Dear DrmDestryr,
I really want to do quick match and hero league but all I hear are horror stories. Should I just stay away?
-GGuy1476
Dear GGuy1476,
It's no lie that QM and HL are filled with horror stories of players picking on one person with a taunting of middle school proportions. Continually hearing about this vitriol leads to fantasies of one wrong move leading to a lifetime of disgrace.
Rest assured that this is not the case. We are wired to remember negative events over the positive, trumping any victories or glorious comraderies forged in the fires of battle. Scientists theorize this is because negative events run a higher likelihood of killing us. Therefore, the more details we take in, the better chance we'll have to survive if we run into a similar situation in the future.
I mention this because it explains why we are all so happy to talk about the horrible things that happen in QM. We join together and bemoan our collective fates even though half the people complaining are the number one offenders. Without a filter, this paints QM and HL out to be nothing less than the worst modes, scaring many away from trying them out. However, these two places are actually a lot of fun, allowing you to learn a lot about the game. The challenge is finding your courage.
Breathe
First and foremost, take a deep breath. If you're anything like me, when the nerves strike, the breath gets faster and a bit more erratic. Focus on deep, slow breaths to keep the heart rate at a lower level. It will keep you from going full panic attack mode.
You Won't Be a Star
Accept that your first few games are going to be laughable because of the nerves. Worrying about how you play will only lead to rookie mistakes. This is totally okay. Just accept them when they happen, make note of it and move on. The more you play, the less you'll care about how you look.
Keep at It
It takes me about 10 games in a new setting to become completely comfortable, but the exact number differs for everyone. As you continue playing these modes, you'll know what to expect as well as what other players expect out of you. You'll see that chill players as well as really nice ones are far more common than any bully.
-DrmDestryr
Dear DrmDestryr,
What do you think about the Kael nerf?
-SnarkM3471
Dear SnarkM3471,
The community has been nothing if not abuzz with outrage bemoaning the Kael nerf that just happened. For those that don’t know or don’t really care, Living Bomb can now no longer stack on a Hero. Once it’s on them, it can’t be put on them again. For those confused as to why this is a nerf, you have clearly never played against a decent Kael.
The topic is one that touches on a bigger issue—Hero patches. In order to ensure every Hero remains viable, the Blizzard team must continually nerf or empower Heroes based on community feedback and gameplay data. Because of this constant back and forth, while there are always meta favorites, one Hero is not going to make or break a game. This is the ultimate goal of the Heroes community.
As a Stitches lover, I can certainly understand the frustration that comes along with altering talents and abilities. It’s not fun to lose your only stun as a tank. That being said, these patches are what keep the game interesting. Instead of falling into a rut with the same Heroes, I’m having to continually shift my gameplay to take advantage of their current strengths. This then translates into more interesting games and me paying more attention to what I’m doing and how I’m contributing.
Beyond this, it forces me to pick Heroes based on play style over power. So many Kael nerf grumpers are more than happy to decry the decision as the reason they’ll never touch the Hero again. This begs the question, are they actually any good or do they need such a Hero to perform even halfway decently. Don’t pick Heroes because of how OP they are. Pick Heroes because they gel with your personal style. That way, when talents are removed or altered, you can still play unhindered.
Don’t ever take what they did as a reason to give up. Use it as fodder to get better. Fight to keep up Kael’s image as a fear-inducing assassin.
-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. Want to hang out? Check out the ITN PreShow with DrmDestryr! streamed weekly starting at 6 PM Eastern on Thursdays at twitch.tv/amovetv.