Guide · Support

Bard Guide

the Wandering Caretaker

Support

Mage

Tier B Support

Bard, the Wandering Caretaker, is a support and mage champion that is demanding to master. Across our 1074 analysed ranked games, Bard is mostly played as Support (100% of its games), with a 50.9% win rate in that role: tier B among Support champions (#17 of 39, ranked by win rate). Bard's damage is mostly magic (60%): magic resistance items are therefore effective against this champion. Win rate varies with game length: 52.9% in short games (under 25 min, 357 games) versus 47.7% in long games (over 35 min).

Averages measured over 1074 Support games played with Bard, from our ranked Solo/Duo data collection.

Combos and how to play

Bard is a wandering support who collects chimes to gain experience, mana and out-of-combat movement speed. His Meeps add damage to his attacks and, with enough chimes, deal area damage and slow. Cosmic Binding slows and can stun, Magical Journey opens a portal, and his ultimate places all units and turrets in stasis.

The stun

Q › AA AA

When: An enemy is near a wall or another enemy.

Cosmic Binding slows the first enemy hit; if it hits a wall it stuns the initial target, and a second enemy stuns both. Your Meeps add their damage to your attacks.

The rescue

W › E

When: An ally is low or needs speed.

Caretaker's Shrine reveals a sanctuary that heals and speeds up the first ally to touch it. Magical Journey creates a one-way portal usable by everyone, allies and enemies.

The control ultimate

R › Q

When: A fight is underway.

Tempered Fate briefly places all units and turrets in stasis: use it to save an ally, stop a chase or make an engage pointless.

Laning phase

Collect chimes to stay ahead in experience and mana. Cosmic Binding stuns if it hits a wall or a second enemy: position yourself for that.

Common mistakes

• Neglecting chimes: they give you experience, mana and speed.
• Using the ultimate without thinking: it also puts your allies and turrets in stasis.
• Opening Magical Journey without thinking: enemies can use it too.

Riot's official tips for playing Bard

• 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!

Build, runes and summoner spells

The most-played core build is Bandlepipes, Locket of the Iron Solari, and Dead Man's Plate (47 games, 57.5% win rate).

Bandlepipes+Locket of the Iron Solari+Dead Man's Plate

47 games · 57.5%

Redemption+Locket of the Iron Solari+Dead Man's Plate

34 games · 61.8%

Knight's Vow+Locket of the Iron Solari+Mikael's Blessing

31 games · 67.7%

Summoner spells

Flash + Heal52.4% · 588 games

Flash + Ignite50.1% · 439 games

Exhaust + Flash40.4% · 47 games

Most-played runes

Electrocute + Inspiration

52.0% · 714 games

Primary tree · Domination

Cheap Shot97%

Deep Ward99%

Treasure Hunter50%

Secondary tree · Inspiration

Magical Footwear96%

Cosmic Insight61%

Shards

Attack speed96%

Movement speed88%

Health54%

Electrocute + Sorcery

48.6% · 177 games

Primary tree · Domination

Cheap Shot96%

Deep Ward96%

Relentless Hunter85%

Secondary tree · Sorcery

Celerity92%

Scorch84%

Shards

Attack speed93%

Adaptive force57%

Health80%

Electrocute + Resolve

51.2% · 123 games

Primary tree · Domination

Cheap Shot76%

Deep Ward93%

Relentless Hunter60%

Secondary tree · Resolve

Bone Plating82%

Unflinching72%

Shards

Attack speed88%

Movement speed72%

Health89%

For each row, the most picked rune among the games played with this page (share of games in brackets).

Which items to build against the enemy team?

We sort every game by the enemy team's damage. These are Bard's completed items and their win rate in each situation; "▲" marks an item that does at least 3 points better than its usual win rate.

Mostly magic-damage enemy team54.9% · 330 games

At least 50% of their damage is magic

Locket of the Iron Solari 56.8% ▲

Dead Man's Plate 55.0% ▲

Bandlepipes 52.3%

Mikael's Blessing 58.5%

Knight's Vow 81.6% ▲

Redemption 71.9% ▲

The item that stands out most is Knight's Vow: 81.6% win rate, +20 points versus its usual win rate.

Mostly physical-damage enemy team50.4% · 258 games

Less than 35% of their damage is magic

Locket of the Iron Solari 52.5%

Dead Man's Plate 52.3%

Bandlepipes 54.9%

Knight's Vow 58.7%

Mikael's Blessing 62.2% ▲

Redemption 58.1%

The item that stands out most is Mikael's Blessing: 62.2% win rate, +5 points versus its usual win rate.

Balanced enemy team48.6% · 486 games

Mixed physical and magic damage

Locket of the Iron Solari 52.1%

Dead Man's Plate 47.4% ▼

Bandlepipes 51.0%

Mikael's Blessing 53.5% ▼

Knight's Vow 52.2% ▼

Hextech Rocketbelt 54.0% ▲

The item that stands out most is Hextech Rocketbelt: 54.0% win rate, +5 points versus its usual win rate.

Counters and matchups

Who counters Bard as Support

Camille Bard: 33.3%21 games

Camille has the edge in 67% of the 21 Support duels against Bard. See the Camille guide.

Blitzcrank Bard: 36.8%19 games

Blitzcrank has the edge in 63% of the 19 Support duels against Bard. See the Blitzcrank guide.

Senna Bard: 40.9%22 games

Senna has the edge in 59% of the 22 Support duels against Bard. See the Senna guide.

Leona Bard: 41.2%17 games

Leona has the edge in 59% of the 17 Support duels against Bard. See the Leona guide.

Janna Bard: 44.4%27 games

Janna has the edge in 56% of the 27 Support duels against Bard. See the Janna guide.

Who Bard is strong against

Seraphine61.9% · 21 games

Pyke59.4% · 32 games

Karma59.4% · 32 games

Nautilus53.5% · 43 games

Thresh52.5% · 40 games

How to play against Bard

• 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!

Win rates measured over direct same-role duels; only matchups with more than 15 games are listed. See all of Bard's matchups.

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.

Frequently asked questions

Full Bard page · League of Legends tier list · All champion guides