Bard

Catcher · magic (AP) damage

Builds from patch 26.20 · 175K high-elo games

50.5%Win rate

3.4%Pick rate

12KGames

BTier · Support

Counter build Bard vs your enemies →

HIGHEST WIN-RATE BUILD

BUILD PATH · win rate by item

Later items show higher win rates partly because games that last that long are usually already being won. Compare items within a slot, not across slots.

STARTING

World Atlas400 gold

Health PotionConsume Restores 120 Health over 15 seconds.50 gold

Best opening

BOOTS

Boots of Swiftness55 Move Speed Fleetfooted Reduce the effectiveness of Slows by 25%.1000 gold · 700 to combine

Most common

CORE

Celestial Opposition200 Health 75% Base Health Regen 75% Base Mana Regen 9 Gold Per 10 Seconds Blessing of the Mountain Reduce incoming champion damage for 2 seconds after taking damage from a champion. When the effect ends, slow nearby enemies by 50% for 1.5 seconds. Active (4 charges) Places an Invisible Stealth Ward that grants vision.400 gold→

Dead Man's Plate350 Health 55 Armor 4% Move Speed Shipwrecker While moving, build up to 20 bonus Move Speed. Your next Attack discharges built up Move Speed to deal bonus physical damage. Unsinkable Reduce the effectiveness of Slows by 15%.2900 gold · 900 to combine

Build every game

ITEM 2

Locket of the Iron Solari200 Health 30 Armor 30 Magic Resist 10 Ability Haste Devotion Grant nearby allies a 290 - 360 Shield that decays over 2.5 seconds.2200 gold · 700 to combine50.4% WR935 games

What players go

ITEM 3

Locket of the Iron Solari200 Health 30 Armor 30 Magic Resist 10 Ability Haste Devotion Grant nearby allies a 290 - 360 Shield that decays over 2.5 seconds.2200 gold · 700 to combine53.6% WR1,913 games

Liandry's Torment60 Ability Power 300 Health Torment Damaging Abilities burn enemies for 2% max Health magic damage per second for 3 seconds. Suffering For each second in combat with enemy champions, deal 2% bonus damage, up to 6%.3000 gold · 800 to combine51.4% WR1,442 games

Bandlepipes200 Health 15 Ability Haste 20 Armor 20 Magic Resist Fanfare Slowing or Immobilizing an enemy champion grants Fanfare for seconds. Fanfare grants you 20 Move Speed. While you have Fanfare, nearby allies, including yourself, gain Attack Speed.2300 gold · 800 to combine55.7% WR1,303 games

What players go

ITEM 4

Locket of the Iron Solari200 Health 30 Armor 30 Magic Resist 10 Ability Haste Devotion Grant nearby allies a 290 - 360 Shield that decays over 2.5 seconds.2200 gold · 700 to combine55.4% WR803 games

Redemption30 Ability Power 15 Ability Haste 100% Base Mana Regen 10% Heal and Shield Power Intervention Restore 150 - 350 Health to allied units and deal 10% max Health true damage to enemy champions after 2.5 seconds.2300 gold · 850 to combine61.2% WR242 games · small sample

What players go

Electrocute keystone

Domination

Electrocute

Dark Harvest

Hail of Blades

Cheap Shot

Taste of Blood

Sudden Impact

Sixth Sense

Grisly Mementos

Deep Ward

Treasure Hunter

Relentless Hunter

Ultimate Hunter

Sorcery

Summon Aery

Arcane Comet

Stormraider's Surge

Deathfire Touch

Axiom Arcanist

Manaflow Band

Nimbus Cloak

Transcendence

Celerity

Absolute Focus

Scorch

Waterwalking

Gathering Storm

SUMMONER SPELLS

SKILL PRIORITY

Cosmic Binding (Q)Bard fires a missile which will slow the first enemy struck, and continue onward. If it strikes a wall, it will stun the initial target; if it strikes another enemy, it will stun them both.Q→

Caretaker's Shrine (W)Reveals a Health shrine which powers up over a short time, disappearing after healing and speeding up the first ally that touches it.W

50.5% WR59% of games

SKILL PATH leveling order

1, 4, 5, 7, 9

Caretaker's Shrine (W)Reveals a Health shrine which powers up over a short time, disappearing after healing and speeding up the first ally that touches it.WCaretaker's Shrine

2, 8, 10, 12, 13

Magical Journey (E)Bard opens a portal in nearby terrain. Allies and enemies alike can take a one-way trip through that terrain by moving into the portal.EMagical Journey

3, 14, 15, 17, 18

Tempered Fate (R)Bard sends spirit energy arcing to a location, putting all champions, minions, monsters, and turrets hit into stasis for a brief time.RTempered Fate

6, 11, 16

Based on 11,792 games · 50.5% win rate · High elo · patch 26.20.

ABILITIES

PassiveTraveler's Call

Meeps: Bard attracts lesser spirits that assist with his basic attacks to deal extra magic damage. When Bard has collected enough Chimes , his meeps will also deal damage in an area and slow enemies hit. Chimes: Ancient chimes randomly appear for Bard to collect. These grant experience, restore mana, and provide out of combat Move Speed.

QCosmic Binding

Bard fires a missile which will slow the first enemy struck, and continue onward. If it strikes a wall, it will stun the initial target; if it strikes another enemy, it will stun them both.

WCaretaker's Shrine

Reveals a Health shrine which powers up over a short time, disappearing after healing and speeding up the first ally that touches it.

EMagical Journey

Bard opens a portal in nearby terrain. Allies and enemies alike can take a one-way trip through that terrain by moving into the portal.

RTempered Fate

Bard sends spirit energy arcing to a location, putting all champions, minions, monsters, and turrets hit into stasis for a brief time.

PLAYING ASBard

It's important to collect chimes to improve your meep's attacks, but don't neglect your lane partner! Try to make a big entrance by bringing an ally into the lane with you with Magical Journey.
Let your Caretaker's Shrines charge up - they heal for a lot more when at full power.
Don't forget that enemies can also use your Magical Journey doorways, and that your ultimate can also hit your allies!

PLAYING AGAINSTBard

Bard's opponents can also travel through his Magical Journey doorways. You can follow him, if you think it's safe.
You can crush Bard's healing shrines just by walking over them. Don't let his allies take them without a fight.
Bard's ultimate, Tempered Fate, affects allies, enemies, monsters, and turrets alike. Sometimes it can be to your advantage to jump into it!