Support Matchup

Bard vs Zilean

Patch: 15.24 (25.24)
League: Platinum+
Bard

Bard

the Wandering Caretaker
Support
Bard Support Overall Win Rate
51.13%

Matchup Win Rate

48.4%
Bard vs Zilean Wins
⚔
51.7%
Zilean vs Bard Wins
Zilean

Zilean

the Chronokeeper
Support
Zilean Support Overall Win Rate
51.61%

Bard vs Zilean - Support Matchup Guide Patch 15.24 (25.24)

Bard Support vs Zilean Support - Who is stronger?

Bard Support has trouble against Zilean (48.4% win rate) based on 610 games. This is a tough matchup for Bard players.

View detailed statistics below: items, runes, and counter builds for Bard Support vs Zilean Support in patch 15.24 (25.24), including win rates and pick rates. With proper study, this can improve your chances of victory up to 70%+ in this matchup.

Statistical Matchup Analysis

Bard dominates the meta (12th most popular, 5.7% pick rate) and regularly clashes with Zilean (2.3% pick rate). Understanding this common matchup forms the foundation of consistent gameplay for one of support's current powerhouses. Surprising upset: Despite Bard's higher tier rating, Zilean wins 51.7% of encounters. This suggests Zilean's kit specifically counters Bard's playstyle, overriding general meta strength - approach this matchup with extra caution. Every edge matters: In this tough matchup, the proven Electrocute + Cheap Shot combination (65.1% win rate) plus optimal itemization Dead Man's Plate, Liandry's Torment, Wit's End, and Boots of Swiftness boosts your chances from 48.4% to 70%+ - potentially game-changing.

Vision advantage: Despite losing the direct matchup, Bard's superior warding (0.96 wards/min, 11th among supports) can swing team fights and objectives in your favor. Damage doesn't equal wins: Bard outputs more damage (466 vs 365/min, 2nd place) but still loses the matchup. The issue likely lies in survivability, mobility, or damage timing rather than raw output. Complete dominance by Zilean: leads in both matchup win rate (51.7%) and KDA (3.30 vs 3.00, 4th vs 7th place). Bard players need exceptional preparation to overcome this counter-pick.

Bard vs Zilean - Support Stats Comparison

Bard Support
Bard Support		Versus
Zilean Support
Zilean Support
STierA+
48.4%Matchup Winrate51.7%
51.13%Role Winrate51.61%
#14Winrate Rank#9
5.7%Pickrate2.3%
3.0Average KDA3.3
303Gold per Minute298
0.96Wards per Minute0.81
466Damage per Minute365

How to Beat Zilean as Bard (Support)

Despite the slight difference in effectiveness, in the Bard versus Zilean matchup as support, neither champion has an overwhelming advantage. The winner is determined by player skill and understanding the intricacies of the confrontation. Studying this guide will improve your chances of success.

Bard deals mixed damage - the opponent has fewer options for defense. Meanwhile, Zilean deals primarily magic damage (78.78%), additional magic resistance may be required.

An important advantage of Bard is superior vision control (ranked 11th among supports) (versus 42nd for Zilean), which provides better map control and safety for the team in important map areas. Meanwhile, their higher KDA (3.3 versus 3.0) suggests they participate more effectively in team fights.

Key aspects of the Bard Support versus Zilean Support matchup

In this difficult confrontation, it is critically important for the Bard player to avoid attempts to force trades and all-ins with the Zilean player, as the matchup requires a patient and calculated approach. Extended trades without clear tactical advantage often lead to unfavorable consequences, and ignoring opportunities to receive team support can be a fatal mistake for game progression.

Bard vs Zilean: Support Summoner Spells

Most Popular

Flash
Flash Teleports you a short distance toward your cursor.
Ignite
Ignite Deals true damage over time to target enemy champion and reduces healing effects on them for the duration.
53.1% Win Rate79.4% Pick Rate

Highest Win Rate

Flash
Flash Teleports you a short distance toward your cursor.
Ignite
Ignite Deals true damage over time to target enemy champion and reduces healing effects on them for the duration.
53.1% Win Rate79.4% Pick Rate

Bard vs Zilean: Support Runes

Most Frequent Runes

Primary Path
Domination
Electrocute
Electrocute Hitting a champion with 3 separate attacks or abilities within 3s deals bonus adaptive damage.

Damage: 70 - 240 (+0.1 bonus AD, +0.05 AP) damage.
Cooldown: 20s

'We called them the Thunderlords, for to speak of their lightning was to invite disaster.'

Electrocute

Hitting a champion with 3 separate attacks or abilities within 3s deals bonus adaptive da…

Cheap Shot
Cheap Shot Damaging champions with impaired movement or actions deals 10 - 45 bonus true damage (based on level).

Cooldown: 4s
Activates on damage occurring after the impairment.

Cheap Shot

Damaging champions with impaired movement or actions deals 10 - 45 bonus true d…

Deep Ward
Deep Ward Your wards in the enemy jungle are Deep. Deep wards gain +1 extra Health and +[30 - 45]s increased duration (+[45 - 150]s for Trinket stealth wards).

Level 9: Wards in the river are also Deep.

Deep Ward

Your wards in the enemy jungle are Deep. Deep wards gain +1 extra Health and +[…

Relentless Hunter
Relentless Hunter Gain 8 Move Speed out of combat per Bounty Hunter stack. Bounty Hunter stacks are earned the first time you get a takedown on each enemy champion.

Relentless Hunter

Gain 8 Move Speed out of combat per Bounty Hunter stack. Bounty Hunter stacks a…

Secondary Path
Sorcery
Celerity
Celerity All movement bonuses are 7% more effective on you and gain 1% Move Speed.

Celerity

All movement bonuses are 7% more effective on you and gain 1% Move Speed.

Scorch
Scorch Your next damaging ability hit sets champions on fire dealing 20 - 40 bonus magic damage based on level after 1s.

Cooldown: 10s

Scorch

Your next damaging ability hit sets champions on fire dealing 20 - 40 bonus mag…

Adaptive
Attack Speed
Attack Speed Increases attack speed by 10%

Attack Speed

Increases attack speed by 10%

Adaptive Force
Adaptive Force Grants 9 Attack Damage or 9 Ability Power

Adaptive Force

Grants 9 Attack Damage or 9 Ability Power

+65 Health
+65 Health +65 Health

+65 Health

+65 Health

56.3% Win Rate48.3% Pick Rate

Best Win Rate Runes

Primary Path
Domination
Electrocute
Electrocute Hitting a champion with 3 separate attacks or abilities within 3s deals bonus adaptive damage.

Damage: 70 - 240 (+0.1 bonus AD, +0.05 AP) damage.
Cooldown: 20s

'We called them the Thunderlords, for to speak of their lightning was to invite disaster.'

Electrocute

Hitting a champion with 3 separate attacks or abilities within 3s deals bonus adaptive da…

Cheap Shot
Cheap Shot Damaging champions with impaired movement or actions deals 10 - 45 bonus true damage (based on level).

Cooldown: 4s
Activates on damage occurring after the impairment.

Cheap Shot

Damaging champions with impaired movement or actions deals 10 - 45 bonus true d…

Deep Ward
Deep Ward Your wards in the enemy jungle are Deep. Deep wards gain +1 extra Health and +[30 - 45]s increased duration (+[45 - 150]s for Trinket stealth wards).

Level 9: Wards in the river are also Deep.

Deep Ward

Your wards in the enemy jungle are Deep. Deep wards gain +1 extra Health and +[…

Relentless Hunter
Relentless Hunter Gain 8 Move Speed out of combat per Bounty Hunter stack. Bounty Hunter stacks are earned the first time you get a takedown on each enemy champion.

Relentless Hunter

Gain 8 Move Speed out of combat per Bounty Hunter stack. Bounty Hunter stacks a…

Secondary Path
Resolve
Bone Plating
Bone Plating After taking damage from an enemy champion, the next 3 spells or attacks you receive from them deal 30-60 (based on level) less damage.

Duration: 1.5s
Cooldown: 55s

Bone Plating

After taking damage from an enemy champion, the next 3 spells or attacks you re…

Unflinching
Unflinching Gain 6 - 12 (level scaling) Armor and Magic Resist when crowd controlled and for 2 seconds after.

Unflinching

Gain 6 - 12 (level scaling) Armor and Magic Resist when crowd controlled and fo…

Adaptive
Attack Speed
Attack Speed Increases attack speed by 10%

Attack Speed

Increases attack speed by 10%

Adaptive Force
Adaptive Force Grants 9 Attack Damage or 9 Ability Power

Adaptive Force

Grants 9 Attack Damage or 9 Ability Power

+65 Health
+65 Health +65 Health

+65 Health

+65 Health

65.1% Win Rate5.2% Pick Rate

Bard vs Zilean: Support Item Builds

Most Popular Build

Starting Items
Stealth Ward
Stealth Ward (0 gold) Active (210 - 120s, max 2 charges)
Places an Invisible Stealth Ward that grants vision for 90-120 seconds.
World Atlas
World Atlas (400 gold)
Health Potion
Health Potion (50 gold) Consume
Restores 120 Health over 15 seconds.
50.9% Win Rate71.1% Pick Rate
Popular Boots
Boots of Swiftness
Boots of Swiftness (1000 gold) 60 Move Speed
Fleetfooted
Reduce the effectiveness of Slows by 25%.
54.9% Win Rate60.5% Pick Rate
Symbiotic Soles
Symbiotic Soles (900 gold) 40 Move Speed
Voidborn
Gain Empowered Recall.
Symbiosis
After traveling 150000 units of distance, transform into Synchronized Souls.
48.7% Win Rate17.5% Pick Rate
Ionian Boots of Lucidity
Ionian Boots of Lucidity (900 gold) 10 Ability Haste
45 Move Speed
Ionian Insight
Gain 10 Summoner Spell Haste.
43.9% Win Rate10.4% Pick Rate
Core Build
Winged Moonplate
Winged Moonplate (800 gold) 200 Health
4% Move Speed
->
Dead Man's Plate
Dead Man's Plate (2900 gold) 350 Health
55 Armor
4% Move Speed
Shipwrecker
While moving, build up to 20 bonus Move Speed. Your next Attack discharges built up Move Speed to deal bonus physical damage.
Unsinkable
Reduce the effectiveness of Slows by 25%.
Liandry's Torment
Liandry's Torment (3000 gold) 70 Ability Power
300 Health
Torment
Damaging Abilities burn enemies for 2% max Health magic damage per second for 3 seconds.
Suffering
For each second in combat with enemy champions, deal 2% bonus damage, up to 6%.
Wit's End
Wit's End (2800 gold) 50% Attack Speed
45 Magic Resist
20% Tenacity
Fray
Attacks deal bonus magic damageOn-Hit.
20.0% Win Rate7.0% Pick Rate
Final Build
Knight's Vow
Knight's Vow (2300 gold) 200 Health
40 Armor
10 Ability Haste
100% Base Health Regen
Sacrifice
While near your Worthy ally, take 12% of the damage they receive and heal for 10% of the damage they deal to champions.Pledge (0s)
Designate an ally as Worthy.
0.0% Win Rate12.5% Pick Rate

Best Win Rate Build

Starting Items
Stealth Ward
Stealth Ward (0 gold) Active (210 - 120s, max 2 charges)
Places an Invisible Stealth Ward that grants vision for 90-120 seconds.
World Atlas
World Atlas (400 gold)
64.8% Win Rate6.4% Pick Rate
Highest Winrate Boots
Mercury's Treads
Mercury's Treads (1250 gold) 20 Magic Resist
45 Move Speed
30% Tenacity
66.2% Win Rate4.5% Pick Rate
Boots of Swiftness
Boots of Swiftness (1000 gold) 60 Move Speed
Fleetfooted
Reduce the effectiveness of Slows by 25%.
54.9% Win Rate60.5% Pick Rate
Sorcerer's Shoes
Sorcerer's Shoes (1100 gold) 12 Magic Penetration
45 Move Speed
50.1% Win Rate0.6% Pick Rate
Core Build
Chain Vest
Chain Vest (800 gold) 40 Armor
->
Dead Man's Plate
Dead Man's Plate (2900 gold) 350 Health
55 Armor
4% Move Speed
Shipwrecker
While moving, build up to 20 bonus Move Speed. Your next Attack discharges built up Move Speed to deal bonus physical damage.
Unsinkable
Reduce the effectiveness of Slows by 25%.
Liandry's Torment
Liandry's Torment (3000 gold) 70 Ability Power
300 Health
Torment
Damaging Abilities burn enemies for 2% max Health magic damage per second for 3 seconds.
Suffering
For each second in combat with enemy champions, deal 2% bonus damage, up to 6%.
Wit's End
Wit's End (2800 gold) 50% Attack Speed
45 Magic Resist
20% Tenacity
Fray
Attacks deal bonus magic damageOn-Hit.
100.0% Win Rate1.4% Pick Rate
Final Build
Shadowflame
Shadowflame (3200 gold) 110 Ability Power
15 Magic Penetration
Cinderbloom
Magic and true damageCritically Strikes enemies below 40% Health, dealing 20% increased damage.
99.3% Win Rate12.5% Pick Rate
Other Items
Shadowflame
Shadowflame (3200 gold) 110 Ability Power
15 Magic Penetration
Cinderbloom
Magic and true damageCritically Strikes enemies below 40% Health, dealing 20% increased damage.
99.3% Win Rate12.5% Pick Rate
Lich Bane
Lich Bane (3200 gold) 115 Ability Power
4% Move Speed
10 Ability Haste
Spellblade
After using an Ability, your next Attack deals bonus magic damageOn-Hit.
98.7% Win Rate12.5% Pick Rate
Nashor's Tooth
Nashor's Tooth (3000 gold) 80 Ability Power
50% Attack Speed
15 Ability Haste
Icathian Bite
Attacks deal bonus magic damageOn-Hit.
98.3% Win Rate12.5% Pick Rate
Rabadon's Deathcap
Rabadon's Deathcap (3600 gold) 130 Ability Power
Magical Opus
Increases your total Ability Power by 30%.
98.6% Win Rate12.4% Pick Rate
Mikael's Blessing
Mikael's Blessing (2300 gold) 250 Health
100% Base Mana Regen
12% Heal and Shield Power
15 Ability Haste
Purify
Remove all crowd control debuffs (excluding Airborne and Suppression) from an ally champion and restore 100 - 250 Health.
98.7% Win Rate12.4% Pick Rate
Rylai's Crystal Scepter
Rylai's Crystal Scepter (2600 gold) 65 Ability Power
400 Health
Rimefrost
Damaging Abilities Slow enemies by 30% for 1 second.
0.0% Win Rate12.4% Pick Rate

Bard vs Zilean: Support Skill (abilities) Orders

Most Frequent Skill Order

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
Q
Q
Cosmic Binding Bard fires a missile which will slow the first enemy struck, and continue onward. If it strikes a wall, it will stun the initial target; if it strikes another enemy, it will stun them both.
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
W
W
Caretaker's Shrine Reveals a Health shrine which powers up over a short time, disappearing after healing and speeding up the first ally that touches it.
W
W
W
W
W
E
E
Magical Journey Bard opens a portal in nearby terrain. Allies and enemies alike can take a one-way trip through that terrain by moving into the portal.
E
E
E
E
E
R
R
Tempered Fate Bard sends spirit energy arcing to a location, putting all champions, minions, monsters, and turrets hit into stasis for a brief time.
R
R
R
Max Order: Q > W > E
50.9% Win Rate72.3% Pick Rate

Highest Win % Skill Order

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
R
Q
Cosmic Binding Bard fires a missile which will slow the first enemy struck, and continue onward. If it strikes a wall, it will stun the initial target; if it strikes another enemy, it will stun them both.
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
R
W
Caretaker's Shrine Reveals a Health shrine which powers up over a short time, disappearing after healing and speeding up the first ally that touches it.
W
W
W
W
W
R
E
Magical Journey Bard opens a portal in nearby terrain. Allies and enemies alike can take a one-way trip through that terrain by moving into the portal.
E
E
E
E
E
R
R
Tempered Fate Bard sends spirit energy arcing to a location, putting all champions, minions, monsters, and turrets hit into stasis for a brief time.
R
R
R
Max Order: Q > W > E
90.9% Win Rate1.0% Pick Rate

Bard tips:

  • It's important to collect chimes to improve your meep's attacks, but don't neglect your lane partner! Try to make a big entrance by bringing an ally into the lane with you with Magical Journey.
  • Let your Caretaker's Shrines charge up - they heal for a lot more when at full power.
  • Don't forget that enemies can also use your Magical Journey doorways, and that your ultimate can also hit your allies!

Playing Against Zilean

  • If you're able to match Zilean's speed, it can sometimes be beneficial to wait until his ultimate has faded before landing the killing blow.
  • Zilean is fragile if a team focuses on him, but otherwise he's very difficult to kill. Commit to killing him as a team.

Bard Support other Matchups

Bard
+4.6%
Rakan

Bard vs Rakan

Bard
+3.5%
Janna

Bard vs Janna

Bard
+3.5%
Soraka

Bard vs Soraka

Bard
+3.4%
Tahm Kench

Bard vs Tahm Kench

Bard
+3.4%
Vel'Koz

Bard vs Vel'Koz

Bard
+3.1%
Mel

Bard vs Mel

Bard
+2.9%
Yuumi

Bard vs Yuumi

Bard
+2.5%
Pantheon

Bard vs Pantheon

Bard
+2.1%
Leona

Bard vs Leona

Bard
+2.1%
Morgana

Bard vs Morgana

Bard
+2.0%
Nami

Bard vs Nami

Bard
+2.0%
Braum

Bard vs Braum

Bard
+2.0%
Rell

Bard vs Rell

Bard
+1.9%
Lulu

Bard vs Lulu

Bard
+1.4%
Alistar

Bard vs Alistar

Bard
+1.3%
Karma

Bard vs Karma

Bard
+1.2%
Thresh

Bard vs Thresh

Bard
+1.1%
Blitzcrank

Bard vs Blitzcrank

Bard
+1.0%
Nautilus

Bard vs Nautilus

Bard
+0.9%
Lux

Bard vs Lux

Bard
+0.8%
Pyke

Bard vs Pyke

Bard
-0.1%
Seraphine

Bard vs Seraphine

Bard
-0.6%
Neeko

Bard vs Neeko

Bard
-1.1%
Poppy

Bard vs Poppy

Bard
-2.0%
Swain

Bard vs Swain

Bard
-2.3%
Xerath

Bard vs Xerath

Bard
-2.5%
Zyra

Bard vs Zyra

Bard
-2.7%
Senna

Bard vs Senna

Bard
-2.9%
Milio

Bard vs Milio

Bard
-3.4%
Sona

Bard vs Sona

Bard
-6.2%
Fiddlesticks

Bard vs Fiddlesticks