Ask DrmDestryr #4

DrmDestryr,

Are there any hero types you don’t see played a lot that I should play as?

- HelixisBest

Dear HelixisBest,

Ah, the age old question as to what is better: the chicken or the egg? Do you choose a hero type based on need or based on what you like? If you are worried about team build but aren’t on a team (you queue alone in pvp), type does not really matter as you will be paired randomly so there can be no way to predict your team build.

However, if you play a character that you like and are great at, you will be far more beneficial. A group of five that has moderate hero control but the assumed “perfect” lineup will still lose to a team that does not have the lineup but knows how to play their heroes damn well. Conforming yourself to the cultural restraints of needing to play the “best” hero in the “best” grouping will only keep you from actually becoming good.

In the end, the only type you should pay attention to is type of practice.

- DrmDestryr

DrmDestryr!

I really want to play PvP but people always yell at me in the chat. What do I do?

-MyFeelings

Dear MyFeelings,

Don’t look at it. If you can’t not look, find a few items. Do you have post-its? If not, do you have paper and tape? Once acquired, cover up the chat box area on screen. Problem solved.

While tempting to see others critique your play style, why would you listen to them? Why would you take criticism from high blood pressured, angry gamers? The person yelling at you may very well be a 12 year old kid that hasn’t even reached puberty, and you’re going to allow them to bring you down? And I do mean allow. You are the one reading chat. You are the one that needs to accept that if you read chat, there’s a chance you’ll fall prey to a new, popular insult. Therefore, it is your responsibility to not pay attention. In the future, we’re all hoping Blizzard adds a feature to report the toxic players, but until that patch, it is up to you to take responsibility for your own feelings and simply ignore. What can you possibly hope to gain by justifying the griefer’s delusion that any recognition is good recognition?

Take charge of your game.

-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.

Ask DrmDestryr #3

DrmDestryr,

I play a hero but always suck, but I see other people play them really well. How do I get better?

Confused

Dear Confused,

I want you to recall those times you had to study literature. Remember questions asking why certain colors were important, why location played a pivotal role, or why a bird with a broken wing ending the novel was the most important thing since the printing press? I know those questions seem/seemed stupid, but they are asked for a reason. Learning to analyze damn near everything is an important skill to have. It allows you to look at something and draw conclusions based on reasoning - empowering you with the ability to express yourself better when prompted to speak on a subject matter. Being able to answer “Why didn’t you like this book?” requires the same skill set to answer “Why do I suck with this hero?”

After adapting to this ground breaking mental expansion, look at your character. Assuming humans created Heroes, it’s safe to say that each character was gifted abilities with reasoning behind it. Most heroes have three attacks. Why these three? How do these attacks work together to create a formidable hero? It is a puzzle you must decode. Once you’ve discovered the synergistic link between the attacks, add the traits into the mix. These, after all, cannot fully be integrated until you have a firm grasp of the abilities. From there, it’s all about imagination and not being too chicken to try out different builds.

-DrmDestryr

DrmDestryr!

How am I supposed to get good at a hero if the free-to-play keeps changing?

-Grumpy

Dear Grumpy,

Why are you taking hero rotation to be a bad thing?

Your negativity is holding you back. Turn it in to a positive by using it to your advantage. The more heroes you know how to play (well or poorly), the better you are at the game. If you push yourself to try every hero – no matter how badly you mess up – you’ll have a far broader knowledge of the game than those that stick with one hero. When you check the opposing team build before the match, you’ll be able to note what to look out for (Are there cloaked characters? Who should be the first to target in a team fight? How many stuns do the opponents have?). Plus, you’ll know the strengths and weaknesses of your own team. Certainly settle on a hero and practice them until nigh but five opponents can bring you down, but do not shirk your responsibility as a player to know all of the heroes.

Don’t be the nub yelling at Abathur for being out of mana (ProTip: Abathur doesn’t use mana).

-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.