Bard is NOT Useless

španksta·May 6, 2015·28 votes·3,506 views

Its just that he is extremely team dependant, and needs more skill to use than most other champions imo. From the many games I've played as Bard, I have figured out that he works probably the best in an all-in team comp or a pick comp. (All-in: Pick: bescause you can use your ulti to easily lock down several members of the enemy team and set up for a wombo combo. Also, f****or god's sake, he isn't a tank by any means, Bard is better built as a fighter with a sightstone and either or . Example Bard build I use a lot: and this build has won me several games with the proper comp as well. Best part is if you start W on Bard, you can give your jungler the best leashes ever. I'm probably going to get down voted for whatever reason, but this isn't a rage post; I'm trying to show the good things about him. Leave your opinion or thoughts on Bard in the comments below, I'd love to hear other people's view on him.

47 Comments

AtheosisXMay 6, 201521 votes

Useless? No. Sub-optimal as a support? Absolutely.

YormaughmMay 7, 20152 votes

There's a problem here, and it's that you say that like there's a difference between the two.

Now let me clarify. As someone who's very seriously considering maining Bard, I don't agree with what I just said, but the community that plays this game, absolutely does.

There's no practical difference between "sub-optimal" and "useless" in the minds of League of Legends players, and that's a huge problem.

Trust me, Bard can be amazing and make plays all day, but he can't be amazing unless his teammates believe in him, in fact, this is more or less true of the support role on the whole. As long as there's a stigma about Bard being "sub-optimal" certain defeatist quitters who don't want a challenge will never believe in him, thus setting themselves and their teammates up for a loss. If you're the kind of teammate that thinks Bard is bad It's a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Bard can't carry by himself, he needs his team's help. Relying on teamwork in a team game is the only thing that makes him "sub-optimal." And frankly I find that sad.

AtheosisXMay 7, 20151 votes

{quoted}

There's a problem here, and it's that you say that like there's a difference between the two.

Now let me clarify. As someone who's very seriously considering maining Bard, I don't agree with what I just said, but the community that plays this game, absolutely does.

There's no practical difference between "sub-optimal" and "useless" in the minds of League of Legends players, and that's a huge problem.

Trust me, Bard can be amazing and make plays all day, but he can't be amazing unless his teammates believe in him, in fact, this is more or less true of the support role on the whole. As long as there's a stigma about Bard being "sub-optimal" certain defeatist quitters who don't want a challenge will never believe in him, thus setting themselves and their teammates up for a loss. If you're the kind of teammate that thinks Bard is bad It's a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Bard can't carry by himself, he needs his team's help. Relying on teamwork in a team game is the only thing that makes him "sub-optimal." And frankly I find that sad.

I think there's more at issue than that. The issue with Bard outside of needing so much coordination with the team is that more traditional supports simply produce better results if played well. I mean you have cc tank supports that bring more to team fights like Leona and Thresh and you have healing supports that bring better healing like Soraka and Sona, leaving very little that Bard truly excels at over them. Bard is a high risk low reward champ and people simply don't want him on their team. I'm one of those people.

warpenguin555May 6, 20158 votes

i heard he works pretty well in ranked 5's instead of solo queue. i have seen good bards, and its scary as fuck

A Miss FortuneMay 7, 20154 votes

I can agree to this. As an ADC main a good Bard is rather annoying. On the day of his release my Bard hit amazing stuns and saved my life multiple times with his portal and shrines. The part that really convinced me is when he froze the enemy turret so I could dive and kill their Caitlyn.

Bard is fun to have as a support and honestly I would take a good Bard over most other supports that are common. I think a major flaw is that he's suppose to roam yet I find him to be the type of support who sticks around you the entire game for full effectiveness.

He has an extremely high skill base in general but he's so good once he's used properly.

High5May 7, 20151 votes

I think the roaming was built up too much. i could see a Bard in a duo jungle/lane swap situation work pretty well.

In standard lanes though, he should only be roaming when the lane is pushed. The chimes give back mana, which is a great way to sustain. If Bard isn't roaming, he's just standing around waiting for the minion waves anyway.

Bard's roaming should be the equivalent of a mid going to get blue buff or killing the raptors because there's nothing else to farm atm.

A Miss FortuneMay 7, 20152 votes

Exactly, I like how Bard should be a roaming support but his chimes don't really give him enough experience to roam for extended periods of time. And not to mention they basically nerfed him by not allowing chimes to spawn in enemy jungle for a while?

I think they should buff his passive to where all of the spells in general are stronger as he gets more chimes permanently. His Q has increased duration, W can restore up to 400 health, and if enemies use his E they get slowed.

There's really not a lot of reasons to roam with Bard, a good Bard ganking mid lane is beautiful but his chimes get him under level when they shouldn't.

If his passive was changed or buffed I could see him really becoming playable. I also believe they should buff his shrines, letting him have 5 instead of 3, restore more health, and also give mana to anyone on your team besides yourself. Maybe increase the cd a bit but I want Bard to roam and gank lanes while leaving behind a health pack . The ability is so unique and such a good support item, I've seen Bards leave their shrines at top, mid, and the jungle at the start of the game but the time it takes to charge them with only a small movement speed buff with a mediocre heal that wouldn't even save you against ignite some times it just feels like the Bards who spam shrines under bot lane turrets don't have any other option to making the shrines totally effective. Sure maybe it could help the jungle but 10 seconds, 1.5 second movement speed, and a heal that gets to 230 at max level? It needs a buff and I would probably put Bard as one or my favorite supports

YakshaMay 6, 20156 votes

That build looks way too ugly for me to take it seriously

špankstaMay 6, 20152 votes

Lol, I get yelled at about it a lot. But when my teammates watch me 1v1 the enemy carry and win they think twice...

YakshaMay 6, 20156 votes

{quoted}

Lol, I get yelled at about it a lot. But when my teammates watch me 1v1 the enemy carry and win they think twice...

I don't want to be that guy but the people you play with/against probably have no idea what they're doing

špankstaMay 6, 20151 votes

Your right. The people I play with/against are potatoes, and that's why I play with higher elo friends whenever I can.

ForPortalMay 6, 20154 votes

If Bard was only useless, that would be a step up. You say he is "extremely team dependent" but what that means is that he can actively stab you in the back if you don't do things his way. There are other champions with a bit of this - J4's ult, Alistar's headbutt and Aniva's ice wall being the most obvious - but Bard takes this to a whole new level.

špankstaMay 6, 20153 votes

Well, when I play Bard I try to be level headed the entire game just so I don't screw over my team with my ulti because I was salty at someone. Usually works out for me.

NilokMay 6, 20151 votes

Part of Bard's problem is he has the ability to completely screw over a team fight. While you may be a good Bard and can avoid that, Bard has a high skill requirement and an average to poor Bard player, or troll, can completely screw over your own team. This is compounded since many times people don't notice his impact like they would a Sona, Taric, or Leona unless it is amazing or horrible. I feel a lot of resentment for Bard comes from this.

High5May 7, 20151 votes

{quoted}

Part of Bard's problem is he has the ability to completely screw over a team fight. While you may be a good Bard and can avoid that, Bard has a high skill requirement and an average to poor Bard player, or troll, can completely screw over your own team. This is compounded since many times people don't notice his impact like they would a Sona, Taric, or Leona unless it is amazing or horrible. I feel a lot of resentment for Bard comes from this.

Every champ can screw over a team fight. Trolls can screw over an entire game. This is a flawed argument.

NilokMay 7, 20151 votes

A troll can screw over a fight, but aside from a few champions who can usually cancel their ability when they simply screw up, they can't take control away from another player and leave them in a place to just be killed.

Even J4's ult, for instance, can be dashed over if he is trying to troll you.

Riot stated a while ago, they did not want to make a champion that could take control away from another player (teammate). Sometime later, they produce Kalista and Bard. Kalista's ult, while annoying sometimes, gives a way out of it, some control, and a good engage. With Bard's ult you are literally helpless. When a teammate causes that helplessness for you and you get killed, you begin to resent that champion when it happens multiple times, even from non-trolls who simply screw up and can't fix it due to how it is designed.

This is why I say Bard is a high skill champion, if you are mediocre to bad, you can cause more harm than good.

NarasimhaMay 6, 20151 votes

just so I don't screw over my team with my ulti because I was salty at someone.

The issue is that Bard can screw over people even with the best of intentions. What if he ults the enemy team as a perfect engage, right as his Ziggs was ulting? What if he managed to save his own team from a death trap, but didn't hit any enemies, giving them timing to set up again?

KazaashiMay 6, 20154 votes

Bard is fun as hell. The only times I've felt underpowered as him is when my teamates don't use my abilities (I'm looking at you ADC's that don't pick up the shrines. I'm not just putting them on the ground because they look pretty.) The sustain he gets from the Chimes is amazing, you just have to time your roams correctly. I find the best time is when the jungler is in our side of the jungle, then I can leave for a sec, lure the other 2 into a false sense of security and then W in with the jungler for, usually, a kill or two.

Laughing FishMay 6, 20153 votes

http://mrwgifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Fair-Enough-Agreement-In-Lord-Of-The-Rings-Reaction-Gif.gif

špankstaMay 6, 20153 votes

Omg Laughing Fish commented. Today was a good day.

Laughing FishMay 6, 20153 votes

http://ak-hdl.buzzfed.com/static/2015-02/2/8/enhanced/webdr01/anigif_original-grid-image-15541-1422885496-28.gif

Spacesuit SpiffMay 6, 20153 votes

I see Bards in Diamond that are totally on-point and do everything properly, and they're still a bit of a burden. He's just not the hero soloq needs, even though he's the one a lot of adcs deserve :3

SgtCrispyMay 6, 20153 votes

You're right he's not useless. He's extremely useful for the enemy team.

Ice Weasel XMay 6, 20152 votes

{quoted}

Bard is NOT Useless

Chindōgu = awesome.

slippykittenMay 6, 20152 votes

Hes not useless, hes perfect to troll with.

RussoRedMay 6, 20151 votes

he is a good champ people just dont want to take the time to play him and be good with him so what im saying is dont judge a champ baced on how good you are with them.

AlexwriMay 6, 20151 votes

in my opinion the reason everyone thinks hes bad is because hes not a soloq champ his made for specific team comps not soloq. i mean you can play him well in soloq if your good with him but other good players will easily play around him in lane and in game generally.

sullybMay 6, 20151 votes

I don't think Bards a bad champion at all, in fact I may buy him in the near future. Anyway, would you recommend a Tri Force for Bard? It gives a little of everything. Bard item 3078

RussoRedMay 6, 20151 votes

{quoted}

I don't think Bards a bad champion at all, in fact I may buy him in the near future. Anyway, would you recommend a Tri Force for Bard? It gives a little of everything.

probily not it doesent seem like a fit

CubedJusticeMay 6, 20151 votes

Please, please, no. You're right, it's such a bad idea.

špankstaMay 6, 20151 votes

I'll try it one game and I'll tell you if it works or not.

chipi99May 6, 20153 votes

item 3025

SleepyLionCubMay 6, 20151 votes

He just needs a few creative buffs. Not numbers buffs.

Raja ChachkiMay 6, 20151 votes

I agree, he can do well. But your build....why build AS? It's useless as meeps don't scale with AS, but respond at a certain time. Also Merc's should be replaced by Boots of Mobility most likely, because he is always on the move to getting those chimes. And Bard is built tank because his AP ratios suck....they don't scale almost AT ALL. The AP from Guinsoo's and Nashor's won't help much because of his 2 AP scaling abilities, he has very little scaling, meaning his damage(Q) and speed boost/heal will barely be buffed.

špankstaMay 6, 20151 votes

I build AS because when I am using portals to roam, I expect the enemy to follow. Once he/she reaches the end of the portal, I stun them and attack with all 4 of my meeps super fast and it chunks.

CubedJusticeMay 6, 20151 votes

I've found that early game, bard does healthy damage with hybrid pen quints, and is actually very good at zoning and making plays pre-6. He's one of my favorite supports.

darknukeMay 6, 20151 votes

Bard is the single most niche support, no, champion, in the entire game. His usefulness requires a team with mad teamwork, a specifically designed team comp, and the mechanics to hit his ult in just the right spot. I stand by that he should NEVER be chosen as a support in SoloQ.

ZavernMay 6, 20151 votes

I love Bard, its just how horrible his W gets mid and late game just makes me want to not play him. Using a skill for a portion of its effect while said skill costs over 100 mana is unappealing.

SolusInCadereMay 6, 20151 votes

The problem with Santa is that he cannot do much whenever he leaves lane to collect chimes. His CC is to unreliable to tank/help tank mid, and warding the enemy jungle can often end up getting you kille,d since enemies can follow your E. And even if you do ward, jungles, especially low/no ELO junglers, won't act on that.

Edit: forgot to point out that dropping a shrine in mid lane often causes you to not net any mana from your wandering, so doing that will not help much of at all.

Rinky DinkyMay 6, 20151 votes

I don't think rageblade is ever worth an item slot :X

CerbearusMay 6, 20151 votes

There are much better choices. I would like his ult to set up for combos but it seems like more often than not they end up just fucking up those same combos.

JhaerikMay 7, 20151 votes

I love bard support on a Shen JG. Talk about landing an easy multi-target E. Also gives you that extra time to R in to save that ADC that's dying who you'd normally consider a waste of an R.

High5May 7, 20151 votes

I got Bard with IP a couple weeks ago. He's far better than I thought.

The stun is actually pretty reliable if you continually poke with it. The thing many people missed when he was released is that you can use the minions to stun enemies. It's hard to hide from an aggressive Bard. Push the enemy under their tower, go ward their jungle, come back and do it again.
The health packs give a speed boost! Lay em down right in the middle of the lane. When the ganks comes, heal up and get a quick boost on the way back to the safety of your tower.
Lastly, Bard doesn't do a whole lot of damage, but when he does ... ooh, the burst is insane. Don't be afraid to build some crit. can be kinda fun. It's like when a mage hits with and you're like, wtf just happened.
EDIT!!! I forgot about chimes. So, when you push the enemy under their tower and go collect chimes, they refill your mana and buff you! They key is pushing the lane though. Don't go wandering if they've pushed you.

Really, the problem like was said above is that Bard is not a tank. Build some def items, but no more than you would with Morg or Thresh. Do not ever use item 3069 ... EVER! I don't know why it's in the game. Get item 3098 . Poke ... poke ... and then poke some more! the slow later on will be far more useful in controlling fights than whatever the golden ball doesn't really help do.

He's a really versatile champ and not a bad solo champ if people are being aggressive. Think of Bard as a poke supp more like Annie Morgana Nami and imagine the possibilities.

Items I like ... item 2045 item 3098 item 3111 item 3087 item 3100 item 3143

Remember, Bard is about map control and fight positioning in order to poking when you get the most damage. His ult also works like Azir, it's more for dividing up the enemy and peeling then anything else.

špankstaMay 7, 20151 votes

Thanks for the follow-up, and what you said has made sense, but item 3069 isn't a good item? I always loved it because it gave CDR, movespeed, HP and mama regen,gold gain when you don't kill cs, and a Mini Sivir ulti for an active. I do understand how you would get item 3092 over it because it gives a good slow, and a nice amount of April which is very nice on Bard. That also is my opinion on Randuins, it gives a nice slow, but why not Righteous Glory instead? Anyways, thanks for the feedback.

QsarioMay 7, 20151 votes

{quoted}

Best part is if you start W on Bard, you can give your jungler the best leashes ever. I'm probably going to get down voted for whatever reason, but this isn't a rage post; I'm trying to show the good things about him. Leave your opinion or thoughts on Bard in the comments below, I'd love to hear other people's view on him.

Other supports can do similar (e.g. Janna shields the jungler to save them about a potion), but as I understand it, Bard can leave one of those for each of the lanes if he's quick enough.

SpoofzorMay 7, 20151 votes

Items i like to use on bard as a top laner or support are indeed ATK damage items, his burst later on in the game can get insane with the right amount of chimes.

item 3153 item 3004 item 3142 item 3091