I am really trying to get good at supporting but I don't know any good core supports to help learn. I have been doing pretty good with Jakiro and combo-ing his spells (Ice Path and a Macropyre) and I just learned to pull camps and how to stack but I think I need more heroes to be a really good support player. Could anyone help me with a good wide range support heroes and when they are most effective? I was thinking like 4-5. Thanks in advance.

KoTL Shadow Demon Rhasta (shadow shaman) leshrac vengeful spirit rubick and lich are either really popular in the metagame or are just really strong.

Here comes the videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALVsb6AbcxA good general support overview

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r7yB3TwT_U rubick game analysis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTvdHeLHRzU earthshaker (my favorite initiator) gameplay analysis hes a really good defensive minded support

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuTPlubg9hs sand king support with purge, youll learn alot about sand king in this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjlfs6h1iW8 purge and shadow demon support, again youll find this helpful

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ar2Zi-d8tt0 this video isnt bad if your interested in laning in a 2v1 or 3v1 situation which i find alot of supports can work on, including myself!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nW8CKVcKa68&list=SPbVvFPzt0U2vNEiKWR9b7qhIRtT6IuWQL&index=4 really comprehensive AA guide

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pl1Kha04_Xo&list=SPbVvFPzt0U2vNEiKWR9b7qhIRtT6IuWQL really comprehensive bane guide, shes really popular right now as well

start with a few of these id be glad to track down some more material for you!

I play a lot of support and recommend picking the following heroes up:

1) KotL: strong laning support with partners that can spam spells, strong anti-push later game
2) Venomancer: very early aggression (best lvl 1 slow in game), push and anti-push in mid-game
3) Lion: two disables and a strong nuke, useful in learning how to gank effectively
4) Shadow Demon: damage amplification scales well into late game, but skills can be tricky to use correctly

I wrote a really long post outlining support heroes a few weeks ago. I'll look for it

Edit: Here's one http://dotanoobs.com/board/?page=thread&id=963#7708

Awesome! Thank you for this. I do watch a lot of the Purge VoD's when possible. The Rubick one was especially interesting.

Rubick is core to learn, but hard to do well with. Doing well with Rubick relies on your knowledge of all of the other hero abilities. He's also one of the most positioning based heroes. Being in the right spot to steal the right spell is really hard to pull off.

Main reason I haven't touch him yet. In a team fight you have to be able to decide which ult is the most beneficial to your team. But Rubick does seem a lot of fun. Especially against a Magnus or Lion and so forth.

Rubick doesnt work when you stand around waiting for that initiation RP, Black Hole, or Ravage when you are in it.

Take a look at the last Rubick game I played. If I recall correctly it was pretty good. Got QoP ulti a few times and usedf it to turn a few fights around and Scream a few times as well. Also stole Doom once or twice.

Ive been playing Rubick a bit lately and been really enjoying him.

Was good fun picking people off with snipers ulti i stole the other night haha