By now, most Overwatch League teams are settled on their 2020 roster and identity. Some chose to evolve, others are confident in their previous players. One thing all teams have in common is their desire to be successful one way or another. Every team had a plan, and whether fans like it or not, they stuck to it. It’s never too early to rank the teams’ roles, right? Here are the best Overwatch League support lineups.
See also: The Best Overwatch League Tank and DPS Lineups.
8. Los Angeles Gladiators
In eighth place comes probably the longest-lasting support duo in high tier Overwatch. For three years Jonas “Shaz” Suovara and Benjamin “BigGoose” Isohanni played together, from Gigantti, to Finland, to the Los Angeles Gladiators. Both are exceptional players, by no means are they bad (or even close to average). Unfortunately for them, the upgrades from other teams would set them behind.
That said, one can certainly rely on these two for stability in terms of supports, regardless of the metagame. This seems to be the general look for the Gladiators coming into the 2020 season.
In addition, Nolan “Paintbrush” Edwards joined the team after a solid time in North American Contenders. Part of the famous giant-killing team, Mayhem Academy, he contributed greatly to their success and his performance clearly caught the eye of the Gladiators.
7. Guangzhou Charge
Flashy, popular, and the best of the rest are descriptors that fit Kim “Shu” Jin-Seo and Alberto “NeptuNo” González Molinillo well. With Guangzhou veering towards an Ana heavy composition, Shu caught the eye of most for his impressive play. NeptuNo, meanwhile, did the same with his renowned Mercy in Season 1.
Despite being best known for his Mercy, NeptuNo is still a huge upgrade on all heroes over Kim “Chara” Jung-Yeon. Chara was, unfortunately underwhelming in Season 2, but not really a glaring liability.
In addition, they promoted Qi “Wya” Haomiao from their Academy team, T1W.GZA. For a long time he showed promise but was never the best in Chinese Contenders. The promotion is unexpected, but Wya is a great addition to their bench nonetheless.
6. Hangzhou Spark
It is unfortunate that the Spark’s support duo is this low, but, like other aspects of their team, their lack of movement sets them behind.
Park “iDK” Ho-Jin is one of the biggest dark horses in main support tier lists. He proved that his APEX and Contenders hype was not just talk. Hungry for more, 2020 will be the year he proves that he belongs in the upper echelons and that he’s not just from the outside looking in.
His off support partner, Yoon “Bebe” Hui-Chang, is in a similar spot. Mechanically he holds his own against the best. He is flashy when needed, consistent and stable otherwise.
There is a lot of potential with this duo, but if they simply maintain their 2019 status, they will still be one of the better support lineups in the League.
5. Shanghai Dragons
Kim “Izayaki” Min-Chul had a lot of hype initially in his career, which many thought to be unfounded due to his lack of time. With the Los Angeles Valiant, it seemed like he couldn’t back it up entirely. The Dragons gave him a second chance, and he quickly became their starter.
On their bench resides Yang “Luffy” Seong-Heon. Previously on the pinnacle of the game thanks to his time in APEX, Luffy went through a redemption arc that he can only hope hasn’t culminated. Like with Shu, his Ana play in Season 2 put him back in the spotlight, but Izayaki’s consistency and potential are too much competition.
Finally, Lee “Leejaegon” Jae-Gon. Probably the best main support in the 2019 Path to Pro, Shanghai struck gold with this acquisition. His mastery of the heroes he is tasked with is impressive, and as long as no substitute is required, the team will have nothing to worry about.
4. Philadelphia Fusion
Since his first few games for Lunatic-Hai in July 2017, fans of the Korean T2 scene set their clocks, eager to see the day Kim “Alarm” Kyung-Bo could join the League. In a time of Zenyatta dominance, Alarm clearly stood out over the majority.
In a matter of months, with the introduction of Academy teams, the Philadelphia Fusion were quick to bring him onto Fusion University. From that point forward, his value only rose, and it was clear that Alarm had a reserved room with his name in the Fusion mansion. Finally, we get to see the anticipation pay off.
Behind him, is Isaac “Boombox” Charles. One of the better European supports, he struggled in terms of public perception, but his gameplay speaks for itself. He is reliable without being fancy. Likely to be Alarm’s backup, the Fusion will not struggle when he is needed on stage.
Daniel “Funnyastro” Hathaway was also highly anticipated to become a starter in 2020. With the Atlanta Reign last season, he didn’t play much. On their Academy team he was one of the best main supports in the Contenders ecosystem, however. The loss of NeptuNo shouldn’t be an issue with a player of this caliber to replace him.
3. New York Excelsior
Bang “JJoNaK” Sung-Hyeon and Jun “ANAMO” Tae-Sung were the best Season 1 support duo. Off the back of their Zenyatta and Mercy, they left the season and entered Season 2 in a similar spot.
Other teams slowly overtook them, but you could know that these two would perform. With a more aggressive look for the 2020 team, these players are a perfect fit. The same can be said about their flexibility, as both players cover a majority of the heroes in their role.
The Excelsior also picked up a top Contenders Korea main support in 2019, Kim “Mandu” Chan-Hee. Coming from O2 Blast, where he found modest success, he and Boston Uprising’s Seo “Myunbong” Sang-Min were some of the best in T2. Mandu is underage for a large part of the season, which creates a curious parallel between him and ANAMO in Season 1. Whether this parallel goes all the way, and Mandu replaces ANAMO full time, is unsure, but he is a great asset regardless.
2. Vancouver Titans
In second place comes the duo that reached an impressive 25-3 record last year. Joined by possibly the single most recognizable name in the game, Lee “Twilight” Joo-Seok and Kim “Slime” Sung-Jun rank among the top support players.
Ryu “Ryujehong” Je-Hong, from the Seoul Dynasty, is a beloved player, recently returning to the spotlight off the back of his Zenyatta and Moira.
It’s a difficult path for them ahead if they are to stand out over the rest, but the (relative) familiarity of the roster is a big plus. This trifecta is exactly what the rest of the star-studded Titans need in their backline. A balance of current stars and veterans, a propeller to assist the legendary roster on their path to redemption.
Honorable Mention(s): Atlanta Reign and Seoul Dynasty
Not many people would pair these two teams together (truth be told, not many people would have two teams in the honorable mentions). Despite the apparent, glaring differences that distinguish both, there are parallels between them in terms of supports.
Both have amazing main support players, for starters. Petja “Masaa” Kantanen and Yang “Tobi” Jin-Mo were some of the best Lúcio players last year. It seems likely that this trend will continue. More so when you consider the appearance of a meta that suits their hero pools.
Dusttin “Dogman” Bowerman, meanwhile, had a roller coaster of a year. A flashy, if inconsistent Zenyatta in GOATs, and a stable, but not great, Moira in double shield. Kim “Creative” Young-Wan, on the other hand, was a good player for Gen.G in Contenders. He was never the best but proved he could punch upwards.
These duos are both good, but compared to the rest just aren’t there yet. In 2020 you just can’t compete with “good” supports. They are a team that needs competition, some sort of pressure that can push Dogman and Creative to reach their potential.
With rumors of Choi “Bdosin” Seung-Tae joining Seoul, and Atlanta head coach Brad “Sephy” Rajani confirming a 12 player roster, it seems likely that more moves will occur.
1. San Francisco Shock
For the latter half of 2019 the San Francisco Shock boasted the best support duo in the world. The difference between players was relatively narrow, but Park “Viol2t” Min-Ki and Grant “Moth” Espe managed to stand out over the rest.
Since joining the team, Moth only improved his public perception, week by week. Most of the year he was cycling between the stable and the flashy on Lúcio, and by the end his Baptiste was a force to be reckoned with. The World Cup only reaffirmed his value as the best main support in the game.
Viol2t, on the other hand, was one of the most hyped-up players last offseason. His Zenyatta was touted as the next big thing, and he certainly kept that impression during the GOATs meta. Later moving on to more Ana and Moira play, he maintained his status as a top player.
Together, this duo will continue to dominate the League. The Bay Area fans should be pleased to have such a great combination in the backline.
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