Shaco Support: The 200 IQ Shadow Deception

Introduction

Shaco, the Demonic Jester, has a unique and diverse playstyle that allows him to excel in both the jungle and support roles. In the support position, Shaco's deceptive abilities, high burst damage, and objective control make him a formidable opponent. This guide will explore the intricacies of Shaco support, providing insights into his strengths, weaknesses, and optimal gameplay strategies.

Summoner Spells and Runes

• Summoner Spells:
  • Flash: Essential for escaping ganks and initiating fights.
  • Ignite: Provides additional damage for securing kills or pressuring enemies.
• Runes:
  • Electrocute: Increases Shaco's burst damage, making it easier to secure kills in the early game.
  • Sudden Impact: Grants bonus lethality after using a dash or blink, synergizing well with Shaco's E - Deceive.
  • Eyeball Collection: Provides additional damage based on the number of unique enemy takedowns.
  • Relentless Hunter: Increases Shaco's out-of-combat movement speed, allowing him to roam and gank more effectively.

Abilities and Skill Order

• Passive - Backstab: Basic attacks deal bonus damage to enemies that are facing away from Shaco.
• Q - Deceive: Shaco dashes a short distance, dealing damage and marking nearby enemies. His next basic attack against a marked enemy deals bonus damage.
• W - Jack in the Box: Shaco places a box that explodes when an enemy comes near, dealing damage and slowing them.
• E - Two-Shiv Poison: Shaco throws a poison that deals damage and applies a slow to the first enemy hit.
• R - Hallucinate: Shaco creates a clone that mimics his appearance and abilities. The clone lasts for several seconds and can be used to deceive and confuse enemies.

Skill Order: E > Q > W > R

Itemization

Shaco support's itemization should prioritize utility, damage, and vision.

• Core Items:
  • Umbral Glaive: Grants bonus lethality, vision control, and a passive that reveals invisible enemies.
  • Redemption: Provides healing to allies and slows enemies, enhancing Shaco's teamfight presence.
  • Zhonya's Hourglass: Grants invincibility, allowing Shaco to survive burst damage or escape dangerous situations.
• Situational Items:
  • Mejai's Soulstealer: Stacks bonus ability power based on takedowns, rewarding a successful playstyle.
  • Liandry's Anguish: Provides additional damage and applies a burn effect on enemies, increasing Shaco's damage output.
  • Ardent Censer: Grants bonus attack speed and on-hit effects to nearby allies, boosting their damage and utility.

Gameplay Strategies

Laning Phase

• Early Game: Focus on building early gold by farming minions and harassing opponents with E - Two-Shiv Poison. Use W - Jack in the Box to ward off enemy aggression or set up kills for your ADC.
• Mid Game: Coordinate with your team to secure objectives and gank vulnerable enemies. Use R - Hallucinate to create confusion and draw attention away from your team's main target.

Team Fights

• Positioning: Stay in the backlines and use W - Jack in the Box and E - Two-Shiv Poison to peel for your carries. Position your clone with R - Hallucinate to distract enemies and confuse their focus.
• Burst Damage: Use Q - Deceive and Electrocute to quickly burst down high-priority targets. Follow up with basic attacks to maximize Backstab damage.
• Vision Control: Use Umbral Glaive's active and vision plants to control vision, providing your team with information and allowing for better decision-making.

Synergies and Counters

Synergies

• ADC: Shaco synergizes well with ADCs who have high burst damage, such as Draven, Jhin, and Caitlyn. These champions can capitalize on Shaco's burst early on and help secure kills.
• Enchanters: Enchanter supports like Lulu and Nami can provide additional utility and peel for Shaco, allowing him to engage or disengage more effectively.
• Engagers: Champions with initiation abilities, such as Leona and Nautilus, can create openings for Shaco to land his R - Hallucinate and follow up with his burst damage.

Counters

• Anti-Stealth Champions: Champions with abilities that reveal invisible units, such as Akali and Teemo, can easily counter Shaco's stealth and vision control tactics.
• Tanks: Tanky champions with high crowd control can disrupt Shaco's engages and burst damage. Champions like Amumu and Malphite can use their abilities to lock down Shaco and prevent him from reaching his targets.
• Assassins: Assassins with high mobility and burst damage can pose a threat to Shaco, as they can quickly burst him down before he can react. Zed and Kha'Zix are examples of assassins that can counter Shaco.

Useful Tables

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Overextending: Avoid pushing too far without vision or backup from your team. Shaco is vulnerable to ganks and burst damage if he is out of position.
• Ignoring Vision Control: Neglecting to ward can lead to ambushes and difficult escapes. Prioritize vision control and use Umbral Glaive's active to reveal invisible enemies.
• Misusing R - Hallucinate: Avoid using your clone prematurely. Time your R - Hallucinate carefully to create maximum confusion and utility.
• Focusing on Damage: While Shaco's burst damage is significant, prioritize utility and vision control in the support role. Focus on peeling for your team and providing vision rather than chasing kills.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• High Burst Damage: Shaco's burst damage is exceptional, allowing him to quickly eliminate high-priority targets.
• Deception and Confusion: His stealth and clone abilities create confusion and deception, making it difficult for enemies to focus on the real Shaco.
• Vision Control: Umbral Glaive grants Shaco strong vision control, providing his team with valuable information and revealing invisible enemies.

Cons

• Squishy: Shaco is a relatively squishy champion that can be easily burst down if caught out of position.
• Stealth Counterplay: Champions with abilities that reveal stealth can effectively counter Shaco's stealth tactics.
• Low Crowd Control: Shaco lacks reliable crowd control abilities, making it challenging to disrupt enemy team fights.

FAQs

1. Why is Shaco a good support?
   • Shaco's high burst damage, deception abilities, and vision control make him a versatile and effective support champion.
2. How should I itemize Shaco support?
   • Prioritize items that provide utility, vision control, and damage, such as Umbral Glaive, Redemption, and Zhonya's Hourglass.
3. What is Shaco's best skill order?
   • Start with E > Q > W > R for maximum burst damage and utility.
4. How can I counter Shaco support?
   • Use anti-stealth champions, focus on vision control, and avoid pushing too far without backup.
5. What are Shaco support's strongest synergies?
   • Shaco synergizes well with high-burst ADCs, enchanters, and engagers.
6. What are Shaco support's common mistakes?
   • Overextending, neglecting vision control, misusing R - Hallucinate, and prioritizing damage over utility.
7. What are the pros and cons of Shaco support?
   • Pros: High burst damage, deception and confusion, vision control. Cons: Squishy, stealth counterplay, low crowd control.
8. Is Shaco support a viable pick in competitive play?
   • While Shaco support is not commonly seen in professional play, he has the potential to be an effective niche pick in certain team compositions and matchups.