Game patch, matey 26.21Data Dragon 16.21.1
Arrr, reference patch 16.20.1
the Wandering Caretaker
Bard be a spell-focused champion who plays 'round range, cooldowns and controlled areas. This overview keeps th' explanation practical and leaves patch-sensitive numbers to Riot's structured data and th' present in-battle tooltip.
Arrr, usual roleSupportArrr, strengths and limits
These be kit-level patterns, nay a promise that every course or matchup plays th' same way.
It's fit fer th' captain's eye to collect chimes to improve yer meep's attacks, but don't neglect yer course partner! Try to make a big entrance by bringing an ally into th' course wit' ye wit' Magical Journey.
Let yer Caretaker's Shrines charge up - they heal fer a lot more booty when at full power.
Don't forget that enemies can also use yer Magical Journey doorways, and that yer ultimate can also hit yer crewmates!
Bard's foes can also travel through his Magical Journey doorways. Ye can follow him, if ye think it's seaworthy.
Ye can crush Bard's healing shrines just by walking over them. Don't let his crewmates take them without a fight.
Bard's ultimate, Tempered Fate, affects crewmates, enemies, monsters, and turrets alike. At times it can be to yer advantage to jump into it!
Arrr, practical champion reading
Use these patterns to ask better questions afore choosing an gear, target or commitment. They describe th' kit, nay a promised result.
Use th' visible loadout and present trick tooltips afore choosing armour or magic resistance; th' champion label alone be nay enough.
Th' threat grows while this champion can keep attacking a useful target. Break target access, create distance or use control afore th' repeated pattern settles in.
Ranged attacks be useful only while a seaworthy line to th' target remains. Flanks, hard control and blocked escape routes can remove that advantage quickly.
Protection, setup and ship's intelligence can matter more booty than personal damage. Position so th' next aboard useful spell can reach th' ally or target that needs it.
Tenacity can shorten only eligible control. Displacements, airborne effects and repeated slows need their own positioning, blocking or movement captain's answer.
Anti-heal or anti-shielding be situational. Buy it only when th' effect be materially protecting targets and yer champion can apply th' captain's answer reliably.
A spell being available does nay mean th' shipshape sequence be sustainable. Watch th' resource bar as well as th' setup and escape cooldowns.
Defensive gear reference
Set sail wit' th' threat that be actually affecting th' clash. These be conditional comparisons, nay an automatic counter loadout.
Plated Steelcaps captain's answer repeated attacks; Mercury's Treads captain's answer magic resistance and reducible control.
Pick one pair fer th' larger crew-wide problem. Do nay buy both pairs.Normal Draft and Ranked role sea chart
Each course be assessed separately. Unfurl a role to reach its queue-specific loadout and matchup preparation.
Old chart, matey. Recommendations await inspection. Bard be normally played Support and does nay currently have a reviewed Top course. Top most often needs independent laning, durable trading or reliable side-course pressure. Treat this as a deliberate experiment, nay a standard recommendation.
Old chart, matey. Recommendations await inspection. Bard be normally played Support and does nay currently have a reviewed Jungle course. Jungle most often needs repeatable monster clear th' deck, seaworthy pathing and prize control without course income. Treat this as a deliberate experiment, nay a standard recommendation.
Old chart, matey. Recommendations await inspection. Bard be normally played Support and does nay currently have a reviewed Mid course. Mid most often needs solo-course safe harbour plus wave control, roaming or reliable burst pressure. Treat this as a deliberate experiment, nay a standard recommendation.
Old chart, matey. Recommendations await inspection. Bard be normally played Support and does nay currently have a reviewed Bot course. Bot most often needs dependable duo-course scaling and sustained damage wit' shared early pressure. Treat this as a deliberate experiment, nay a standard recommendation.
Old chart, matey. Recommendations await inspection. Bard has an established low-income Support course wit' useful course pressure, protection, engage or crew utility.
Arrr, kit reference
Trick names, descriptions and numeric fields come from Riot Data Dragon. Practical reads be independently written; th' present in-battle tooltip remains authoritative.
Arrr, what it doesEnglishMeeps: 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.
Arrr, what it doesEnglishBard 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.
That exported range ain't a verified in-game distance. Check the ability's current tooltip, matey.
Arrr, what it doesEnglishReveals a Health shrine which powers up over a short time, disappearing after healing and speeding up the first ally that touches it.
Arrr, what it doesEnglishBard opens a portal in nearby terrain. Allies and enemies alike can take a one-way trip through that terrain by moving into the portal.
Arrr, what it doesEnglishBard sends spirit energy arcing to a location, putting all champions, minions, monsters, and turrets hit into stasis for a brief time.
Arrr, levels 1–18
Base values exclude gear, runes, temporary buffs and mode-specific modifiers. Cooldowns be th' listed base cooldown afore trick haste.
Wait fer reload (s) Data Dragon 16.20.1
Can receive its first aboard point from level 1. Later ranks normally become available at levels 3, 5, 7 and 9.
That exported range ain't a verified in-game distance. Check the ability's current tooltip, matey.
Can receive its first aboard point from level 1. Later ranks normally become available at levels 3, 5, 7 and 9.
Can receive its first aboard point from level 1. Later ranks normally become available at levels 3, 5, 7 and 9.
First aboard rank becomes available at level 6; later ranks normally become available at levels 11 and 16.
| Rank | Health, arr | Mana, arr | Trick milestone |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 630 | 350 Mana, arr | Pick th' first aboard basic trick |
| 2 | 704 | 386 Mana, arr | Stow another basic trick or rank |
| 3 | 782 | 424 Mana, arr | Stow another basic trick or rank |
| 4 | 863 | 463 Mana, arr | Spend one trick point |
| 5 | 948 | 505 Mana, arr | Spend one trick point |
| 6 | 1,037 | 548 Mana, arr | First aboard ultimate rank normally available |
| 7 | 1,129 | 592 Mana, arr | Spend one trick point |
| 8 | 1,225 | 639 Mana, arr | Spend one trick point |
| 9 | 1,324 | 687 Mana, arr | Spend one trick point |
| 10 | 1,427 | 737 Mana, arr | Spend one trick point |
| 11 | 1,534 | 789 Mana, arr | Arrr, second ultimate rank normally available |
| 12 | 1,644 | 842 Mana, arr | Spend one trick point |
| 13 | 1,758 | 898 Mana, arr | Spend one trick point |
| 14 | 1,875 | 955 Mana, arr | Spend one trick point |
| 15 | 1,996 | 1,013 Mana, arr | Spend one trick point |
| 16 | 2,121 | 1,074 Mana, arr | Arrr, final ultimate rank normally available |
| 17 | 2,249 | 1,136 Mana, arr | Spend one trick point |
| 18 | 2,381 | 1,200 Mana, arr | Spend one trick point |
Pick th' next aboard query
Pick a queue-aware loadout, compare a course foe, or return to th' full champion library.
