Skip to content
the Wandering Caretaker

Bard Support build & stats

SupportMage B 1,268 games · patch 16.16
Win rate
50.4%
Pick rate
9.9%
Ban rate
7.7%

Recommended build

Chosen by win rate among builds with enough games, from ranked matches of high-elo players on patch 16.16

Solid sample

Start with

Health Potion
Health Potion
50 g
Health Potion
Health Potion
50 g
48.8% 324 games

Build in this order

Locket of the Iron Solari 1
Locket of the Iron Solari
2,200 g
Dead Man's Plate 2
Dead Man's Plate
2,900 g
Imperial Mandate 3
Imperial Mandate
2,400 g
7,500 g
76.5% WR 17 games

Boots

Plated Steelcaps
Plated Steelcaps
1,200 g
57.3% 117 games

Runes

Domination Domination + Inspiration Inspiration
62.2% WR
37 games · 3% pick
Electrocute
Electrocute

Hitting a champion with 3 separate attacks or abilities in 3s deals bonus adaptive damage.

Cheap Shot Cheap Shot
Deep Ward Deep Ward
Ultimate Hunter Ultimate Hunter
Magical Footwear Magical Footwear
Cosmic Insight Cosmic Insight
Shards AS MS HP

Summoner spells

Flash Heal 50.9% 766 games

Max order

Cosmic Binding Q Caretaker's Shrine W Magical Journey E 54.3% 140 games

Each line is the variant with the best win rate among those played enough times, not simply the most popular one. Win rates are smoothed so a lucky three-game build can't top the list. Sample sizes are shown next to every choice.

Tips for Bard

Generated from this patch's numbers

  • Bard wins 50.4% of games as Support on patch 16.16 (1,268 games).
  • Most common core: Locket of the Iron Solari → Mikael's Blessing → Bandlepipes — 67% win rate over 6 games.
  • Take Electrocute as keystone: picked in 96% of games with a 51% win rate.
  • Best matchup: Morgana (73% over 11 games). Hardest: Seraphine (30% over 27 games) — consider a ban or a different pick when you see it.

Items

Core build in purchase order (from match timelines)

Core build

Locket of the Iron Solari 1
Locket of the Iron Solari
Mikael's Blessing 2
Mikael's Blessing
Bandlepipes 3
Bandlepipes
66.7% WR
6 games · 0% pick
Dead Man's Plate 1
Dead Man's Plate
Locket of the Iron Solari 2
Locket of the Iron Solari
Redemption 3
Redemption
60.0% WR
5 games · 0% pick
Dead Man's Plate 1
Dead Man's Plate
Locket of the Iron Solari 2
Locket of the Iron Solari
Bandlepipes 3
Bandlepipes
50.0% WR
4 games · 0% pick

Starting items

Health Potion
Health Potion
Health Potion
Health Potion
48.8% WR
324 games · 26% pick
Health Potion
Health Potion
Health Potion
Health Potion
Control Ward
Control Ward
100.0% WR
2 games · 0% pick

Boots

Boots of Swiftness
Boots of Swiftness
52.2% WR
718 games · 57% pick
Mercury's Treads
Mercury's Treads
52.8% WR
163 games · 13% pick
Ionian Boots of Lucidity
Ionian Boots of Lucidity
49.3% WR
152 games · 12% pick

Legendary items by win rate

ItemWin ratePick
76.9% 3% (39)
75.0% 1% (16)
68.8% 1% (16)
60.0% 2% (25)
56.6% 6% (76)
55.6% 4% (45)
55.1% 7% (89)
54.9% 23% (288)
52.2% 7% (90)
52.1% 71% (900)
51.9% 27% (339)
51.2% 37% (471)

Runes

Most played full pages and keystone win rates

Domination Domination + Inspiration Inspiration
46.0% WR
224 games · 18% pick
Electrocute
Electrocute

Hitting a champion with 3 separate attacks or abilities in 3s deals bonus adaptive damage.

Cheap Shot Cheap Shot
Deep Ward Deep Ward
Relentless Hunter Relentless Hunter
Magical Footwear Magical Footwear
Cosmic Insight Cosmic Insight
Shards AS MS HP
Domination Domination + Inspiration Inspiration
50.5% WR
93 games · 7% pick
Electrocute Cheap Shot Deep Ward Relentless Hunter Cosmic Insight Magical Footwear
Domination Domination + Inspiration Inspiration
50.0% WR
76 games · 6% pick
Electrocute Cheap Shot Deep Ward Treasure Hunter Magical Footwear Jack Of All Trades

Keystones

  • Electrocute Electrocute Hitting a champion with 3 separate attacks or abilities in 3s deals bonus adaptive damage. 50.6%96% pick
  • Guardian Guardian Guard allies you cast spells on and those that are very nearby. If you or a guarded ally would take damage based on level, you're both granted a shield. 51.9%2% pick
  • Unsealed Spellbook Unsealed Spellbook Swap Summoner Spells while out of combat. Swapping to unique Summoner Spells will increase the rate at which you can make future swaps. 50.0%1% pick
  • Deathfire Touch Deathfire Touch Damaging a champion with an ability burns them over time. 42.9%1% pick

Summoner spells

  • Flash Heal Flash + Heal 50.9%60% pick
  • Flash Ignite Flash + Ignite 50.8%33% pick
  • Exhaust Flash Exhaust + Flash 43.0%6% pick

Abilities & skill order

Which ability to max first, from match timelines

Cosmic Binding Q Caretaker's Shrine W Magical Journey E 54.3%140 games
Cosmic Binding Q Magical Journey E Caretaker's Shrine W 50.0%4 games

Most common first three levels: Q → W → E (49%), Q → E → W (45%), Q → W → Q (55%).

  • PTraveler'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 c...

  • QCosmic 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.

  • WCaretaker'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.

  • EMagical 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.

  • RTempered Fate

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