Full AD Bard – Complete Build Guide

Now I know most of you know bard as the caretaker. He is an excellent support champion with a high skill requirement to play him to his full potential. 

Little did you know, a famous build is circulating in season 12, where players build him as an ADC. People build ADC items on Bard, and it works. But that doesn’t mean everyone who reads this should try this build. 

Bard is pretty much more effective if he is played as a support. But since you came here, and searched for an AD Bard build, let’s go. I will show you the detailed information on playing Bard as an ADC. 

Also Check Out: Divine Sunderer Akali

What Made AD Bard Possible?

First, even if Bard isn’t built as an ADC, we have already seen him dish out tons of damage in pro games like in Worlds, where support bard players pick Hail of Blades as their rune. 

This is great because his passive enhances his basic attacks and lets him deal a burst of AoE damage to the nearby enemies. 

Traveler’s Call (Passive): Bard attracts chimes randomly around the map. When Bard moves near a chime, he collects it, gaining 24% movement speed out of combat for 7 seconds, 20 experience, and restoring 12% max mana.

Bard attracts a Meep every 8 seconds (max: 1). Bard’s attacks consume a Meep to deal an additional dealing 35 (+30% of ability power) plus 14 per 5 chimes as magic damage, plus additional effects based on chimes collected.

At five chimes, Meeps also slow by 25% – 75% (depending on the number of chimes) for 1 second.

At 15 chimes, Meeps also hit an area around and behind the enemy.

At 35 chimes, the area is more significant.

This passive effect allows Bard to abuse the upgrades of his basic attacks. This gets stronger, especially when partnered with the hail of blades rune. Another thing that makes Bard viable for an AD build is that he can peel for himself while having the damage he needs to trade hits with other ADC champions.

Bard has his ultimate, which he can use to catch up or disengage from an enemy. He also has his Q, which he can use to stun enemies whenever he is in a fight. To top it all off, when he is playing as an ADC, he can stack multiple instances of his heal beside his tower, so whenever he needs to heal after a trade, he can walk up to one and get back into the fight.

Also check out: LoL Twitch build guide

AD Bard Runes

Precision

Lethal Tempo

This is the update or the season where all basic attack-based champions like ADCs celebrate. This is because Lethal Tempo has been reworked and now works like Conqueror. 

The bonus attack speed per hit and the bonus range when Bard reaches full stack on this rune can be used to his advantage as he can quickly proc the bonus damage of his passive. 

This also gives him more range so he can deal with ADC champions who have much farther range than him.

Triumph

The rune that all AD-based champions need as it will give you that heal you need when exiting a tower dive or a team fight. 

Legend: Alacrity

For bonus attack speed stacking with lethal tempo heavily.

Coup de grace

For extended fights, Bard can deal much more damage to his enemies the lower their HP is. 

Inspiration

Magical Footwear

This allows Bard more flexibility in his gold management. Free gold will give you 500 bonus gold, which you can use to buy early offensive items.

Biscuit Delivery – Biscuit delivery will also give Bard flexibility in his gold management as he doesn’t need to buy early game potions anymore. 

Bonus

• 10% Attack Speed
• 9 Adaptive damage
• 6 Armor

Also Check Out: Best Crowd Control Champions in League of Legends

Mythic Item Options

There is only one mythic item to build for this build, as you will only depend on your attack speed and basic attack to deal damage, and that is Kraken Slayer. You will be stacking attack speed on this build as there is no reliable damage source other than your attack speed and passive. 

Legendary Options

Infinity Edge (Core item)

Infinity Edge will be Bard’s core because he will be relying on his basic attack more than anything for this build. 

Infinity Edge does not only enhance your basic attack by raising the attack damage of your champion. It also gives Bard a critical strike and increases the damage of his critical strikes. 

Bloodthirster

If you follow a bare attack-based champion, the bloodthirster will always be a great partner to infinity edge. 

The buff is received, which gives you a critical strike; now made, this item fits with an attack speed critical strike build even better. 

Rapid Firecanon

Being an ADC sometimes means that enemies will get to disengage, and it will be just a bit out of reach for you to kill them. 

Rapid Firecanon’s unique passive will help the bard catch up to the enemies disengaging from him. If he can’t, he can always use his ultimate to stop enemies from running away.

Phantom Dancer

Like any ADC Champion, you need to have the extra crit and attack speed. And Phantom dancer doesn’t give you just that. 

IT now has the passive ability of guinsoo’s rage blade before. The passive increases your attack speed each time you attack.

Mortal Reminder

Of course, you need to have the means to reduce the healing of your opponents, and because of Bard’s passive that lets him deal AoE damage with his basic attack, he can apply multiple instances of grievous wounds on enemies.

Berserker’s Greaves

These are the only viable boots for this build as you will need all the offensive stats you can get.

Also Check Out: Best AP Support Items in League of Legends

Support vs. AD Bard

Support Bard can be a pivotal champion for his team because of his ultimate. When playing Bard as a support, he can quickly turn the tides of each teamfight with his ultimate. 

Support bard is great at peeling for his allies; he can stun and put stasis on enemies or even his allies. He can also use his magical journey to give his allies an escape route; if enemies follow, they can be surprised with a multiple champion surprise. 

AD bard, however, is a different story as he is the one that will carry the game, though he can be played in a weak side lane because he can peel for himself. 

AD Bard is not advisable because you need great mastery of this build before you can make it effective. So support Bard is still the better pick.

Also check out: Lee Sin InSec guide

Final Thoughts

There are many risks when trying this build; one is because Bard is a pretty squishy champion; one burst can kill him before his ultimate even lands on him. Bard is also very immobile and relies on movement speed to kite enemies. 

Though if there are no assassins, you can try this build. Make sure you have an excellent peel support champion to prevent you from dying too much before reaching your power spike.

Check out our build guide on Rammus in LoL.