Dear DrmDestryr,
I see so many people playing heroes differently than the meta. I don’t know what to make of it.
-Guraetesh
Dear Guraetesh,
Let me tell you all a tale of preteen DrmDestryr. Back in my day, the boy band feud of the time was relegated to Backstreet Boys and N’SYNC. Battle lines were clearly drawn and liking both—heresy. I chose the Backstreet Boys and vehemently supported them going as far as to cry Christmas morning when my father presented my sisters and I with tickets to their concert. Being the best fan girl, I loathed anything that had to do with N’SYNC and absolutely refused to listen to any of their music, forcing myself into a state of unadulterated rage when I had to.
Now that I’m older, I look back at this time as a keen reminder of how quickly obsession can take root, pushing out all logic in favor of giny tingles.
Friends, I tell you this cautionary tale because of what meta gaming does to our society as a whole. Instead of a MOBA world where everyone is free to try out new and wacky builds, there arise the fanboys so focused on the meta they literally refuse to see any benefit of those that don’t play in the style of the big names. This kills the game and it kills teamwork. Good times give way to blaming others for not playing like everyone else. And here I thought discrimination was taught to be a bad thing.
Do not give in to this close-minded way of thought. It does no one any good. Pay attention to the meta, but don’t try to emulate it perfectly. Remember: you aren’t a pro player. You have no right insulting others for not playing meta when you yourself have won nothing. On top of that, we all play differently. What works for one will not work for another and this simple fact goes well beyond preference—it transcends into the realm of how our minds process, assess and react to external stimuli. We play what works for us and trying to force yourself into a meta build will only result in stagnation and continued mediocrity.
The only way to grow is to push yourself by trying new things and tossing out everything that doesn’t work for you. Completely discounting something just because it’s done by a band that isn’t as famous or isn’t as cute does not automatically mean the music is bad. In fact, it will set you back years of enjoyment, resulting in only truly understanding the nuances of “Dirty Pop” long after it has been cool to listen to.
-DrmDestryr
Dear DrmDestryr,
Abathur is free this week! How can I take advantage of him?
-Weevil
Newest Weevil,
With the most beloved Zerg now free-to-play this week, it will come as no surprise that the game will be full of them. However, this does not mean the game will be full of good them. So here are the dos and don’ts of your first time.
DO NOT lane. You are the squishiest hero in the game. Period. If you head out to lane like any normal hero, you will be targeted and destroyed. Unless you’re doing some super fancy ultra-tactical move, stay in a safe location.
DO work the minimap. Use it to figure out great places to spawn mines. Use it to pic which hero you will shield next. Use it to set up locust runs. The minimap is your best bud. Plus, when you click on an area on the minimap, your camera will instantly bring it up on your screen. Scrolling across the screen using your mouse doesn’t cut it in such fast paced gameplay.
DO NOT ignore your team. They need you especially since they are technically down a body for the first ten levels. This is a trying time and you need to be aware of teammates that need help or things you can do to keep pressure on the opponents.
DO pick a specialization. These involve the mines, the locusts or your beholder. As you start to feel comfortable in Abathur’s skin, find the style that works the best for you. I personally really enjoy being a floating embodiment of pain that helps skew one on one fights.
-DrmDestryr
Ask DrmDestryr is your weekly Q&A/advice column for Heroes of the Storm. Have a question for DrmDestryr? E-mail her your mental musings at drmdestryr@gmail.com or send happy twoughts her way @DrmDestryr.