BARD
THE WANDERING CARETAKER

Splash art of Bard

Icon of Bard

Bard in game PNG - league of legends

Informations about Bard
Title: The Wandering Caretaker
Pronouns: He/Him
Release Date: March 12, 2015
Primary: Support
Secondary: Mage
Region: Targon
Role: Support.

LORE OF BARD

It is said that most inhabitants of the celestial realm see their home as a wondrous and vivid tapestry, woven with prismatic threads of purest starlight. However, for one prodigious entity, the intangible and everlasting beauty of this dimension is not seen, but heard—for Bard, a troubadour as enigmatic as he is eternal, the wondrous firmament is a symphony of mystic, ambrosial music.

In the beginning, Bard had drifted without purpose or perspective through a silent cosmos, but with a deep sense of anticipation that something miraculous would eventually come to fill it. Fate did not disappoint, and with the forging of the first stars, the silence was broken and the first rapturous notes of creation rang in Bard’s ear.

He traveled the swirling harmonies between the stars, along with the tiniest wisps of residual inspiration and thought left over from their birth. These semitonal, incomplete motes of energy—or meeps—were drawn to him whenever he added his own voice to the cosmic opus, forever ringing in one perfect accord.
This was not his masterpiece, yet he gloried in it all the same.

But after a measureless interval, a dissonance began to creep in. It was so small at first, Bard might have missed it, but the ever-doting meeps drew his attention to a failed dynamic shift here, an unexpected syncopation there, and even the growing absence of sound where, before, sound had been.
Bard scoured the celestial realm for clues, until he discovered the source. It was the most curious of things—a world with a song all of its own.

Driven by unknown magic, the music produced by Runeterra was as primitive, unevolved, and chaotic as the mortal beings that lived there… and yet it had an inherent beauty, like the rolling thunder of a storm, or the melodious knocking of wooden chimes in the wind that precedes it. Bard would have merely appreciated it for what it was, but unfortunately this particular song had gone far beyond a mere counterpoint to the celestial whole, and was becoming destructive. Something had to be done.

Touching down in the First Lands of Ionia, Bard and his attendant meeps crossed into the material realm. All at once, his ears became like eyes, and he fashioned himself a simple body from the trinkets and fabrics of a traveling shawm-player’s wagon, including a beguiling mask—circular, with three holes in the face.

He walked the world for an age, confusing and delighting those he encountered along the way, and found the state of things far more complex than he had first imagined. Many objects of wild and unpredictable power seemed to have made their way erroneously into Runeterra, and were disrupting the natural cosmic order of things. Casting his gaze back to the heavens, Bard deduced that some other power within the celestial realm was at work here… though to what end, he could not guess.

Regardless, he has taken to the role of caretaker, retrieving anything out of place and returning it to where it can do no further harm. Though this may be only the first step in bringing the universe back in tune, it may also be the only way this world can be saved from what lies beyond it.
And Bard is not blind to the future. He can see a great conflict approaching—one fought not in any single realm, but in all—and awaits the time when he must finally pick a side.

BARD VOICE - League of Legends

FUN FACTS ABOUT BARD

1. Inspired by the Cosmic Vagabond Archetype: Bard's character design and lore draw inspiration from the archetype of the cosmic vagabond, a wanderer who travels across the universe and possesses mysterious powers. Bard's enigmatic appearance, with his celestial mask and ethereal presence, reflects this archetype, portraying him as a timeless being with a deep connection to the universe.

2. Designed by Riot's "Champion" Team: Bard was designed by Riot Games' dedicated "Champion" team, a group of developers tasked with creating new champions for League of Legends. The team worked collaboratively to conceptualize Bard's unique abilities and gameplay mechanics, aiming to introduce a champion that offered players a different playstyle and experience.

3. Unique Role as a Roaming Support: Bard is one of the few champions in League of Legends designed specifically as a roaming support. His passive ability, Traveler's Call, grants him chimes that spawn across the map, encouraging Bard players to roam and collect chimes to enhance his abilities. Bard's kit emphasizes mobility, crowd control, and utility, making him a versatile support pick with the potential to impact multiple lanes.

4. inspired by Music and Melody: Bard's thematic design and abilities are heavily inspired by music and melody. His abilities, such as Cosmic Binding and Tempered Fate, evoke themes of harmony and rhythm, reflecting Bard's connection to the celestial realm and his role as a cosmic guardian. Bard's gameplay encourages players to think creatively and strategically, much like composing a symphony.

5. Voiceless Communication: Bard communicates with non-verbal sounds and musical cues rather than traditional spoken dialogue. His in-game emotes and gestures convey his intentions and emotions to players, adding to his mysterious and otherworldly persona. Bard's unique form of communication further enhances his enigmatic nature and adds depth to his character without the need for spoken words.

ABILITIES OF BARD

 Passive - TRAVELER'S CALL 

Meeps: 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.

 Q - COSMIC BINDING 

Bard 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.

 W - CARETAKER'S SHRINE

Reveals a Health shrine which powers up over a short time, disappearing after healing and speeding up the first ally that touches it.

 E - MAGICAL JOURNEY 

Bard opens a portal in nearby terrain. Allies and enemies alike can take a one-way trip through that terrain by moving into the portal.

 R -  TEMPERED FATE 

Bard sends spirit energy arcing to a location, putting all champions, minions, monsters, and turrets hit into stasis for a brief time.

BARD ABILITIES COMBOS

Bard R - league of legends

1. Magical Journey Gank Combo:

   - Bard can use his Magical Journey (E) ability to create a portal through walls. Coordinate with your jungler or roaming teammates to set up surprise ganks. Position yourself near a wall in the bot or mid lane, then activate Magical Journey to quickly traverse through the wall and catch enemies off guard for an unexpected gank.

2. Stun Combo with Cosmic Binding:

   - Bard's Cosmic Binding (Q) ability can stun enemies if it hits two targets or a target and a wall. Use your Cosmic Binding to stun an enemy champion by aiming it at a minion or another enemy unit that's positioned near them. This can be followed up with additional damage from you and your ADC, or to set up further crowd control from your team.

3. Ultimate Shutdown Combo:

   - Bard's Tempered Fate (R) is a powerful ability that can put enemy champions, turrets, and even objectives into stasis for a short duration. Use this ability to initiate team fights by catching multiple enemies in the stasis field, allowing your team to follow up with their own abilities and secure kills. It can also be used defensively to disengage from unfavorable fights or to save teammates from imminent danger.

4. Magical Journey Escape Combo:

   - Bard's Magical Journey (E) can also be used defensively to escape sticky situations. If you're being chased by enemies, lead them through a Magical Journey placed strategically over a wall to create distance between you and the enemy team. This can give you and your teammates a chance to regroup and reposition safely.

5. Healing and Roaming Combo:

   - Bard's Shrine (W) ability allows him to place healing packs on the ground that can be picked up by allies. Use this ability to provide sustain for your ADC during laning phase or for your team during skirmishes and team fights. Combine this with your roaming potential by leaving shrines strategically in areas where your teammates might need them while you roam to other lanes to provide assistance or vision.

BUILD OF BARD

source: www.leagueofgraphs.com

RUNES OF BARD

TIPS ON HOW TO PLAY WITH BARD

1. Prioritize Roaming: Bard excels at roaming and impacting other lanes with his mobility and crowd control. Prioritize roaming to other lanes to provide vision, set up ganks, or assist your teammates in securing kills. Collect chimes along the way to enhance your abilities and increase your roaming potential. Effective roaming can help snowball your team's lead and create pressure across the map.

2. Maximize Magical Journey Usage: Bard's E ability, Magical Journey, is a versatile tool that allows him and his allies to travel through walls. Mastering the usage of Magical Journey is crucial for both engaging and disengaging from fights, setting up surprise ganks, and traversing the map quickly. Use Magical Journey creatively to outmaneuver opponents and create unexpected plays.

3. Control Vision with Wards and Shrines: Bard's W ability, Caretaker's Shrine, provides sustain and movement speed to allies when picked up. Use Caretaker's Shrine to control vision in key areas of the map, such as river entrances, objectives, and choke points. Place wards and shrines strategically to provide vision for your team and deny vision to the enemy, allowing for safer roams and better map control.

4. Master Tempered Fate (R): Bard's ultimate ability, Tempered Fate, is a powerful crowd control tool that can turn the tide of teamfights and secure objectives. Practice using Tempered Fate to catch out priority targets, zone enemies away from objectives, or set up follow-up engages from your team. Coordinate with your teammates to maximize the impact of Tempered Fate and secure kills or objectives.

5. Communicate Effectively with Pings: Communication is key when playing Bard, especially in high elo where coordination is essential. Use pings to communicate your intentions, such as signaling when you're roaming, alerting your team to potential gank opportunities, or indicating when Tempered Fate is available. Coordinate with your team to execute plays and capitalize on Bard's strengths as a roaming support.

TIPS FOR COUNTERING BARD

1. Punish his Roaming: Bard's strength lies in his ability to roam and impact other lanes with his mobility and crowd control. Punish him for leaving lane by pushing waves into his tower to deny him experience and gold. Additionally, communicate with your team to track Bard's movements and alert them to potential roams, allowing them to play safer or set up counter-ganks.

2. Avoid Getting Caught in Magical Journey: Bard's E ability, Magical Journey, allows him and his allies to travel through walls, making it easier for him to initiate or escape from engagements. Be cautious when engaging on Bard near walls, as he may use Magical Journey to disengage or reposition himself and his team. Try to engage in open areas where Bard's mobility is limited.

3. Deny His Chime Collection: Bard's passive ability, Traveler's Call, allows him to collect chimes that spawn across the map, enhancing his abilities and scaling into the late game. Deny Bard's chime collection by contesting vision around chime spawn locations and punishing him when he attempts to collect chimes in unsafe areas. Delaying Bard's chime collection can delay his power spikes and reduce his impact on the game.

4. Bait Out Tempered Fate (R): Bard's ultimate ability, Tempered Fate, is a powerful crowd control tool that can turn the tide of teamfights or secure objectives. Bait out Bard's ultimate by engaging in fights or skirmishes when you suspect he has it available. Once Tempered Fate is on cooldown, look for opportunities to capitalize on Bard's vulnerability and secure kills or objectives.

5. Coordinate Engages with Hard CC: Bard's survivability is relatively low, especially when caught out of position or when his abilities are on cooldown. Coordinate engages with hard crowd control abilities, such as stuns, roots, or knock-ups, to lock down Bard and burst him down before he can escape or use his utility to turn the fight. Focus on catching Bard out of position and quickly eliminating him from fights to gain an advantage for your team.

SKINS OF BARD