Champion Guide

Sona Guide

By LoLSuggest

Support

Sona is an aura enchanter with strong, aim-free poke and one of the best teamfight ultimates. Power Chord makes every third basic ability empower her next attack with bonus damage and an effect based on the last ability: extra damage from Hymn of Valor, reduced enemy damage from Aria of Perseverance, or a slow from Song of Celerity. Hymn of Valor hits the two nearest enemies, Aria of Perseverance heals her and the most wounded ally and shields tagged allies, Song of Celerity speeds up her team, and Crescendo stuns every enemy champion in a wide line. Hitting enemies and supporting allies builds stacks that lower her cooldowns over the game.

Recommended Setup

Our recommended Sona 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 and a Health Potion, and buy Tear of the Goddess with boots on your first back. The core is Boots of Swiftness, Bloodsong as your support upgrade and Echoes of Helia, then Archangel's Staff into Seraph's Embrace, Moonstone Renewer and Dawncore. Dream Maker, Solstice Sleigh or Zaz'Zak's Realmspike are other support item options, Whispering Circlet adds heal and shield power, and Staff of Flowing Water or Ardent Censer suit AP or auto-attack carries. Run Summon Aery with Manaflow Band, Celerity and Gathering Storm, plus Presence of Mind and Legend: Haste; Transcendence with Second Wind and Revitalize is an alternative against poke supports such as Lux or Xerath, and Bone Plating against assassins. Take Flash with Heal, or Exhaust. Max W, then Q, then E, taking a few early points in Q for poke.

Runes

Primary Tree

Secondary Tree

Summoner Spells

Skill Max Order

Strengths

Strong, easy poke in lane, since Hymn of Valor needs no aiming.
A little of everything for her team: shields, heals, damage, speed and a big stun.
Crescendo can win teamfights or deny enemy engages.

Weaknesses

Very squishy and needs items to come online.
Big mana problems early in the laning phase.
Easy to pick off; she requires good positioning and cooldown tracking.

Laning Phase

Bully the enemy ADC with Hymn of Valor and auto-attacks, but stay behind your minion line, avoid poking when the closest minion is low (the second bolt can steal your ADC's last hit), and step up when the enemy ADC walks forward to last-hit so they cannot trade back. Poke after enemy crowd control is used, such as Blitzcrank's hook. Hitting two enemies with Hymn of Valor gives two stacks but uses only one World Atlas charge. Do not heal your ADC passively: Aria of Perseverance is expensive and weak alone, so stay tagged with your ADC and cast it just before damage lands for the heal plus shield. Take Song of Celerity at level 3 if you have used Flash or expect a gank without vision.

Mid & Late Game

At level 6, ask whether you can win a 2v2 with Crescendo before going in, and avoid the Flash plus Crescendo combo unless enemies are out of summoners and misplaced; keep Flash to reposition. In 2v2s and teamfights, use the Aria of Perseverance Power Chord on the enemy carry to cut their damage for three seconds. Stay behind your frontline, keep allies tagged with your auras and save Crescendo to start a fight on several enemies or to stop their engage.

Key Tips

Mind your minions: Hymn of Valor's second bolt can steal your ADC's last hit.
Combine Aria of Perseverance's heal and aura shield by casting it right before damage lands.
Use the Aria of Perseverance Power Chord on the enemy carry to reduce their damage.
Granting Song of Celerity's aura to an ally refunds some mana.

Matchups

Matchups and synergies

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