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Development
Development- Main article: Bard (Development)
- Bard is Luke 'Rabid Llama' Rinard's first champion. He used to be part of Riot's Engineering team but later switched over to Design.[1]
- Bard was first extracted from the filenames of in-game icons and subsequently from promotional images. He has been called Bard from the very first production names.[2]
- Bard comes from Proto-Celtic *bardos, from PIE *gʷr̩H-dʰh₁os "praise-maker".[3]
- Celtic bards are poets or musicians dedicated to storytelling who either travel on their own or are hired by patrons and are dedicated to singing heroic tales or events past. This is why they often dress mostly in cloth or light leather and have a musical instrument handy for storytelling/singing in a light-hearted fashion.
- Despite the name, Bard's theme was changed halfway from 'musical bard' (he even had an instrument) to 'cosmic being'.
- The remnants of his musical theme can be seen on his flute-like weapon.
- The way bards record history through songs and storytelling can be reflected in the way Bard aims to preserve the history of Runeterra. Additionally, both Bard and real-world bards are commonly depicted as nomads and pacifists.
- Despite the name, Bard's theme was changed halfway from 'musical bard' (he even had an instrument) to 'cosmic being'.
- Meep means an imitation of a high pitched sound used in media (examples being the Roadrunner and Beaker). Meeps however could've been inspired by this video
- 'Bard: Mountain' was animated in Korea by StudioMIR (responsible for The Legend of Korra, The Boondocks, and even the Season 3 World Championship video Road to the Cup)[4] and directed by Seung Eun Kim, as well as written and artistically guided by Riot employees (with Riot Jino as the visual effects consultant)[5]
- In V5.3 five copies of Bard's mask were hidden across Summoner's Rift but have since been removed.
- The first time they were encountered by a champion, they would glow and make a sound.
- In Spectator Mode, they would light up when the camera focused on them.
- The first time they were encountered by a champion, they would glow and make a sound.
- Early in development Bard could decide what colour of the Meeps he got once he had gathered enough chimes. Each colour of the Meeps buffed Bard's spells instead of modifying autoattacks and they followed him around to show enemies which of Bard's skills Bard had upgraded. This was scrapped in favour of buffing autoattacks to increase clarity.[6]
- Assorted sounds from Bard’s kit were created using tiny brass bells purchased in L.A.’s Chinatown.[7]
- At one point in development Bard's ult used to fire a global range wave that silenced enemies it hit.[8]
- Bard has a secret voice over script with genuine lines used to inspire his sounds.[10]
Universe
Universe- Main article: Bard (Character)
- Despite the lack of a physical form, Bard is not omnipotent. He can be banished or imprisoned by powerful magics or even meet an ultimate end if a magic equally or more powerful than him were to be discovered.[11]
- The green ball that sits in Bard's weapon is a harmonic key that splits layers of reality and taps directly into the magical friction that all worlds emit.[12]
- Though Bard only speaks in musical chiming noises, he is actually speaking in a voice that is incomprehensible by mortal ears. Very few, most notably other Celestials, are actually able to understand him.
League of Legends
League of LegendsGameplay
- Main article: Bard (League of Legends)
- Bard is one of 15 champions that have an ability that infinitely stacks an effect: Aurelion Sol, Bard, Bel'Veth, Cho'Gath, Draven, Kindred, Nasus, Senna, Shyvana, Sion, Smolder, Swain, Sylas, Thresh, and Veigar.
- In Bard's case, Traveler's Call infinitely stacks the base magic damage of his Meeps.
- In Bard's case,
- Curiously enough, The Wonder Above is the antithesis of The Terror Beneath, going so far as to both having a portal-opening ability ( Magical Journey and Tunnel) as well as an enemy-destructible object-placing one ( Caretaker's Shrine and Tunnel)
Quotes
- Main article: Bard (League of Legends Audio)
- Bard is the second champion to have both a voiceover with no actual spoken words as well as a music-themed one, the first for each being Rek'Sai and Sona, respectively.
- He communicates by melody (akin to The Traveler from Journey) with some of them resembling Whale calls.
- Bard's voiceover is based on a system that plays certain lines depending on the number of Meeps currently traveling with him, with specific lines for 0/1/2/3/4.[13]
- His early voiceover prototypes used Bassoon, Contrabassoon, and Bass clarinet. The final version has 4 parts.
- Alpenhorn
- Egyptian flutes
- Verbed out Piano tone clusters and strings
- A Synthesizer called Zebra and programmed to cycle through the harmonic and/or overtone series.
- This mixture is meant to give Bard a sense of other-worldliness.[14][15]
- Other instruments recorded were:
- Tibetan Singing bowls (various shapes and sizes)
- Tibetan chimes (various shapes and sizes)
- Tibetan Gong
- Tibetan Cymbal
- Trombone (performed)
- Trombone mouth piece
- Trombone mouth piece buzzed through a garden hose
- Bowed Cymbals
- Various ethnic flutes and reed instruments
- Other instruments recorded were:
- His early voiceover prototypes used Bassoon, Contrabassoon, and Bass clarinet. The final version has 4 parts.
- Although Bard himself does not have a voice actor, his Meeps do.
Skins
- Main article: Bard (Collection)
- Original Bard Chromas: Ivy, Marigold, Sage
Chromas:- Several of his Meeps can be seen in the background.
- He is heavily inspired by Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke anime movies from Studio Ghibli.
- Another inspiration was Uatu from Marvel Comics.[17]
- This skin shares the Elderwood theme with:
- He was slightly inspired by The Beast from Over the Garden Wall animated miniserie.
- He references the Elder Mother.
- Snow Day Bard Chromas: Golden
- This skin shares the Snow Day theme with:
- He was released in celebration of Snowdown Showdown 2015 along with:
- His Meeps become penguins.
- This skin shares the Rift Quest theme with:
- His splash art is part of a larger picture in which he is fighting alongside Jayce Brighthammer and Sejuani Dawnchaser.
- He was released alongside:
- Both his name & title reference Medieval Celtic bards, who transmitted oral history through verses and music.
- He references a traditional tabletop role-playing game.
- Astronaut Bard Chromas: Amethyst, Aquamarine, Catseye, Chrono, Citrine, Emerald, Rose Quartz, Ruby
- This skin shares the Astronauts theme with:
- Cafe Cuties Bard Chromas: Catseye, Emerald, Obsidian, Rose Quartz, Ruby, Sapphire, Tanzanite, Turquoise
- This skin shares the Cafe Cuties theme with:
- Shan Hai Scrolls Bard Chromas: Citrine, Emerald, Obsidian, Pearl, Rose Quartz, Ruby, Sapphire, Tanzanite
- This skin shares the Shan Hai Scrolls theme with:
References
- ↑ Bard reveal
- ↑ Ask Riot
- ↑ Matasović, R. Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic, p. 56
- ↑ Bard teaser trailer creators 1
- ↑ Bard teaser trailer creators 2
- ↑ Meddler's post
- ↑ The stories behind Leagues SFX
- ↑ August's Reddit post
- ↑ /DEV: ON CHAMPION PROTOTYPES
- ↑ Bard secret VO
- ↑ Bard not omnipotent
- ↑ Bards horn
- ↑ Bard VO system (Reddit)
- ↑ Bard VO instuments 1 (Reddit)
- ↑ Bard VO instruments 2 (Reddit)
- ↑ Kindred Voice Over Appreciation Thread (Reddit)
- ↑ Bard Q&A Reddit