Heroes of the Storm: The Current Top Support Tier List

Finding the right support in Heroes of the Storm often feels like selecting the perfect co-pilot for a dangerous flight. You aren’t the main gunner, and you definitely aren’t carrying the payload, but without you, the mission fails. The support meta in HoTS is surprisingly fluid. It rarely stays static for more than a few weeks because Blizzard tends to oscillate between healing-focused tournaments and damage-dealing utility picks.

If you’re trying to climb the ladder or just carry your friends in quick play, knowing which supports are currently dominating the scene is crucial. A strong support can turn a losing game into a chaotic victory through timely ultimates, life-saving shields, or unexpected burst damage. Let’s break down the current Heroes of the Storm top support tier list, looking at why certain heroes remain staples while others sit on the vineyard bench.

Why Support Archetypes Shift So Quickly

Before diving into the specific tiers, it helps to understand the environment. Unlike other MOBAs, HoTS supports often have to contribute significantly to neutral objective control. A Pure Healer like Li-Ming or Anduinal might dominate a lane battle, but if they can’t help secure the Storm Herald or kill the Ancient, their value drops in clutch team fights.

Conversely, a Hybrid support like Brightwing or Murky excels in skirmishes and objective races but might lack the raw sustain needed for a protracted five-way team fight behind the enemy shop. The “best” support heavily depends on the map and your team’s composition. That being said, there are undeniably stronger picks that provide a baseline advantage regardless of the situation.

S-Tier: The Unquestioned Powerhouses

These heroes are here because they fundamentally change how team fights play out. They offer high skill ceilings that, when mastered, can single-handedly swing matches.

• Brightwing: She remains the queen of objective control. Her self-peel is incredible, meaning solo players can reliably secure the Storm Herald. Her ultimate can wipe entire teams or secure crucial kills with perfect positioning.
• Li-Ming: In a meta that favors aggressive pushes, Li-Ming is often the best choice. Her channeled heal is substantial, and her damage over time effects punish enemies who stay too close to their targets. She punishes downtime poorly, making her ideal for chaotic fights.
• Anduinal: When played correctly, the Ice Queen’s ultimate is arguably the best healing spell in the game. It encourages aggressive playstyles because her team can sustain massive damage exchanges. She requires high game sense but offers immense reward.

A-Tier: Reliable and Flexible

These supports are excellent picks that you can queue into almost any game with confidence. They might lack one specific tool that the S-Tier has, but they rarely result in a bad outcome.

Alamu deserves a shoutout for his sheer tankiness and consistent damage output. He doesn’t heal in the traditional sense, but his passive resource generation allows for constant ability uptime. He is fantastic on maps with frequent close-quarters brawls.

Townlong brings a unique mix of movement speed and slow utility. His ability to burst down squishy assassins makes him a nightmare for the enemy backline. If your team needs someone to shut down a high-damage Zarya or Brightstar, Townlong is often your best bet.

Murky continues to hold a strong spot due to his lack of cooldowns on his primary healing and damage. He is the ultimate counter-pick against burst-heavy teams. If an enemy assassin tries to jump on your tank, Murky’s turrets and sardine swarm often ensure the assassin fails their duel.

B-Tier: Situational Specialists

These heroes are not bad, but they often require specific conditions to shine. Pick them when they counter the enemy composition or fit a specific strategy.

Poly is the king of utility. He has no traditional healing but offers massive physical defense and crowd control disruption. He is essential when facing heavy Physical DPS teams but can struggle against Magic-focused compositions like Auriel or Chen.

Stukov functions differently than most supports. He is essentially a second hero on the field. His effectiveness relies entirely on the strength of his minion and your ability to micro-manage two entities simultaneously. It’s a high-effort, high-reward pick that often falls into B-Tier due to the steep learning curve.

Artanis provides incredible protective bubbles and short heals. However, his effectiveness has dipped compared to the early days of his kit. He still performs well on maps with long lanes where his forward-facing utility can protect the backline, but he lacks the raw sustain of Li-Ming or the objective control of Brightwing.

C-Tier: Niche Picks

This category includes heroes who are viable but often outclassed by current meta trends. This doesn’t mean they are unplayable; it just means you need a very good reason to pick them.

Galina is a pure healer with an area-of-effect ultimate. However, her energy management can be restrictive in long fights, and she lacks the utility to contest objectives effectively on her own. She works best in highly coordinated team fights where positioning is perfect, which is rare in random matchmaking.

Kael’tas similar to Galina, offers consistent healing but struggles to contribute to neutral objectives. His magic damage is incredible in team fights, but if the team fight doesn’t happen, his impact on the map’s resource economy is minimal.

FAQ: Tips for Support Players

Is healing more important than utility in HoTS?

Often, no. Because HoTS fights are typically 5v5, area-of-effect damage is common. Proactive shielding and crowd control disruption often save more HP than reactive healing. Heroes like Arcadia and Poly thrive because they prevent damage rather than just soaking it up.

Which support is best for solo queue?
Brightwing and Murky are generally considered the safest picks for solo queue. They have strong self-peel mechanics, meaning they can survive even if your team coordination falls apart. Their ability to contest objectives alone also helps carry the team when teammates are off farming.

Do I need to focus on objective control?

Yes. In HoTS, supporting isn’t just about keeping your tank alive. It’s about enabling your team to take maps. A support standing still healing is less valuable than a support securing the Storm Herald. Prioritize positioning that allows you to contribute to neutral objectives.

What if my team already has two supports?HoTS allows two supports, but the composition matters. Avoid picking two healers (e.g., Li-Ming and Galina) unless you are absolutely certain you need the sustain. Usually, pairing a healer with a utility/damage support (like Brightwing or Townlong) creates a more balanced team that can handle both prolonged fights and objective races.