Playstyle: Bard Builds

  1. Mobility & Burst

    2,557 Games

    Fleet Footwork
    Sorcery
    Night Harvester

    50%

  2. Mobility & Wave Clear

    1,679 Games

    Fleet Footwork
    Sorcery
    Luden's Tempest

    48%

Core Bard Item Build Order

Doran's Ring

Starting

Night Harvester
Hextech Alternator
Fiendish Codex
Amplifying Tome

1st

Sorcerer's Shoes
Boots

2nd

Lich Bane
Sheen
Aether Wisp
Fiendish Codex

3rd

Rapid Firecannon
Long Sword
Zeal
Kircheis Shard

4th

Nashor's Tooth
Recurve Bow
Blasting Wand
Fiendish Codex

5th

Rabadon's Deathcap
Needlessly Large Rod
Needlessly Large Rod

6th

Doran's Ring

Starting

Night Harvester
Hextech Alternator
Fiendish Codex
Amplifying Tome

1st

Sorcerer's Shoes
Boots

2nd

Lich Bane
Sheen
Aether Wisp
Fiendish Codex

3rd

Rapid Firecannon
Long Sword
Zeal
Kircheis Shard

4th

Nashor's Tooth
Recurve Bow
Blasting Wand
Fiendish Codex

5th

Rabadon's Deathcap
Needlessly Large Rod
Needlessly Large Rod

6th

Core Bard Item Build Path

Doran's Ring
Hextech Alternator
Fiendish Codex
Amplifying Tome
Night Harvester
Boots
Sorcerer's Shoes
Sheen
Aether Wisp
Fiendish Codex
Lich Bane

Situational

Statikk Shiv
Kraken Slayer
Dead Man's Plate
Void Staff
Demonic Embrace
Chemtech Putrifier
Cosmic Drive

Summoner Spells

FlashIgnite

Damage Breakdown

Bard Runes

PrecisionDominationSorceryInspirationResolve
Press the AttackLethal TempoFleet FootworkConqueror
OverhealTriumphPresence of Mind
Legend: AlacrityLegend: TenacityLegend: Bloodline
Coup de GraceCut DownLast Stand
DominationSorceryInspirationResolve
Nullifying OrbManaflow BandNimbus Cloak
TranscendenceCelerityAbsolute Focus
ScorchWaterwalkingGathering Storm
lol:shardInfo.adaptive_force,Adaptive Forcelol:shardInfo.attack_speed,Attack Speedlol:shardInfo.ability_haste,Ability Haste
lol:shardInfo.adaptive_force,Adaptive Forcelol:shardInfo.armor,Armorlol:shardInfo.magic_resist,Magic Resist
lol:shardInfo.scaling_health,Scaling Healthlol:shardInfo.armor,Armorlol:shardInfo.magic_resist,Magic Resist
Traveler's Call

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

Cosmic Binding

Q

Q

Q

Q

Q

Caretaker's Shrine

W

W

W

W

W

Magical Journey

E

E

E

E

E

Tempered Fate

R

R

R

Bard Skill Order

Q

W

E

Bard Guide

Key Insights
Bard can roam and come back to lane without losing much XP because of
Bard
P
's bonus movespeed and XP upon collecting Chimes.
Champions are still targetable inside
Bard
E
's tunnel -- displacements will push them out.
Bard
R
affects every unit in the game, except Inhibitors and the Nexus.
Using
Bard
R
on a turret as Rift Herald is charging into it will prevent the turret from taking damage.
Strengths
Excels at roaming and trading, especially with more
Bard
P
's.
Can guarantee
Bard
Q
's stun as
Bard
R
's effect ends.
Can set up ganks by walking out of vision and using
Bard
E
on a wall to gapclose with his ganking teammate.
His gank assist and teamfighting become even stronger after unlocking
Bard
R
.
Synergizes well with
Shurelya's Battlesong
,
Anathema's Chains
,
Redemption
,
Vigilant Wardstone
, and
Dead Man's Plate
. Can opt for
Locket of the Iron Solari
,
Evenshroud
, or
Imperial Mandate
when needed.
Weaknesses
Bard
E
has a longer cooldown of 22 seconds at rank 1. Once used, he can be punished.
A poorly timed
Bard
R
can spell disaster for his team.
Forcing Bard to use
Bard
R
defensively lowers his teamfighting potential since he'll have less playmaking capabilities.