Skip to content
the Wandering Caretaker

Bard Support build & stats

SupportMage A 1,286 games · patch 16.18
Win rate
52.0%
Pick rate
4.8%
Ban rate
2.9%
Division
Master
Build, runes, spells and skill order are from Master games only.

Recommended build

Chosen by win rate among builds with enough games, from ranked matches of high-elo players on patch 16.18

Solid sample

Finish these three

Bandlepipes
Bandlepipes
2,300 gold
Locket of the Iron Solari
Locket of the Iron Solari
2,200 gold
Mikael's Blessing
Mikael's Blessing
2,300 gold
6,800 gold
66.7% WR 12 games

Boots

Plated Steelcaps
Plated Steelcaps
1,200 gold
65.0% 20 games

Runes

Domination Domination + Sorcery Sorcery
75.0% WR
12 games · 1% pick
Electrocute
Electrocute

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

Domination Domination
Electrocute Dark Harvest Hail of Blades
Cheap Shot Taste of Blood Sudden Impact
Sixth Sense Grisly Mementos Deep Ward
Relentless Hunter Ultimate Hunter Treasure Hunter
Sorcery Sorcery
Axiom Arcanist Manaflow Band Nimbus Cloak
Transcendence Absolute Focus Celerity
Waterwalking Gathering Storm Scorch
Shards
Adaptive Force Attack Speed Ability Haste
Adaptive Force Move Speed Health Scaling
Health Tenacity and Slow Resist Health Scaling

Summoner spells

Flash Heal
58.0% 207 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 52.0% of games as Support on patch 16.18 (1,286 games).
  • Most common core: Bandlepipes → Locket of the Iron Solari → Dead Man's Plate — 63% win rate over 59 games.
  • Take Electrocute as keystone: picked in 90% of games with a 52% win rate.
  • Best matchup: Renata Glasc (78% over 9 games). Hardest: Sylas (22% over 9 games) — consider a ban or a different pick when you see it.

Items

Most common sets of three completed items

Core build

Bandlepipes
Bandlepipes
Locket of the Iron Solari
Locket of the Iron Solari
Mikael's Blessing
Mikael's Blessing
66.7% WR
12 games · 1% pick
Knight's Vow
Knight's Vow
Locket of the Iron Solari
Locket of the Iron Solari
Mikael's Blessing
Mikael's Blessing
50.0% WR
8 games · 1% pick
Redemption
Redemption
Locket of the Iron Solari
Locket of the Iron Solari
Dead Man's Plate
Dead Man's Plate
83.3% WR
6 games · 0% pick

Boots

Boots of Swiftness
Boots of Swiftness
53.3% WR
257 games · 20% pick
Ionian Boots of Lucidity
Ionian Boots of Lucidity
62.5% WR
32 games · 2% pick
Mercury's Treads
Mercury's Treads
59.4% WR
32 games · 2% pick

Legendary items by win rate

ItemWin ratePick
69.2% 1% (13)
60.7% 2% (28)
58.2% 9% (110)
57.1% 1% (7)
56.0% 20% (252)
54.5% 7% (88)
53.9% 8% (102)
53.8% 1% (13)
50.0% 2% (22)
50.0% 1% (14)
50.0% 1% (8)
44.4% 1% (9)

Runes

Most played full pages and keystone win rates

Domination Domination + Inspiration Inspiration
51.0% WR
49 games · 4% pick
Electrocute
Electrocute

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

Domination Domination
Electrocute Dark Harvest Hail of Blades
Cheap Shot Taste of Blood Sudden Impact
Sixth Sense Grisly Mementos Deep Ward
Relentless Hunter Ultimate Hunter Treasure Hunter
Inspiration Inspiration
Magical Footwear Hextech Flashtraption Cash Back
Triple Tonic Biscuit Delivery Time Warp Tonic
Jack Of All Trades Cosmic Insight Approach Velocity
Shards
Adaptive Force Attack Speed Ability Haste
Adaptive Force Move Speed Health Scaling
Health Tenacity and Slow Resist Health Scaling
Domination Domination + Sorcery Sorcery
57.1% WR
28 games · 2% pick
Electrocute Cheap Shot Deep Ward Relentless Hunter Celerity Scorch
Domination Domination + Inspiration Inspiration
52.6% WR
19 games · 1% pick
Electrocute Cheap Shot Deep Ward Relentless Hunter Cosmic Insight Magical Footwear

Keystones

  • Electrocute Electrocute Hitting a champion with 3 separate attacks or abilities in 3s deals bonus adaptive damage. 54.1%25% 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. 61.5%1% 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. 44.4%1% pick
  • Deathfire Touch Deathfire Touch Damaging a champion with an ability burns them over time. 75.0%0% pick

Summoner spells

  • Flash Heal Flash + Heal 58.0%16% pick
  • Flash Ignite Flash + Ignite 50.8%10% pick
  • Exhaust Flash Exhaust + Flash 38.9%1% pick

Abilities & skill order

  • 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.