Tanky Support Bard Build

ARAM Build Guide for champion Bard and build Tanky Support.

Tanky Support Bard build with runes and items. Tanky Support Bard guide offers in-depth how-to play, skill order and tips. Play Tanky Support Bard build in League of Legends Patch 14.18!

Updated: 2024-05-17 ()

Credit: justagamer3

TLDR

Starting items
Guardian's Horn 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
Ionian Boots of Lucidity should be final item in your build.
Knight's Vow should be final item in your build.
Shurelya's Battlesong should be final item in your build.
Kaenic Rookern should be final item in your build.
Locket of the Iron Solari should be final item in your build.
Warmog's Armor should be final item in your build.
Quick Runes
Major rune Grasp of the Undying from Resolve tree.
Minor rune Precision.
Summoner spells
Pick Exhaust as your Summoner Spell.
Pick Ghost as your Summoner Spell.

Tanky Support 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

Tanky Support Build specific
  1. You play Support who goes tanky.

How to play

Tanky Support Build specific
  1. Identify your role within the team (engage, peel, frontline)
  2. If your team needs engage, go Trailblazer and Shurelya's Battlesong
  3. If your team needs peel, go Knight's Vow and Locket of the Iron Solari.
  4. Knight's Vow is a surprisingly good item. Buy it and use it if you have carry or bruiser/fighter who is doing well.
  5. 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.
  6. Remember to consume your Grasp of the Undying procs!

Tips and Tricks

General
  1. Collecting chimes is essential. It improves your damage and Passive effects, gives mana and movement speed. Do it!
  2. Low on mana? Collect some chimes.
  3. Use your 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 Ws at the same time. You can leave 2 Ws behind your team for healing.
  5. You have great engaging tool with your R. Play with your team and do not wait for 'special moment'. You can land great Rs, 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. 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
Guardian's Horn item.
Ruby Crystal item.
Boots
Plated Steelcaps item.
Mercury's Treads item.
Ionian Boots of Lucidity item.
For peel
Knight's Vow item.
Locket of the Iron Solari item.
For engage
Shurelya's Battlesong item.
Trailblazer item.
Good tank items
Jak'Sho, The Protean item.
Warmog's Armor item.
Good MR items
Spirit Visage item.
Force of Nature item.
Kaenic Rookern item.
Good Armor items
Frozen Heart item.
Dead Man's Plate item.
Randuin's Omen item.
Thornmail item.
Iceborn Gauntlet item.
Situational items
Titanic Hydra item.
Zeke's Convergence item.
For the last fight
Additional considerations for these items is advised!
Elixir of Iron item.
Elixir of Sorcery item.
Example final build
Ionian Boots of Lucidity item.
Knight's Vow item.
Shurelya's Battlesong item.
Kaenic Rookern item.
Locket of the Iron Solari item.
Warmog's Armor item.