This article is co-authored by “Wang Zhe Lao Yu Jian” and published by Game Little Fan Nanna.
Currently, most supports at level one only focus on helping the mid-lane secure the wave. Although this seems fine, if you approach every game with this mindset, it could lead to significant issues. The time for supports at level one is generally one minute, and by the time the first mid-lane river crab appears, they usually reach level two. There are actually many important things for supports to consider and do in the first minute of the game, and helping the mid-lane secure the wave is the least important. Today, let’s take a closer look at what supports should do in the first minute.
Table of Contents (Sorted by Priority)
Jungle (Invasion and Defense Against Invasion)
Comparison of Mid and Support Strength (Can We Secure First Blood at Level One?)
Helping Mid-Lane Secure the Wave
① Jungle
We all know that many jungle heroes are very strong early on and will choose to invade, including some strong lane heroes like Zhu Bajie, who will also consider invading the jungle. When encountering these strong heroes, as a support, we must provide vision immediately to prevent them from successfully stealing jungle resources.
Here’s a list of heroes that might invade the jungle early on.
Agudo (steal), Mirror, Cloud Monarch, Pangu, Zhu Bajie (lane or jungle), Pei Qinhui, Liu Bei, Orange Right Jing, Lanling Wang (steal), Han Xin (steal), Zhong Kui (special)
If the enemy has these heroes, our main focus early on should be on the jungle. These heroes are also categorized. Those marked as stealing are not strong in fights early on but love to steal jungle monsters. If these heroes encounter us on the way to steal jungle, they will turn back and farm their own jungle instead.
If it’s heroes like Mirror or Pei Qinhui who are extremely strong early on, we will have two scenarios upon seeing them at level one: they either retreat to farm or they aggressively invade. For most players, being seen at level one usually discourages them from continuing to invade. Those who do continue typically have confidence in their abilities or there is a clear disparity in strength between the mid, jungle, and support. In such cases, providing vision to know they are coming to counter-jungle is enough; don’t get too close to avoid being damaged and making it harder to secure the jungle, thus losing more resources.
Another scenario to consider is the top lane. If the top lane is Zhu Bajie, there’s no need to think twice; go check the jungle, as 90% of Zhu Bajies will invade at level one. If it’s other heroes with Smite, there’s no need to deliberately check, as their chances of stealing jungle are quite low. However, we should keep a close eye on the top lane. If the enemy hasn’t shown up for a while, don’t hesitate to go check the jungle immediately.
There’s also a special case with Zhong Kui. This hero cannot counter-jungle or steal jungle, but can disrupt your jungler’s mental state. If the enemy has Zhong Kui, when your jungler goes for any buff, we need to stand guard outside and prevent Zhong Kui from hooking the buff. If Zhong Kui approaches and you block the hook, your jungler’s power in this game will double. If you don’t go, and Zhong Kui manages to hook the buff, your jungler will likely frequently express his displeasure towards you.
How to Defend?
My personal habit at level one is to follow the jungler in the opposite direction; if he goes for blue, I help him watch red. Specifically, I circle around the river, ensuring to check both bushes, and can linger there for a while to assess the situation. If there’s no one, I can go clear the mid-lane wave.
If the enemy has a mid-jungle support combo with very high control and damage at level one, like Pei Qinhui and a Shield Mountain, we, as a disruptive support like Sun Bin, should avoid entering the bushes for vision. Instead, we can provide vision from the bush behind the red buff or the bush by the blue buff. If the enemy comes, we retreat to avoid direct contact.
Tip: Observing the enemy mid-support’s position at level one can indicate the enemy jungler’s position. If the enemy intends to counter-jungle, the mid and support will definitely lean towards one side.
In practice, if we check the red at level one and notice the enemy mid-support clearly leaning upwards, and the enemy has a strong early jungler, don’t hesitate; immediately rush to assist in the blue area and signal to the jungler.
How to Invade?
If your jungler wants to counter-jungle, you and the mid-laner should follow the jungler to prioritize occupying vision in the river bushes. If the enemy mage or squishy support dares to enter the bush alone, we can coordinate with the jungler to take the opportunity to engage and deal some damage before entering the jungle.
If we encounter no one, remember to check the enemy mid-support’s position during the wave clearing process to prevent them from moving towards the jungler, delaying their awareness of the jungle being invaded for as long as possible.
② Mid-Support Strength
If there’s no need to consider the jungle issue at level one, we should consider the strength of both mid-supports. This strength refers to the fighting strength at level one, not the wave clearing speed. Some heroes can clear waves quickly at level one, but because they need to use skills to secure the wave, their fighting capability is weak afterward. If we are strong in fighting at level one, we can take advantage of this skill cooldown period and directly engage with the enemy before they reach level two.
Some players prefer to enter the bushes at level one and clear the wave from the side, such as Shen Mengxi and Xi Shi. These heroes can clear waves quickly, but they become very fragile after using their skills. If our mid-laner is strong in fighting, we can coordinate with them to engage; of course, this requires good communication to ensure both players are on the same page. If one wants to secure the wave and the other wants to engage, it could lead to trouble, so it’s best to communicate.
Another special case is when we are playing soft supports like Cai Wenji, Da Qiao, Sun Bin, or Yao. At level one, our important task is to pressure the enemy mid-lane’s state. Although these four soft supports are not strong in fights early on and may not clear waves quickly, their basic attacks are ranged. When the enemy mid-support poses no threat to you, such as when skills have been used by Guiguzi and Gan Jiang Mo Xie, we can approach and continuously basic attack them to lower their health as much as possible.
In summary, this section focuses on engaging in fights at level one, which has three main benefits:
First, it’s easier to secure first blood; if the enemy is damaged and doesn’t return home, it makes it very easy to secure first blood.
Second, the river crab’s ownership; if the enemy mid-support is even slightly damaged, the river crab naturally belongs to us.
Third, if the river crab is clearly ours, and the enemy doesn’t come to contest, if the jungler understands not to use Smite, they can consider invading the enemy’s jungle. After all, the enemy mid-support’s state has been suppressed, and early game state is more important than hero strength.
By applying pressure at level one, we can indirectly establish an early advantage, which is extremely important and should not be overlooked.
③ Securing the Wave
Helping the mid-lane secure the wave is straightforward and familiar to everyone. Here, I will mention one thing: at level one, learn skills based on your mid-laner’s hero. Mainly for Lian Po and Zhang Fei, if the mid-laner can secure the wave quickly without support, Lian Po should learn his first skill for more control and better fighting power, while Zhang Fei should learn his second skill for better combat utility. If the mid-laner needs help securing the wave, then Lian Po should learn his second skill, and Zhang Fei should learn his first skill.
Finally, I need to mention the river crab at one minute. At this time, we should focus on two points: first, try to be present; don’t clear the first wave of minions and then rush to stick with the marksman; at least wait until the first river crab is finished. Second, if possible, go to the bushes early to gain vision; having vision gives your jungler confidence. If the jungler doesn’t want to contest this river crab, don’t insist on it with the mid-laner; it’s okay to let it go.
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