i usually play "support" champions as mages... they work very well and are really fun to play, but sona doesnt deal any damage... her damaging spell cooldown is too high for it is her only damage tool, unless you have sheen or lich bane.

soraka, janna, zilean, karma and others(which i dont remember right now) worked perfectly, but sona just doesnt.

i wish her damage aura cooldown would be reduced as ranked, so it wouldnt be OP for support sonas nor sucky for ap sonas.

Supports weren't really designed to be the "best" AP damage mages, that's why they're supports.

Sona works better as a weird AD ranged (Triforce) for a real damage build or a poke/sustain AP Build (with Lichbane). Both are just fun builds though and not really... "viable" but quite far from AP Garen.

Also Sona as a support is a really high damage burst poke support. Getting kills happens frequently when just trying to "assist".

Lol?

sona deals 90% of her damage through someone else and they get the kill and she gets an assist. What more could a support mage want?

actually from what i heard of riot a few times champions are designed to be viable on more than just one build. as i said most "supports" work well as ap, soraka most of all. as well as some ad/ap champions like master yi, sion and TF.

that is why i wish ap sona was a viable one.

AP Sona is "viable", but sub optimal. Anyways, whit 40% CDR and Lich Bane, you deal tons of mobile damage.

AD Sona is what hurts early game.

Um... She kinda is...
It's called Lich Bane.

Why do you think Bruiser Sona is so good? Triforce on *every* attack.

Personally I prefer bruiser to AP on her though XD Triforce + Chalice of Discord + rest tank = lol
Just, you need hybrid pen runes to really do well... which I don't have yet

How many champs are actaully viable on many significantly different builds aside from irelia and certain others

lets see...

chogath(ap/tank), evelynn(ap/ad), tf(ad/ap), sion(ap/ad), yi(ap/ad), alistar(tank/support/ap), kogmaw(ap/ad), soraka(ap/support), zilean(ap/support), janna(ap/support), karma(ap/support), blitz(ap/ad/support), diana(ap/ap+as), ezreal(ap/ad), fiora(adc/adfighter), gp(adc/adfighter), garen(ad/tank), hecarim(ad/tank), jarvan(ad/tank), jax(ad/ap+as/ad+ap/on hit), jayce(adc/adfighter), kayle(adc/support/onhit), kennen(ad/ap), lulu(ap/support), malphite(ad/tank), mordekaiser(ap/tank), nidalee(ap/ad), nunu(ap/tank/support), shyvana(ad/tank), singed(ap/tank), teemo(ad/ap/ap+as/onhit), tristana(ad/ap), volibear(ad/tank).

quite a bit, huh?