DrmDestryr,
I want to be the dragon knight, but I don’t know how to use him.
-Awaken
Dear Awaken,
Dragon Knight is an awesome character, and it is stupidly frustrating to see a team member grab him and not use him correctly. In many cases, this costs your team a lot of XP. So how do you use this most totally rad kaiju?
First, know what he does. He only has two attacks. You are also on a timer, underlining the importance of using him correctly for those 60 seconds. While in control of the Knight, you have two abilities and a trait. Your Flame Breath deals damage in a cone and leaves a patch of fire. Savage Charge runs to and punts a target, dealing damage. Your trait, Rubble Maker, deals double damage to structures while causing your to take half damage from them. You also have the ability to exit out of dragon form but, really, what puss would pull that lame move?
The important thing to know with these two attacks is who/what to use them on. I have found fire to be far more beneficial for towers as it increases how quickly they go down. Using it on heroes is wasteful because most people are smart enough to move, rendering the flame patch useless. Savage Charge is optimal for heroes that are in your way. If you see an enemy really giving your team a hard time, punting them gives your team time to push without interruption.
What’s the best strategy? Head. For. The. Towers. Do NOT waste your time using this dragon to fight the opposing heroes. He is designed to take down structures. Your team will f*cking hate you if you do anything else, especially if they had to fight tooth and nail to win both shrines. When at the towers, use Flame Breath to immediately start destroying the gate. It has a small amount of health, and when it is done, the enemy will have no place to hide behind, allowing your team to keep you somewhat protected. Next is up to you. Some like charging straight for the castle as it yields far more XP. This will keep the enemy on you, letting your team deal with the towers. The downfall is that you probably won’t get to use him for the full minute because so much of the damage will be focused on you. I prefer taking down towers with my team and progressing from one to the next as it creates a far bigger hole in their defenses by the time the push is over.
-DrmDestryr
DrmDestryr,
I feel like I get left behind a lot. I’ll be pushing with my team and they’ll just disappear, leaving me to die. What’s going on? Do they hate me?
-LoLWut
Dear LoLWut,
No, your team does not hate you. Quit being a little b*tch. You are the reason this is happening so don’t try to place the blame on your team. Your biggest mistake is not paying attention. Period.
I know how great a good push can feel (ladies…) but it can’t and won’t last forever, especially near the beginning or middle of a game. You’ll notice a lot of games have general ebb and flow of offense and defense much like the pull of the moon and its influence on the tides. If you are a tank or melee-based hero, you’ll generally be to the front of every offensive push and this is why it’s even more important for you to pay attention. Ranged heroes get the benefit of seeing when it’s time to pull out (ladies…) but you, oh leader of the pack, are not blessed with such luck.
During a great offensive push, you will inevitably bring down some towers and a fountain along with killing a few of the opposing heroes. Great! As long as they’re dead, you can keep pushing unhindered, but when you reach a stopping point (for instance, trying to take down a castle while the other team is finally all back together and full on mana and health), you need to get the hell out. Many of the experienced players will know this and leave. They are very aware that your team is low on mana and health and will not be able to survive an opposing push. They’re not leaving you to die, they just know when enough is enough. If you are paying attention, you can see this happen, and it’s important you take their cues. Otherwise, you’ll be left alone and will probably die.
So next time you feel like blaming everyone else, look at your tactics. Are you doing something wrong? More than likely the answer is yes. And that’s OK. We all f*ck up. No need to go punching yourself. Instead, spend that energy to make yourself better. Be a winner, not a loser.
-DrmDestryr
Ask DrmDestryr is your weekly Q&A/advice column for Heroes of the Storm. Have a question for DrmDestryr? E-mail her your mental musings at drmdestryr@gmail.com or send happy twoughts her way @DrmDestryr.