Build tempo without donating an engage

0:00–14:00; first dragon from 5:00 and grubs from 8:00, only after a crash or clear lane priority

From the first wave through the first objective cycle, protect your mana and health while building Accelerando through successful basic-ability use. Use Q when you can tag enemies without giving them an engage angle; use W when damage threatens the ADC, and E when movement changes the trade or retreat. Crash before recalling or roaming. At dragon around 5:00 and grubs around 8:00, move only after the nearby wave is handled and your jungler has a reachable numbers window. If ahead, pressure with Q and deny space; if behind, farm experience safely and make W the lane's insurance.

Lane

Trade through a safe aura window

If your wave is pushing and the enemy cannot immediately engage, use Q to contest last-hit space and tag allied champions with its aura, then reserve W for the damage window that actually threatens your lane. If the enemy has engage pressure or your ADC is already losing health, prioritize W and hold your position behind the carry rather than trading forward for one Q hit. Before leaving lane, crash the wave; roaming on an uncrashed wave gives away your income and your ADC's safety.

With Sona

• If Sona is your support, give her a clear carry to stabilize and fight near her when an objective is approaching; her W and E matter more when allies remain inside the aura zones. Do not demand that she start an uncertain fight from fog. If you have priority, help her reach the river early so she can use movement speed and Crescendo from a prepared position.
• If Sona's lane is being pressured, protect the crash and let her recall with the ADC rather than forcing a fight for a lost wave. When she uses Q for lane pressure, follow the safe tagged-ally damage only if the enemy cannot engage back. When she uses W, treat the shield and heal as a window to hold ground, not as permission to dive.
• If your team is ahead, create simple front-to-back fights around towers and objectives so Sona can keep the carry inside her auras. If your team is behind, let her attach to the player who still scales, clear the dangerous wave with cover, and contest only when vision or numbers give the team a real entry.
• If Sona has Crescendo ready and two or more allies are nearby, pull enemies through a choke or wait for them to commit before starting. If her ultimate is unavailable, play for short trades and disengage with E rather than asking her to manufacture an engage alone.