Mobile Legends (ML) is literally becoming a legendary mobile game. It's popularity is consistently increasing since it was released in 2016. In fact, this MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) has massively amassed players that it was the first game to be included for the 2019 South East Asian (SEA) games under esports category medals.
In terms of earnings, Sensor Tower, a market intelligence company, estimates the games' earnings to be around $200 million per year on a data posted back in July 2018. As of this post, data shows about 600k downloads and $4 million revenue worldwide for July 2019. Top users and earnings come from Indonesia, Malaysia and the U.S.
From where I come from (the Philippines), there's no denying how it's quite possibly the number one game at the moment. It's one of the Top Free Games in the App Store (iOS) right now.
If you have landed this page, you're probably no longer new to the game. But for those who are, here's a quick overview:
Mobile Legends is a 5 vs 5 mobile game available for free download (with in-app purchases) on the App Store (iOS) and the Play Store (Android).
You can choose six types of heroes: marksman, fighter, assassin, mage, tank and support. Marksman heroes are long-ranged heroes which can inflict high physical damage. Assassins can also deliver high damage but cannot take that much; so they need to flee fast. Tanks are the opposite of assassins; inflicts low damage but are durable. Fighters are balanced. Supports normally boost their teammates skills and may even heal but have low HP (health points) and defense. Mage heroes are powerful when it comes to bursting enemies but are like supports in terms of HP.
Before the game starts, heroes will choose an emblem, spell, and a set of equipment. Emblems have specific uses and are normally assigned based on role. There are dual role heroes, i.e. fighter/marksman, tank/support, mage/assassin etc., so you can choose which one is best for your hero. Equipments will be purchased as the game progresses by using gold earned throughout the game.
The goal of the game is simple: defeat the enemy team by destroying their base. In order to reach the base, you will need to bring down defense turrets (towers) and kill enemy heroes/minions which protect them.
You can play under the Classic version or under Rank, to level up in tier rankings. There are also other mini-games within ML.
There are 7 tier designations in Rank. These are Warrior, Elite, Master, Grandmaster (GM), Epic, Legend and Mythic. Mythical Glory is a distinction for being one of the top 50 players in your server. Your server is found right beside your game ID (see profile page).
Some of the usual terminologies in Mobile Legends (ML) are common in most games or gaming world in general such as hero, skill, power up, level up, spell, emblem and so on. But there are terms which may be new to first timers (like me at some point). They will be used throughout this post in acronyms along with their expanded version or simply explained further.
I'm not a pro nor an expert. I'm not even good and currently in hiatus during the time I was writing this post (took a while to finish). But, there are things I've learned along the way. It's more like understanding the theory rather than its application. 😆 So if you're an already skilled gamer, knowing about the methodology may help you excel even more. You will naturally come up with your own techniques too. If you are a struggling player like me, read on.
With that, here is a list of tips applicable mostly for beginners and maybe even possibly for seasoned players.
We all started with the basic heroes and all of them have different roles to play. You will most likely have a best pick later on as you gain more experience, but just selecting the same type of hero every time may hurt the team play. It's recommended to have a balanced team with a marksman, tank, mage, assassin, and a fighter. Supports can be optional and some heroes can play dual roles.
Aside from balance, learning other roles is beneficial because another player may want to use the same hero type and you need to obviously choose another one once your favorite is already taken; unless you request via chat to swap options. Once you reach the draft pick tier (Epic), 4 heroes all in all can be banned by your team and the enemy's so you can no longer choose those.
Max level is 30. Numerous features are unlocked as your account levels up including emblems, spells, and more.
While not all Daily Rewards can be completed every day, do what you at least can. The same applies to accomplishing Tasks (3 each time) which refresh every 3 days. Update: this feature has now been replaced by the Celestial Tasks.
The battle points (BP) you earn from completing tasks can also be used to purchase heroes and for emblems (emblem packs and upgrading of emblems).
Simply check your account every 4 hours in order to take advantage of free chest items like EXP (experience), BP, emblem fragment, and magic dust. The latter can used to upgrade emblems in lieu of fragments.
The game can stack up to 2 free chests every time and will refresh as soon as you collect.
Medals you receive at the end of a game will help you unlock medal chests. Earn 10 points in order to unlock the chest every 12 hours. Medal chests offer more rewards including fragments for heroes and skins. I, personally, have collected most of my skins through Rare and Premium Skin fragments I got through medal chests. The same applies to some of my heroes.
Some events generously reward participants with heroes. Other rewards include exclusive skins, magic dust, fragments, tickets, emblem packs, skin or hero trial usage, and more. Emblem packs are like chests; they contain several items too.
You can use tickets to buy specific heroes where this option is available. Some heroes can only be purchased through BP or diamonds. Tickets can also be used to buy emblem packs and for the Lucky Spin.
Login 7 days straight to collect the weekly rewards (under the Daily Login event).
Aside from events, there are more ways to earn free items.
The Lucky Spin I mentioned earlier is found on the Shop. The free chance to spin refreshes every 48 hours and costs 20 tickets thereafter. You can try your luck for free gems, fragments, magic dust, BP and even skins as well as heroes. I did get heroes and skins here, luckily, but it's quite rare.
Magic Wheel refreshes every Friday, server time.
There's a unique item for the draws --- Lucky Gem fragment and Magic Crystal. They can be used for the Lucky Spin and Magic (Wheel) Shop respectively.
Guess winning teams under eSports correctly to collect rewards which can also be exchanged for items.
Aside from exclusive rewards, Conquest of Dawn and Arena Contest also lets you experience the fun and national patronage feels by playing with other gamers worldwide to represent your country. It comes with rewards as well. The game keeps on evolving so you can expect more contests (like MCL) and events.
From MCL:
Apart from the perks related to the Contests, both can help you complete tasks under Achievements (the E-Sports Star tab). The same applies for correctly guessing winning teams on eSports (Prophet task).
Check out all other Achievements too --- Way to Mythic, Collector, Battle Master, Arcade Expert, and Charmer. Try to complete them as much as you can.
Some of the tasks are naturally fulfilled as you continue playing but it will help to at least know which ones you can purposely work on. You earn BP and suns from each achievement level unlocked. There's a bracket for suns collected. Every 5 levels reached (starts with level 2, 5, 10 and then every 5th thereafter) corresponds to specific awards, i.e. magic dust, skin fragment and emblem fragment; but mostly the latter, as your achievement level increases. The amount of emblem fragments is huge (1,000) so it's definitely worth completing tasks under this section.
As of this post update, I have already unlocked all rewards. 😁
The leaderboards showcase best players for various categories globally, locally, and amongst your friends. One of the categories, Mentor, displays the Mentor/Apprentice program. This in itself earns rewards for both mentor and apprentice if they accomplish tasks together.
Speaking of the mentor/apprentice program, it's yet another way to earn rewards and practice at the same time. If you're new, a mentor can definitely show you the ropes. Once you reach the other end of the equation, mentoring someone else is an accomplishment too.
I can't find the option to purposely search for mentors or apprentice but the feature to find a mentor is automatically offered if you're winning too much.
Aside from the usual Brawl, Classic and Rank arenas, you can also enjoy games at the Arcade and gain achievements (under Arcade Expert) as well as BP and other types of rewards. I personally like Survival. The mini-games are equally de-stressing, specially when you get stressed out in Rank. 😆
The Arcade keeps on expanding so you can look forward to more mini-games within the game as well as events and new heroes/skins.
If you have the funds to spare, do spend diamonds with rewards in mind. You get rewarded just by recharging alone. Diamonds can be used to buy heroes, skins and other items.
If you recharge to subscribe for the Starlight program, there are additional perks such as free heroes per week (can be used in Rank), more game EXP and hero mastery points per game, protection points on top of your score when you lose in Rank, and other types of privileges.
Now going back to heroes, make sure to prepare them first before heading out to battle. This applies to equipment (build), emblem, spells and even hero mastery.
You may use the default builds based on what goal is more important for you, i.e. push (destroying enemy towers), jungling and durability. You can also customize the equipments based on what's hot or what the pro uses.
While you can preselect items to use before the game starts (or even turn ON the Auto Buy), but I think it's better to adjust them accordingly as the game progresses. For example, build equipment with magical defense if there are more mage heroes on the enemy team compared with other roles. Even shoes have specific purposes, i.e. unique movements, defense, etc. Goodbye Wizard Boots. :( I love those for my tanks.
In connection with equipment, you can edit based on your gameplay. What type of player are you? Do you accumulate kills in a game (a hitter) or are you more of a support type (more assists than kills)? Based on this, you can choose what items match your style. For example, take advantage of items which increases HP or gold for kills if you're the killer type or find items which reward assists if you're the latter.
More spells are unlocked as you level up. You can choose one before a game for your hero to use. Select whatever you like based on their function. But in some cases, there are spells which are more applicable for specific hero types. Petrify, for one, works well for those with crowd control capabilities since you can use the magic spell right in the middle of a clash. Aegis works for that purpose too. Flickr or Sprint are good for heroes which can't take as much damage so they can easily flee. Heal seems to be more effective in Brawl since you cannot recall back to base to regain HP and mana. Update: Heal is no longer available. I think Revitalize serves the same purpose.
We all start with the basic Physical or Magical emblem. But as you progress and unlock the other emblems, focus on upgrading those instead of the basic ones because specific emblems work better for heroes based on role.
When an emblem upgrade reaches a level which allows talent point allocation, adjust it according to the talents you prefer or based on your game play style. Like equipments, you can make the most of your skills by allocating talent points. In some cases, the game suggests emblem talent point allocation that's best for a hero. You may opt to follow that or just stick with your own combination.
Practice playing your heroes, specially newly acquired ones.
The VS A.I. mode is the best venue for practice. You play with computer controlled heroes so it's easy to test the skills to see how they apply in action. When you're ready, take them to Classic to battle real players. Never go straight to Rank.
A Mastery Code is also available for each hero. Accomplishing tasks per chapter are rewarded with mastery points as well as sacred coins. The latter can be used to purchase sacred statue of heroes which can be summoned during Classic or Rank games. It's like a skin for turrets with a few additional perks when used.
Once the hero reaches maximum points (5,000), an expert icon is shown next to it. This distinction may help when bidding for a hero role during a Draft pick Rank game. More about this later on.
When you press the start button to join the queue for matching, there are etiquette we can follow. I've seen this happen a lot during the lower tier rank and even in higher tier classic matches. Players will not join based on prejudice such as when a user doesn't even have a profile pic or if they do have but it's a girl's photo.
You can never tell how a player plays based on their image. Some may just be too lazy to edit their profile. There are those who may be using their girlfriend or crush's photo too. In case it is indeed a girl-gamer, not all play bad so let's not be gender biased.
Of course, the exemption is when something else came up so you're unable to enter unintentionally. But even so, there will be penalty. You won't be able to join the queue again right away and will need to wait. There's also a deduction on your credit score now.
Notice how the game shows tips before the start of the game? Take note of those.
There are various venues where you can learn how to master heroes or any other ML related info. On the game, head over to the Live tab and watch streamers play. You can watch people you follow or choose from ML's Live Stream List featuring different players with YouTube videos.
Facebook Live, Cam & Mic and the option to use a third-party Inbound Live broadcast app are recently introduced features.
For all other streams, they are displayed by Hero (click the List icon on the top right) and arranged starting from the top rank. Under the Live tab (left menu), you'll find what's hot (based on views), new streamers, and the world's best (overall). There's even a Girl Streamer section because you know... 😜
Harper, that light blue creature on the lower right side of your game screen offer more hero guides, boot camps, videos as well as news updates, fan art, tournaments and more. For a shortcut to a specific hero you'd like to read or watch guides about, go to the Hero menu tab, choose the hero and click on Guide. The game even recommends which lane (top, mid, bottom) a hero is best to be at.
From the hero's page, you'll find out everything there is to know about it such as equipment to use, guides, and even the best lane to clean or protect. Highlighted below.
There are also external places to find information from such as YouTube, Facebook groups, discussion sites like Reddit and more.
Speaking of the live stream, I love pro players streaming. We learn something from them. Most also send free skins. So if you're good enough, you should definitely stream. Setting aside possible fame or fortune, just think about inspiring other players or sharing what you know when they watch you.
Speaking of fame and fortune, (pro) popular players become recruited to join leagues or even end up with paid brand endorsements. Video streaming content can be monetized as well (Facebook, YouTube, and even Twitch) if they meet those platforms' requirements.
As for female streamers who aren't really worth watching in terms of skill, well, that's a sensitive topic. I don't really want to offend anyone. I'm all in for women empowerment. They do inspire players in a way (cough, cough 😉) but feminists wouldn't be in favor of objectifying women, so watch at your own discretion.
You can also earn money by offering pilot services. Although I see social media group members posting about it, I think this is still a bit underground (much like the dark web of gaming) so there's a chance you'd get scammed, i.e. pilot takes over your account permanently by changing the login or a seller recovering the account you've purchased, so transact only with people you trust.
As to why people there is a need to buy an account, I can only assume that a user wants a high ranking level right away. It beats the purpose of enjoying gaming though. Like all other games, it's a journey you need to go through from start to finish. I can understand the frustration of trying to rank up though, specially when you've been ranked down, hence, asking a pilot's help to at least get back on your feet is understandable.
This is another way to escape the curse of not being able to rank up a game. Pabuhat is a Filipino word which had been adapted into ML terminology (at least in our country). It describes players who don't really contribute much but gets carried by stronger allies to victory. While it has a negative connotation, I think it's at least better than being a reason for loosing a match by not contributing at all or by pulling the team down due to feeding, going AFK, etc.
After A.I. and then Classic, your hero is ready for rank games once you become familiar with it's skills, combos, equipment and more. Some suggest playing rank only after you win several games as an MVP or at least gold medal in Classic.
Medals are calculated based on KDA (Kills, Damage, Assist). Apart from gold, you may also earn silver or bronze medal.
I've read someone suggest to have played at least 50 games with a hero being heading out to rank, although I find that too much. Some, head straight to rank for practice.
Practicing new heroes in rank? 😑 True, there are those who are confident of their skills, that they'd do well even with heroes they are not too familiar with, but not everyone is that skilled. I've read someone argue that your win rate is still affected anyway when you loose, whether you play in rank or classic so it doesn't matter. That's correct, but it will be unfair to everyone else in your team who meticulously choose heroes in order to increase the possibility of winning in rank.
So in relation to that thought, I've seen players ban newly released heroes. At first, I was wondering why, but seeing how players do select new heroes to rank right away; I now understand.
Apart from that, ban those which are usually known to be OP (overpowered); but only if your teammates have not pre-selected them. This is why it's important to show what hero you want to use so they don't end up being accidentally banned by a team member. There's nothing you can do if the enemy bans your shown hero though.
At the moment, the usual heroes banned include X-Borg, Lylia, Esmeralda, Guinevere, Kimmy, Hanzo, Gusion, Lunox, Harith, Chou, Aldous, Kaja, Khufra, and Diggie. Yes, that owl is banned in high tiers.
If you happen to know the players you're up against with, say on the Mythic tier (because they're a popular 5-team squad), then you go can ban heroes used by their usual damage dealers. But you can't always be that lucky (or rather unlucky) if you're playing solo.
By the way, draft pick happens during rank games at the Epic tier and above. It is not yet available at the lower levels. Lower tiers can experience how it feels at the VS A.I. arena. But since players can invite either one rank below or higher, then a GM can play draft pick when invited by an Epic tier player.
On the opposite side of the equation, how do you select heroes? Best pick, is of course, always the best. Do prepare a secondary choice if your favorite is banned (in draft pick) or already selected by a team member. Like mentioned earlier, be well rounded by learning a hero for every role. Learn to adjust in order to maintain a balance of heroes.
Aiming for balance will increase the probability of winning. All roles, or at least most, should be filled --- Marksman, Fighter, Assassin, Mage, Support and Tank. Since there are only 5 players, some roles may be skipped.
There are heroes which can help keep the balance because they have dual roles. Some can be Fighter/Marksman, Marksman/Assassin, Assassin/Mage, Mage/Support, Support/Tank, Fighter/Tank, Mage/Tank, and Marksman/Mage.
The game itself suggests selecting a hero for a role that's not yet filled (i.e. Lacks Markman) or reducing the number of heroes when there's too many for a role (e.g. Too Many Marksman).
A balanced team doesn't guarantee victory. There are unbalanced teams which can still win because there are other factors in play; say, the emblem level, equipment used, counter heroes, and the actual player's skills as well as their Internet connectivity.
Still in connection with choosing heroes; know when to fight and when to adjust.
Assuming you'd like to play a hero that's already selected by a team member, try to kindly ask if you can use it instead through the pre-game chat. Some are generous enough to let you, specially, if they are confident of their game play even if they use a different hero instead. You can do the same for another player too.
In the event that more than one player chooses a role (Marksman, is quite common to cause such a ruckus in the lower tiers); there are civilized ways to resolve it rather than resorting to name calling, trash talking and bullying. You can show your win rate or MMR for one. The latter, apparently, increases with more wins. The expert level (that "I've reached expert level of hero ...) isn't a guarantee in my opinion. You can eventually earn 5,000 mastery points just by using the hero a lot; whether the outcome is a victory or defeat.
If you're not confident with a specific role, you can insist on your pick then, rather than becoming a feeder (getting killed a lot) because you're not used to a hero. You may also adjust to keep the balance but be more passive rather than aggressive when playing so you don't become the opponent's free food. This is why it's better to a practice several roles so you can easily adjust when needed.
I may be wrong but I've noticed that most newly released heroes are OP. It could be because they're new so most players won't know how to counter their skills yet. But I'm also thinking it's Moonton's way of encouraging players to purchase the hero. After sometime, they are nerfed so it's best to take advantage of their overpowering skills while it lasts.
Speaking of OP heroes, be in the know when there's a list of revamped or nerfed ones. Nerf means the game reduced the hero's overpowering skills while revamp will improve them overall or at least some of their skills. In most cases, there is an official game announcement when revamping or nerfing happens. You will definitely notice the difference, specially with a hero you are used to playing with. Rumors about such also spread out amongst gaming communities in forums and social media groups, so you will know if you actively read infos.
Ever experience how your ultimate skill (SS) is not working during a clash or even when facing a specific enemy hero? That means it was possibly countered by the opposing team's hero. There are even websites, forum threads and social media group posts created for this purpose based on user votes or suggestions. You'll also experience it first hand when playing so take note of such scenario.
You can play any hero you want and build the equipment based on what can counter the enemy. We all start with default equipment (or pre-adjusted ones) before the game starts. You can further edit these by selecting which items to buy first.
In an earlier tip, I mentioned about adjusting equipment based on what may work best against enemy heroes. It's the same concept, i.e. choosing items with more magical or physical defense if you have more mage or physical based opponents, respectively or selecting anti-heal equipment if there's a healer on the other party's lineup.
There are even items which are ideal against specific heroes; like say, Blade Armor, against Claude because his SS is an upgraded version of the basic skill and this specific armor sends some of the basic attack back (like a boomerang).
Check what items the enemies are building too and think of a workaround against those. Items with PEN can supposedly negate shields or armors; hence, may work against tanky or shieldy builds (I'm making up the words 🤣). For equipment with critical chance (several Attack items have it), there's a unique Defense equipment which lowers the critical chance, Dominance Ice.
In terms of earnings, Sensor Tower, a market intelligence company, estimates the games' earnings to be around $200 million per year on a data posted back in July 2018. As of this post, data shows about 600k downloads and $4 million revenue worldwide for July 2019. Top users and earnings come from Indonesia, Malaysia and the U.S.
From where I come from (the Philippines), there's no denying how it's quite possibly the number one game at the moment. It's one of the Top Free Games in the App Store (iOS) right now.
Mobile Legends Overview
If you have landed this page, you're probably no longer new to the game. But for those who are, here's a quick overview:
Mobile Legends is a 5 vs 5 mobile game available for free download (with in-app purchases) on the App Store (iOS) and the Play Store (Android).
You can choose six types of heroes: marksman, fighter, assassin, mage, tank and support. Marksman heroes are long-ranged heroes which can inflict high physical damage. Assassins can also deliver high damage but cannot take that much; so they need to flee fast. Tanks are the opposite of assassins; inflicts low damage but are durable. Fighters are balanced. Supports normally boost their teammates skills and may even heal but have low HP (health points) and defense. Mage heroes are powerful when it comes to bursting enemies but are like supports in terms of HP.
Before the game starts, heroes will choose an emblem, spell, and a set of equipment. Emblems have specific uses and are normally assigned based on role. There are dual role heroes, i.e. fighter/marksman, tank/support, mage/assassin etc., so you can choose which one is best for your hero. Equipments will be purchased as the game progresses by using gold earned throughout the game.
The goal of the game is simple: defeat the enemy team by destroying their base. In order to reach the base, you will need to bring down defense turrets (towers) and kill enemy heroes/minions which protect them.
You can play under the Classic version or under Rank, to level up in tier rankings. There are also other mini-games within ML.
There are 7 tier designations in Rank. These are Warrior, Elite, Master, Grandmaster (GM), Epic, Legend and Mythic. Mythical Glory is a distinction for being one of the top 50 players in your server. Your server is found right beside your game ID (see profile page).
Terminologies
Some of the usual terminologies in Mobile Legends (ML) are common in most games or gaming world in general such as hero, skill, power up, level up, spell, emblem and so on. But there are terms which may be new to first timers (like me at some point). They will be used throughout this post in acronyms along with their expanded version or simply explained further.
Disclaimer
I'm not a pro nor an expert. I'm not even good and currently in hiatus during the time I was writing this post (took a while to finish). But, there are things I've learned along the way. It's more like understanding the theory rather than its application. 😆 So if you're an already skilled gamer, knowing about the methodology may help you excel even more. You will naturally come up with your own techniques too. If you are a struggling player like me, read on.
Mobile Legends Tips
With that, here is a list of tips applicable mostly for beginners and maybe even possibly for seasoned players.
Learn a Hero for Every Role
We all started with the basic heroes and all of them have different roles to play. You will most likely have a best pick later on as you gain more experience, but just selecting the same type of hero every time may hurt the team play. It's recommended to have a balanced team with a marksman, tank, mage, assassin, and a fighter. Supports can be optional and some heroes can play dual roles.
Aside from balance, learning other roles is beneficial because another player may want to use the same hero type and you need to obviously choose another one once your favorite is already taken; unless you request via chat to swap options. Once you reach the draft pick tier (Epic), 4 heroes all in all can be banned by your team and the enemy's so you can no longer choose those.
Level Up
Max level is 30. Numerous features are unlocked as your account levels up including emblems, spells, and more.
Complete Daily Quests and Tasks
While not all Daily Rewards can be completed every day, do what you at least can. The same applies to accomplishing Tasks (3 each time) which refresh every 3 days. Update: this feature has now been replaced by the Celestial Tasks.
The battle points (BP) you earn from completing tasks can also be used to purchase heroes and for emblems (emblem packs and upgrading of emblems).
Login to Claim Free Chests
Simply check your account every 4 hours in order to take advantage of free chest items like EXP (experience), BP, emblem fragment, and magic dust. The latter can used to upgrade emblems in lieu of fragments.
The game can stack up to 2 free chests every time and will refresh as soon as you collect.
Medal Chests
Medals you receive at the end of a game will help you unlock medal chests. Earn 10 points in order to unlock the chest every 12 hours. Medal chests offer more rewards including fragments for heroes and skins. I, personally, have collected most of my skins through Rare and Premium Skin fragments I got through medal chests. The same applies to some of my heroes.
Participate in Events
Some events generously reward participants with heroes. Other rewards include exclusive skins, magic dust, fragments, tickets, emblem packs, skin or hero trial usage, and more. Emblem packs are like chests; they contain several items too.
You can use tickets to buy specific heroes where this option is available. Some heroes can only be purchased through BP or diamonds. Tickets can also be used to buy emblem packs and for the Lucky Spin.
Login 7 days straight to collect the weekly rewards (under the Daily Login event).
Try Your Luck for Draws
Aside from events, there are more ways to earn free items.
The Lucky Spin I mentioned earlier is found on the Shop. The free chance to spin refreshes every 48 hours and costs 20 tickets thereafter. You can try your luck for free gems, fragments, magic dust, BP and even skins as well as heroes. I did get heroes and skins here, luckily, but it's quite rare.
Magic Wheel refreshes every Friday, server time.
There's a unique item for the draws --- Lucky Gem fragment and Magic Crystal. They can be used for the Lucky Spin and Magic (Wheel) Shop respectively.
Participate in the eSports Guess
Guess winning teams under eSports correctly to collect rewards which can also be exchanged for items.
Join Contests
Aside from exclusive rewards, Conquest of Dawn and Arena Contest also lets you experience the fun and national patronage feels by playing with other gamers worldwide to represent your country. It comes with rewards as well. The game keeps on evolving so you can expect more contests (like MCL) and events.
From MCL:
Mind Your Achievements
Apart from the perks related to the Contests, both can help you complete tasks under Achievements (the E-Sports Star tab). The same applies for correctly guessing winning teams on eSports (Prophet task).
Check out all other Achievements too --- Way to Mythic, Collector, Battle Master, Arcade Expert, and Charmer. Try to complete them as much as you can.
Some of the tasks are naturally fulfilled as you continue playing but it will help to at least know which ones you can purposely work on. You earn BP and suns from each achievement level unlocked. There's a bracket for suns collected. Every 5 levels reached (starts with level 2, 5, 10 and then every 5th thereafter) corresponds to specific awards, i.e. magic dust, skin fragment and emblem fragment; but mostly the latter, as your achievement level increases. The amount of emblem fragments is huge (1,000) so it's definitely worth completing tasks under this section.
As of this post update, I have already unlocked all rewards. 😁
Check out the Leaderboards
The leaderboards showcase best players for various categories globally, locally, and amongst your friends. One of the categories, Mentor, displays the Mentor/Apprentice program. This in itself earns rewards for both mentor and apprentice if they accomplish tasks together.
Find a Mentor or Apprentice
Speaking of the mentor/apprentice program, it's yet another way to earn rewards and practice at the same time. If you're new, a mentor can definitely show you the ropes. Once you reach the other end of the equation, mentoring someone else is an accomplishment too.
I can't find the option to purposely search for mentors or apprentice but the feature to find a mentor is automatically offered if you're winning too much.
Play the Arcade
Aside from the usual Brawl, Classic and Rank arenas, you can also enjoy games at the Arcade and gain achievements (under Arcade Expert) as well as BP and other types of rewards. I personally like Survival. The mini-games are equally de-stressing, specially when you get stressed out in Rank. 😆
The Arcade keeps on expanding so you can look forward to more mini-games within the game as well as events and new heroes/skins.
Spend for Starlight and Recharge Rewards
If you recharge to subscribe for the Starlight program, there are additional perks such as free heroes per week (can be used in Rank), more game EXP and hero mastery points per game, protection points on top of your score when you lose in Rank, and other types of privileges.
Be Prepared before heading out to Battle
Now going back to heroes, make sure to prepare them first before heading out to battle. This applies to equipment (build), emblem, spells and even hero mastery.
Adjust your Equipment
You may use the default builds based on what goal is more important for you, i.e. push (destroying enemy towers), jungling and durability. You can also customize the equipments based on what's hot or what the pro uses.
While you can preselect items to use before the game starts (or even turn ON the Auto Buy), but I think it's better to adjust them accordingly as the game progresses. For example, build equipment with magical defense if there are more mage heroes on the enemy team compared with other roles. Even shoes have specific purposes, i.e. unique movements, defense, etc. Goodbye Wizard Boots. :( I love those for my tanks.
Know your Gameplay
In connection with equipment, you can edit based on your gameplay. What type of player are you? Do you accumulate kills in a game (a hitter) or are you more of a support type (more assists than kills)? Based on this, you can choose what items match your style. For example, take advantage of items which increases HP or gold for kills if you're the killer type or find items which reward assists if you're the latter.
Choose the Best Spell based on Hero
More spells are unlocked as you level up. You can choose one before a game for your hero to use. Select whatever you like based on their function. But in some cases, there are spells which are more applicable for specific hero types. Petrify, for one, works well for those with crowd control capabilities since you can use the magic spell right in the middle of a clash. Aegis works for that purpose too. Flickr or Sprint are good for heroes which can't take as much damage so they can easily flee. Heal seems to be more effective in Brawl since you cannot recall back to base to regain HP and mana. Update: Heal is no longer available. I think Revitalize serves the same purpose.
Upgrade Specific Emblems, not the Default ones
We all start with the basic Physical or Magical emblem. But as you progress and unlock the other emblems, focus on upgrading those instead of the basic ones because specific emblems work better for heroes based on role.
Allocate Talent Points in Emblems
When an emblem upgrade reaches a level which allows talent point allocation, adjust it according to the talents you prefer or based on your game play style. Like equipments, you can make the most of your skills by allocating talent points. In some cases, the game suggests emblem talent point allocation that's best for a hero. You may opt to follow that or just stick with your own combination.
Be a Master of your Heroes
Practice playing your heroes, specially newly acquired ones.
The VS A.I. mode is the best venue for practice. You play with computer controlled heroes so it's easy to test the skills to see how they apply in action. When you're ready, take them to Classic to battle real players. Never go straight to Rank.
A Mastery Code is also available for each hero. Accomplishing tasks per chapter are rewarded with mastery points as well as sacred coins. The latter can be used to purchase sacred statue of heroes which can be summoned during Classic or Rank games. It's like a skin for turrets with a few additional perks when used.
Once the hero reaches maximum points (5,000), an expert icon is shown next to it. This distinction may help when bidding for a hero role during a Draft pick Rank game. More about this later on.
Understand Hero Roles
Know what is expected for each role, not only for your own gameplay but for your teammates too.
Tanks are supposed to protect squishy members like mage and marksman. That's their priority so all other tasks like clearing lanes or destroying towers is secondary. The junglers (mostly assassins but can be marksman or fighters too) will normally raid the jungle first for buffs so don't expect them to be laning all the time or assisting right away. They will often roam around so you may have to wait for assistance.
Tanks are supposed to protect squishy members like mage and marksman. That's their priority so all other tasks like clearing lanes or destroying towers is secondary. The junglers (mostly assassins but can be marksman or fighters too) will normally raid the jungle first for buffs so don't expect them to be laning all the time or assisting right away. They will often roam around so you may have to wait for assistance.
Queue-tiquette
When you press the start button to join the queue for matching, there are etiquette we can follow. I've seen this happen a lot during the lower tier rank and even in higher tier classic matches. Players will not join based on prejudice such as when a user doesn't even have a profile pic or if they do have but it's a girl's photo.
You can never tell how a player plays based on their image. Some may just be too lazy to edit their profile. There are those who may be using their girlfriend or crush's photo too. In case it is indeed a girl-gamer, not all play bad so let's not be gender biased.
Of course, the exemption is when something else came up so you're unable to enter unintentionally. But even so, there will be penalty. You won't be able to join the queue again right away and will need to wait. There's also a deduction on your credit score now.
Pre-Game Tips
Notice how the game shows tips before the start of the game? Take note of those.
Read or Watch Guides
There are various venues where you can learn how to master heroes or any other ML related info. On the game, head over to the Live tab and watch streamers play. You can watch people you follow or choose from ML's Live Stream List featuring different players with YouTube videos.
Facebook Live, Cam & Mic and the option to use a third-party Inbound Live broadcast app are recently introduced features.
For all other streams, they are displayed by Hero (click the List icon on the top right) and arranged starting from the top rank. Under the Live tab (left menu), you'll find what's hot (based on views), new streamers, and the world's best (overall). There's even a Girl Streamer section because you know... 😜
Harper, that light blue creature on the lower right side of your game screen offer more hero guides, boot camps, videos as well as news updates, fan art, tournaments and more. For a shortcut to a specific hero you'd like to read or watch guides about, go to the Hero menu tab, choose the hero and click on Guide. The game even recommends which lane (top, mid, bottom) a hero is best to be at.
From the hero's page, you'll find out everything there is to know about it such as equipment to use, guides, and even the best lane to clean or protect. Highlighted below.
There are also external places to find information from such as YouTube, Facebook groups, discussion sites like Reddit and more.
Be a Streamer
Speaking of the live stream, I love pro players streaming. We learn something from them. Most also send free skins. So if you're good enough, you should definitely stream. Setting aside possible fame or fortune, just think about inspiring other players or sharing what you know when they watch you.
Sorry to those players whose names were shown above. You're popular anyway so I hope you don't mind. ✌️
Speaking of fame and fortune, (pro) popular players become recruited to join leagues or even end up with paid brand endorsements. Video streaming content can be monetized as well (Facebook, YouTube, and even Twitch) if they meet those platforms' requirements.
As for female streamers who aren't really worth watching in terms of skill, well, that's a sensitive topic. I don't really want to offend anyone. I'm all in for women empowerment. They do inspire players in a way (cough, cough 😉) but feminists wouldn't be in favor of objectifying women, so watch at your own discretion.
Pilots and Purchased Accounts
You can also earn money by offering pilot services. Although I see social media group members posting about it, I think this is still a bit underground (much like the dark web of gaming) so there's a chance you'd get scammed, i.e. pilot takes over your account permanently by changing the login or a seller recovering the account you've purchased, so transact only with people you trust.
As to why people there is a need to buy an account, I can only assume that a user wants a high ranking level right away. It beats the purpose of enjoying gaming though. Like all other games, it's a journey you need to go through from start to finish. I can understand the frustration of trying to rank up though, specially when you've been ranked down, hence, asking a pilot's help to at least get back on your feet is understandable.
"Pabuhat"
This is another way to escape the curse of not being able to rank up a game. Pabuhat is a Filipino word which had been adapted into ML terminology (at least in our country). It describes players who don't really contribute much but gets carried by stronger allies to victory. While it has a negative connotation, I think it's at least better than being a reason for loosing a match by not contributing at all or by pulling the team down due to feeding, going AFK, etc.
When is a Hero Ready for Rank
After A.I. and then Classic, your hero is ready for rank games once you become familiar with it's skills, combos, equipment and more. Some suggest playing rank only after you win several games as an MVP or at least gold medal in Classic.
Medals are calculated based on KDA (Kills, Damage, Assist). Apart from gold, you may also earn silver or bronze medal.
I've read someone suggest to have played at least 50 games with a hero being heading out to rank, although I find that too much. Some, head straight to rank for practice.
Don't Practice in Rank
Practicing new heroes in rank? 😑 True, there are those who are confident of their skills, that they'd do well even with heroes they are not too familiar with, but not everyone is that skilled. I've read someone argue that your win rate is still affected anyway when you loose, whether you play in rank or classic so it doesn't matter. That's correct, but it will be unfair to everyone else in your team who meticulously choose heroes in order to increase the possibility of winning in rank.
Heroes to Ban during Draft Pick
So in relation to that thought, I've seen players ban newly released heroes. At first, I was wondering why, but seeing how players do select new heroes to rank right away; I now understand.
Apart from that, ban those which are usually known to be OP (overpowered); but only if your teammates have not pre-selected them. This is why it's important to show what hero you want to use so they don't end up being accidentally banned by a team member. There's nothing you can do if the enemy bans your shown hero though.
At the moment, the usual heroes banned include X-Borg, Lylia, Esmeralda, Guinevere, Kimmy, Hanzo, Gusion, Lunox, Harith, Chou, Aldous, Kaja, Khufra, and Diggie. Yes, that owl is banned in high tiers.
If you happen to know the players you're up against with, say on the Mythic tier (because they're a popular 5-team squad), then you go can ban heroes used by their usual damage dealers. But you can't always be that lucky (or rather unlucky) if you're playing solo.
By the way, draft pick happens during rank games at the Epic tier and above. It is not yet available at the lower levels. Lower tiers can experience how it feels at the VS A.I. arena. But since players can invite either one rank below or higher, then a GM can play draft pick when invited by an Epic tier player.
How to Choose a Hero
On the opposite side of the equation, how do you select heroes? Best pick, is of course, always the best. Do prepare a secondary choice if your favorite is banned (in draft pick) or already selected by a team member. Like mentioned earlier, be well rounded by learning a hero for every role. Learn to adjust in order to maintain a balance of heroes.
Aim for Balance
Aiming for balance will increase the probability of winning. All roles, or at least most, should be filled --- Marksman, Fighter, Assassin, Mage, Support and Tank. Since there are only 5 players, some roles may be skipped.
Yes. The image sample is from a defeat but that's the best I can screenshot while writing this post. 😬 Both teams have a tank, fighter, markman and mage. The winning team included an assassin.
The game itself suggests selecting a hero for a role that's not yet filled (i.e. Lacks Markman) or reducing the number of heroes when there's too many for a role (e.g. Too Many Marksman).
A balanced team doesn't guarantee victory. There are unbalanced teams which can still win because there are other factors in play; say, the emblem level, equipment used, counter heroes, and the actual player's skills as well as their Internet connectivity.
Know when to Fight and when to Adjust
Still in connection with choosing heroes; know when to fight and when to adjust.
Assuming you'd like to play a hero that's already selected by a team member, try to kindly ask if you can use it instead through the pre-game chat. Some are generous enough to let you, specially, if they are confident of their game play even if they use a different hero instead. You can do the same for another player too.
In the event that more than one player chooses a role (Marksman, is quite common to cause such a ruckus in the lower tiers); there are civilized ways to resolve it rather than resorting to name calling, trash talking and bullying. You can show your win rate or MMR for one. The latter, apparently, increases with more wins. The expert level (that "I've reached expert level of hero ...) isn't a guarantee in my opinion. You can eventually earn 5,000 mastery points just by using the hero a lot; whether the outcome is a victory or defeat.
If you're not confident with a specific role, you can insist on your pick then, rather than becoming a feeder (getting killed a lot) because you're not used to a hero. You may also adjust to keep the balance but be more passive rather than aggressive when playing so you don't become the opponent's free food. This is why it's better to a practice several roles so you can easily adjust when needed.
New Heroes are Always OP
I may be wrong but I've noticed that most newly released heroes are OP. It could be because they're new so most players won't know how to counter their skills yet. But I'm also thinking it's Moonton's way of encouraging players to purchase the hero. After sometime, they are nerfed so it's best to take advantage of their overpowering skills while it lasts.
Revamped vs. Nerfed Heroes
Speaking of OP heroes, be in the know when there's a list of revamped or nerfed ones. Nerf means the game reduced the hero's overpowering skills while revamp will improve them overall or at least some of their skills. In most cases, there is an official game announcement when revamping or nerfing happens. You will definitely notice the difference, specially with a hero you are used to playing with. Rumors about such also spread out amongst gaming communities in forums and social media groups, so you will know if you actively read infos.
Counter Pick (Hero vs. Hero)
Ever experience how your ultimate skill (SS) is not working during a clash or even when facing a specific enemy hero? That means it was possibly countered by the opposing team's hero. There are even websites, forum threads and social media group posts created for this purpose based on user votes or suggestions. You'll also experience it first hand when playing so take note of such scenario.
ML itself has enough information about this. From the hero's page, click Guide for information about best hero counters. Harper (lower right side) can show you more info too. If you select a certain hero, hero/es its strong or weak against are listed.
Counter Build (Equipment against Heroes)
You can play any hero you want and build the equipment based on what can counter the enemy. We all start with default equipment (or pre-adjusted ones) before the game starts. You can further edit these by selecting which items to buy first.
In an earlier tip, I mentioned about adjusting equipment based on what may work best against enemy heroes. It's the same concept, i.e. choosing items with more magical or physical defense if you have more mage or physical based opponents, respectively or selecting anti-heal equipment if there's a healer on the other party's lineup.
There are even items which are ideal against specific heroes; like say, Blade Armor, against Claude because his SS is an upgraded version of the basic skill and this specific armor sends some of the basic attack back (like a boomerang).
All these require knowledge of equipments --- their purpose, what they're best against (hero or another equipment) and what works against them (so you can counter build).
Another equipment related tip is to swap some at the late game. For junglers, you can sell the jungling equipment if you've purchased enough high damage items that will be enough to kill creeps. Spare the space for another hero killing tool instead. The same applies for shoes, specially if your team is already pressed by the enemies to base defense only.
There's one quick tip about the Immortality shield for defense. After the first use, there's a 180-second cool down before it is available again. So while waiting for that, you can sell the shield to buy another equipment and then prioritize buying items for the shield to use it again after the cooldown is over. Those 3 minutes may or may not be enough to repurchase Immortality but at least you were able to take advantage of it once and even buy a different equipment. Should you try this trick, Immortality should be the third equipment bought (or maybe even the second) after buying shoes so you can keep swapping it for different item several times throughout the game, provided your hero dies a lot. 😅
Both mic and chat are optional and also subjective. Streamers will definitely need both ON in order to communicate with their viewers. Those in squads or playing with people you know, voice chat certainly help with teamwork. You'll be able to share something which team members may have missed such as where an enemy is hiding in case you've spotted them and they didn't. While text chat can accomplish the same, it takes longer and your hero will need to stop moving so you can type text.
In most cases, mic and audio is off but text chat is at least on. I've seen some players turn everything off completely so they're not distracted during the game. You won't be able to read trash talker's messages by doing so but may miss vital game chat from teammates though.
If you'd like to make the most of game chat, here are primary dos and dont's.
Now that all the preparation is taken cared of, it's time to strategize. In the beginning, your aim is to keep collecting gold in order to buy equipment. You can do that by farming. Most assassins and fighters are best suited for this. But other roles can farm at the onset of the game too, like mage heroes since they are good for bursting early on but are low in manna and HP. You may also clear lanes by killing enemy minions.
There's no point in clashing early, since there are no equipment ready yet. I do see mage and/or assassins dominating the game right away, aiming to end it fast before the damage-inflicters complete their items and become stronger. But it is still better to at least purchase two core equipment first (apart from the boots) before engaging in a clash.
Unless it's really futile, it's better not to surrender and aim for a long game. As mentioned, there are dominating heroes early on but once stronger heroes (like markman heroes in late games) collect enough items, it will be easier to battle the enemy head on. You may still be able to experience an epic comeback or at least be defeated while exerting your best so you have no regrets.
I've even seen games when the enemies became too relaxed because they're dominating in terms of kills and opponent turrets destroyed, that they get outsmarted (more on this later below). There were also instances when connection started to become laggy for the enemy or when other players from the dominating party got too bored of a lengthy game so they left or simply didn't want to contribute anymore. The latter rarely happens in rank; that's more likely in classic mode, specially if some gamers want to achieve maniac or savage mode by continuously accumulating kills.
Even if the game extends, it will surely end once the team gets wiped out by the opponent. Re-spawning takes longer as the number of deaths increase. There won't be anyone left to defend the base.
On the other side of the coin, if you are the dominating team but can't seem to make a final push towards the enemy base because they are effective defenders, don't keep charging. Pull back and regroup. You can jungle (even within the enemy's area) to complete all slots for your items if you haven't completed everything yet (including a potion), kill the lord, or hide in nearby bushes to slowly pluck enemy heroes one by one. For the latter, anticipate where they are possibly going to be at and hide in a nearby bush. They'll most likely go where creeps are within their turf (specially the critical creeps) and push forward with minions.
Like most of the things I've written here, this is not set in stone but I've noticed how some players initiate surrender, looking forward to the next game. So even if I personally do not advocate surrendering, some possible scenarios where it seems acceptable include too many AFK in the team (players left the game), laggy connection, and/or more kills by the enemy and less turrets remaining for your team. I personally won't surrender though if I'm just there to practice or complete a task, even when it seems pointless to continue. 😜
One way to avoid enemy epic comebacks, is to aim for a fast game. Dominate early on and finish the game as fast as possible. The opposing team may be able to catch up if you suddenly become relaxed because you're dominating. It's what some call, "intro boys," those who do well but only at the beginning and eventually loose to the "comeback kings" or those who win in an epic comeback scenario.
Outsmarting the enemy deserves an entire chapter but the theories can be broken down into a list of tips too; starting with the early game formation.
The usual combination is 2, 1, 2 (top, center, bottom) with a marksman or mage in the middle. The junglers will normally go straight to the creeps in pink dots so they can still move towards the top and bottom lane later on, respectively. In case the opposing team follow a different formation (say 1, 2, 2 or even 3 in the middle), adjust accordingly.
One of the game's battleground chat is about clearing up lanes and it is very useful. Help your minions kill the enemy's troops so it's easier for them to attack turrets afterwards. If there's no enemy hero defending a turret, you may want to hasten up the process of damaging or destroying the opposing team's, but leave soon after their tower is down. It's because the enemy will obviously rush towards their turret under attack; making it easier to kill you since you're busy.
This seems counterintuitive but it actually helps to continue killing creeps when there's an opportunity to do so. You earn gold to buy items, unless all 5 slots (including a potion) have already been filled. The buff-giving monsters should be in the top list. Buff effect varies depending on hero so it's not exclusive for one role (i.e. assassin) or those with jungling emblem and equipment. While you can respectfully let an ally take the buff when they request to do so, take some for yourself too.
Monsters to take note of are in pink dots on the map (i.e. the coreguard and statued shocker). The river crab gives gold while some creeps grant health.
But do make use of what you've farmed for, that is, to buy equipment and kill enemies. It's rather useless to be jungling all the time when you don't contribute KDA (kills, damage, assists).
Farming at the enemy's turf to rob them of the benefit is a good tactic. Try not to do this alone if possible. The enemy team can easily gather around you since you are trespassing within their territory. Should you be alone, force the jungle monster towards the nearby bush to keep you hidden while farming.
If you are on the opposing side, you'll notice an opponent jungling within your turf if there's evident activity in bushes adjacent to creeps. You can steal the creep kill or even kill the enemy hero if they're too busy jungling to notice you.
You'll probably love stealing the kill for the crab. Since it takes a while to slay, you can wait until it's almost dead, then drop a skill to steal. 😜
Assassins like Hanzo, Fanny, Helcurt, Natalia and other heroes which can attack and flee fast seems best for this. I've seen hard tanks assisted by a marksman do it too.
Don't keep the buffs all to yourself. Share some because everyone in the team needs it too. What most people do is to negotiate before the game even starts. You can talk about it during draft pick; like one hero will take the bottom lane buffs while another shall have the top lane and so on.
Apart from creeps, killing the turtle gives gold for the entire team. You can help an ally kill it but let a fighter or assassin take the final hit in order to enhance their killing ability. This is why the opposing team will try to steal the kill.
Level 1 lord won't inflict that much damage but can still be helpful to stall enemies while your team steal turrets. It's because the opponents will be busy defending whichever lane the lord is going to attack. The lord (as well as the turtle) can respawn up to 3 times; becoming stronger each time. So you'd definitely won't want to let the opposing team kill it.
If your team is the attacking party, let some attack the lord while the others watch the perimeter by making sure the enemies won't come close. If you can't beat them, forcing them away from the lord alone works too. None of you will benefit from the boss' help at least.
If the opponents are attacking the lord, rush towards it and attempt to steal the kill. If they didn't notice you, hide in a nearby bush and attempt to outsmart them by making the final hit.
Best chance to kill the lord is when at least 3 enemy heroes are dead.
Since the bush has been mentioned, note that it can either be a friend or a foe.
When a team mate presses "Enemy Missing in Action," its most likely because the opponents are hidden in bushes. This makes it easier to initiate surprise attacks, kill a recalling hero, and even to jungle secretly in your turf instead of theirs. You too can use bushes to your advantage by moving around from one to another for the same purpose as listed, but keep in mind that the enemy may also be doing the same, so remain vigilant in the jungle.
"Gather and Gank" is yet another battleground chat which is a strategy in itself. The bushes will be a friend as you inch closely to a busy enemy clearing a lane or jungling.
So what's up with gamers messaging (All) asking why we need to attack in 3 vs 1 and accusing those who do so as weak? It's a legitimate technique! That's why those who are often wandering alone become an easy prey for gankers. #sorrynotsorry
But if you are caught off guard and being ganked, run away if you can. If it seems impossible to flee, request for backup, then die fighting and inflict damage to the enemies at least, or kill some.
Aside from ganking, you can also become a bait for an unknowing solo enemy if allies are nearby unnoticed (hidden in a bush or cloaked/temporarily invisible).
Because of the scenarios above, always go with another team member, specially during the mid to late game even if you're a tank or an agile hero. Your durability or agility can be rendered useless when being ganked. There are still some exemptions though. I've seen it happen when one hero can kill 2 or more. It can be because of technicalities like emblem (maxed), in-game level (level 15 vs. lower), equipment (i.e. life steal, faster mana regen, higher damage and so on), hero type (damage inflicting ones vs. squishiest), and even technique (aiming for lower HP enemy first and evading attacks).
If it can't be helped to be roaming around though, specially when you're aiming to segue into turret stealing while everyone else is busy clashing, just be cautious when you're alone pushing for tower damage. Mind the map and bushes nearby.
There's actually another quick chat related to turrets (Stall them, I'll steal turrets). The opportunity can either present itself or it can be created when your own team mates rally towards the enemy in a single lane formation.
Stealing turrets is ideal for agile heroes (i.e. marksman and some fighters). It will also help if you have equipment which are designed to ignore or lessen turret incurred damage (such as Malefic Roar). You can also adjust controls to Advanced Auto Aim for tower pushing.
If you're not really of a damage dealer and your hero won't contribute much during a clash, you can designate your hero for this role. But like I mentioned, the opportune moment will sometimes just present itself, like in case you alone are in the dead lane while the rest are busy clashing elsewhere.
If possible, destroy all turrets in one lane because a stronger wave of allied minions will be deployed soon after. The enemy team becomes more vulnerable too since you can attack their base through the turret-free lane. You may also continue destroying other turrets while allies are charging towards the opponent's base. One can stay behind to kill the lord too, if it's available.
Everything from start to finish is affected by how you mind the map. There's no need to always tap on it to enlarge the view. Just take a quick glance from your left's eye corner to see what's going on.
Apart from the map, you'd be aware of the game's progress by turning on the sound effects (and music if you'd like to). This can be annoyingly repetitive but works for your advantage. I've seen some games when the base has been destroyed by minions alone because it was left defenseless. Heroes which can camouflage or become invisible can do the same too to avoid becoming noticeable in lanes.
It happens when everyone may have been too excited for victory, pinning the enemies to their base alone, that they didn't mind the map or were too late to recall back to base for defense. In this case, sound effects warning you when the base is being attacked is definitely useful.
Just move the game volume slider to low so it's not too loud.
Being mindful of the map helps with rotation too. You'd be able to spot where team mates are in order to provide assistance or gather in groups to gank. The enemy will be surprised when you suddenly show up to help a teammate if they're busy attempting to go for the kill.
Rotating applies not only to assassins but for other roles as well. You'd become very predictable as well if you remain defending the same lane over and over.
While we all want to go on a killing spree to attain legendary, maniac or even savage mode; there is a time to kill and a time to flee. The obvious indication is of course HP but there are always exemptions, such as heroes with heal (i.e. Minotaur's second skill or Hilda when she's regenerating through bushes) and those with items or emblems which provide HP regeneration after killing enemy heroes, minions and jungle monsters.
An enemy whose very low in HP may be worth running after but be mindful of your surroundings when doing so. We often get too excited for the kill that we may not notice the enemy's ally closing in to rescue. Don't be too greedy. <<< This is a statement that's worth a headline by itself.
Avoid suicide missions as well. Don't tackle more heroes than you can handle; 2 may be possible depending on health or equipment used, but more than that may be pushing too hard. I've seen exemptions (as usual) but it doesn't always happen. Don't push your luck.
While I've said "don't be greedy," don't let a foe escape either, even if they have sought refuge from a turret. You can tower dive for the kill, provided you have enough HP and wear an equipment designed to lessen damage dealt by turrets.
In contrast, even if there is an opportunity to turret dive, don't do so if you think it's not possible. It's all about calculations, not just in tower diving but for all other decisions you make during the game. Like when to kill or when to flee, killing lords, and all other pointers listed here.
Don't use skills just because they are available. It takes sometime for those to regenerate, even if you are using regen items to hasten the regeneration process. Utilize skills strategically such as when chasing after fleeing enemies or making that final hit for a kill. In contrast, don't be scarce when using skills too. There's an option to report players due to low skill level. I believe this is probably why I see streamers just randomly drop a minor skill (like the first or second) on the way back to the battlefield after resurrecting.
If you can combine skills, the same applies to heroes. The game itself suggests best partners but you can also come up with your own by observing which ones complement each other in terms of skills. I've seen countless Johnson and Odette paired. There was even a game when more 2 or more allies are hopping onto the jeep to gank enemy heroes roaming solo.
Equipment can also be paired, specially those which seem to complement themselves or the hero using it. In contrast, items with the same unique passive effect cannot be applied twice, only one will be recognized. Again, this requires knowledge of equipments as mentioned earlier.
When an ally needs assistance, the rescue attempt becomes more successful if you keep in mind other related rules such as the above (about killing and fleeing). There's no point in a suicide rescue mission; like rescuing for a 3 (or more) versus 1 scenario. You may try to help the team mate escape but don't engage in battle anymore.
Assassins or other heroes which are often on camouflage will do well with rescuing or even ganking, specially if the enemy did not anticipate an attack.
Enjoying the game is what I believe is the most important tip ever. Gaming is supposed to be a stress-reliever. I remember that ML message about coming back to the land of dawn when the stresses of life become unbearable or something to that extent. But if the game itself is causing the stress, then it defeats the purpose. Bottom line is, enjoy the game. When I see players press the "Good Game" chat message or thank everyone after the game, then it wasn't a bad game even if your team is defeated.
Again, enjoy the game and don't beat yourself up for loosing. Use the data, watch replays or what not to analyze what went wrong and what you can do to improve. Well, if you are applying to squads or aiming to join national contests, then winning rate is relevant. But if not, just do your best in every game regardless of the outcome.
The win rate of your favorite hero does matter though, specially if you plan to bet it on rank. You may need to show your stats when it's time to pick a hero.
Many have created 2nd or more accounts to start with a clean slate and improve their win rate. I have one on an older phone and I definitely rock rank at the low tiers when I used it. 😂 But I don't intend to level up with it. I just needed it to check certain information (such as for this post) so my original account remains offline when I'm not playing (avoiding invites that I will have to decline). Speaking of declining invites, you can actually tick that option to ignore ignites, when you're not yet ready to play and/or busy with something else like claiming rewards.
It's just human nature to find innovative ways to improve life; but that won't do with games. You will be penalized severely or your account may get banned for good by cheating. Sure, you can create a new account but everything you've worked hard for will be put to waste. Aside from that, there is a possibility that third-party cheat codes you install contain harmful data which can affect your mobile phone; think hackers, spyware, etc. which steal personal data for identity theft and so on.
Never leave the game as much as possible; even a loosing one. Press surrender if it becomes too stressing to continue playing for whatever reasons (i.e. toxic team). But keep playing if no one wants to end it yet.
AFK is not only for those who leave the game. It's also disrespectful to remain in the game and just watch. The game will give a warning for AFK-ing so they remain idle and start moving before hitting that mark. Some do that to avoid being penalized but you can take note of those who do this and report them at the end of the game.
Now this may or may not be true but there are players which create new accounts to troll games by intentionally playing poorly or going on AFK to get a screenshot for social media sh*tposting. 😡
Jawhead players trolling their own allies? No longer news. It seems funny but not if you're the teammate. But you can at least buy the odd potion (under magic equipment) to avoid being a victim of Jawhead teammates trolling on purpose.
Since there are people who intentionally troll, don't feed them by falling for the bait. Go back up the Mind Games section. ⬆️ Keep your game face on and remain focused.
Cheating and going on AFK are disrespectful. I've once read a comment on an ML Facebook group from a player who doesn't care if he looses stars by leaving the game and starting a new one because he got pissed off by his team mates. I've even experienced playing with some who deliberately feed themselves to the enemy for the same reason. These are actually sad because I'm sure the rest of us didn't want to loose our stars. I'd rather lose one at least trying rather than being defeated in mind games.
Not everyone will probably agree with this but I don't believe in public shaming even if you've lost a game and another player caused it. That's what the report button is for, even if the game police sometimes don't resolve it or takes too long to do so.
This was from a quiz game:
But if it's bordering on abuse such as name calling, to the point of cursing your entire family 🤣, then don't settle with just the in-game flagging alone; by all means, call them out --- even in public. I see countless samples of this on various ML groups, including the game's official community (at least from my country).
There's strength in numbers, so they say. Apart from the tips for individual game play above, take advantage of perks when playing with others such as with group mates. So find a group based on location, interests etc. and apply to join.
There are weekly rewards when a group completes tasks and reaches the total points required. I have joined 4 so far (2 each time) but I've never collected rewards; meaning, none of the group have reached the points quota per week. 😅 But at least there is a possibility of completing one of the daily tasks (complete 2 battles with fellow group members). I think the matching mechanism prioritizes matching players from the same group if they're both waiting in queue and are within the same rank range.
Sorry if you're group is shown above, you'd be found when searched for anyway. Plus, check out that group name on the upper right hand corner. 😅
ML seems to encourage camaraderie because there are regular events which needs to be completed with friends. There are even daily rewards quests for that. Aside from completing tasks, you'll find out which friends are potential regular game-mates.
Aside from actual social media friends, people you were randomly matched with can become connections on the game. I'm sure most players can relate with following awesome teammates after a winning match and then inviting them again for the succeeding game and thereafter.
But be careful when choosing who to play with, location-wise. If you jump to the VPN and Servers section at the lower part of this post, there is supposed fact or myth about how differences is server location affect game speed.
There are ML'ers who are using the game like it's a dating app. 😅 I don't see anything wrong with that but do prepare for all types of gamers you'll encounter. Some intentionally flirt (girls in particular) in exchange for something like mobile load (top up), skins and be a pabuhat. This should be clarified so you don't end up expecting a real (albeit online only) relationship but become friend-zoned instead.
Games are effective for de-stressing from the stresses of the world, be it school, work or personal relationships. But if it actually strains these, then it's no longer beneficial. Know your priorities.
The same applies to health. Don't be an addicted gamer zombie playing from sun up to sun down --- deprived of sleep, hungry, and even withholding trips to the toilet. There are literally people who have died due to excessive gaming, so play in moderation. The definition of moderate may vary for everyone but I believe an hour or two won't hurt. Four hours straight will be stretching too much, unless it's a holiday when you can binge-game; but do have lots of rest in between, eat, stay hydrated, and have enough sleep.
A squad is a team comprised of 9 members. It's more tight nit than a group and most often, members know each other (at least within the game or online) so the team work is quite evident. Tournaments are usually squad battles.
Both squad and groups are created in exchange for a diamond or coins (groups only).
Find squads or create one by going to Leaderboards and then Squad.
Apart from social media or in-game friends as well as group mates and squad members, nearby players (based on location) can be invited too.
There are also other places to find players online, aside from the game app itself. Facebook groups is one. I'm not sure about forums but it's worth a shot too.
Most will actually advise to never play rank alone. So invite another player with you; 2 or 3 is even better. Avoid 5-man teams because you will most likely be teamed up against another 5-player group too. Who knows if they're a seasoned squad with an effective team play?
Even if you are confident of your skills, you don't really know who you'll be matched with so you have no idea about their gameplay. You can't carry an entire team all the time. There should at least be supportive members who can protect your hero as you aim for the kills and others who push forward. Plus, there's better teamwork when you play with people you know versus those you don't; minus, the bashing and trash-talking too.
From the list of skillful players I know and have played with, those who play solo rank most of the time are finding it difficult to reach the highest tier. It's because as you climb up the ladder, you'll obviously encounter strong opponents too.
If it can't be helped, countless players battle rank alone anyway, here are a few tips you can consider.
Start with heroes. Choose roles which inflict the most damage. Assassins are what most people suggest for solo rankers. Marksman and fighters are also good. But as suggested earlier, learn other roles and heroes as well to be well rounded.
If you are a hitter, be low key and attack when the opportunity arises. Don't be too exposed because the enemies will most likely mark you. When joining team mates for attacks and push, never be on the frontline. I think this rule applies to most roles, except tanks and other tank-y heroes. But be careful when at the back side too. The enemy may actually attack from behind to avoid the tank infront, like what assassins do.
If you're more of a support type, follow the damage dealer around. The assist from this player's kill will still look good on your game stats data. Chances are, you might even take the kill. You can also aim for turrets if you're no help when it comes to kills and clash.
Another tip is to avoid getting killed or at least minimize it; otherwise, it will look like you're a feeder.
All other rules explained above, apply not only to solo rankers but even those who play with a team.
Some tips for solo players deserve to be expounded further. One of which include having fewer deaths (or possibly none). Jump back to the section "When to Kill and When to Flee" as it's somewhat related; the same applies to the other sections above. The bottom line here is to be mindful of your surroundings (map) to avoid surprise attacks, specially from enemies hidden in bushes and those ganking in groups.
One other tip relates to kills and assists. There are players who may accuse you of purposely performing what they call a "kill steal." It's when you make the last hit to take credit for it, specially if you haven't really contributed much damage; i.e. waiting for allies to burst the enemy first before joining in. This is actually a legitimate but lazy technique, also, bordering on the cheater side.
It's not a steal if you're ganking as a team or in duo or trio since everyone helps with bursting first. The kill will just incidentally be credited to whichever drops the last attack. You can't really tell who gets it; although, there are potential indicators. Obviously, heroes with higher attack power have a higher percentage of making the kill compared with those with lower damage dealt. This is why most tanks receive more assists than kills even if they are in the front line.
Other factors may also affect your game play such as not having enough sleep, hungry, physically exhausted, mentally bothered by something else (so you can't focus), low phone battery and more. I have no idea if there is indeed scientific basis but they say playing after a bath (or clean hands) helps too. 😁 On the contrary, others apply oil or powder to avoid slippery phone screens. Some even buy Game Controllers.
Notifications
You should turn off all notifications (including SMS or calls) as well so they don't keep on popping up while you play. Just check after each game to see if there's something really important that requires your immediate attention.
Internet Connection and Phone
Internet connection is also a major factor so perform a test ping first before heading out to queue, specially for rank games. If you're experiencing lag, the ML Support rep who replied to my concern suggested turning ON the speed mode at the Settings (Basic) section. You may want to change game graphics to LOW as well, because high definition will definitely require more bandwidth.
Network Detection is a recent feature. It will show your ISP's ping after a battle. It's also on Settings > Basic > Network Detection tab at the bottom.
This will be stretching too much but choose a mobile phone with good specs too (think RAM, processor, etc.). You can also boost your current phone's performance by freeing up space --- delete unused apps (or maybe set the settings to automatically offload unused apps after a certain period), cleanup the gallery for images and videos, and so on.
Turn off the background app refresh (if there's any) as well as the auto update of apps. The latter will automatically update apps if its available and the phone is online. Obviously, it affects your game when the apps compete for Internet connectivity. Opt for manual app update instead.
Avoid distractions too like people physically disturbing while you play. If you have errands, deal with those first before playing.
Speaking of ML Support (upper left hand corner, icon with head phone), do send suggestions. They collate all to improve the game, plan events, and even design new skins/heroes.
While you can win or loose anytime, there seems to be ideal times to play. From where I'm from, kids as young as 10 or below play this game. So we try to avoid hours when they're online, such as the afternoon to evening and school break time. Midnight and school hours may seem ideal to play for this reason. I'm not saying all kids are guilty of cancer gaming, but you can expect them to be kids --- easily bored with a short attention span. Goodbye 5-minute game! Anyway, kids who reach as high as the Epic tier and above can no longer be frowned upon.
Not proven but playing when there are fewer players seems good too. It's the same as the kid-free hours --- midnight and school/regular office hours. So matching during weekends and holidays when there's no work or school seems bad, specially during busy hours.
But once again, these are not proven and you can still win or lose anytime.
Not sure if it's part of the game's algorithm but I've noticed that there are certain perks for inactive players logging back in after a while. I haven't been playing for some time (2 weeks or longer I think?) but I still login to get the coins etc. then I won a hero at the magic wheel. All my old report feedbacks started pouring in too.
There are also events related to compensating returning players from time to time too.
Speaking of the Magic Wheel or even the Lucky Spin or any other special event where heroes or skins are at stake, the probability of winning is next to none. I don't think the game has set a formula where you will eventually get the prize after hundreds of attempts. I've read countless posts on ML groups with players complaining that they've spent all their tickets (of thousands) and still didn't win the coveted target winning (mostly meta heroes).
Coming up are more possible myths (which may or may not be true) but I'd like to write them down here anyway.
Stop after loosing 2 in a row. Rest a bit or play in a different arena (i.e. Classic, Brawl or even AI) before heading back to rank. Some will even call it a day after 2 looses and just play again another day. It's somewhat psychological too; your succeeding games may become affected by the desire to win in order to make up for the lost. You might loose focus and end up in a loosing streak.
It will appear that the game's mechanism for balance is a win-loss (repeat over and over) scenario. Those who came from a win will be matched together and vice-versa with a higher probability of loosing after winning, vv. This is why it's quite difficult for solo players to win.
It could also be why it's impossible to be on a continuous win streak, even for squads and pro players. After 5-win rates or more, the next ones will be more challenging to win because solo gamers will be matched with poor players based on win rate. Squads on the other hand will be up against higher level or higher win rate players; be it another squad or a group of solo/duo/trio players combined.
Another myth which seems contradictory to the previous is matching based on win rate. In most cases, you will be paired with or matched against players from the same range of win rate, or so thinks some players. That's because there were Mythics from the low end level who are sometimes matched with or against Mythic ranks with 100+ stars.
Squads that don't want to be matched with another 5-team group will queue in separate lobbies but the game will still match them together. That's quite disadvantageous to the opposing team since squad members probably already established teamwork (even possibly hero type designation) while the other team will start on scratch, not knowing everyone's game play style.
How VPN, region designation, and servers affects ML gaming experience is an ongoing discussion among players and is still debatable. Some gamers with technical know-how seem to agree that choosing the appropriate server will improve game speed. That's obviously because the farther the server, the slower your game is; like any other signal needing device.
As for VPN, those who are using such to fake their location will be matched with other players within the same country but their actual game server is far. What baffles me though is that those who are using VPN are not the one's on the lagging end even if they are the ones connected to a region (server) that's actually far from where they are physically. Often, it's the teammates who experience lag. Not sure why but I'm thinking the game may probably link the team to the VPN users' region, hence, making it look like the other players are the ones far?
Here in the Philippines, the Internet Service Provider seems to be assigned to different servers as some players say. I found that to be true because I use both PLDT and Converge ISPs (also Smart for Mobile Data) and noticed that the 2 main ISPs are assigned different regions.
I am currently under Asia2, which is what the game recommended when I'm connected via PLDT. When I switch to Converge, it's suggesting Asia1 instead. This maybe because Converge is supposedly a pure Fiber-to-Fiber end connection and the source is possibly from overseas? Not sure.
I have always played via Converge ICT (in the Philippines) since the ping is always better --- can be as low as 2ms on serene hours; and I did notice how players I'm teamed up with complain about lag and suspect VPN. I am obviously not using VPN but when I switched to PLDT when playing, the results are somewhat better --- fewer to none complaints about lag and naturally improved team gameplay even if I'm a solo player 99% of the time.
So to make sure you are using the right region-based server, go to the Contest tab, under Conquest of Dawn, there is an option to switch regions on the upper right hand corner. See what the app recommends for your region. While this is supposedly just for Conquest of Dawn, since you have to be playing with players within your own region to defend your flag (country), choosing the right region may help prevent lag.
That's about it for now. I will continue adding more tips if I come across one within the game or through other venues where other players convene.
Last updated 11/19/2020
Swap Equipment during Mid or Late Game
There's one quick tip about the Immortality shield for defense. After the first use, there's a 180-second cool down before it is available again. So while waiting for that, you can sell the shield to buy another equipment and then prioritize buying items for the shield to use it again after the cooldown is over. Those 3 minutes may or may not be enough to repurchase Immortality but at least you were able to take advantage of it once and even buy a different equipment. Should you try this trick, Immortality should be the third equipment bought (or maybe even the second) after buying shoes so you can keep swapping it for different item several times throughout the game, provided your hero dies a lot. 😅
Adjust the Targeting and Aiming Method
A few more things before you even join the queue for matching; the controls and chat.
Adjusting targeting and aiming is rather subjective; each option comes with their own upside and downside result.
Adjusting targeting and aiming is rather subjective; each option comes with their own upside and downside result.
Targeting lowest HP won't be effective if tanks are often the ones with low HP because they are durable. The same applies to targeting based on which enemy hero is closer. Obviously, for tandem enemies, the hero with lower HP will naturally move further away.
As for aiming, Auto Aim locks onto either an enemy hero or minions and jungle monsters. Advanced Auto Aim is ideal for jungling and pushing against turrets. Free Aim gives you the liberty to hit whichever you want. The latter may sometimes cause mistakes though such as accidentally using a skill towards a different target. Sounds trivial but it becomes a critical error in certain situations such as if you are supposed to rescue an ally but hit a minion instead (happened to me several times, face palm). The same applies to wasting the skill towards a healthy enemy instead of aiming for an ailing one for the kill. So the auto aim, lock target option may sound useful to avoid these scenarios.
Further down the Controls section (Advanced area), there's a Hero Lock Mode feature. You'd be able to see enemy heroes nearby and choose to lock on one so all your attacks are directed towards that hero first. This also prevents misfire.
Still related to targeting and aiming, you can mark an enemy hero so it becomes your priority to attack. This seems ideal against damage dealers; those who seem to be on a killing spree.
Further down the Controls section (Advanced area), there's a Hero Lock Mode feature. You'd be able to see enemy heroes nearby and choose to lock on one so all your attacks are directed towards that hero first. This also prevents misfire.
Mark a Specific Enemy Hero
Still related to targeting and aiming, you can mark an enemy hero so it becomes your priority to attack. This seems ideal against damage dealers; those who seem to be on a killing spree.
Mic and Chat On/Off?
Both mic and chat are optional and also subjective. Streamers will definitely need both ON in order to communicate with their viewers. Those in squads or playing with people you know, voice chat certainly help with teamwork. You'll be able to share something which team members may have missed such as where an enemy is hiding in case you've spotted them and they didn't. While text chat can accomplish the same, it takes longer and your hero will need to stop moving so you can type text.
In most cases, mic and audio is off but text chat is at least on. I've seen some players turn everything off completely so they're not distracted during the game. You won't be able to read trash talker's messages by doing so but may miss vital game chat from teammates though.
Chat Dos and Donts
If you'd like to make the most of game chat, here are primary dos and dont's.
- Do encourage. Do praise for good work. It definitely boosts morale. This is rather basic, even in other games, be it physical or so.
- Do not trash talk; whether it's towards a team member or the enemy. Maintain chat-etiquette at all times.
Aside from the chat field, you may also utilize the build-in game chat options to preselect battleground chat so you won't have to type it.
Customize the Battleground Chat
You can edit the pre-programmed in-game chat by going to Preparation and Quick Chat. The Battleground Chat can be changed based on what phrases you'd prefer, i.e. for encouraging the team (like "Well Played"), explaining your current hero or game status (i.e. "Unstable Network") and providing instructions ("Attack the Lord" etc).
Prepare for Mind Games
Still in relation to chat, do mind that it's a mental warfare of some sort; believe it or not, there are gamers who will go through such lengths for a MOBA game, as if it's life and death. 😬 It honestly makes me chuckle most of the time, knowing the psychology behind it. Well, it does get on my nerves sometimes so .
All the trash talking will affect a player's psyche. They may lose focus, so their gameplay is affected. That's why it's very important NOT to do that to your own team! In some cases, the effect is the opposite. It pushes gamers to improve but it's not always the case.
So if you encounter these types of players, either friend or foe, don't mind them. Stay focused on your game.
Stay Focused
That last line from the previous tip deserves to be explained further.
Encounter trash talkers, be it an ally or an enemy? Ignore them. Don't even reply; it's a waste of energy. If you made a mistake, you may press the "Sorry" battleground chat or type it if you'd like, but move on right after. There's even an option to mute them.
Got matched with hard-headed gamers who will not adjust their hero preference even after trying to peacefully persuade them? What if you were the one who adjusted instead and didn't get to choose your preferred hero? Either way, just let it go. Nothing you can do once the game starts. Just stay focused and play your part.
I've seen how a team suffers when everyone argues right from the start or even during the game itself. In rare occasions, it can become a motivation to prove one's self; but most of the time, it's the beginning of a loosing game.
At the end of the game, you can report problem players. Not everything is punished but do press that report button anyways. Sure, some offenses are beyond control but if they obviously intentionally left the game without notice etc., then this is the least you can do to make a player realize their mistake.
I, too was reported and penalized a few times and I will not complain nor rant about those in social media. Trust me, there's nothing more satisfying to see on your inbox than report feedback updates in your favor.
Report Violating Players
At the end of the game, you can report problem players. Not everything is punished but do press that report button anyways. Sure, some offenses are beyond control but if they obviously intentionally left the game without notice etc., then this is the least you can do to make a player realize their mistake.
I, too was reported and penalized a few times and I will not complain nor rant about those in social media. Trust me, there's nothing more satisfying to see on your inbox than report feedback updates in your favor.
Early Game Practices
Now that all the preparation is taken cared of, it's time to strategize. In the beginning, your aim is to keep collecting gold in order to buy equipment. You can do that by farming. Most assassins and fighters are best suited for this. But other roles can farm at the onset of the game too, like mage heroes since they are good for bursting early on but are low in manna and HP. You may also clear lanes by killing enemy minions.
There's no point in clashing early, since there are no equipment ready yet. I do see mage and/or assassins dominating the game right away, aiming to end it fast before the damage-inflicters complete their items and become stronger. But it is still better to at least purchase two core equipment first (apart from the boots) before engaging in a clash.
Don't Surrender, Extend the Game
Unless it's really futile, it's better not to surrender and aim for a long game. As mentioned, there are dominating heroes early on but once stronger heroes (like markman heroes in late games) collect enough items, it will be easier to battle the enemy head on. You may still be able to experience an epic comeback or at least be defeated while exerting your best so you have no regrets.
I've even seen games when the enemies became too relaxed because they're dominating in terms of kills and opponent turrets destroyed, that they get outsmarted (more on this later below). There were also instances when connection started to become laggy for the enemy or when other players from the dominating party got too bored of a lengthy game so they left or simply didn't want to contribute anymore. The latter rarely happens in rank; that's more likely in classic mode, specially if some gamers want to achieve maniac or savage mode by continuously accumulating kills.
Avoid a Wipe Out
Even if the game extends, it will surely end once the team gets wiped out by the opponent. Re-spawning takes longer as the number of deaths increase. There won't be anyone left to defend the base.
On the other side of the coin, if you are the dominating team but can't seem to make a final push towards the enemy base because they are effective defenders, don't keep charging. Pull back and regroup. You can jungle (even within the enemy's area) to complete all slots for your items if you haven't completed everything yet (including a potion), kill the lord, or hide in nearby bushes to slowly pluck enemy heroes one by one. For the latter, anticipate where they are possibly going to be at and hide in a nearby bush. They'll most likely go where creeps are within their turf (specially the critical creeps) and push forward with minions.
When to Surrender
Like most of the things I've written here, this is not set in stone but I've noticed how some players initiate surrender, looking forward to the next game. So even if I personally do not advocate surrendering, some possible scenarios where it seems acceptable include too many AFK in the team (players left the game), laggy connection, and/or more kills by the enemy and less turrets remaining for your team. I personally won't surrender though if I'm just there to practice or complete a task, even when it seems pointless to continue. 😜
Fast Game
One way to avoid enemy epic comebacks, is to aim for a fast game. Dominate early on and finish the game as fast as possible. The opposing team may be able to catch up if you suddenly become relaxed because you're dominating. It's what some call, "intro boys," those who do well but only at the beginning and eventually loose to the "comeback kings" or those who win in an epic comeback scenario.
Early Game Formation
Outsmarting the enemy deserves an entire chapter but the theories can be broken down into a list of tips too; starting with the early game formation.
The usual combination is 2, 1, 2 (top, center, bottom) with a marksman or mage in the middle. The junglers will normally go straight to the creeps in pink dots so they can still move towards the top and bottom lane later on, respectively. In case the opposing team follow a different formation (say 1, 2, 2 or even 3 in the middle), adjust accordingly.
Clear up Lanes
One of the game's battleground chat is about clearing up lanes and it is very useful. Help your minions kill the enemy's troops so it's easier for them to attack turrets afterwards. If there's no enemy hero defending a turret, you may want to hasten up the process of damaging or destroying the opposing team's, but leave soon after their tower is down. It's because the enemy will obviously rush towards their turret under attack; making it easier to kill you since you're busy.
Farm or Jungle
This seems counterintuitive but it actually helps to continue killing creeps when there's an opportunity to do so. You earn gold to buy items, unless all 5 slots (including a potion) have already been filled. The buff-giving monsters should be in the top list. Buff effect varies depending on hero so it's not exclusive for one role (i.e. assassin) or those with jungling emblem and equipment. While you can respectfully let an ally take the buff when they request to do so, take some for yourself too.
Monsters to take note of are in pink dots on the map (i.e. the coreguard and statued shocker). The river crab gives gold while some creeps grant health.
But do make use of what you've farmed for, that is, to buy equipment and kill enemies. It's rather useless to be jungling all the time when you don't contribute KDA (kills, damage, assists).
Invade Enemy Jungle
Farming at the enemy's turf to rob them of the benefit is a good tactic. Try not to do this alone if possible. The enemy team can easily gather around you since you are trespassing within their territory. Should you be alone, force the jungle monster towards the nearby bush to keep you hidden while farming.
If you are on the opposing side, you'll notice an opponent jungling within your turf if there's evident activity in bushes adjacent to creeps. You can steal the creep kill or even kill the enemy hero if they're too busy jungling to notice you.
You'll probably love stealing the kill for the crab. Since it takes a while to slay, you can wait until it's almost dead, then drop a skill to steal. 😜
Assassins like Hanzo, Fanny, Helcurt, Natalia and other heroes which can attack and flee fast seems best for this. I've seen hard tanks assisted by a marksman do it too.
Share Buffs
Don't keep the buffs all to yourself. Share some because everyone in the team needs it too. What most people do is to negotiate before the game even starts. You can talk about it during draft pick; like one hero will take the bottom lane buffs while another shall have the top lane and so on.
Attack the Turtle
Apart from creeps, killing the turtle gives gold for the entire team. You can help an ally kill it but let a fighter or assassin take the final hit in order to enhance their killing ability. This is why the opposing team will try to steal the kill.
Attack the Lord
Level 1 lord won't inflict that much damage but can still be helpful to stall enemies while your team steal turrets. It's because the opponents will be busy defending whichever lane the lord is going to attack. The lord (as well as the turtle) can respawn up to 3 times; becoming stronger each time. So you'd definitely won't want to let the opposing team kill it.
If your team is the attacking party, let some attack the lord while the others watch the perimeter by making sure the enemies won't come close. If you can't beat them, forcing them away from the lord alone works too. None of you will benefit from the boss' help at least.
If the opponents are attacking the lord, rush towards it and attempt to steal the kill. If they didn't notice you, hide in a nearby bush and attempt to outsmart them by making the final hit.
Best chance to kill the lord is when at least 3 enemy heroes are dead.
The Bushes can be a Friend or Foe
Since the bush has been mentioned, note that it can either be a friend or a foe.
When a team mate presses "Enemy Missing in Action," its most likely because the opponents are hidden in bushes. This makes it easier to initiate surprise attacks, kill a recalling hero, and even to jungle secretly in your turf instead of theirs. You too can use bushes to your advantage by moving around from one to another for the same purpose as listed, but keep in mind that the enemy may also be doing the same, so remain vigilant in the jungle.
Gather and Gank
"Gather and Gank" is yet another battleground chat which is a strategy in itself. The bushes will be a friend as you inch closely to a busy enemy clearing a lane or jungling.
So what's up with gamers messaging (All) asking why we need to attack in 3 vs 1 and accusing those who do so as weak? It's a legitimate technique! That's why those who are often wandering alone become an easy prey for gankers. #sorrynotsorry
But if you are caught off guard and being ganked, run away if you can. If it seems impossible to flee, request for backup, then die fighting and inflict damage to the enemies at least, or kill some.
Baiting the Enemy
Aside from ganking, you can also become a bait for an unknowing solo enemy if allies are nearby unnoticed (hidden in a bush or cloaked/temporarily invisible).
Don't Wander Alone
Because of the scenarios above, always go with another team member, specially during the mid to late game even if you're a tank or an agile hero. Your durability or agility can be rendered useless when being ganked. There are still some exemptions though. I've seen it happen when one hero can kill 2 or more. It can be because of technicalities like emblem (maxed), in-game level (level 15 vs. lower), equipment (i.e. life steal, faster mana regen, higher damage and so on), hero type (damage inflicting ones vs. squishiest), and even technique (aiming for lower HP enemy first and evading attacks).
Be Wary when Wandering Alone
If it can't be helped to be roaming around though, specially when you're aiming to segue into turret stealing while everyone else is busy clashing, just be cautious when you're alone pushing for tower damage. Mind the map and bushes nearby.
Steal Turrets
There's actually another quick chat related to turrets (Stall them, I'll steal turrets). The opportunity can either present itself or it can be created when your own team mates rally towards the enemy in a single lane formation.
Stealing turrets is ideal for agile heroes (i.e. marksman and some fighters). It will also help if you have equipment which are designed to ignore or lessen turret incurred damage (such as Malefic Roar). You can also adjust controls to Advanced Auto Aim for tower pushing.
If you're not really of a damage dealer and your hero won't contribute much during a clash, you can designate your hero for this role. But like I mentioned, the opportune moment will sometimes just present itself, like in case you alone are in the dead lane while the rest are busy clashing elsewhere.
Bring Down Turrets from One Lane
If possible, destroy all turrets in one lane because a stronger wave of allied minions will be deployed soon after. The enemy team becomes more vulnerable too since you can attack their base through the turret-free lane. You may also continue destroying other turrets while allies are charging towards the opponent's base. One can stay behind to kill the lord too, if it's available.
Mind the Map
Everything from start to finish is affected by how you mind the map. There's no need to always tap on it to enlarge the view. Just take a quick glance from your left's eye corner to see what's going on.
Lower Sound Effect Volume
Apart from the map, you'd be aware of the game's progress by turning on the sound effects (and music if you'd like to). This can be annoyingly repetitive but works for your advantage. I've seen some games when the base has been destroyed by minions alone because it was left defenseless. Heroes which can camouflage or become invisible can do the same too to avoid becoming noticeable in lanes.
It happens when everyone may have been too excited for victory, pinning the enemies to their base alone, that they didn't mind the map or were too late to recall back to base for defense. In this case, sound effects warning you when the base is being attacked is definitely useful.
Just move the game volume slider to low so it's not too loud.
Move Around
Being mindful of the map helps with rotation too. You'd be able to spot where team mates are in order to provide assistance or gather in groups to gank. The enemy will be surprised when you suddenly show up to help a teammate if they're busy attempting to go for the kill.
Rotating applies not only to assassins but for other roles as well. You'd become very predictable as well if you remain defending the same lane over and over.
When to Kill and When to Flee
While we all want to go on a killing spree to attain legendary, maniac or even savage mode; there is a time to kill and a time to flee. The obvious indication is of course HP but there are always exemptions, such as heroes with heal (i.e. Minotaur's second skill or Hilda when she's regenerating through bushes) and those with items or emblems which provide HP regeneration after killing enemy heroes, minions and jungle monsters.
An enemy whose very low in HP may be worth running after but be mindful of your surroundings when doing so. We often get too excited for the kill that we may not notice the enemy's ally closing in to rescue. Don't be too greedy. <<< This is a statement that's worth a headline by itself.
Avoid suicide missions as well. Don't tackle more heroes than you can handle; 2 may be possible depending on health or equipment used, but more than that may be pushing too hard. I've seen exemptions (as usual) but it doesn't always happen. Don't push your luck.
Turret Diving
While I've said "don't be greedy," don't let a foe escape either, even if they have sought refuge from a turret. You can tower dive for the kill, provided you have enough HP and wear an equipment designed to lessen damage dealt by turrets.
Calculate Your Decisions
In contrast, even if there is an opportunity to turret dive, don't do so if you think it's not possible. It's all about calculations, not just in tower diving but for all other decisions you make during the game. Like when to kill or when to flee, killing lords, and all other pointers listed here.
Don't Waste Skills but don't be Scarce with it either
Don't use skills just because they are available. It takes sometime for those to regenerate, even if you are using regen items to hasten the regeneration process. Utilize skills strategically such as when chasing after fleeing enemies or making that final hit for a kill. In contrast, don't be scarce when using skills too. There's an option to report players due to low skill level. I believe this is probably why I see streamers just randomly drop a minor skill (like the first or second) on the way back to the battlefield after resurrecting.
Use Combos
Speaking of skills, there are combinations of attacks for each hero. This makes it easier for them to slay a foe. One example is to use a stun-based skill before dropping the special skill (SS). The impact of the SS will be stronger, naturally, since the enemy is stunned. I think a lot of the mage heroes have this advantage.
Partners in Crime
If you can combine skills, the same applies to heroes. The game itself suggests best partners but you can also come up with your own by observing which ones complement each other in terms of skills. I've seen countless Johnson and Odette paired. There was even a game when more 2 or more allies are hopping onto the jeep to gank enemy heroes roaming solo.
Complementary Equipment
Equipment can also be paired, specially those which seem to complement themselves or the hero using it. In contrast, items with the same unique passive effect cannot be applied twice, only one will be recognized. Again, this requires knowledge of equipments as mentioned earlier.
Rescue Mission Rules
When an ally needs assistance, the rescue attempt becomes more successful if you keep in mind other related rules such as the above (about killing and fleeing). There's no point in a suicide rescue mission; like rescuing for a 3 (or more) versus 1 scenario. You may try to help the team mate escape but don't engage in battle anymore.
Assassins or other heroes which are often on camouflage will do well with rescuing or even ganking, specially if the enemy did not anticipate an attack.
Enjoy the Game
Enjoying the game is what I believe is the most important tip ever. Gaming is supposed to be a stress-reliever. I remember that ML message about coming back to the land of dawn when the stresses of life become unbearable or something to that extent. But if the game itself is causing the stress, then it defeats the purpose. Bottom line is, enjoy the game. When I see players press the "Good Game" chat message or thank everyone after the game, then it wasn't a bad game even if your team is defeated.
What's up with Win Rate?
Again, enjoy the game and don't beat yourself up for loosing. Use the data, watch replays or what not to analyze what went wrong and what you can do to improve. Well, if you are applying to squads or aiming to join national contests, then winning rate is relevant. But if not, just do your best in every game regardless of the outcome.
The win rate of your favorite hero does matter though, specially if you plan to bet it on rank. You may need to show your stats when it's time to pick a hero.
Many have created 2nd or more accounts to start with a clean slate and improve their win rate. I have one on an older phone and I definitely rock rank at the low tiers when I used it. 😂 But I don't intend to level up with it. I just needed it to check certain information (such as for this post) so my original account remains offline when I'm not playing (avoiding invites that I will have to decline). Speaking of declining invites, you can actually tick that option to ignore ignites, when you're not yet ready to play and/or busy with something else like claiming rewards.
Don't Cheat
It's just human nature to find innovative ways to improve life; but that won't do with games. You will be penalized severely or your account may get banned for good by cheating. Sure, you can create a new account but everything you've worked hard for will be put to waste. Aside from that, there is a possibility that third-party cheat codes you install contain harmful data which can affect your mobile phone; think hackers, spyware, etc. which steal personal data for identity theft and so on.
Don't Go on AFK
Never leave the game as much as possible; even a loosing one. Press surrender if it becomes too stressing to continue playing for whatever reasons (i.e. toxic team). But keep playing if no one wants to end it yet.
AFK is not only for those who leave the game. It's also disrespectful to remain in the game and just watch. The game will give a warning for AFK-ing so they remain idle and start moving before hitting that mark. Some do that to avoid being penalized but you can take note of those who do this and report them at the end of the game.
Don't Troll
Now this may or may not be true but there are players which create new accounts to troll games by intentionally playing poorly or going on AFK to get a screenshot for social media sh*tposting. 😡
Jawhead players trolling their own allies? No longer news. It seems funny but not if you're the teammate. But you can at least buy the odd potion (under magic equipment) to avoid being a victim of Jawhead teammates trolling on purpose.
Don't Feed the Troll
Since there are people who intentionally troll, don't feed them by falling for the bait. Go back up the Mind Games section. ⬆️ Keep your game face on and remain focused.
Respect Other Players
Cheating and going on AFK are disrespectful. I've once read a comment on an ML Facebook group from a player who doesn't care if he looses stars by leaving the game and starting a new one because he got pissed off by his team mates. I've even experienced playing with some who deliberately feed themselves to the enemy for the same reason. These are actually sad because I'm sure the rest of us didn't want to loose our stars. I'd rather lose one at least trying rather than being defeated in mind games.
No to Public Shaming
Not everyone will probably agree with this but I don't believe in public shaming even if you've lost a game and another player caused it. That's what the report button is for, even if the game police sometimes don't resolve it or takes too long to do so.
This was from a quiz game:
It's hilariously true. 😂
Report Abuse
But if it's bordering on abuse such as name calling, to the point of cursing your entire family 🤣, then don't settle with just the in-game flagging alone; by all means, call them out --- even in public. I see countless samples of this on various ML groups, including the game's official community (at least from my country).
Join Groups
There's strength in numbers, so they say. Apart from the tips for individual game play above, take advantage of perks when playing with others such as with group mates. So find a group based on location, interests etc. and apply to join.
There are weekly rewards when a group completes tasks and reaches the total points required. I have joined 4 so far (2 each time) but I've never collected rewards; meaning, none of the group have reached the points quota per week. 😅 But at least there is a possibility of completing one of the daily tasks (complete 2 battles with fellow group members). I think the matching mechanism prioritizes matching players from the same group if they're both waiting in queue and are within the same rank range.
Play with Friends
ML seems to encourage camaraderie because there are regular events which needs to be completed with friends. There are even daily rewards quests for that. Aside from completing tasks, you'll find out which friends are potential regular game-mates.
Aside from actual social media friends, people you were randomly matched with can become connections on the game. I'm sure most players can relate with following awesome teammates after a winning match and then inviting them again for the succeeding game and thereafter.
But be careful when choosing who to play with, location-wise. If you jump to the VPN and Servers section at the lower part of this post, there is supposed fact or myth about how differences is server location affect game speed.
Friend Zoned
There are ML'ers who are using the game like it's a dating app. 😅 I don't see anything wrong with that but do prepare for all types of gamers you'll encounter. Some intentionally flirt (girls in particular) in exchange for something like mobile load (top up), skins and be a pabuhat. This should be clarified so you don't end up expecting a real (albeit online only) relationship but become friend-zoned instead.
Know Your Priorities
Games are effective for de-stressing from the stresses of the world, be it school, work or personal relationships. But if it actually strains these, then it's no longer beneficial. Know your priorities.
Play in Moderation
The same applies to health. Don't be an addicted gamer zombie playing from sun up to sun down --- deprived of sleep, hungry, and even withholding trips to the toilet. There are literally people who have died due to excessive gaming, so play in moderation. The definition of moderate may vary for everyone but I believe an hour or two won't hurt. Four hours straight will be stretching too much, unless it's a holiday when you can binge-game; but do have lots of rest in between, eat, stay hydrated, and have enough sleep.
Find a Squad
A squad is a team comprised of 9 members. It's more tight nit than a group and most often, members know each other (at least within the game or online) so the team work is quite evident. Tournaments are usually squad battles.
Both squad and groups are created in exchange for a diamond or coins (groups only).
Find squads or create one by going to Leaderboards and then Squad.
So sorry for the squads shown. It's for educational purposes. :)
Look for Players Online
Apart from social media or in-game friends as well as group mates and squad members, nearby players (based on location) can be invited too.
There are also other places to find players online, aside from the game app itself. Facebook groups is one. I'm not sure about forums but it's worth a shot too.
Minimize Solo Plays
Most will actually advise to never play rank alone. So invite another player with you; 2 or 3 is even better. Avoid 5-man teams because you will most likely be teamed up against another 5-player group too. Who knows if they're a seasoned squad with an effective team play?
Even if you are confident of your skills, you don't really know who you'll be matched with so you have no idea about their gameplay. You can't carry an entire team all the time. There should at least be supportive members who can protect your hero as you aim for the kills and others who push forward. Plus, there's better teamwork when you play with people you know versus those you don't; minus, the bashing and trash-talking too.
From the list of skillful players I know and have played with, those who play solo rank most of the time are finding it difficult to reach the highest tier. It's because as you climb up the ladder, you'll obviously encounter strong opponents too.
Tips for Solo Players
If it can't be helped, countless players battle rank alone anyway, here are a few tips you can consider.
Start with heroes. Choose roles which inflict the most damage. Assassins are what most people suggest for solo rankers. Marksman and fighters are also good. But as suggested earlier, learn other roles and heroes as well to be well rounded.
If you are a hitter, be low key and attack when the opportunity arises. Don't be too exposed because the enemies will most likely mark you. When joining team mates for attacks and push, never be on the frontline. I think this rule applies to most roles, except tanks and other tank-y heroes. But be careful when at the back side too. The enemy may actually attack from behind to avoid the tank infront, like what assassins do.
If you're more of a support type, follow the damage dealer around. The assist from this player's kill will still look good on your game stats data. Chances are, you might even take the kill. You can also aim for turrets if you're no help when it comes to kills and clash.
Another tip is to avoid getting killed or at least minimize it; otherwise, it will look like you're a feeder.
All other rules explained above, apply not only to solo rankers but even those who play with a team.
How to Lessen Deaths
Some tips for solo players deserve to be expounded further. One of which include having fewer deaths (or possibly none). Jump back to the section "When to Kill and When to Flee" as it's somewhat related; the same applies to the other sections above. The bottom line here is to be mindful of your surroundings (map) to avoid surprise attacks, specially from enemies hidden in bushes and those ganking in groups.
Kill Steal
One other tip relates to kills and assists. There are players who may accuse you of purposely performing what they call a "kill steal." It's when you make the last hit to take credit for it, specially if you haven't really contributed much damage; i.e. waiting for allies to burst the enemy first before joining in. This is actually a legitimate but lazy technique, also, bordering on the cheater side.
It's not a steal if you're ganking as a team or in duo or trio since everyone helps with bursting first. The kill will just incidentally be credited to whichever drops the last attack. You can't really tell who gets it; although, there are potential indicators. Obviously, heroes with higher attack power have a higher percentage of making the kill compared with those with lower damage dealt. This is why most tanks receive more assists than kills even if they are in the front line.
External Factors Affect the Game
Other factors may also affect your game play such as not having enough sleep, hungry, physically exhausted, mentally bothered by something else (so you can't focus), low phone battery and more. I have no idea if there is indeed scientific basis but they say playing after a bath (or clean hands) helps too. 😁 On the contrary, others apply oil or powder to avoid slippery phone screens. Some even buy Game Controllers.
Notifications
You should turn off all notifications (including SMS or calls) as well so they don't keep on popping up while you play. Just check after each game to see if there's something really important that requires your immediate attention.
Internet Connection and Phone
Internet connection is also a major factor so perform a test ping first before heading out to queue, specially for rank games. If you're experiencing lag, the ML Support rep who replied to my concern suggested turning ON the speed mode at the Settings (Basic) section. You may want to change game graphics to LOW as well, because high definition will definitely require more bandwidth.
Network Detection is a recent feature. It will show your ISP's ping after a battle. It's also on Settings > Basic > Network Detection tab at the bottom.
But since it's after a game, it won't help much if the connection goes haywire during the battle itself.
This will be stretching too much but choose a mobile phone with good specs too (think RAM, processor, etc.). You can also boost your current phone's performance by freeing up space --- delete unused apps (or maybe set the settings to automatically offload unused apps after a certain period), cleanup the gallery for images and videos, and so on.
Turn off the background app refresh (if there's any) as well as the auto update of apps. The latter will automatically update apps if its available and the phone is online. Obviously, it affects your game when the apps compete for Internet connectivity. Opt for manual app update instead.
Avoid distractions too like people physically disturbing while you play. If you have errands, deal with those first before playing.
Send Suggestions
Speaking of ML Support (upper left hand corner, icon with head phone), do send suggestions. They collate all to improve the game, plan events, and even design new skins/heroes.
Best Time to Play
While you can win or loose anytime, there seems to be ideal times to play. From where I'm from, kids as young as 10 or below play this game. So we try to avoid hours when they're online, such as the afternoon to evening and school break time. Midnight and school hours may seem ideal to play for this reason. I'm not saying all kids are guilty of cancer gaming, but you can expect them to be kids --- easily bored with a short attention span. Goodbye 5-minute game! Anyway, kids who reach as high as the Epic tier and above can no longer be frowned upon.
Not proven but playing when there are fewer players seems good too. It's the same as the kid-free hours --- midnight and school/regular office hours. So matching during weekends and holidays when there's no work or school seems bad, specially during busy hours.
But once again, these are not proven and you can still win or lose anytime.
Perks for Returning Players
Not sure if it's part of the game's algorithm but I've noticed that there are certain perks for inactive players logging back in after a while. I haven't been playing for some time (2 weeks or longer I think?) but I still login to get the coins etc. then I won a hero at the magic wheel. All my old report feedbacks started pouring in too.
There are also events related to compensating returning players from time to time too.
Probability of Winning the Draws
Speaking of the Magic Wheel or even the Lucky Spin or any other special event where heroes or skins are at stake, the probability of winning is next to none. I don't think the game has set a formula where you will eventually get the prize after hundreds of attempts. I've read countless posts on ML groups with players complaining that they've spent all their tickets (of thousands) and still didn't win the coveted target winning (mostly meta heroes).
Game Myths
Coming up are more possible myths (which may or may not be true) but I'd like to write them down here anyway.
Don't play rank straight
Stop after loosing 2 in a row. Rest a bit or play in a different arena (i.e. Classic, Brawl or even AI) before heading back to rank. Some will even call it a day after 2 looses and just play again another day. It's somewhat psychological too; your succeeding games may become affected by the desire to win in order to make up for the lost. You might loose focus and end up in a loosing streak.
Win-Loss Game Algorithm
It will appear that the game's mechanism for balance is a win-loss (repeat over and over) scenario. Those who came from a win will be matched together and vice-versa with a higher probability of loosing after winning, vv. This is why it's quite difficult for solo players to win.
It could also be why it's impossible to be on a continuous win streak, even for squads and pro players. After 5-win rates or more, the next ones will be more challenging to win because solo gamers will be matched with poor players based on win rate. Squads on the other hand will be up against higher level or higher win rate players; be it another squad or a group of solo/duo/trio players combined.
Win Rate Matching
Another myth which seems contradictory to the previous is matching based on win rate. In most cases, you will be paired with or matched against players from the same range of win rate, or so thinks some players. That's because there were Mythics from the low end level who are sometimes matched with or against Mythic ranks with 100+ stars.
2-2-1 Cheat
Squads that don't want to be matched with another 5-team group will queue in separate lobbies but the game will still match them together. That's quite disadvantageous to the opposing team since squad members probably already established teamwork (even possibly hero type designation) while the other team will start on scratch, not knowing everyone's game play style.
VPN and Servers
How VPN, region designation, and servers affects ML gaming experience is an ongoing discussion among players and is still debatable. Some gamers with technical know-how seem to agree that choosing the appropriate server will improve game speed. That's obviously because the farther the server, the slower your game is; like any other signal needing device.
As for VPN, those who are using such to fake their location will be matched with other players within the same country but their actual game server is far. What baffles me though is that those who are using VPN are not the one's on the lagging end even if they are the ones connected to a region (server) that's actually far from where they are physically. Often, it's the teammates who experience lag. Not sure why but I'm thinking the game may probably link the team to the VPN users' region, hence, making it look like the other players are the ones far?
Here in the Philippines, the Internet Service Provider seems to be assigned to different servers as some players say. I found that to be true because I use both PLDT and Converge ISPs (also Smart for Mobile Data) and noticed that the 2 main ISPs are assigned different regions.
I am currently under Asia2, which is what the game recommended when I'm connected via PLDT. When I switch to Converge, it's suggesting Asia1 instead. This maybe because Converge is supposedly a pure Fiber-to-Fiber end connection and the source is possibly from overseas? Not sure.
I have always played via Converge ICT (in the Philippines) since the ping is always better --- can be as low as 2ms on serene hours; and I did notice how players I'm teamed up with complain about lag and suspect VPN. I am obviously not using VPN but when I switched to PLDT when playing, the results are somewhat better --- fewer to none complaints about lag and naturally improved team gameplay even if I'm a solo player 99% of the time.
How to Change Region
So to make sure you are using the right region-based server, go to the Contest tab, under Conquest of Dawn, there is an option to switch regions on the upper right hand corner. See what the app recommends for your region. While this is supposedly just for Conquest of Dawn, since you have to be playing with players within your own region to defend your flag (country), choosing the right region may help prevent lag.
Cross Server Matching
Update on that thought above. They call it "cross server matching" and it happens with different ISPs. Oh man, I've learned Indo and Malay words but not the best one because of this. Kontol, tolol, goblok, asu, anjing, wkwk and so on. 😆 To avoid being paired with other regional server players, enter the lobby while online with your local mobile data ISP, then switch to your preferred WiFi network once the matching is completed. Pray it's fast though as you might end up offline during draft pick so you fail to ban a hero or the game preselects a hero for you.
Last updated 11/19/2020
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