Bard - General Consensus
I've recently decided to start playing Bard again after ditching him shortly after release for various reasons. I've noticed even after many of his buffs Bard is still almost never seen in games and he's rarely brought up in conversation here on the Boards. This leads me to believe that he is still looked at rather poorly by the community.
So, I'm really just here trying to see what the General Consensus is behind Bard because I'm torn. Part of me feels that he's decent and then part of me feels that he's really far behind where he should be. Is he viewed as a terrible champion, weak, powerful, too niche? What changes do people think he needs to be successful if he's viewed poorly as a whole. Bard not having a presence in the game makes me a little sad because I really love this champion; his concept, design, sound etc.
My personal biggest complaint on Bard is that in team fights, depending on your position/location he in a lot of ways feels like he only has one ability. His **W **, Caretaker's Shrine is a garbage heal if not charged especially at lower levels ( 30 HP, seriously? ) and the haste leaves a lot to be desired when chasing/escaping due to decay. Then we move onto Magical Journey, your E is completely useless if a fight emerges in an open area. This ends up leaving you with only **Q **and R. I realize a lot of this is balanced around his Meeps, but after you land/miss your **Q **I end up feeling a little useless.
If I had to touch up on anything, I guess I'd make his Caretaker's Shrine heal more effective on instant cast or give Magical Journey an alternate use if cast directly on an ally/enemy to give it meaning when travel isn't really necessary or an option.
What does everyone else think?
with all their CC and ability to exert their power in the moment. His only CC is his Q which is a situational Stun/Slow that is also a skill shot. If you miss it things won't go well for you. Everything else about him gives him power to exert control over the map. His W, while nothing compared to 
, is able to be placed anywhere on the map, allowing him to help his teammates when not actively present. His E is also pretty neat, as it allows for quick travel across the map and can be used as bait for enemies who are too aggressive. Honestly, though, I feel the thing that makes people hate him so much is his R. This ability is what makes/breaks a good/bad Bard player. You land it correctly, you can basically guarentee a won teamfight. If you misplace it, you lost the teamfight. He is an extreme support that has actual strengths and weaknesses and if played poorly, will result in your loss. Missing Q often results in you or teammates death/flash. A bad R can win/lose a teamfight.
