Bard’s ultimate is a powerful ability that immobilizes the enemies, making it easier for your team to focus on them. It’s a great tool to secure picks and force the enemy team to play defensively even when you’re not around.
Many players choose to take Cleanse as a summoner spell against Bard, hoping that it can remove the effects of his ultimate. However, Cleanse is unable to remove Bard’s ultimate. The spell specifically states that it cannot remove debuffs like suppression, airborne, and statis.
If you’re interested in learning more about Cleanse and why it’s a good option, keep reading. We’ll also discuss how you can easily avoid Bard’s ultimate so you don’t fall victim to it randomly. Let’s dive in!
What is Cleanse?
Cleanse is a summoner spell, much like Flash, Ignite, or Heal. While it may not be a popular choice among players, it’s a valuable option against champions with a lot of crowd control (CC).
It allows you to remove debuffs and CC from your champion, enabling you to escape without any issues. For example, if you’re stunned by Morgana, Lux, or Ashe’s ultimates, you can use Cleanse to remove the effect and make a quick getaway.
This summoner spell is particularly useful in these matchups because the enemy won’t expect you to quickly remove their debuffs and turn the tables on them. Additionally, Cleanse has a relatively low cooldown, so you don’t need to worry about using it early on.
Cleanse has a cooldown of only 210 seconds, which can be reduced with certain runes. The spell removes the following CC:
- Blind
- Forced action (Berserk, Charm, Flee, Taunt)
- Cripple
- Disarm
- Drowsy & Sleep
- Ground
- Root
- Silence
- Slow
- Stun
However, it doesn’t remove the following debuffs:
- Airborne
- Suppression
- Nearsight
- Stasis
- Mark (ARAM)
It’s important to note that while Cleanse can remove Ignite from yourself, it cannot remove the Grievous Wounds debuff it applies. Players sometimes take Cleanse against Malzahar to counter his ultimate, but it doesn’t work because Cleanse doesn’t remove suppression.
Furthermore, since Bard’s ultimate puts all targets in stasis, you cannot use any summoner spells during its duration. This is similar to the effect of Zhonya’s Hourglass, where you’re unable to take any actions. Therefore, taking Cleanse against Bard may not be the best decision. However, it can be used to remove his stun or slow if he hits you with his Q or auto attacks, respectively.
How Can You Avoid Bard’s Ultimate
Now that we understand what Cleanse is and what it does, let’s explore how you can avoid getting hit by Bard’s ultimate. His ultimate has a long range and a decent radius, making it easy to get caught if you’re playing a champion without any dashes or a spell shield.
However, with careful play, Bard won’t use his ultimate on you unless he wants to waste it. If you notice that he’s hiding at level 6, start playing safe and stay near your side of the lane. He’s likely waiting for you to make a positional mistake.
If you’re not standing directly in the middle of the circle, you can easily walk away from Bard’s ultimate before it lands on the ground. Additionally, if your champion has a dash ability (which most champions do), you can use it to avoid his ultimate. Champions like Lucian, Zeri, Nilah, and Tristana can easily dodge Bard’s ultimate using their dashes.
Alternatively, you can purchase items that increase your mobility. For ADCs, Galeforce is a good choice as it allows you to quickly reposition if you anticipate Bard’s ultimate. This item is also beneficial on its own.
Lastly, if your champion has a spell shield, make sure to time it correctly. Champions like Sivir and Morgana are great examples. By using your shield, Bard’s ultimate won’t affect you, allowing you to escape and foil his plans.
If you’re playing a support like Morgana and your ADC is about to be hit by Bard’s ultimate, be sure to give them your spell shield. This will ensure their survival and prevent the enemy from earning a kill and gold.
If you’re curious, check out our article on “Who is Doran?”