6. When In Doubt, Stay in Your Lane
Tencent Games
• If you’re not the team’s jungler, straying from your lane can leave a dangerous opening for the other team. While dropping by another lane can inspire big enough surprises to turn a battle’s tide, it’s just as easy for your abandoned opponent to realize you’ve flown the coop and alert their teammates to your neglected line of defense (pictured above is the bleakest match I’ve ever had, where our team switched lanes sporadically without ever telling each other anything). And above all, do not decide you’re switching lanes permanently without telling your teammates.
7. Be Cautious Around Tall Grass
Tencent Games
• There are tufts of grass lining each lane as well as throughout the jungle which can hide heroes from view, so be alert during advances to avoid getting surprised by cunning enemies. Likewise, these can make for a perfect opportunity to catch an overly bold opponent making an unguarded push. With the right timing, it’s possible to attack them from behind and cut off their retreat, netting yourself easy experience, gold and a well-earned sense of accomplishment.
8. Tour the Armory
Tencent Games
• Arena of Valor automatically recommends equipment once you have enough gold to purchase an upgrade during a match, but you’re free to alter your progression paths to better fit your playstyle. Dive into the Armory from the main menu to check out alternative upgrade pathways which can favor things like dealing out sustained damage or making it easier to survive without recalling to your base, or use the Change function to customize your own gear path.
9. Collect Your Daily Rewards
Tencent Games
• Arena of Valor greatly rewards regular play, making it possible to enjoy an expansive lineup of heroes without ever spending a cent. If you’d prefer to unlock new heroes through regular play, make sure to finish at least three matches in a day. You can track your progress toward unlocking new heroes through the Road to Glory section in the main menu.
10. Practice (Matches) Make Perfect & Dive In
Tencent Games
• Following along with the game’s introductory tutorials is one thing, but taking new heroes for a test drive through low-stress battles is on another level. Practice Matches let you test out each hero’s abilities and playstyle however you’d like. Want to immediately max out your level, heap gold into your pockets and see how much damage a hero deals at full power? Go for it. Would you rather get a feel for their progression at a normal pace, but negate the risk of death? Then just toggle the invincibility option on. Practice Matches make for a perfect, restriction-free testing ground for mastering new heroes.
Tencent Games
• Like everything in life, studying and practice will only prepare you up to a certain point. Eventually, you need to trust your knowledge and skills enough to hop in for some real-world experience, and casual PvP matches are the best arenas to get your bearings. Don’t worry too much about letting your team down or slipping up; as long as you give an honest effort, you’ll hold your own in no time. If you’re particularly skittish about team games however, you can always play a few rounds against bots to get a better grip on working with human teammates before jumping into true 5v5 matches.