Tank Bard Build

Tank Bard Build.

Tank Bard build with runes and items. Tank Bard guide offers in-depth how-to play, skill order and tips. Play Tank Bard build in League of Legends Patch 25.08!

Author: Wrekah

TLDR

Starting items
Giant's Belt should be final item in your build.
Ruby Crystal should be final item in your build.
Quick Skill Order
Bard ability Cosmic Binding should be leveled first.
Q
Bard ability Caretaker's Shrine should be leveled second.
W
Bard ability Magical Journey should be leveled third.
E
Final items
Mercury's Treads should be final item in your build.
Heartsteel should be final item in your build.
Overlord's Bloodmail should be final item in your build.
Kaenic Rookern should be final item in your build.
Warmog's Armor should be final item in your build.
Thornmail should be final item in your build.
Quick Runes
Major rune Grasp of the Undying from Resolve tree.
Minor rune Precision.
Summoner spells
Pick Ghost as your Summoner Spell.
Pick Flash as your Summoner Spell.

Tank Bard Runes

Resolve
Resolve major tree Grasp of the Undying rune.
Resolve major tree Aftershock rune.
Resolve major tree Guardian rune.
Resolve major tree Demolish rune.
Resolve major tree Font of Life rune.
Resolve major tree Shield Bash rune.
Resolve major tree Conditioning rune.
Resolve major tree Second Wind rune.
Resolve major tree Bone Plating rune.
Resolve major tree Overgrowth rune.
Resolve major tree Revitalize rune.
Resolve major tree Unflinching rune.
Precision
Precision minor tree Absorb Life rune.
Precision minor tree Triumph rune.
Precision minor tree Presence of Mind rune.
Precision minor tree Legend: Alacrity rune.
Precision minor tree Legend: Haste rune.
Precision minor tree Legend: Bloodline rune.
Precision minor tree Coup de Grace rune.
Precision minor tree Cut Down rune.
Precision minor tree Last Stand rune.
Passive
Passive tree Adaptive Force rune (+9 Adaptive Force).
Passive tree Attack Speed rune (+10% Attack Speed).
Passive tree Ability Haste rune (+8 Ability Haste).
Passive tree Adaptive Force rune (+9 Adaptive Force).
Passive tree Move Speed rune (+2 Movement Speed).
Passive tree Health Scaling rune (+10-180 Health (based on level)).
Passive tree Health rune (+65 Health).
Passive tree Tenacity And Slow Resist rune (+10 Tenacity and Slow Resist).
Passive tree Health Scaling rune (+10-180 Health (based on level)).

How it works

General

  1. You play Tank Bard.
  2. You rush Heartsteel #1.
  3. You are gonna have tons of HP.
  4. You build items that scale and/or benefit from HP stacking.
    • And you build Armor and MR tanky items, depending on the situation and adapting to the enemy team.

How to play

General

  1. You rush Heartsteel.

Item Order

  1. Item Order after Heartsteel is flexible. You need to see what you need in particular game:
    • Get Overlord's Bloodmail for more damage and AD.
    • Get Warmog's Armor as anti-poke item (helps you stay in lane) and for some sweet HP.
    • Get Unending Despair, if there are prolonged fights in which you can stay near enemies (or enemies near you). The items gets better, the more HP you get.
    • Get various Armor and/or MR items to counter enemy team.
    • Get Titanic Hydra for more fun , more damage and some survivability.

Items

  1. Sundered Sky is very good damage item for this build (as #2-#4 depending on the game). It scales off your HP (so Grasp, Heartsteel, Overgrowth). It gives damage and pretty good sustain in fights. Remember to switch targets to maximize the effect!
  2. Guardian's Horn is a surprisingly good item for its price. You can keep it for a very long time (or even have it as 6th item).

Runes

  1. Second Wind scales off with your HP, so it is going to be powerful sustain rune. You can use it by purposefully triggering it by letting enemies poke you a little or walking over some harmful spells.
  2. Triumph is better (heal + gold), but if you want to have easier time with your mana, go Presence of the Mind.

During game

  1. Your main damage and power comes from auto attacks - Grasp of the Undying, Heartsteel
  2. This is auto attack oriented Bard build, so do it! Especially if running with Titanic Hydra and Sundered Sky as well.
  3. You can prioritize switching between champions in the fight, just to farm more Heartsteel procs.
  4. You need to adapt your items to the game. Enemy team heavy on AP? Buy MR. They heavy on AD? Buy Armor. You need some damage? Well buy that.
  5. Remember to consume your Heartsteel procs!
  6. Remember to consume your Grasp of the Undying procs!

Tips and Tricks

Champion

  1. Collecting chimes is essential. It improves your damage and Traveler's Call (Passive) effects, gives mana and movement speed. Do it!
  2. Low on mana? Collect some chimes.
  3. Use your Caretaker's Shrine (W). Put it somewhere behind your team, so they can use it when needed and enemy can't destroy it. Let it charge for increased Healing.
  4. You can have 3 W at the same time. You can leave 2 W behind your team for healing.
  5. You have great engaging tool with your Tempered Fate (R). Play with your team and do not wait for 'special moment'. You can land great R, catching people off and making engagements possible.
  6. Identify the best targets for your Ultimate. Is there an enemy who lacks mobility? That's a good target. Sometimes you can use it for disrupting fights. Or for protecting your allies. Be mindful!
  7. Magical Journey (E) is an interesting tool that you can use in ARAM. You can aggressively E into an enemy team or play mind games with them.

Riot

  1. It's important to collect chimes to improve your meep's attacks, but don't neglect your lane partner! Try to make a big entrance by bringing an ally into the lane with you with Magical Journey.
  2. Let your Caretaker's Shrines charge up - they heal for a lot more when at full power.
  3. Don't forget that enemies can also use your Magical Journey doorways, and that your ultimate can also hit your allies!

Skill Order

  • Bard [object Object] ability.
    Q
    Cosmic Binding
  • Bard [object Object] ability.
    W
    Caretaker's Shrine
  • Bard [object Object] ability.
    E
    Magical Journey
  • Bard [object Object] ability.
    R
    Tempered Fate

Items

Starting items
Giant's Belt item.
Ruby Crystal item.
Starting items vs poke
Guardian's Horn item.
Ruby Crystal item.
Boots
Plated Steelcaps item.
Ionian Boots of Lucidity item.
Mercury's Treads item.
Rush this
Heartsteel item.
Core items
Warmog's Armor item.
Overlord's Bloodmail item.
Unending Despair item.
Heartsteel item.
Dmg items
Additional considerations for these items is advised!
Titanic Hydra item.
Wit's End item.
Zhonya's Hourglass item.
Sundered Sky item.
Good tank items
Jak'Sho, The Protean item.
Good MR items
Force of Nature item.
Kaenic Rookern item.
Spirit Visage item.
Good Armor items
Iceborn Gauntlet item.
Dead Man's Plate item.
Randuin's Omen item.
Thornmail item.
Frozen Heart item.
Situational items
Trailblazer item.
Knight's Vow item.
For the last fight
Additional considerations for these items is advised!
Cappa Juice item.
Elixir of Sorcery item.
Elixir of Iron item.
Example final build
Mercury's Treads item.
Heartsteel item.
Overlord's Bloodmail item.
Kaenic Rookern item.
Warmog's Armor item.
Thornmail item.