I'm a Bard fan, I've been playing it basically since it came out. On my old account I even played it on honey at platinum level with success. Now, after a long break and returning to a new account, I decided to write a guide to this character. I am of the opinion that the standard Bard build is great, but at the same time very boring. The truth is that other builds on it work very well and unless you play at Master level, you can use other options with peace of mind.

- Use your E when you return to the fountain. This allows you to shorten a large distance in a short time, plus it will make it easier for your allies to get back on line.

- It is worth using your Q towards the minion, which has very little HP. Your opponent will think you want to kill it. At this point, your ADC should kill it so that the Q will fly behind the killed minion and perform an unpredictable stun.

- To use your E, you don't have to be close to the wall. This is the categorical mistake of every beginning Bard player. Your E can be used from a long distance, remember that!

- Your R is perfect for negging the Herald. As he's about to leap towards the tower, throw R at the turret to negate all damage.

- Remember to use your W even if you are not fighting. You can place a maximum of 3 altars, so don't forget to place them.

- Your W gives you vision for a short moment. The perfect tool for facecheck.

- If you don't have mana, go to the journey and take ur chimes!

General Tips
Bard is a champion that requires roaming to get the most potential out of him because of his passive ability. The problem is that a very large number of Bard players don't know when to do this to be effective and safe, both for you and your team (especially for your ADC). It is a good idea to let your ADC know at the outset that you are going to roam. Also, it is best to do this when the enemy bot is standing under the tower and they are being pushed hard. They cannot afford to lose so many minions. Also, roam when the enemy bot is dead.

Early game
Be sure to collect 3 bells before 1:30. They usually respawn not far from you. This will allow you to get lvl 2 much faster. Try to poke opponents from the very beginning. Place your altars after hitting level 2 in different places so that opponents can't easily destroy three at once. Use your portal when an enemy jungler appears. Once the bot is safe, start stacking your passive and roam.

Mid game
After laning phase, you should participate in most teamfights. Your ultimate is an absolute gamechanger. When you are at a disadvantage, use R to disable the biggest threats (e.g. fed Kha) for 2.5 seconds. When you are in a much better situation, use R on as many opponents as possible. Once you're done with R, use Q to keep your opponents from running away. Stack your passive as much as possible.

Late game
In the late game, having a full build, you should be able to use your skils as often as possible. Don't waste your R for nothing, because this skill will allow you to win even the toughest duels. For example, if your carry gets R from Zed, throw R towards him. If you're on the losing end, use the portal to escape with your team. At this stage, traveling through the portal for allies is much faster. Try your best to clear your vision and control the objectives. If you're going for Baron or Drake, it's better to use R on the enemy jungler instead of just Baron or Drake.