Ask DrmDestryr #24

DrmDestryr,

I don’t like the bushes. They are cheap ways for enemies to gank you. I’d play better without them.

-Nub-eroni

Nub-eroni,

Remove the BUSHES!?! That’s like asking the Knights Who Say ‘Ni’ to remove their shrubbery!! In other words, outright injustice. And being an open-minded lady of the 21st century, I dare say bushes add a touch of excitement if properly used.

Stealth

Sure, Murky can hide his egg there and five heroes can await your arrival with the sole purpose of a clean gank, but that’s the whole point of it! It gives us non-stealth characters the ability to hide and pretend to be rogues. Since you don’t like it, I’m assuming you’ve never tried it. This being the case, let go your hatred, strike it down to become more powerful! I guarantee once you learn how to use the bush mechanic properly, you’ll be addicted.

Escape

Sneak attacks are the bee’s knees but they are far from the only reason to use their cover. Offense and defense are two sides to the same coin. If you find yourself running for your life, a brilliant juke through the high grass can well mean the difference between life and death. Plus, if you are pushing and need to retreat, you can easily head to a hiding spot and port back to base, saving you the time of running all the way across the map while giving you the added benefit of recharging your health and mana.

Wards

We all know that HotS does not use wards as there are no stores for in game item purchases. This does not mean, however, that teams are without a way to see what is hidden. Tyrande’s owl, for instance, is a powerful tool to always keep an eye on enemy movement, not to mention characters with mines.

False Sense of Superiority

The bushes are not making you play subpar. You actually are just a subpar player.

-DrmDestryr

Dear DrmDestryr,

You finally played Murky! What’s you’re verdict?

-Watcher

Dear Watcher,

After playing as the most beloved/hated character in the entire game thus far, I think I’m in love. Murky is a powerful character that craps his diaper to injure others much like real babies.

Janus

My favorite aspect is his two-sidedness, making him a great loner or a key team player. This, of course, truly depends on team composition, but I will literally fight anyone who says Murky is no good for team battles. For one thing, he has absolutely no mana bar. The only thing holding back your attacks are their cool down timers. Second, have you even seen his Octopus ability!? That is arguably one of the best stun locks in the game if only for how long it lasts. All joking aside, keep in mind that people usually freak out when they see Murky. Team fights turn into a full on arms race to take down the murloc before anyone else. Do you know how powerful this makes you? If you grasp and have mastered the art of survival as Murky, your role in team fights is to draw the attention of the enemies and keep it. If you are with a good team, they will immediately jump on the mass hysteria and start taking down opponents like it ain’t no thang.

Death

While he does tend to die a lot for the inexperienced that believe continually giving one quarter xp to the other team does not add up over the course of a game (it f*cking does), Murky is not a sacrificial lamb. I’m OK angering the gods to preserve my character and my team. For as squishy as he is, he is incredibly adept at surviving. Maybe it’s just me, but his escape bubble is phenomenal and does not have an excruciatingly long cool down. Simply fart on people then float backward and shoot out a puffer fish. Rinse and repeat, and you have yourself a rather destructive yet long-lived baby murloc.

Harassment

My favorite part is how he is built for late game harassment. I lay my egg right outside the enemy base and shout taunts at all of the remaining gates, hurting their feelings so badly they eventually give up. There’s nothing like degrading others to build up your own self-worth.

-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.