Given the massive success of games like League of Legends and DOTA 2, the MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) genre is quickly becoming saturated.
There are more than a dozen free-to-play MOBA games of varying quality available, but one of the most promising newcomers on the scene is Blizzard's Heroes of the Storm. The game is now in open beta, with a full-fledged release coming on June 2.
If you aren't excited, you should be. Blizzard is one of the reigning kings of PC gaming, so the fact that the company has decided to step into the crowded MOBA world is reason enough to pay attention. But aside from that, Heroes of the Storm is unlike any MOBA that has come before. It's accessible in a way few MOBAs are. Though MOBA veterans will find themselves quickly at home with the game's controls, Heroes of the Storm mixes up the MOBA formula dramatically enough so that even longtime players of the genre will need to learn a thing or two.
Which is exactly what this guide is for. Whether you've been playing DOTA since the Warcraft III days or are looking to dip your toes into the MOBA genre for the first time, this guide will help you get accustomed to your new surroundings.
The Basics
Heroes of the Storm is a 5v5 multiplayer game where the objective is to destroy the enemy team's Nexus. Players prior to the start of a match will choose a character from a large roster of heroes from across Blizzard's various game franchises like Warcraft, Starcraft and Diablo. Each character plays drastically different from another, with different abilities, strengths and weaknesses. Each week players can choose from a rotating roster of free heroes to play as. Players can unlock heroes permanently by spending in-game gold earned through playing and completing quests or (if you so desire) by spending real-world cash.
Once in a match, players will find themselves on one of the game's various maps. There are several different maps, each with different objectives, but they all share some basic concepts. Each map will have two bases (referred to as the Nexus) on opposite ends of the battlefield, and anywhere from two to three "lanes" or paths, with a jungle filled with neutral monsters and sightstones, in between.
Lanes serve as roads of sorts for friendly and hostile minions (weak computer-controlled soldiers) that will continually march forward until killed in an attempt to attack the opposing team's defenses. Protecting each team's Nexus will be a series of forts, walls and towers, each which must be destroyed in order to reach the enemy team's Nexus and win the game.
Players will divide up into these various lanes to kill the enemy team's minions and get XP, which allows their hero to level up and become more powerful. From there it's all about capturing objectives, battling with the enemy team and eventually making the enemy Nexus go boom. Okay, so it's a little more complicated than that (as we will soon go into) but those are the basic concepts.
Know Your Role
Your first choice in playing a match of Heroes of the Storm is which hero to pick. Given the game has more than 30 heroes to currently choose from, this can be a little intimidating. Your first instinct may be to pick whatever character looks the coolest. And you are probably right! The best way to figure out what kind of characters you like to play as is to simply pick one that looks like they may interest you and take them for a spin. That being said, knowing the general roles each hero falls into will help give you a good idea where to start.
Warrior - These heroes are often large, bulky and extremely difficult to kill. They excel in getting into the middle of a fight, disrupting the enemy team with their abilities and protecting their teammates from damage by putting themselves in crosshairs. If you like to lead from the front and take pleasure in having the entire enemy team struggle to bring you down, warrior may be the role for you. Playing a warrior for the first time? Try out Diablo or ETC.
Assassin - These are the damage dealers of Heroes of the Storm. Fragile yet powerful, these heroes excel at killing enemy players with their abilities. As an Assassin you must be more aware of your surroundings than some other roles, as getting caught out of position will mean instant death. But if your greatest pleasure in a MOBA is to watch the enemy health bars drop, Assassins are your best bet. Playing an Assassin for the first time? Try out Valla or Raynor.
Support - Always there to lend a hand, Supports are the backbone of a team in Heroes of the Storm. These characters aid their team by buffing, healing or shielding teammates so they can stay in the fight, while often times bringing powerful CC (crowd control) effects to the table. Stuns, slows and abilities that prevent enemies from casting spells are common on support characters, allowing these heroes to not only heal up their team but set up big plays. If you don't mind being the unsung hero of the team, supports are always a vital part of a team's success. Playing a Support for the first time? Try out Lili or Uther.
Specialist - Unlike the other three roles, the Specialist is a little less defined. Often times these heroes will be efficient damage dealers or excel at destroying enemy defenses, but not always. The Specialist role is home to some of the most unique characters in any MOBA. One character's primary role is to sit in the base, spawn minions and take a bird's-eye-view of the game in a way similar to that of a traditional RTS, while another character is actually three characters in one. Specialist are generally the most complicated of the bunch, but if you are looking for a challenge, mastering these Heroes will give you a unique gameplay experience you won't find anywhere else. Playing a Specialist for the first time? Try out Sylvanas or Nazeebo.
Spread Out, But Be Ready To Group Up
Unlike other MOBA titles, XP in Heroes of the Storm is shared among the entire team, rather than dished out on an individual basis. This means it is always a good idea to have at least one teammate in each lane killing minions, in order to soak up as much XP as possible. What that doesn't mean, however, is you should ignore the various objectives on each map.
Heroes of the Storm has several similar yet different maps, each with objectives that will be vital for your team to secure in order to be victorious. Some maps require players to collect a certain number of items in order to summon powerful beasts, while others will have players fighting over various control points on the map to dish out some serious damage to the enemies defenses.
No matter what the objective is, it's a pretty bad idea to ignore them. You are going to want your full, five-man team ready to fight over these various points, even if it means sacrificing lane XP for a little while.
Mercenaries Are Important
Another major difference in Heroes of the Storm when compared to other MOBAs are neutral monster camps, in this case called mercenaries. Rather than defeating these creatures and being a granted a powerful buff like in other MOBAs, these monsters will instead fight for you, laying siege to your opponent's towers and forts with their powerful attacks.
Knowing when (and when not) to capture mercenaries is an important part of the game's strategy. There will be mercenaries on your team's side of the map, mercenaries on the enemy's side and some right dab in the middle. Being able to steal these from opponents and put pressure on the team's defenses is an important part of staying on top. Super powerful boss mercenaries can also be captured, and will often spell victory or defeat depending on which team captured it.
Always be aware of when mercenaries will be respawning (made easy thanks to countdown timers at each camp) and look out for enemy players who have been gone for more than a few seconds. They may be trying to capture some mercenaries, mercenaries you may be able to steal from under their nose if you act quick enough.
Adapt And Survive
If you are a veteran MOBA player who hasn't yet heard about Heroes of the Storm, you may be wondering: where are the items? Well, Heroes of the Storm doesn't have them. In many MOBA games players augment their character's abilities and stats by purchasing weapons and armor from a merchant with the gold collected from killing minions, but that isn't the case here.
Instead, every few levels players will be given the choice of choosing from a list of various talents that will augment your hero or your hero's abilities. At team level 10, players can then choose one of two ultimate abilities. You are always going to find some talents you prefer over others, but a large part of Heroes of the Storm is adapting to the map or the enemy team with your talent build.
If you want to lay siege to the enemy team by capturing mercenaries and overrunning the bottom lane, for example, you will want to pick talents that compliment your strategy. If your team already has plenty of healing, you may want to consider picking a more damage-focused ultimate. Choosing the right set of talents allows you play each hero in a number of different ways. Knowing which talents to pick in which situation will be an important part of mastering the game.
This guide is just a first step to learning your way around Heroes of the Storm. Instantly accessible yet deep to master, there are dozens of characters to learn, maps to memorize and talents to choose from. It will take time to learn it all, but this guide will put you on solid footing so you can hit the ground running. See you in the Nexus.
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