_Ruiz_

Plat support main here with a 52% WR on Lux. When I play Lux I go Horizon Focus second unless the game demands I do something else (i.e. I need to rush pen or defense).

It just seems better than Stormsurge on support because the CDR + passive offer so much utility. I've single-handedly won spooky fights for my team with low/no vision in the jungle or around objectives by revealing the entire enemy team. A well placed R if your team is trying to contest an objective they are taking chunks the enemy team and reveals them in the pit even if they are on a control ward. Utility goes up even more if you're facing stealth champions as Horizon Focus reveals them too if they're in range.

Lux support's carry potential is always going to be gated by the fact that you are limited to 4 items + support item. The tradeoff of burst for utility feels great to me in most games and I'm still putting out great damage (and picking up a lot of extra free assists off of Horizon Focus's passive which means more often than not I can afford Deathcap on support).

I don't see a lot of other Lux support players favoring this item and I'm willing to be convinced that my build sucks. Thoughts?

Edit: Luden's first (almost) always. If you blind chuck a spell into drag/baron pit or a jungle camp (and hit the objective/camp with your spell) you'll get the reveal from splash damage even if they juke your spell.

AP Shaco and Teemo are the two I see most often in Plat. They may cheese a kill or two in lane or on roams but I main Soraka and Sona so they scale like shit on a support income while I spike hard at 2 items and keep getting stronger.

HoB support Vi is absolutely terrifying, though. I've only seen it twice but early lane is nearly unplayable if you lack reliable ways to disrupt her Q engage. I was on Sona and it was a miserable experience in both games.

I occasionally get a decent Smolder who realizes you can play the champion before full stacks, but for the most part the lane feels 1v2 with Smolder eating every bit of enemy harass and AFK stacking.

Supporting him feels like the world's worst babysitting job every time and in 8/10 games (Plat II) the game is decided before he ever hits 225 stacks and decides to join the game instead of playing AFK farming simulator. It feels like Smolder is relevant to our win in maybe 3/10 games that I support him and even then it's more often than not a painful win from behind situation.

I've tried picking to scale with him (Sona), picking to peel or sustain him (Rakan, Janna, Nami, Soraka), picking to make up for his absent damage (Lux, Zyra). I've tried staying in lane and making ample space for him to stack, I've tried roaming (they always cry even if I'm making good plays elsewhere). Anyone finding actual success supporting this champion and if so what's the move?