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this is by far bard's hardest match up. a good pyke can abuse you in all times of the game and make you feel useless. in this match up though, your window is lanning as you're looking to set the pyke behind. harass early and avoid hooks. stand between minions to dodge his skewer and wiggle in autos when his hook is on cool down. if you can, look for roams and avoid pyke in lane. if you don't feel confident in lane, starting coin would be most optimal as it allows you to get sight stone without having to trade.
Vel'Koz
this is an extremely frustrating matchup as vel'koz beats you in almost every category. he has superior range, higher damage, and more poke. a good vel'koz player can shut you down and make you useless. you want to look to roam and let the enemy team push. rush mobility boots and get other lanes ahead. winning bot isn't much of an option unless you notice that the vel'koz is unable to land any of his skill shots. at level six though, you win the two vs two as long as he does not flash. make sure to stun vel'koz to set up for an easy kill due to his lack of defenses.
Blitzcrank
this is another hard match up for bard. this is because his grab brings you into the enemy team and allows them to kill you instantly. there's ways to beat blitzcrank though as he's similar to pyke. harass early and dodge his hooks. stand right in the minion wave and keep the minion wave close to your turret. start coin over the standard spelltheifs as it's safer and allows you to get the vision upgrade around the same time you would normally.
Brand
this is a rough matchup for bard as brand has high kill threat and lots of poke. I recommend looking to cheese in a brush early and stun him. focus the brand first in two vs twos and burst him before he's able to get his combo off. take another point into w at level three as it gives you a lot more sustain in the early game. rush mercury treads and use your ultimate on him once you hit six. prioritize brand first in fights, as he's really squishy and doesn't have any reliable form of escape.
Xerath
Leona
Poppy
this match up is extremely tough for bard as she is way too tanky. her kit interactions also negate everything bard wants to do. she has a high kill threat level one with her flash stun ignite combo, and can stop you and allies from traveling in your portal with her steadfast presence. the only way to beat her is to avoid any early game cheese in brushes, and harass her as she has little sustain. do not stand close to walls or too far under the enemy turret, as it sets up an easy flash combo play similarly to alistar, but only this time you CAN'T flash away.
Thresh
this match up is skill dependent similarly to morgana. if you can dodge the thresh hooks and punish him with landing a stun, then its heavily in your favor. from levels one to four, thresh wins the two vs two, so its best if you look to shove for the level two first. stand inside the minion wave and avoid standing in brushes too close to him. watch his play style and adapt. if he plays up and aggressive, play more defensively look for a bind if he misses his hook or flay. if he's passive, don't walk up to him unless his hook is on cool down. if you do it sets up for an easy flay hook combo, which ensures an easy kill for him.
Morgana
this match up is skill dependent as it relies on if the morgana can land her bindings. if you can dodge her bindings and stand in the minion wave, it'll make her have little to no kill threat on you. look to shove the lane and hit level two first. avoid standing in the brushes for a long time though, as it gives her an easy set up bind. step in and out of the bushes and bind her if she walks up to far. trade with her when her binding is on cool down.
Karma
this matchup is even, though karma has the advantage throughout lanning phase. look to dodge her soulflares and shove before she's able too. don't let her get the shove, because it then sets her up to get free poke while your ad carry has to last hit. similarly to brand and janna, use your ultimate on her at level six when her shield is on cool down. this ensures that you're able to land your stasis or at least burn a flash. rush redemption in this match up.
Rakan
this is a very skill dependent match up as it depends on how good the rakan player is. if you are playing against a xayah rakan, you should start ancient coin due to not being able to trade or get in range to proc the passive. do not look for fights early unless rakan misses his knockup. play more defensively and react to what he does. it's best to play back due to his strong all in and high kill threat if you misposition.
Yuumi
I have not played enough against yuumi to really understand this match up, but it's definitely yuumi favored in the lanning phase. make sure you rush mobility boots as it makes it harder for yuumi to hit you with her projectile. if they have a heavy poke ad carry like sivir, miss fortune, or ezreal, do not rush mobility boots and instead go the normal mercury treads. you win the two vs two at level six if you can land the ultimate. cast your ultimate at the enemy ad carry as she attaches to them as this sets up for an easy stun. look to shove and gain priority in lane.
Fiddlesticks
Nami
Lulu
Zyra
this match up used to be one of bard's hardest, but ever since the nerfs a while ago and her stance in the meta, she fairs more like karma. I recommend cheesing early in a brush and focusing her with your bind. she's extremely squishy early on and needs the push to be useful until the mid game. push for level two and play the match up as if it's karma. make sure to dodge her roots, and if you can't flash away if you are below thirty five percent health. she has a lot of burst and is usually able to kill you in a full rotation if the roots land.
Maokai
Lux
this is an even match up for bard similarly to morgana, but with more damage and a more reliable shield. she was recently nerfed extremely hard and makes this match up easier to kill. look to get the shove in the lane and stand inside of the minion wave. avoid getting hit with a binding, as it usually results you taking a lot of damage or even dying. at level six, focus her with your ultimate as she's extremely squishy and has no ways of escaping.
Camille
Zilean
Nautilus
this match up is closer to even considering how strong nautilus is in the current meta, but can be abused early. look to cheese early or just play up in the lane. push for level two and make sure you are inside of the minion wave. if you get hooked by nautilus early, you are most likely going to take a very bad trade and make the match up harder for yourself. make sure to harass nautilus and get him low so that it forces him to either recall or engage with lower resources.
Gragas
Braum
this is an easy match up for bard early. the later the game gets, it becomes more braum favored though. look to harass braum from the start of the game. dodge his winters bite and stun him when he goes to get relic sheild procs. stand in the minion wave and wiggle in autos when he steps up too far. in the mid game, look to roam and set your team up before braum is able to be a more reliable tank.
Alistar
this is an easy match up similarly to braum. look to harass early and shove for level two. make sure you have lane priority and are at the enemies tower, as it forces alistar to stay in lane. look to rush mobility boots and stay at the enemy tower for most of the lane. take the demolish rune and stack free tower plates. each plate grants 160 gold and is a huge win if you're able to get majority of them before fourteen minutes. make sure you are not too close to the tower though as it gives alistar a free flash knock up headbutt into the turret. back off from the tower when there's less than 3 minions.
Tahm Kench
Pantheon
Veigar
Taric
Ornn
Shen
Elise
Sion
Trundle
Volibear
Neeko
Janna
this is one of the easiest matchups for bard. janna has no kill threat and minor poke. look to auto her frequently when her passive movement speed is up to ensure that she's slower and easier to hit with your ultimate. when level six, use your ultimate on janna and stun her with bind. make sure to ignite before she gets her ultimate off as it reduces the healing.
Sona
this is a fairly easy match up. sona has little kill threat and you do everything she can but better. look to trade early and focus her in two vs twos. cheesing early can net in a huge snowball for the lane and is something I recommend doing to limit her sustain. look to focus her with your ultimate at level six and bind her to set up an easy kill.
Miss Fortune
Galio
Soraka
this is by far the easiest match up for bard. look to cheese early and shove for level two. soraka is extremely weak early on, and you have enough damage to get her in lethal range after a few bindings and autos. make sure to dodge her starcall though even if it was recently nerfed. exploit her in lane and use your ultimate on her once level six. make sure to ignite her before she uses wish.
Draven
this synergy is scary strong early game and draven can play super far forward with bard. no bottom lane can match in damage which makes this duo so lethal.
Lucian
Sivir
this synergy is extremely high, mainly due to the strength of sivir and how much utility she can provide for bard. her boomerang can be casted when bard lands a bind and sets up for a great reliable way to poke the enemy out. she has a strong lanning phase if she gets the shove and scales even better once she hits three items. this gives bard the opportunity to roam and make plays on the map without having to babysit sivir and stay in lane.
Miss Fortune
Caitlyn
this synergy is extremely strong early similarly to draven, but scales better into the later phases. your bind and ultimate set up easy traps for caitlyn and can let her get her full rotation off.
Jhin
this combo is probably my favorite to play, as jhin's able to set up bard and vise versa. the constant poke and cc both champions provide make lanning annoying for the enemy team. it's extremely oppressive if both champions can land their abilities and get a snowball going.
Varus
Kalista
Ashe
Yasuo
Tristana
Kai'Sa
Swain
Jinx
Vayne
Ezreal
this synergy is low considering how both champions want to play the game. ezreal wants to farm and doesn't provide much in damage or cc. though if the ezreal is super aggressive and lands his poke, then this synergy can be oppressive into weaker bottom match ups.
Xayah
Kog'Maw
Ziggs
Vladimir
Cassiopeia
Twitch
Karma
Synergies
IdealStrongOkLowNone
Draven
this synergy is scary strong early game and draven can play super far forward with bard. no bottom lane can match in damage which makes this duo so lethal.
Lucian
Sivir
this synergy is extremely high, mainly due to the strength of sivir and how much utility she can provide for bard. her boomerang can be casted when bard lands a bind and sets up for a great reliable way to poke the enemy out. she has a strong lanning phase if she gets the shove and scales even better once she hits three items. this gives bard the opportunity to roam and make plays on the map without having to babysit sivir and stay in lane.
Miss Fortune
Caitlyn
this synergy is extremely strong early similarly to draven, but scales better into the later phases. your bind and ultimate set up easy traps for caitlyn and can let her get her full rotation off.
Jhin
this combo is probably my favorite to play, as jhin's able to set up bard and vise versa. the constant poke and cc both champions provide make lanning annoying for the enemy team. it's extremely oppressive if both champions can land their abilities and get a snowball going.
Varus
Kalista
Ashe
Yasuo
Tristana
Kai'Sa
Swain
Jinx
Vayne
Ezreal
this synergy is low considering how both champions want to play the game. ezreal wants to farm and doesn't provide much in damage or cc. though if the ezreal is super aggressive and lands his poke, then this synergy can be oppressive into weaker bottom match ups.
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