If you haven't mastered the FS, AP, AP Nuke and AP Tank build, this guide is not for you as you would be playing her in a radical manner. I spent the whole season 2 mastering every possible build that I can think of, testing every theory that I have in mind and proving that AD Sona is possible!

Meta gamers, better back off if you're here to discriminate. I didn't created this guide for you in the first place. Go stick to your meta. It's alright but leave us non-meta gamers alone. Those who go with the flow will all die with the flow, not having their own standing in life.

Hi and welcome to my guide! Here, I will share my strategy playing as an ADR, AD Tank, and Tank. I know many of you will raise brows on my build but again, if you haven't mastered her with the basic FS and AP build, then I believe it would be very unfair of you to judge this guide negatively. For those of you who are interested and wants to see me in action, you can always contact me.

PROS

CONS

versatile

squishy

can go solotop or mid

vulnerable to ganks

easy to lane with

typecasted as support only

walking fountain

no real escape mechanism

easy to learn(FS)

hard to master(AD)

great build if you win

troll if you loose

jack of all trades(ADR, AD Tank, AP Tank, Tank)

master of one(FS)

With this build, you are aiming or assuming to be an ADR so basically, you need more damage.

For my runes, I always use
and for my masteries

"Why not build her as FS or AP instead?" is the question that I always encounter paired with "Are you sure about that?" and other discriminating remarks. Personally, I started building her as such to basically support my team in pushing the lanes or if the situation calls for another semi-tank, I can take the role. How do I get the gold for my build? Simple, just support the team. It depends on you if you're gonna take the kill or let your ADR/ADC have it. It is true that won't be able to deal enough damage past 30 minutes but it's a case to case basis especially now that her has been nerfed and a lot os S2 items that has been her core(offensive and defensive) has been removed. Still everything would depend on your strategy and playstyle. So practically speaking, your goals are:


1) Assist your team dealing damage to push lanes.

2) Provide visibility, health, movement speed and additional damage.

3) Be prepared to take on a role when necessary.

4) Always be there for the team.

5) Finish the game within 30 minutes(if possible).

For starters, being equipped with , at level 1, you already got 89 damage. Going for the attack speed items would help you farm faster and wreck that turret on your lane. There are three MS items in this build that is essential for you to move from one lane to another. The problem with this setup is that you need timing to land your skills. Avoid getting caught IN a clash. You'll die instantly. Always position yourself to land properly.

I go for this build whenever there are two tanks or three semi-tanks on the opposing team or if I'll go solotop against , , , etc.,(will be discussed here) or if the ADC of the other team had already been fed. and would give you the slow that you need for your team while and would be primary and secondary defensive items. This setup is weak against ability power based damages. Do not use if there are two APCs on the opposing team.

This would be your setup if you are dealing with an AP based team. Since your priority with this build are anti-AP items, it'll be a little hard for you to push lanes. Every champ has a flaw though and finding that flaw is your primary objective against an AP team. As for which lane you're gonna handle, I can only suggest either the top or bottom lane. I can handle mid-lane though.:3

Do not forget that items for a non-FS is situational. Please consult this section when it comes to AP champs.

To be very honest, this is my worst-case-scenario build. I was on a rank game when I first switched to this build. After three minutes, our one and only tank got disconnected. The second and third time was when the actual tanks are incapable of being a tank. Luckily, our jungler knows how to counter-build. With those scenarios, my runes and masteries setup was for an AD .

On some occasions, I intend to play as a Tank if the opposing lineup would deal more damage on an early and mid game. Obviously, a tank runes and masteries setup is necessary whenever this is the case.

This is what I call a perfect Support ADR build. You can deal enough damage while at the same time healing the nearest team-mate better compared to the preceding builds. Your basic source of damage would be which would later on be upgraded to . Be informed though that you only got 135AP(+base AP) for your and you don't have any defensive items.

This was my build way back in Season 2 before I started using and as my core items. How I missed them.. :C

The following are the actual combination of the preceding builds. As I mentioned earlier, items for a non-FS is situtational. Basically, it all boils down on who or what is the threat on your team. Keep in mind that you are playing to win, thus selecting an item for your build is essential to you and your team's survival and victory. As for my personal favorite, it's the Red and Critical Stike Builds. :p

Green Sona

Blue Sona

Red Sona

Yellow Sona

Critical Strike Sona

Believe it or not,

ALL AT THE SAME TIME!

Here's what you can do and get by simply activating a skill:


You and your team gets additional attack damage and ability power (4/8/12/16/20) until you activate another skill. Essential for damagers. An extra +20 damage on each champ including yourself is very useful.


Aside from the heal, you and the team gets armor and magic resistance (6/7/8/9/10) until you activate another skill. This skill would be your defensive advantage against an opposing ADR as you'll get yourself healed by (40/60/80/100/120 + 25% AP). Combine that with lifesteal, critical strike, and staccato , you would be hard to kill.


Running away or chasing someone? This does the job! Combine it with or , you'll surely move as if you got wheels. With the flat effect of (4/8/12/16/20), it is a great help to minions as well since they are affected.


This skill will either save you or would mean the end of the line for the opposing team. 1.5 seconds is a lot of time to change a game.

On an ADR, Hybrid or AD Tank build the only items that would give you a better heal are , , , , , . You may opt not to include an item which has AP on them but if you are with a squishy team, might as well pick one of these.

Semi Tank? Always prioritize your armor from life-increasing items. I always go for first especially if I'm dealing with a high-AD output team.

Way back in Season 2, if I'm dealing with a high AP output team, after my first offensive item, I would pick up , two of them if necessary. That way, it would be as if I'm just toying with them. But since it has been removed, and would do the trick though not as good as .

The thing that I really hate to do is being a Tank. When I do this build, it simply means that we don't have any or our current Tank is inefficient or insufficient. Shifting to a full Tank build from being an ADR or AD Tank, I pick my items depending on the type of team we are dealing with.

The most difficult line up that I had encountered is a Tank team, especially if it's a mix of AD Tank and AP Tank. The most essential weapon that will save your @$$ is the . Pair it with and , it would be a piece of cake. Of course, you still need to be tankish if this would be the case. Another option would be 2 , 2 , and a would do the job though you have to out lane them early on. Reminder, if they're equipped with , NEVER GET AN ; it's a sure-shot ticket to loosing the game.

These are the champs that are playable as ADR, AP or (worst), Hybrid. Make use of your and . Be very careful in dealing with as she has a massive range. As for and , you have to be very concious of your position especially if they are on a pure AP build; they can take you down on a single skillshot. is much more easier to exchange blows with. Just keep your distance and avoid being hit ddirectly with the skillshots. is far more dangerous if itemized as an AP carry even if he's dead. Better keep your distance when he's slain. And the worst champ you don't wanna deal with whether as an AP carry or a Hybrid is that evil . Once your primary offensive item is complete, is the thing that would save you, partially. AN anti-AP build should do the trick.



With the exception of and , all of the above champions has only ONE advantage against you.. THEIR CRITICAL STRIKE. Also, 60% of these ADR's wouldn't utilize a flat-damage runes and masteries setup. Sure they'll have either AS or armor runes but you got as your early game defense. And most probably than not, they would often have , and/or aside from the AS items. A good antidote against them, and a . If they are already fed, try shifting to an AP Tank or pure Tank build. As for , you have to be very careful of and during the early game. With , you have to watch out for his and combination. Also, he is both AD and ADR thanks to his . Unless I'll go for a pure Tank build, he is one of the few champs I haven't learned how to counter yet as an ADR to be very honest.



These are the support champs that has the capability to be built radically, , as an example, is often seen as an AD Tank. As for and , only a few has the guts to deviate from the meta. Moreover, you have to be very cautious. They are support champs and is still one of them. NEVER UNDERESTIMATE those who belong to your class.



There are seven ways to pilot her. She can be FS, AP, AP Tank, Tank, AD Tank, ADR and Hybrid(AP/AD) wherein the FS and AP Tank are the types commonly seen. In the event there is a in the opposing team, always go for the champ that she's supporting. If you'd be able to push her carry off the lane, then she will suffer as well. But if you're gonna deal with another non-meta player, try to read the movements and her stats. There is always a flaw; you also do. You just have to out-wit the other .

Here are the champs that you need to be extremely cautious with during the early and mid stages of the game. Some can still be pushed off lane but whenever these champs are in the opposing team, you need to be in the right position and distance to out-lane them.

Positioning is the key element on pushing these champs off-lane. Patience and timing are also important as you have to wait for the right chance to land your auto-attacks, and on them. I suggest that you focus alone on an anti-AP build whenever they're on board.






Of these eight champs, the ones that you can deal with easily(especially if you're going mid-lane) are , and . Sure you can push them off a bit but in terms of playing safe, you need someone to kill them. I consider and to be the toughest; worst if they are itemized as a hybrid or semi-tank.







These are the champs that are usually itemized as a tank or semi-tank. Also, most of them has enough crowd control and won't even mind your auto-attacks. The champs that you can handle alone during the early stages of the game are , , , , , , and . I suggest that after getting an AS item, build that as soon as you can and start shifting to a semi-tank build.




You just can't handle these guys alone. would be your main weapon against them. Also, positioning is very essential since most of them would depend on a successful landing of their skillshots to finish you off.




They are my personal favorites! should have been included here though. You just have to find it out on yourselves why I didn't do so. :p Excluding , these ADCs are pretty easy to push of lane during the early and mid stages. After getting your first AS and damage item e.g. or , a and a would keep them from focusing on you for sure.:D

With the exception of the pure tank masteries, all of the above setup would give you 89 damage at level 1 with as your starting item. You need to be very thrifty and learn how to maximize your mana. Always make use of your and move a lot. If you are laning with another ADR, irregardless you your partner's runes and masteries setup, you should be able to destroy the turret within 5 minutes or less so you can go to the nearest lane and push it as well. There is a downside on having a long game if you are playing as ADR ; unless you got a good team, you would have a hard time finishing it past 30 minutes. If that happens, you need to shift to either AD Tank or AP Tank if your team is feeding. If it's just a case that you want to play safe, you can simply pick the best tank items for the situation.

Since the S3 changes, it has been a little harder nowadays to play as an ADR ; one of the reason why there is an AD Tank in my build but again equipping her really depends on the situation. Always remember that your focus is to play safe and finish the game the soonest time possible.

I will always be updating this guide for all of you who would want to practice playing as AD . This build is also applicable to some ranged AP and Support champs such as , , , , , and many more. I'm still on the process of mastering them so for the moment you can try the experiments to see what's viable and not. :)

You might have noticed, aside from the stats from the icons and images, I didn't include any stats to help you calculate things up. Learning on how to play her as an AD should be first hand. I just created this guide to help you with the basic stuff like itemizing her and on shifting from one build to another. But for the sake of education, I will be linking every best guide to every champ icon you have seen here. :)

I am not here for approval. You can downvote if you want but again, this guide is clearly not for the metagamers and those who are shallow-minded people as you can see on the discussions.

8/13/2013

In this particular game, I am the Tank, the ADC and the Support all at the same time...

7/24/2013


AD Tank with 60% Critical Strike. ^^ The game wherein I scored 4-7-14 is a Tank build. :)

8/19/2012


I'm on my Hybrid build on these matches. This was a screenshot of my S2 Sona.:)

I would like to apologize to the mobafire admins for the commotion on the discussion section of my guide. I just can't understand why there are people here who'll simply say things against someone's guide just because it's against on what they know.

A million thanks to

RETROBURN!!!!!!!!!

for the corrections that he gave me. He's a great summoner FYI!^^ check this out!!^^ I'm still on the process of convincing him to create a guide on .

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