W***up everyone, mostly no one because who really believes in Ad Bard, Im Thebrojew I have 2 accounts both with rank 7 bard.
GeniAtlas:
https://na.op.gg/summoner/userName=GeniAtlas
BroAtlas:
https://na.op.gg/summoner/userName=BroAtlas

Bard is my go to dude just think he is misunderstood.
*This is my first ever build on here i know its not pretty or perfect no bigs*

No matter what you do bard will be squishy so throw the idea of tanking anything out the window.

Giving yourself ad isnt much use other than for farming purpose,
Ap for runes is almost worse because your ability scaling and eraly game.
Mostly you should look at his kit like utility so cd isnt a bad start.

The best enhancement you can make is a free 20% crit. chance from the beginning of the game.
your early meep crits will hit for around 90 dmg and scales for free as you collect your meeps.

Buying crit items is low key expensive and slow build path meaing you have to play for end game. Forcing your early game to be hard asf and nearly impossible.

To off put the early game carys you can opt for a 15% crit page with either ap glyphs
or 14% crit. with Ad Quints

First back get your basic boots and long sword
with either a dagger or a ward.

Second back: your choice either get zeal and rush rapid fire canon
upgrade boots so you can catch up on meep collecting
or grab last whisper is you need help farming and pokeing down the enemy early

Third back: By now you have some farm and hopefully a kill have hit lvl 6 if not lvl 8-10
first zeal if you didnt grab it already
second the other half of lord doms or the first part depending on situation.
DO NOT upgrade boots wait if you didnt upgrade them already (you decided to go raw dmg or farm so wait) -let the meeps stack up so you can chain them quickly-

After this you have to play to the game

Farming is going to be a chalenge at first dont stress it.

Meeps should be primarily used on the enemy champ to poke them down but with his terrible early ad you may have to use some to farm. Either way this should be your main farming source, save your q for the minions you can kill and stun the enemy, or get double minion kills.

After kills drop shrines and collect meeps. dont back till you really have to.

Lvl 3 ganks are great going top is normally faster due to the long wall you can portal through.

GET THAT TOWER

honestly you can 1v1 squishys by now out play the tanks and roam pretty quickly. After you have mid down and the enemy is going for yours just have your team hold them in mid dancing around while you go top or bot.

You push for a minute then roam on coming back to mid before they gank you. Distracting them for a minute again while the lanes push then rotate around them chasing your pushed up lanes.

Heres when you collect all that yummy gold to keep yourself ahead of the enemy.

Staying with your team is important but recognize when you need everyone and when you really dont need to fight its just wasting time mid.

This isnt gonna feel right at first and its not gonna work right cause you wont know the limits. The more match ups you run the better you can predict for the next game and play 1 step or 2 steps ahead.

Lastly you will be flamed. People will expect you to make every save for them>

DO NOT STRESS IT

you dont have to die as bard but if you do do it to save another team member dont just die with them.

You will have a target on your head, the enemy will underestimate you, you have to use that to your advantage.