Champion Guide

Bard Guide

By LoLSuggest

Support

Bard is a roaming playmaker support. Cosmic Binding stuns when it carries on into a second enemy or a wall, Magical Journey opens portals through terrain for surprise ganks, and Tempered Fate freezes everything in an area in time. He collects chimes as he moves around the map, and he wins through picks, ganks and vision rather than by dominating lane.

Recommended Setup

Our recommended Bard build

Our recommended runes, summoner spells and items. Compare build win rates on the stats page.

Items

Starting Items

Core Items

Situational Items

Start World Atlas, Health Potions and a Stealth Ward, and take Bloodsong when you finish your support quest. Build Hextech Rocketbelt, whose dash helps you dodge spells and find Q angles, then Zeke's Convergence and Mercury's Treads; take Plated Steelcaps if auto attackers are the problem. After that, build for the game: Locket of the Iron Solari against team-wide burst, Knight's Vow for whoever is carrying, Mikael's Blessing when one stun keeps killing your carry, Randuin's Omen against crit, Frozen Heart against attack speed and Kaenic Rookern or Force of Nature against magic damage. Dead Man's Plate with Imperial Mandate is the classic alternative. Run Electrocute with Cheap Shot, Deep Ward and Treasure Hunter, plus Magical Footwear and Jack of All Trades. Take Flash with Ignite, or Exhaust against dive comps. Max Q, then W, then E.

Runes

Primary Tree

Secondary Tree

Summoner Spells

Skill Max Order

Strengths

Magical Journey creates unexpected ganks through walls.
Cosmic Binding and Tempered Fate turn catches into kills.
He moves between lanes quickly and stays useful through his crowd control even when he falls behind.

Weaknesses

His short attack range makes some lanes awkward.
A missed Cosmic Binding leaves him with very little protection.
Bad roams cost your ADC waves, plates or their life, and a careless Tempered Fate can save enemies from your own team.

Laning Phase

Level 1 is your chance for a strong short trade: an empowered attack plus Cosmic Binding through the wave or against a wall, then back off before both enemies answer. Levels 2 to 5 are less forgiving, so aim to stay healthy and close in experience for plays at level 6, and step back before the enemy duo reaches level 2 first. Use brushes to hide your Q angle, and against engage lanes hold Q to stop their follow-up instead of spending it on poke. Before you roam, crash the wave so your ADC is left in a state they can manage.

Mid & Late Game

Roam with a clear target and a plan to come back, collect chimes on the way, and keep checking bot: if the wave is about to reach your tower or the enemy jungler appears, your window is over. Ward for the next play, help your strongest teammate push before an objective and enter the area together. In fights weave in and out of range, look for Cosmic Binding angles and use Tempered Fate to split the enemy team or delay their jungler at an objective.

Key Tips

Cosmic Binding stuns when it continues into a second enemy or terrain, so aim through the wave or at walls.
Tempered Fate also freezes allies and objectives; casting it on dragon or Baron stops your own team damaging it too.
Check the enemy support's trinket before using your ward to contest their brush, since an instant sweep wastes it.
A roam does not have to cross the map: helping your jungler in the nearby river and returning is often enough.

Matchups

Matchups and synergies

Our picks for difficult opponents, favorable lanes and strong allies. Compare matchup win rates on the stats page.