Dear DrmDestryr,
What are some strategies on a map you like doing that I might not have thought of?
-HuckSy
Dear HuckSy,
Towers are my favorite not oft mentioned part of map strategy, especially when I’m dancing around as Murky. I also like bushes or smoke.
Temptation
My favorite way to use them is to dance around the area without grabbing the tower. Usually, I’ll enter into the zone and run around a bit until I see enemy pics on the minimap either head toward my direction or disappear. It’s a great way to pull their attention away from whatever it is your teammates are doing. It also gets at least one enemy hero to head to you, minimizing the overall enemy team effectiveness.
Now, there’s no need to die doing this. All you have to do is stay visible long enough to grab their attention. It’s simply goading their greediness by making them believe you’re an alone and unaware target—a tempting prospect for any team.
Invisibility
At the same time, don’t rush into vision just because you need to get from point A to B. Showing up on the map gives the enemy the advantage because they know when to expect your arrival and from which side. Instead, play it stealthy. Avoid getting close to their creeps and entering into vision at all costs. While you may not be Nova or Zeratul, your surprise arrival at a fight can catch low health assassins at a disadvantage that you can quickly turn into a lead.
You can also choose to enter into sight but then pretend to go a different way.
Bushes/Smoke
Every single hero can take advantage of this cover. While it is fun to stand out in the open gesturing to heroes you hate, ambushes are relatively ignored by many players, leading to many an untimely demise. I can’t even begin to count the number of times I was pushing with creeps at the beginning of a game only to have 3 enemies burst out from the bushes, tearing through my health like it was a joke. The joke was on them, though, because I’m typically ready with an escape contingency and now we all know what lane you’re in, Nova.
-DrmDestryr
Dear DrmDestryr,
QM is painful. What can I do when I’m up against a full team comp against my all damage squishfest?
-Varding39
Dear Varding39,
While it is a sad moment to hit tab only to realize the opponents have 1 tank, 2 assassins, 1 specialist and 1 support, this doesn’t mean you can’t gain anything from the match. In fact, it’s hard times like these that should really force you to think outside the box.
No Tank, No Heals
If this is the case, you can’t go for your typical damage build. You simply won’t be able to outlast. Instead, look to survivability builds. While the opposition may have a full meta comp, you’re at an advantage with the insane amount of damage your team has so long as everyone knows how to survive. For assassins, this usually means speccing so at least one ability returns damage as health, basic attacks return damage as health and choosing First Aid if you have it. Same goes for specialists. While you certainly will have to play more defensively, if you learn how to survive while dealing insane amounts of damage, there’s a chance you can come out on top in one of the most laughably fun ROFL-stomps you’ve ever played in.
Distractions
Another thing to consider is just how important mercs are to you now that you’re relying on more than possibly good heals or a possibly good tank. Being on top of taking camps right before objectives pop will be a great way to split their attention, giving your broken team an advantage. The key here is that you have to be aware of merc camp timers the entire game. So long as most of the map is your color, you have a good shot at stealing victory by overwhelming you enemies.
Test Yourself
Above all, never stop bettering yourself. See how low you can keep your death count. Is it the lowest on the team? If not, you need to work on that. Aim to rank highest in overall xp or hero damage whether you win or lose. If you can beat out everyone else, chances are you’re playing your hero as best as you can in the situation. And while we are all praying QM improves with the upcoming fixes they’ve promised up, until that moment, always make sure you’re not the problem before taking it out on anyone else.
-DrmDestryr
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