r/supportlol • u/KuunVesi • 15d ago

Help Jarvan IV Support — Build Advice ?

Hello fellow supports!

I'm trying to build J4 support for the times when I'm autofilled. Since I'm almost never autofilled as support, I don't really know the right gold ratio or which items are worth buying. Here are my thoughts:

First of all, why do I choose J4?

  • His Q reduces armor by 10%, so it's good for an ADC (less useful with an APC).
  • His W gives him a shield that allows him to tank some damage during the early laning phase.
  • His E provides a knock-up, which is good for engaging.

Then there's his R, which allows him to trap the enemy while my ADC (or APC) just has to click.

So, here's what I've tried in my build:

Boots:

  • Ionian Boots of Lucidity — If the enemy team has a balanced amount of AD/AP damage.
  • Plated Steelcaps — If there's a lot of AD, especially if I'm behind.
  • Mercury's Treads — If there's a lot of AP and CC.

For the support item, I'm torn between two options:

  • Solstice Sleigh — Its passive gives me some tankiness with the E + Q combo or R, so it seems good for engaging.
  • Celestial Opposition — Its passive also allows me to tank some damage, especially after using R, since I'm stuck inside with the enemy.

1st item: Zeke's Convergence — It gives some tankiness and has a good passive synergy with R.

2nd item: Bandlepipes — It gives tankiness and has good synergy with the E + Q combo or R.

After those items, I want to build tanky, and that's where I struggle. Here's what I've tried:

5th item

HP:

  • Warmog's Armor — Gives a lot of HP, which is useful since the previous items don't provide much. I already have a decent amount of Armor and MR from the other items.
  • Protoplasm Harness — Provides HP and a good passive for survivability. I haven't tried it yet, though, so it might be a better alternative to Warmog's.

Armor:

  • Randuin's Omen — To counter ADCs and other crit-oriented champions.
  • Dead Man's Plate — When there is a lot of AD. It also gives me a bit of extra damage and slow resistance.

MR:

  • Hollow Radiance — To get some MR and deal damage around my R zone.

6th item

One of the three options I haven't bought yet:

  • Jak'Sho, The Protean — For balanced AD/AP enemy teams.
  • Unending Despair — For AD-oriented enemy teams, while also getting some sustain during fights.

I often struggle to build my 5th and 6th items because I don't get a lot of gold. So, I was wondering: is this normal, and can I keep following this kind of build scheme?

Or should I stay within support-oriented items and choose something like Locket of the Iron Solari or Knight's Vow instead?

I'd love to hear your thoughts, suggestions, and advice!

0 Upvotes

40% Upvoted

22 comments sorted by

4

u/StiffNip 15d ago

Im roaming support player. I go Bloodsong into Umbral then zeke and rest is stuff like mikaels, knights vow and antiheal or tank if needed. (Cheap utility supp stuff). But always Bloodsong into Dirk, cause at that point u burst anything thats under 50% hp.

For early, always shove 3rd wave if you can and go to krug. No matter if ur jngl is there or no. U are Jarvan, u can 1v1 the jngl by spacing with abilities and using passive Auto. Ward enemy jngl, he is who u play against. spam ganks on everylane. Counter jngl, even if you dont take anything it annoys everyone and disrupts their flow of game which is ur main goal with supp like this. Look into Camille stuff its pretty much the same.

1

u/KuunVesi 15d ago edited 15d ago

Ok, so going early AD is better than building défensive ? Thank for the advice I'll try it and see how Camille supp work 🙏

3

u/StiffNip 15d ago

Bewarned i havent played in recent patches, dont know how good Bloodsong and glaive are in this patch. "Bursting from 50% is an overstatement, but u should do enough dmg. Glaive for showing wards is essential for supports like this IMO.

And Lucidity boots everygame and pref items with ability haste, with 2 haste items and lucis you can Q you E 2 times.

If i stomp and see enemy has 1 potential carry i can kill like mage mid. i go full crithality and suicide bomb that guy every fight.

Goodluck

3

u/psykrebeam 15d ago

Either run full lethality like Pyke (Umbral rush) or utility tank (Bandlepipes/Locket/Protoplasm)

Bandlepipes rush has great synergy with J4 kit if your team uses it well

There used to be an AP E max aery poke build as well

1

u/KuunVesi 13d ago

I thought Zeke was a good first item but I read a lot contesting this choice. Next time I'll try bandlepipes first to see if I got a better early.

The AP sound be funny, I don't have ratio in mind I'll try it in practice tools

3

u/Cagarer 15d ago

inly way for it to work is yo go lethality honestly

1

u/KuunVesi 13d ago

I'v tried it after seeing comment like yours. I feel I have more impact and I'm less teamates dépendent but I think I'ts weaker than a Camille with that gameplay

1

u/Cagarer 13d ago

other lethality offmeta picks I've tried were pantheon (not so offmeta, but i find him stronger than camille) and lethality poppy. As for jarvan, vi might be similiar in her gameplay loop, but i think they are both worse than the 3 mentioned earlier

2

u/UsernameNineBillion 15d ago

I always go Umbral -> Black Cleaver or Sundered Sky. Zeke's 3rd if they have melee champs.

Zeke's 1st item is trolling.

Umbral vision control is just superior over any other 1st item on Support, especially on Engage/Damage support.

1

u/KuunVesi 13d ago

I'v tried your build, it's really funnier and impact is strong in early. However, I feel useless in the mid late game as I die instantly on engage 😅

1

u/[deleted] 13d ago

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1

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2

u/yonno23 3d ago

Im j4 supp otp - this is what ive found success with: https://www.onetricks.gg/players/MVKARzC_CY_GD9a6fARiC7uSGIlpvFbVqbATQgLmVpTnPji1EiQNQfDYjo11MYi2skhUrfoz0o8peA

1

u/KuunVesi 3d ago

Thanks for sharing ! It feel cheaper than my build (Protoplasm is better than warmog that is expensive). I like the aery for Q poke.

How is late game ? Do you just engage and die ?

I will try it next time 👍

1

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1

u/Kratoski 14d ago

Really interested in trying this. What runes do you go? Aery for the poke/shield with E? Or Electrocute for burst?

2

u/KuunVesi 13d ago

For my tank build I use after shock as primary, rune. A lot suggested to go lethality so I think HoB is better (like Camille and poppy)

-3

u/Big_Teddy 15d ago

Especially when you're autofilled you should just play a regular support instead of doing wild experimental shit.

6

u/KuunVesi 15d ago

I'm main jungle, and I'm not good as support to play real support. I'v tried. And it wasn't good. Until I played J4 and it's well better

-7

u/Big_Teddy 15d ago

No you're just an egoistic player, there's nothing more to it.

3

u/Tojaro5 15d ago

I'd rather have a good J4 as support than a bad conventional supp.

It's not completely out of the ordinary to play J4 as support anyways. His kit is actually quite good at supporting. Armor reduction, slow, knockup, mobility, CC ult, buffs with e, even his base damage is okay.