Now that the Q/A is closed, and bard has been out for a few days now. Let's have a page for people to discuss any thoughts and opinions they have on the new champion. This will be the place you can safely Rant, complain, nerd-gasm, and think.
Definitely Not Santa.
I'll start by simply saying "HOLY COW ANOTHER INFINITELY SCALING CHAMPION!!". there are only 5 champions i can think of that infinitely scale in this game. nasus, veigar, sion, thresh, and now bard. however, the scaling mechanic is done a little strangely on bard. for the previously mentioned scalers, they have a consistent way to get what they need. minion deaths. bard is different in the fact that he collects chimes. these Chimes spawn in places bard has been, and last for 10 minutes. however because of the low spawn rates the power growth is slow. so he won't gain the bonus AoE damage and slows as fast as thresh would gain armor or nasus and viegar would gain damage. Another thing to be said, However this is far more positive then the first statement. i feel like the gate way needs to be slightly buffed. it looks like you still take damage traveling through the gate. but you can't attack while traveling. as is now, allies travel through the gate faster then enemies. but i think all champions should take reduced damage when going through the portal. like 3% rank 1 and 15% at rank 5. kinda like Talon's "cutthroat" (or cut ankles LOLOLOLOLOL) so nothing crazy but at least you aren't in a bind when you are being ulted by cait and you can't do anything to defend yourself.
So to open, I love playing Bard. I main support, and while I love blocking skilshots with Braum, going ham with Leona, or bananakilling with Soraka, the joy I get from floating around and collecting chimes is beyond compare.
Now down to the nitty gritty. His passive is lackluster. I use it primarily as a way to sustain my mana. The chimes grant very little experience, and the meeps don't do that much unless the game lasts 50+ minutes, and by that time you are either stuck homeguarding to save your base or your team is bomb rushing theirs and need you for the team fights. They add to his damage and utility, but definitely not enough to make it worthwhile. While a farmed Nasus/Viegar/Sion/Thresh is a force to be reckoned with, Bard's passive scales surprisingly poorly into late game.
His q is also a bit weak. It travels slowly. Considering it is his only source of damage it has a rather low base Damage and AP Ratio (215 + 50%AP at level 5, Compare to Zileans bombs, which have an equally conditional and potentially more powerful stun yet deals 300+80%AP).
These facts and the low ranges, along with his innate squishiness make him rather terrible at the poke fest that dominates bot lane.
His heal? Once again, low AP Ratios. Fully charged it heals 230+45% AP, compared to Soraka's heal which is 240+60%AP, or Nami's which is up to a two person 185+30% AP, healing in total 370 + 60% AP, yet also damages enemies and provides a similar speed buff. Still it has its merits as it is the only remote healing spell in the game. Bard makes for an incredible leash. Placing three shrines before recalling allows the jungler make it through their first buff with full health if done properly. Yet because the AP Ratios are so low, and the flat 100 mana cost is so devastating early, Bard is not able to really shine as a sustain champion either.
Onto his E. Really the most appealing part of his kit besides the ult, his E is very situational, and the fact that it is open to both teams makes it really dangerous to use, and as a Bard player I am terrified to use it for fear that I'll mess it up. It is too easy to waste it as well. Too many times I have tried to get the long portal from dragon pit to tri bush, only to get the portal from the outside of the pit to the inside. If you are using it with plenty of time to cast it is wonderful, but it does not favor quick reactionary casting.
His ult? Once gain, something that most Bard players either are too terrified to use or too callous with. It is slow moving, once again, and thus hard to land. I place it on par with Janna's ult, except having even more potential, with that potential being in either direction, as a game changer or a game thrower.
Really, my biggest problem is that he is going to be impossible to use at any level below platinum, or even challenger. He is so demanding of the player and the team. His ult and e require coordination with all players involved, which most solo ques and even ranked teams lack. Unless you are playing with voice chat, you are going to have a hard time with it. Yes, there will be moments where he shines, but in general he is going to be considered trash until people learn to play around him. He changes the entire feel of the game, and he requires the same awareness of him that one would have to have when fighting an enemy blitz. He has the potential to affect the outcome of a game more than any single other champion that I can think of. In that regard he is extremely unique, and that is why I love playing as him, but I feel like there needs to be some payoff. He is excellent at roaming, but mediocre at poke and sustain.
I love Bard. He could use some slight buffs to his passive and Q missile speed. Other than that I'm not complaining.
