January 27, 2023
The graceful Sona is a talented musician from Demacia. Respected by the country’s nobility and judged by others for her powers, she prefers the company of close friends. However, her enchanting melodies can be heard across all of Runeterra!
Sona’s in-game abilities enable her to protect and buff allies. As a support, she typically spends the early game in the bot lane with her Attack Damage Carry (ADC). Afterward, she roams the rift or accompanies her allies into team fights. Sona’s playstyle is easy to learn for beginners while offering room for mastery!
Abilities
LoL champions can activate one of their abilities at the start of every game. As the game progresses, they unlock more abilities when they level up. The early poke damage from Sona’s Q synergizes well with her starter item. Therefore, unlock this ability right off the bat. Next are her Q and E. You can activate her Crescendo at champion level six. Once all abilities are ready, prioritize her W, Q, and then E.
Sona is a Mana-hungry champion, making Mana management key in the early game (laning phase). During later stages of the game, she can spam her abilities thanks to low cooldowns and high mana regeneration. Furthermore, all her basic abilities leave temporary areas of effect. Therefore, Sona excels in late-game team fights.
Passive: Power Chord
Accelerando: Sona gains non-Ultimate ability haste permanently for her basic abilities as she uses her abilities well, up to a cap. Beyond that cap, further successful uses reduce her ultimate’s remaining cooldown instead.
Power Chord: Every few spellcasts, Sona’s next attack will deal bonus magic damages in addition to an additional effect based on what basic Ability Sona last activated.
Accelerando adds a fun mini-game to Sona’s kit! She gains stacks of ability haste for hitting specific abilities. Simply put, ability haste allows Sona to cast her abilities more often. The stacks can be accumulated with successful uses of her Q and W. However, they do not increase when hitting minions. Instead, Sona can gain up to two stacks when damaging opponents with her Q. Similarly, she can obtain up to 5 stacks for healing her team with her W. A maximum of 120 stacks can be gained this way.
Sona’s second Passive, Powerchord, activates after every third basic ability. Sona’s next attack will then deal additional magic damage. In addition, another effect will be triggered depending on the last song Sona played. These are the possible effects:
- Q: The attack deals 98 magic damage instead.
- W: The target deals less damage for three seconds.
- E: The target is slowed for two seconds.
Q: Hymn of Valor
Sona plays the Hymn of Valor, sending out bolts of sounds, dealing magic damage to two nearby enemies, prioritising champions and monsters. Sona gains a temporary aura that grants allies tagged by the zone bonus damage on their next attack against enemies.
Hymn of Valor is great in the laning phase, as it can be used to gain stack for your starter item and apply pressure on the enemy bot laners. Combined with an enhanced attack from her Power Chord, Sona can effectively punish early enemy aggression.
W: Aria of Perseverance
Sona plays the Aria of Perseverance, sending out protective melodies, and healing Sona and a nearby wounded ally. Sona gains a temporary aura that grants allies tagged by the zone a temporary shield.
Aria of Perseverance is a straightforward ability. In the laning phase, you mainly use it to protect your ADC, whereas it serves as protection for your entire team in large fights.
E: Song of Celerity
Sona plays the Song of Celerity, granting nearby allies bonus Move Speed. Sona gains a temporary aura that grants allies champions tagged by the zone bonus Move Speed.
Song of Celerity has various uses during a game:
- Escape from lost fights.
- Engage team fights more quickly.
- Gain advantageous positions.
- Chase escaping enemies.
- Spam it during team fights in the late game.
R: Crescendo
Sona plays her ultimate chord, stunning enemy champions and forcing them to dance and dealing magic damage to them. Each rank reduces the base cooldown of Sona’s basic abilities.
Sona’s ultimate ability is excellent when engaging in a fight. It will immobilize opponents, making them vulnerable to your attacks. However, Crescendo can also be used defensively. For example, use it to escape from an enemy encounter you would lose otherwise.
Summoner spells
Summoner spells are equipped before the start of a game. They are like additional abilities with long cooldowns. The most common summoner spells for Sona are Flash and Exhaust. Flash teleports your champion a short distance toward the direction of your cursor. Use this spell to get out of precarious situations or when being chased by enemies. Target an enemy champion to exhaust them. When exhausted, opponents deal less damage and move slower. This is a great spell when you or your teammates are pressured by the enemy. It can also help to focus down strong opponents.
Items
Sona wants to start her game with the Spellthief’s Edge, two Health Potions, and a Stealth Ward. Spellthief’s Edge awards you with Gold whenever you do damage to an enemy. You must accumulate 500 Gold to transform the item into its advanced version, Frostfang. Thus, it encourages you to poke enemies in the early game. Frostfang provides you with three wards whenever you visit your spawn. In contrast, the Stealth Ward grants up to two wards with fixed cooldowns. Use them in the laning phase to illuminate your bot lane. Health Potions ensure your survival during the early game. But keep in mind that they regenerate health over time and not instantly.
Once you have gained Frostfang, switch out your Stealth Ward for an Oracle Lens. When this item is off cooldown, it can be activated to reveal hidden enemy wards and traps in an area of effect around you. This sweeping aura lasts for six seconds.
The Ionian Boots of Lucidity are next. This item increases your Move Speed while reducing your cooldowns. Next, buy Sona’s best mythic item, the Moonstone Renewer. Its effects strengthen the effects of healing and shielding. Finally, the Archangel’s Staff boosts Sona’s ability power based on her maximum Mana.
For the late game, Sona uses the Chemtech Putrifier to reduce the healing effectiveness of opponents and the Staff of Flowing Water to further enhance your heals. In case of a long match, buy the Ardent Censer to buff allies with your heals and shields.
Conclusion
Sona’s kit perfectly balances beginner-friendliness and skillful mastery. Moreover, her frequent buffs, heals, and damage are game-changers in late team fights. I hope you are now hungry to try her out! Feel also free to check out our other LoL support guides for Yuumi, Nami, and Senna!