by JR Cook - 9 years ago     show comments

If you have played Heroes of the Storm for any length of time, you have undoubtedly been told how important it is to have someone in every lane during the early game to soak experience.  The laning phase in Heroes is much shorter than in other MOBA’s, due in part to the objective-based nature of the game.  Because of the various map objectives, the pure laning phase of the game really only last two to three minutes.  After that, teams have to balance soaking experience with the need to contest objectives, but this is still considered part of the laning phase.  Conventional wisdom is that the laning phase lasts until level 10, at which point the game transitions into a more team fight-oriented phase.

I thought it would be interesting to crunch some numbers to try and figure out the actual impact that having a level advantage has on the outcome of the game.  In preparation for this article, I looked at well over 100 games from top level pros, high level amateurs, and casual players.  Even though it is not a big surprise that the results show that having a level advantage increases your chance to win (spoiler alert!), I think there are still some great insight to be gained from these numbers.

The team that reaches level 4 first wins 66% of the time

I’ll be honest, I would have expected this to be a bit higher.  However, there are two important factors to keep in mind.  The first is that reaching level 4 usually happens about two minutes into the game.  The second is that the team that hits level 4 first often does so only a few second ahead of the other team.  With that in mind, winning two out of every three games when you do something seconds ahead of the other team and only two minutes into a 25 minute game is actually pretty impressive.  Level 4 is also the point that you select your first additional talent. Since this often happens right around the time that objectives begin to spawn, it can really help propel your team to an even bigger advantage.

The team that reaches level 10 first wins 79% of the time

This is even more impressive when you consider that the first team to hit level 10 often does so shortly after the six minute mark.  Gaining your ultimate ability before the other team is a huge advantage, so be sure to make the most of it.  There is often only a small window before the other team reaches level 10 as well, so consider making a strong push or seeking out a team fight while you have the edge.  If the other team reaches level 10 first, you will want to seriously consider the situation before engaging in a team fight.  You are at a severe disadvantage, so your best course of action is often to simply focus on gaining experience and reaching level 10 as well, even if this means passing on an objective or only sending one or two players to harass while the others focus on soaking XP.

The team that reaches level 20 first wins 87% of the time

You often hear about how many teams are able to come from behind to win in Heroes of the Storm.  As you can see based on this statistic, that isn’t very likely.  With that said, when a team does come from behind it often isn’t because of anything they did, but rather because of something the team with the advantage did.  Namely an overextended push that leads to multiple deaths or a poorly timed boss grab.  If you are ahead after level 20 the game is yours to win, don’t blow it thru risky play.  If you are behind at level 20 you need to look for situations where you can catch the opposing team in a vulnerable position.  You are unlikely to win if your strategy simply consists of defending your core.  You are likely going to have to take chances to win, whether that be a through a big team fight or an aggressive death push on their core.

Let’s revisit the topic of laning now that we have been reminded of the importance of having a level advantage.  When someone tells you that the laning is the most important thing early in the game, they are only partially correct.  The most important thing is actually to soak experience.  Laning is one of the best ways to do this, and you definitely want to have a Hero in every lane whenever possible prior to level 10, but it is equally important to stay alive.  It is one thing to die fighting for an objective, but if you die during the lane portion of the early game you have almost certainly made a mistake.  Speaking of objectives, don’t forget to try and maximize your experience gains while still focusing on objectives.  You don’t need all five players at an uncontested Tribute or Shrine.  Consider jumping into the closest lane to soak some extra experience, just don’t go too far.  Be sure to keep an eye on your team and return to help if needed.  Little things like this can make a big difference when it comes to gaining that level advantage, so always be on the lookout for ways to gain extra experience.  Good luck and have fun!