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[Champion] Sona

Forum Index > LoL Strategy
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NeoIllusions
Profile Blog Joined December 2002
United States37500 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-01-15 22:32:53
November 04 2010 08:05 GMT
#1
Sona, Maven of Strings

Sona brings her team a very strong early dual lane presence. Late game, she serves as a mini-fountain, providing her allies an array of support and utility. Sona is a prime candidate for any push team composition.

=====

No longer the support powerhouse she once was when she was released, Sona has numbers have been nerfed as well as the removal of her key item, Innervating Locket. These nerfs have sent Sona down the support rankings as a result.

Summoner Skills: Exhaust/Ghost
Masteries: 9 0 21

Runes:
Quints: Flat HP
Red: Magic Pen
Yellow: Mana per 5 per Level
Blue: Mana per 5 per Level

Skill Order: WQWEWR, R > W > Q > E
Item Build: Doran's Ring + hp potion => Doran's Ring + Boots => Tear of the Goddess => Aegis, Shurelya's Reverie, Soul Shroud (pick 2) => Zhonya's Hourglass => Archangel's Staff

Sona is no longer able to snowball as hard as before. Thus, building her AP heavy is not as viable. Her Q was nerfed both on base damage and AP ratio, making it a second skill choice compared to her heal. Building Sona primarily as a support role now makes more sense. Having Archangel's and Zhonya's late game allows Sona to not fall off into the dead-weight void.

+ Show Spoiler [Old Sona build from previous patches] +
Summoner Skills: Ghost/Clarity (preferred), Ghost/Clarity/Teleport/CV/Flash
Ghost/Clarity is what I prefer to run. You definitely need one skill in either Ghost or Flash for escaping/chasing purposes. Second skill is dependent on what your team needs. Clarity allows for stronger lane duration. Teleport can change the tide of any team fight when your allies suddenly has a healer with an AOE ulti. CV is good to keep an eye on enemy junglers and Dragon/Baron.

Masteries: 9 0 21
Standard 9 0 21 for Casters/Support. Be sure to select your upgraded Summoner Skill bonus depending on which Skills you have selected.

Runes:
Quints: Flat HP
Red: Magic Pen
Yellow: Mana per 5 per Level
Blue: Ability Power per Level

Flat HP for more survivability (Sona is rather squishy). Magic pen for a stronger Q attack. Mana Regen is needed so you can aura dance late game. I used to run CDR for Glyphs but I found that the extra 1 second between auras tend to not make much of a difference. Only real situation I needed a faster aura was for W for a quicker heal. But for the most part, CDR doesn’t make that much of a difference, so AP/Level instead.

Skill Order: QWQWQR, one point in E at level 10, R > Q > W > E (preferred) -OR-
QWWQWR, one point in E at level 10, R > W > Q > E
Item Build: Meki Pendant + 2 HP Pots => Tear of the Goddess + Boots => Mejai’s Soulstealer => Merc Treads => Mana Manipulator => Innervating Locket => Soul Shroud => Archangel’s Staff => Banshee or GA

Playstyle
Always start out with Q. While you’re at your fountain, activate Q 3 times to enable your Passive. You want to start out aggressive early on in lane.

The bottom lane composition will determine if you max Q or W first. In very obvious scenarios:
~ Sona + Twisted Fate vs Gangplank + Cho’Gath => Max Q first
The enemy is double melee vs your double range. It’s very unlikely they’ll be able to harass you or your ally. A high level of Q means you can zone them farther away from the creeps
~ Sona + Shen vs Janna + Taric => Max W first
Both sides have a Ranged and Melee, both sides have at least one healer. Chances of your team successfully harassing a Janna or Taric is very minimal. But at the same time, Taric can stun Shen, Shatter, allow Janna to auto attack with her Bubble up and Zephyr for a slow. Overall, it can be a considerable burst at levels 3 and 5. In this situation, max W sooner to heal Shen and it allows you to harass more in return, knowing you can heal yourself more too.

By midgame, Q and W should be near equal levels anyways, since you are heavily ignoring E. The skills you decide to invest in during levels 5, 7 and 9 can make a big difference during laning phase.

Midgame, you should have your Tear and Soulstealer done, so you’re building for Team Fights, Locket and Shroud. Q whenever you can in team fights so you’re assured at least 1 Mejai’s stack per assist.
Be sure to have Q as the main active aura when you are pounding on towers. Have W as your main active aura when you are sieging (to minimize enemy poking spells).

Late game, you faceroll QWE constantly, thanks to a built up Tear. Your Ultimate is what can turn the tides of a team fight in a matter of seconds. 3 situations where you use your ulti:
1. If you see the enemy grouped in the jungle, turn on E to speed up your team, Ghost/Flash in and Ulti all 5 enemies and begin the fight. Standard team fight ulti
2. Your team has been caught semi-out-of-position. Galio flashed in and started Idol of Durand. Your carry was too close to your tank and caught in the Galio Ulti. Use your ulti immediately in response. Two reasons, first you need to break the Galio Ulti somehow to allow your Carry to retreat and get into position. Second following Galio Ulti, the chances of the enemy charging in is very high, position yourself so you can AOE the entire enemy team while breaking Galio. Ulti to counter enemy initator’s Ulti
3. Olaf is caught trying to steal your side’s Golem. You have 3 teammates with you while your Carry is in a lane farming. You can ulti Olaf if your team is ready to kill. Ulti an enemy that is completely out of position but only if your team can net the kill

Tips
- During laning phase, practice “dancing” with Sona. That means stay in the brush, move close to enemy champions and activate Q. As soon as Q activates, move back. Q has a priority to hit champions over minions. Move in close to get into the champion’s range but then run back to avoid any spells thrown at you in return.
- Watch your passive. Whenever it is up, use it to auto attack harass the enemy. In tandem with Q harass, your passive can easily whittle down most enemy casters/support. Last hit with your passive only if you have no other choice (they are tower hugging and you don’t want to fall behind in farm)
- If you run Teleport, you can Teleport to wards and easily turn a fight in your favor. Teleport on ward, Ghost or E in, W to heal once you're in range. Then bide your time for your Ulti. If the enemy team is all running, try and position yourself where you can snare as many of them in a line.
- Whenever you are at home, spam your spells! These are freebie charges on your Tear. Typically you can get 3 to 5 Tear charges while you're at home healing. On the occasion where you are 20 gold short on an item, you may want to stay home and wait for gold to accumulate. Spam your spells while you wait!
ModeratorFor the Glory that is TeamLiquid (-9 | 155) | Discord: NeoIllusions#1984
Southlight
Profile Blog Joined August 2007
United States11767 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-11-04 08:09:22
November 04 2010 08:08 GMT
#2
I hear there's this jackass that runs Exhaust/Ghost, flat armor Quints/Marks/Seals + flat MR glyphs, and 1/21/8.

Edit:
This jackass also levels W first, charges it twice in fountain, and comes to lane.
oraoraoraoraoraoraoraora
HeavOnEarth
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
United States7087 Posts
November 04 2010 08:18 GMT
#3
does this jackass start with a u and end in tahime?
"come korea next time... FXO house... 10 korean, 10 korean"
Southlight
Profile Blog Joined August 2007
United States11767 Posts
November 04 2010 08:19 GMT
#4
The jackass is shrouded in a cloak of secrecy.
oraoraoraoraoraoraoraora
NeoIllusions
Profile Blog Joined December 2002
United States37500 Posts
November 04 2010 08:22 GMT
#5
What's reason for Exhaust on Sona?
ModeratorFor the Glory that is TeamLiquid (-9 | 155) | Discord: NeoIllusions#1984
STS17
Profile Joined April 2010
United States1817 Posts
November 04 2010 08:25 GMT
#6
You mention using your ulti on top of an enemy galio's ulti to cancel it and catch more of their team. It is also worth mentioning that when your friendly galio ultis it is worth it to wait a second and cast yours over his, this ensures those who intended to cleanse / flash out can not and allows galio to do his full damage while adding to the time your team is beating on helpless enemy players. It's allowed my teams to win countless engagements we shouldn't have been able to.
Platinum Level Terran - Take my advice from that perspective
Southlight
Profile Blog Joined August 2007
United States11767 Posts
November 04 2010 08:27 GMT
#7
On November 04 2010 17:22 NeoIllusions wrote:
What's reason for Exhaust on Sona?


Closest thing to an additional disable... Sona scales terrible late-game, might as well take a summoner spell that has one of the best late-game scaling.

Doesn't hurt that you can troll the fuck out of people during laning with it :p
oraoraoraoraoraoraoraora
NeoIllusions
Profile Blog Joined December 2002
United States37500 Posts
November 04 2010 08:27 GMT
#8
On November 04 2010 17:25 STS17 wrote:
You mention using your ulti on top of an enemy galio's ulti to cancel it and catch more of their team. It is also worth mentioning that when your friendly galio ultis it is worth it to wait a second and cast yours over his, this ensures those who intended to cleanse / flash out can not and allows galio to do his full damage while adding to the time your team is beating on helpless enemy players. It's allowed my teams to win countless engagements we shouldn't have been able to.


That's more of chain stunning / chain ultimates. I'll probably write a thread about general tips in a bit since it isn't champion specific.
ModeratorFor the Glory that is TeamLiquid (-9 | 155) | Discord: NeoIllusions#1984
NeoIllusions
Profile Blog Joined December 2002
United States37500 Posts
November 04 2010 08:28 GMT
#9
On November 04 2010 17:27 Southlight wrote:
Show nested quote +
On November 04 2010 17:22 NeoIllusions wrote:
What's reason for Exhaust on Sona?


Closest thing to an additional disable... Sona scales terrible late-game, might as well take a summoner spell that has one of the best late-game scaling.

Doesn't hurt that you can troll the fuck out of people during laning with it :p


Yeah, perhaps. But should leave disables to your tank imoimo. Having Sona go into enemy spell range to Exhaust is not my slice of pie.
ModeratorFor the Glory that is TeamLiquid (-9 | 155) | Discord: NeoIllusions#1984
Southlight
Profile Blog Joined August 2007
United States11767 Posts
November 04 2010 08:30 GMT
#10
Doesn't need to - there's a whole lot of shit that comes TOWARD you and your carry
oraoraoraoraoraoraoraora
NeoIllusions
Profile Blog Joined December 2002
United States37500 Posts
November 04 2010 08:32 GMT
#11
Touche. That's a good point.
ModeratorFor the Glory that is TeamLiquid (-9 | 155) | Discord: NeoIllusions#1984
TieN.nS)
Profile Joined August 2003
United States2131 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-11-04 09:04:02
November 04 2010 08:55 GMT
#12
On November 04 2010 17:25 STS17 wrote:
You mention using your ulti on top of an enemy galio's ulti to cancel it and catch more of their team. It is also worth mentioning that when your friendly galio ultis it is worth it to wait a second and cast yours over his, this ensures those who intended to cleanse / flash out can not and allows galio to do his full damage while adding to the time your team is beating on helpless enemy players. It's allowed my teams to win countless engagements we shouldn't have been able to.


Eh, not ideal here since you may not get full damage from Galio ulti (though that's not hard since it's only 8 hits to fully charge it), and you wouldn't get full duration from your CCs. Plus, if there's a Taric with Cleanse he's probably just going to cleanse both ults if you try to use your ult that way, or else he's just going to be able to break Galio ult before yours hits.
Yiruru
Profile Blog Joined January 2009
Canada690 Posts
November 04 2010 09:01 GMT
#13
Any decent Sona takes Exhaust nowadays =[
HeavOnEarth
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
United States7087 Posts
November 04 2010 12:15 GMT
#14
plus exhaust helps rape those jungler ganks
"come korea next time... FXO house... 10 korean, 10 korean"
Niton
Profile Blog Joined March 2009
United States2395 Posts
November 05 2010 08:29 GMT
#15
Being carried by Sona in ELO hell has given me new appreciation for this image:

[image loading]
tree.hugger: Coming off of [(T)fantasy v. (T)Really] into [(T)Barracks v. (T)MVP] is like coming out of Manhattan into New Jersey. You just have to speed up and ignore it.
Kaneh
Profile Joined April 2009
Canada737 Posts
November 05 2010 22:18 GMT
#16
my biggest question is why do you get a tear then get locket. You have more than enough mana just with locket. if you really do spam that much, grab a meki -> codex or grab the mana manip for soul shroud fast.

sona also makes a very good ward bitch because if you build locket, she 'needs' no items beyond it, doesn't care about lost farming time, and has a good spammable speed boost. You can also gank well (with ult), help weak lanes, and generally roam very well.
Mogwai
Profile Blog Joined January 2009
United States13274 Posts
November 06 2010 00:27 GMT
#17
Sona plays a lot like Garen:

[image loading]
mogwaismusings.wordpress.com
Dezzimal
Profile Joined April 2009
United States148 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-11-06 01:56:10
November 06 2010 01:51 GMT
#18
I strongly disagree with the Tear rush, especially if you're not trying to pop out an early Archangels to play heavy AP Sona. Locket gives the same effect as tears like Kaneh said, and Catalyst gives you a hell of a lot more survivability than tears does for mid-early game.

Also if you're running Clairty, a Mana Crystal is a much better choice of first item over a Meki Pendant. Clarity fills your entire manabar if you buy a meki pendant, but only ~60% of it if you buy a Mana Crystal. This allows you to be more aggressive early game, and get clarity on cooldown without wasting any of the mana that would have been returned by it.
NeoIllusions
Profile Blog Joined December 2002
United States37500 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-11-07 23:35:00
November 07 2010 23:32 GMT
#19
With heals, Sona simply needs to position well and know when to pick fights. I can delay HP survivability (in this case Catalyst) until level 10-11. imo, there's no such thing as too much mana. Sona is queen of faceroll but if you want to really do that, the ever-expanding mana pool thanks to Tear helps immensely.

Not to mention with a Tear, it greatly reduced the amount of times you need to return to base (typically with Tear, Boots, and Mejai's, I can stay in field until I've gotten enough gold to buy Locket in one go. The more often you stay on the field rather than healing, the more opportunities you have to get those Mejai charges). Also with Tear, I am anticipating that if the game does drag out to 40+ minutes, I want to have some sort of AP punch, instead of being purely support with Locket and Shroud. Charging that Tear up early would be beneficial then for a fully charged Archangel's late game.

I will concede that if I am running Clarity/Ghost, Blue Crystal is a better buy at the beginning than Meki Pendant. So thanks. Exhaust/Ghost, Meki instead.
ModeratorFor the Glory that is TeamLiquid (-9 | 155) | Discord: NeoIllusions#1984
UniversalSnip
Profile Blog Joined July 2010
9871 Posts
November 08 2010 00:25 GMT
#20
Please don't buy meki pendant first :<
"How fucking dare you defile the sanctity of DotA with your fucking casual plebian terminology? May the curse of Gaben and Volvo be upon you. le filthy casual."
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