Balanced maxing is NOT the optimal way to play sona. If you want to be able to do anything in lane, you need to have a decent damage output and you won't get it by putting points in your heal. That takes down all your damage capabilities and once you get engaged upon, you lose the fight directly with no way to return damage. You won't be able to stop the enemy from all-outing you either because your damage is nullified and you won't be able to poke them low enough.

Concerning the CDR cap, Ionian Boots of Lucidity are usually a waste anyway. Mobility Boots are better in 90% of the games.

Did I forget to respond to that? Sorry, the CDR cap being reached was never intended: it was a result of showing items that you should never expect to be able to get as a support. I provided multiple endgame alternatives but as you will never really pass 2 items, it is unlikely that you will hit the cdr cap, particularly if you start with locket and mikael's, my recommendations.

As to the 'balanced maxing' it is totally valid to max q first for greater burst and poke, or w first if you are behind as I try to explain extensively in the what to max part of the guide. I think it is impossible to say that one is definitively better of that either is better than maxing them side by side, so I suggest balanced maxing with a max of q or w if the situation requires (for w) or permits it (for q).

Nor did I. Sorry about missing the rune part btw, but keep in mind that most people only read the cheat sheet and if that is lacking, there is usually enough reason to downvote (because it does represent the guide quality: if one can't write a decent cheat-sheet, how can they write a good guide?)

On the other hand, you did not respond to my constructive criticism. My points about the CDR cap and the 'balanced maxing' still remain.

I didn't either. I'm curious as to who did.

i did no send pms.

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Plus rep for that post, it takes a real man to apologize.

I am surprised you received 'ten pms of abuse' though. Was it from people other than those who have commented on this thread?

I apologise for the arrogant attitude, that was a result of a late night finishing the guide (my first guiide) with the result of instant negative comments. The focus of my guide was always to offer options: to give a starting point as I tried to comment in every chapter. I think the issues that you raise are largely down to preference.

Where you say that my end build exceeds the cdr cap, the idea was that you will never have more than two of the items that I suggest. (hence never more than 40% cdr)



That is pretty much a quote from my section on runes -.-.

The point on masteries: hm... I decided to swap out scout for a point in mastermind as that seems to be the overwhelming suggestion (while I still think that scout is equally valid) yet I don't really think the extra points are that necessary. Of course they are helpful, but so is every mastery.

Thank you everyone for the advice: I apologise I was unfair last night, I spent a lot of time on the guide and it seems that most people read the cheat sheet and decided it was time to downvote. It was my first guide and I didn't expect people to tell me that my guide was 'wrong' or to receive ten pms of abuse.



Thank you for the only positive comment I received SteppenKat it was nice to receive some advice that didn't start with 'you are wrong' or 'why is your guide so long and bad?'

I have worked with bother mastermind and artificer: I am still undecided as to which I prefer. I will change the guide to what popular opinion seems to demand is best but personally I am still undecided as to whether it is necessarily better.

Level 7 Song of Celerity is also great: I often prefer 8 but it is whatever you think is most useful. At that point in the game, I view the extra damage from a level in q or the added sustain from a level in w to be equally valid to a point in song of celerity. At the very top level they take it a 4 for most games but I am not sure if below challenger that is particularly relevant.

Again thanks for all the comments and I apologize for my harsh comments: I spent a couple of days/nights on the guide and hoped for something other than screams that it was wrong!

Sona's damages at early levels are atrocious so you should definitely max a spell by level 9. I also definitely agree with the point about masteries, not only is Scout the most useless mastery in the game, Flash is essential on Sona and extra cdr on that spell is great.

I would also not even bother with Frozen Heart because the range is quite low and therefore more suited for a bruiser type of champion. You also need an extra slot for wards besides having only a sightstone.

Hybrid pen marks are recommendable as well, and health quints should be considered since GP10 quints aren't THAT good.

Finally, do you even realize that your end game build exceeds the 40% cdr cap BY FAR? Ionians are a complete waste that way.

Sirell is right, you are wrong. Stop trash talking other people's elo when you don't even know better yourself. Your arrogant attitude earns you a -1. Have a nice day.

You have your summoner spells all throughout the game and only have Mikael's Blessing and Locket of the Iron Solari for part of the game IF ANY of the game. Ergo, Mastermind > Artificer . If you look at pro support players in solo queue, the majority of them often barely get past building a philosopher's stone, Ruby Sightstone and boots. Why would I get points into something where I might not even ever use it? Certainty vs Possibility; Certainty wins out here. Also arguably Flash is more consistently stronger than any of the items you listed at saving your life and initiating. Can you initiate with a Mikael's Blessing or Locket of the Iron Solari? At best, a Shurelya's Battlesong or Twin Shadows will give you a good engage, but even then Flash+ Crescendo is a stronger hard engage.

Also, Heal sucks with Sona's kit, since she already has a consistent heal. Other than her ultimate, she has no consistent hard CC, which is why Exhaust is always a good pickup.



So you don't want to max your damage or defence capability? Okay, sounds legit. Not really.



Sorry, but my arguments are based on what other pro players say. You want to argue with me, you can take it up with people like Bloodwater, Krepo, Tabe and Madlife who do the very things I mentioned. Every single one of them take the Mastermind points, they also max skills at 9 and 13 with no exceptions. The only real change is that some take the 1 point in Artificer instead of Improved Recall , because you do actually build active items, after all and you might find that you have no problems recalling.

So before you go off on a ******** tangent about my Elo, maybe you should learn the basic mechanics of the game.

Great guide. Some small details are very revealing (like skill leveling sequence) that tell me you're not a newbie or unexperienced Sona that is trying to do a guide. I personally pick her E at level 7 because it's more likely that then you'll recieve more ganks (since we got Crescendo) and E's powerchord is better to assist your jungler.

I personally run Greater Quintessence of Movement Speed rather than GP10: this is because I focus my game more on warding than actual itemization, which I think in the current meta is a bit overrated after a humble core of Sightstone, Boots and Philosopher's Stone.

This is why I think picking Mastermind over Artificer is stronger as well, because you will not always want to build items with actives while you shall always have the benefit of CDR for your summoner spells.

I agree as well that Sona doesn't have strong counters (only if you misplay), as proper warding and correct poking prevents the risk of being insta-gibbed. Also, if you face an unavoidable kill-lane ( Annie) it's not a bad idea to run Greater Quintessence of Health. I've done it sometimes.

Thanks for the effort and I hope to see more good support guides.

While I agree that the mastermind point is essentially valid: it is entirely okay to take mastermind or artificer (which as I run mikael's and locket in most games is very important) and Scout (Which I think is less useless than you believe). I have two main points: just because you say it is her 'signature move' does not make it 'right' where scout and artificer are 'wrong'. It is a matter of opinion as to your preference. I think the cdr on mikaels and locket is just as if not more important than the cdr on flash where one is 15% on 2 items for the cost of 2 points and the other is only 12% on one ability for 3 points. It is not 'wrong' to not put mastery points into it: it is a preference. That is like saying it is wrong to take exhaust on Sona because heal works slightly better with her kit: ridiculous.

As to your comment on the skill sequence, did you bother to read my analysis? Neither q nor w are worth maxing on Sona: the extra points in each skill are purely situational: both spells have an equal use to sona depending on the situation. Of course you can max a skill at level 9 or 13 but that is a PREFERENCE and only as the game permits.

If you were in Diamond I would accept that you would probably know better than me.
You are at the lower end of silver, which while not necessarily a comment on your ability suggests that you should not be stating your personal preference as fact claiming that my build is 'incorrect'. You are entitled to your view but please don't claim that it is the only view.

Thank you.

No points in Mastermind is wrong. Flash+ Crescendo is a signature move of Sona's. Scout is useless and I don't truly believe Artificer is as useful as it seems. All 3 points should go into Mastermind .

Skill sequence is also incorrect. No skills maxed at level 9 and 13.