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When it comes to control-oriented supports, few champions have the same mix of crowd control, utility, and lane dominance as Morgana. In this Champion Review: Morgana as a Support Pick, we will dive into her strengths, weaknesses, builds, runes, lane matchups, synergy with ADCs, and late-game impact. Morgana is one of the oldest champions in League of Legends, yet she remains consistently relevant thanks to her iconic kit: Dark Binding, Black Shield, Tormented Shadow, and Soul Shackles.

This comprehensive guide will help you understand not only why Morgana is such a solid support pick but also how to optimize her for maximum effectiveness in both solo queue and competitive play.

Morgana’s Kit: Why She Fits as a Support

Morgana’s abilities define her role as a supportive mage. Each spell contributes to her identity as a lane control, anti-engage, and CC-heavy support.

• Q – Dark Binding: A long-range snare that can set up kills or disengage threats. Missing it can feel punishing, but hitting it often leads to guaranteed follow-up damage.
• W – Tormented Shadow: Provides lane poke and waveclear. Combined with her passive healing, it allows Morgana to sustain.
• E – Black Shield: The defining ability that makes Morgana unique. It prevents crowd control on allies and blocks magic damage, making her the bane of CC-reliant supports like Leona, Rell, or Nautilus.
• R – Soul Shackles: A game-changing ultimate in teamfights, forcing enemies to scatter or risk being stunned.

This kit allows Morgana to bully lanes early, deny all-ins, and turn fights around with clutch shields and snares.

Strengths of Morgana Support

1. Exceptional Anti-Engage: Black Shield nullifies many initiation tools, making Morgana the perfect counter to CC-heavy supports.
2. High Pick Potential: Landing Dark Binding can secure kills and objectives.
3. Safe Poke and Waveclear: Tormented Shadow punishes enemies for farming while keeping Morgana healthy.
4. Teamfight Impact: Soul Shackles provides AOE CC in late-game fights.
5. Flexible Builds: Can pivot into utility or AP damage depending on team needs.

Weaknesses of Morgana Support

1. Skillshot Reliance: Missing Dark Binding greatly reduces her threat level.
2. Low Mobility: Morgana has no dashes or escapes, making her vulnerable to ganks.
3. Shield Counterplay: Black Shield only blocks magic damage and CC, leaving Morgana weak to physical poke or brute force engages.
4. Mana Hungry: Frequent use of her abilities in lane can drain her mana pool.
5. Scaling vs Burst: While strong in extended fights, she struggles against burst supports like Pyke or Brand.

Optimal Runes for Morgana Support

Primary: Sorcery

• Arcane Comet – Synergizes with Dark Binding and Tormented Shadow poke.
• Manaflow Band – Helps with mana sustain.
• Transcendence – Ability haste for more frequent bindings and shields.
• Scorch – Adds extra poke damage in lane.

Secondary: Inspiration

• Biscuit Delivery – Sustain for long poke trades.
• Cosmic Insight – More cooldown reduction on items and summoner spells.

Alternatives

• Guardian (Resolve) if your team needs more peel.
• Glacial Augment (Inspiration) for slowing enemies after binding.

Best Summoner Spells

• Flash: Always essential for repositioning or engaging with R.
• Ignite: Enhances kill pressure in lane and reduces healing.
• Exhaust: Situational pick against bursty assassins like Zed or Talon.

Best Item Builds for Morgana Support

Core Build

1. Shurelya’s Battlesong – Boosts engage/disengage speed.
2. Zhonya’s Hourglass – Perfect synergy with Soul Shackles; allows you to ult and survive.
3. Redemption – Team utility and healing.

Situational Items

• Mikael’s Blessing – Doubles down on anti-CC when paired with Black Shield.
• Imperial Mandate – Excellent damage amplification when consistently hitting Q.
• Morellonomicon – Anti-healing option.

Laning Phase with Morgana

Morgana’s early game revolves around hitting bindings and controlling the wave. Use Dark Binding to zone enemy ADCs from CS, and Tormented Shadow to harass when they are forced to farm. Always hold Black Shield to deny enemy support engages.

Tips:

• Stand slightly behind your ADC to shield at the right moment.
• Look for Q+W trades to maximize poke.
• Don’t spam W unnecessarily—save mana for impactful moments.

Mid to Late Game Playstyle

As the game transitions, Morgana’s role shifts from lane controller to teamfight enabler.

• Pick Phase: Look for snare opportunities to catch enemies out of position.
• Objective Control: Dark Binding around choke points can secure vision control.
• Teamfights: Flash + R + Zhonya is a game-winning combo. Shield your carries against key CC abilities.

Morgana Synergies: Best ADC Partners

1. Caitlyn: Zone control with traps + binding = guaranteed kill.
2. Jhin: Follow-up on snares with Deadly Flourish and ultimate.
3. Draven: High damage capitalize on bindings.
4. Miss Fortune: Her ult pairs beautifully with Soul Shackles.

Morgana Counters: Supports to Watch Out For

• Brand: Pokes harder than Morgana and punishes immobility.
• Pyke: Can dodge bindings and execute through shields.
• Zyra: Out-pokes and provides similar utility.
• Senna: Sustains through poke and scales better.

Morgana in Competitive Play

In pro play, Morgana has often been used as a niche counterpick. She shines when the enemy team relies heavily on CC engage comps. Historically, she has seen play during metas dominated by champions like Leona, Nautilus, and Rell.

While not always a top-tier support, Morgana remains a reliable pocket pick that provides safety and utility, especially in coordinated environments.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Shielding too early: Wait until the CC is about to land before casting Black Shield.
2. Forcing ult without follow-up: Soul Shackles is powerful, but it requires team coordination.
3. Overusing W: Leads to mana issues and low kill pressure.
4. Playing too aggressively vs poke supports: Morgana can sustain but not out-trade champions like Karma or Zyra.

Advanced Morgana Support Combos

1. Q → W → Ignite: Standard poke combo for lane dominance.
2. Flash → R → Zhonya: Game-winning teamfight engage.
3. Shield Baiting: Let enemies engage, then instantly Black Shield your ADC for a reversal.
4. Objective Picks: Hide in fog of war, hit Q, and secure kills around Baron/Dragon.

Morgana’s Place in the Current Meta

Patch updates continuously shift Morgana’s priority, but she remains a stable utility support with strong anti-engage properties. While she may not dominate tier lists, her low skill floor, high utility ceiling, and timeless kit ensure she always has a place in both casual and competitive play.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Is Morgana a good support for beginners?
Yes. Her kit is straightforward, and her Black Shield provides immediate impact without needing flashy mechanics.

Q2: Should I max Q or W first on Morgana support?
Most builds prioritize maxing Q for CC pressure, but W first can be viable in poke-heavy lanes.

Q3: Can Morgana support carry games?
Absolutely. Landing bindings in crucial moments can single-handedly win fights.

Q4: How do I play Morgana into heavy poke lanes?
Focus on shielding key poke abilities and using biscuits for sustain. Play safe until jungle assistance.

Conclusion: Why Morgana Is Still a Strong Support Pick

In this Champion Review: Morgana as a Support Pick, we’ve covered everything from her abilities, strengths, weaknesses, runes, builds, matchups, and advanced tactics. Morgana thrives as a defensive yet opportunistic support who can shut down enemy engages, lock down targets, and provide massive utility to her team.

Whether you are climbing solo queue or drafting in a competitive setting, Morgana remains one of the safest and most effective champions you can add to your support pool.