Sona Power!

I agree with a lot of what has been said about how her power budget is focused too much on affecting all 5 players, and how she is AP scaling dependent to stay relevant really forcing her into limited item choices. I am also painfully aware of how dependent she is on using her ult later in the game.

How does she keep her identity of being an Aura focused support that wants to group and give buffs to multiple players without being too powerful. On the other side of trying to balance her team fight her solo lane potential as being one of the best lane bullies can easily conflict.

An idea, why not have her abilities and passive scale with the number of allies she gets in her Aura? See bold for the changed ability and read non-bold for my thoughts on the changes.

New Sona

Passive AURA: Sona's basic abilities each generate a unique aura for 3 seconds that empowers her and all allied champions who enter its radius, also incurring a 0.5-second period during which she cannot cast her other basic abilities. Each aura's duration is extended by 0.5 seconds for each allied champion it empowers, up to a maximum of 5 seconds.

POWER CHORD: After casting 3 basic abilities, Sona's next basic attack deals (13 - 192) (+20% AP) bonus magic damage, with an additional effect depending on the last basic ability cast.

No real change needed here.

Q - ACTIVE: Sona sends out two bolts of sound that deal magic damage to the nearest enemies, prioritizing champions. MAGIC DAMAGE: 40 / 80 / 120 / 160 / 200 (+ 50% AP) (+20/+40/+80)

AURA: Sona and tagged allied champions deal bonus magic damage on each basic attack within 3 seconds up to a maximum amount that is split between them all.

BONUS MAGIC DAMAGE: 15 / 20 / 25 / 30 / 35 (+20% AP)

MAXIMUM BONUS MAGIC DAMAGE: 45 / 80 / 125 / 180 / 315 (+ 100% AP)

POWER CHORD - STACCATO: Power Chord deals 80% bonus damage

The change here is that Sona deals less damage with one attack but more if working with part of her team (Still works out as less as current ability when on entire team using AA as it would be +500 flat magic damage +100% ap at max level). This makes her individual poke weaker by a small amount but allows the ADCs and AA based champions to take advantage of her Aura more effectively.

Her ult bonus is moved to her Active now to give her a bit more umph with her poke as she will not be Auto attacking enemy team later in game unless they dive. Her powercord is upped to 80% as she loses a good chunk of her early poke damage so to make up for it her powercord is more dangerous.

W - ACTIVE: Sona heals herself and the most wounded nearby allied champion, increased by 0.5% for every 1% of target's missing health.

MINIMUM HEAL: 30 / 50 / 70 / 90 / 110 (+ 20% AP) (+20/+40/+80) MAXIMUM HEAL: 45 / 75 / 105 / 135 / 165 (+ 30% AP) (+30/+60/+120)

AURA: Sona and tagged allied champions receive a shield lasting the duration of the Aura that is equally divided between all shielded. When another allied champion becomes shielded the new champion's shield is taken from all active shields equally to add to their shield.

SHIELD STRENGTH: 60 / 120 / 200 / 300 / 420 (+ 60% AP)

POWER CHORD - DIMINUENDO: Power Chord reduces its target's damage output by 15% (+2% ap) (+ 5% for each ally currently shielded) for 2 seconds.

First, The shield strength seems really high but if you look at the numbers they are not too bad. The current values are 35 / 55 / 75 / 95 / 115 (+20% ap). With 5 team members being effected that's a maximum of 575 +100% ap shielded. Sure, Sona can shield just herself for a HUGE amount but perhaps that's a good thing as it gives her some survivability. When split between herself and one other ally however the value become much more reasonable at 210 (+30% ap) for two, Janna with what many consider the best non-ult shield is cast for 240 (+70% ap) at max. Her shield is a bit weaker for a full team now but much better is small skirmishes after putting a few points in it.

Another change is allowing the Shield to persist through the duration of the Aura to allow Sona to get full effect and make Sona's have to run a risk versus reward about keeping the shield up or casting another Aura.

Once again the ult bonus is moved to the active part of her kit. This is to give her healing a better impact later in the game as the small amount in late game wasn't very powerful and could use some help. The powercord always felt weird to me but with this change it can be pretty impactful in teamfights. The duration is reduced due to the ease to get the DR higher but it can have a big impact now easily getting 40% DR.

E- ACTIVE: Sona gains bonus movement speed that decays down to Song of Celerity's aura bonus over 3 seconds. The duration is increased by 0.5 seconds for each ally she tags with the aura.

SELF BONUS MOVEMENT SPEED: 13 / 14 / 15 / 16 / 17% (+ 7.5% per 100 AP) (+ 2 / 4 / 6%)

AURA: Tagged allied champions gain bonus movement speed for 1.5 seconds.

AURA BONUS MOVEMENT SPEED: 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14% (+ 3.5% per 100 AP) (+ 2 / 4 / 6%)

POWER CHORD - TEMPO: Power Chord Slow icon slows its target and any targets within her Aura by 40% (+ 4% per 100 AP) for 2 seconds.

I feel that her E is in a healthy place. It isn't meant to be an escape for Sona, its a tool for disengaging and chasing. The only thing I felt she needed was the ability to slow multiple targets and if she is in the right location she can slow the enemy diver and the enemy front line at the same time or be in bot lane and slow the enemy engager and the ADC allowing some cool plays.

R- PASSIVE: Sona's active bonuses and Song of Celerity Song of Celerity's Aura bonus movement speed are increased.

ACTIVE: Sona plays an irresistible chord in a line, dealing magic damage to enemy champions and Stun icon stunning them for 1.5 seconds, forcing them to dance for the duration

MAGIC DAMAGE: 150 / 250 / 350 (+ 50% AP)

No change except in passive see above for details.