Soraka has no mobility or engage, so Bard keeps hunting picks with Cosmic Binding (Q) and roams freely with Magical Journey (E) to seize the tempo.

With no dash, Sona is helplessly stunned by Cosmic Binding (Q) flying from behind walls or minions, while Bard pressures trades with Traveler's Call (P) meeps.

Yuumi gets caught by Cosmic Binding (Q) the instant she detaches to reattach, and her weak lane presence can't keep up with Bard's roams and tempo.

Seraphine has no dash, so Bard easily lands Cosmic Binding (Q) through minions, and counters her in teamfight standoffs with the stasis of Tempered Fate (R).

Blitzcrank yanks the squishy Bard in at once with Rocket Grab (Q) to open the engage and delete him, and once caught Bard has no way to reverse it.

Pyke closes in with the camouflage and dash of Ghostwater Dive (W) and executes the squishy Bard with Death From Below (R), leaving Bard unable to survive a straight trade.

Leona locks in a guaranteed engage with Zenith Blade (E), then chains the Shield of Daybreak (Q) stun and Solar Flare (R) to pin down and melt the squishy Bard.

Nautilus chains CC — the Dredge Line (Q) hook, the Staggering Blow (P) auto-attack root, and Depth Charge (R) — to keep Bard locked down and pick him off.

Thresh outplays Bard in pick fights with the Death Sentence (Q) hook and Flay (E), pulling the squishy Bard in for the kill.