Sov and heartward

Dev, can't find the thread...if you are able to, mind posting?

@Bran

Yeah, wasn't too clear cause I was doing this last minute before I went to work. I meant damage in regards to how much the damage can get them. Early game that mitigation can prevent your team getting pushed out/dying and as a result losing gold fury/towers where as late game that mitigation might technically mitigate more damage overall, but if a squishy at 2k HP takes a 2k damage mage combo and it is reduced to *1800 they're probably dead anyways and usually at least made irrelevant for that fight.

*edited: math is hard

Travelers and Reinforced are generally the most relevant boots early, but literally all of them have a place.

Hide of the Urchin: Pretty good option

Breastplate of Valor: Don't get this second. You really want that increased HP base if you arent getting both prots

Midgardian Mail: Decent choice depending on team comp

Emperor's Armor: More of a mid/late game situational item in my eyes depending on the amount of towers left up especially with the phoenix change, if im remembering that correctly didnt get to watch patchnotes. Doing some testing but could be good early if you group and push early on too

Jade Emperor's Crown: Could definitely be an option

Spirit Robe: I generally only go this second if I go reinforced but it's viable

@BestMinionEver

It's literally the same game as far as Conquest is concerned. In Assault or some other mode where you can grab them all right off at a low level, sure thats probably good. Just off the top of my head there were examples of Gebs, Terras, and Athenas not building the prot auras so its not just aggressive supports. They were rushed before because if you didn't finish them in line with the other team then you were at a pretty significant damage deficit and could lose the game because of it. Even then, you could replace heartward with buffed Shoguns and be fine.

"Support items" are only support items because thats whats been strong in the meta and whats seen in pro play with starts, builds, gods, ect will trickle down to lower levels of play like it always has. The only difference is that there is more room for error. Building will always be situational for all roles, but certain things are going to be worse and you increase your teams chances of winning by staying away from them in most cases. I'll tell you straight up, if I see a support in conquest building Sov, especially if they are rushing it, my teammates and I would probably focus the hell out of them because they're going to be pretty week and probably aren't a great player. Anyone who understood why it was good could tell you it sucked as soon as patchnotes rolled around.

Support focus has always been a thing. If you can get them behind early then you make them irrelevant and play out a 5v4 if you know how to pressure.