Can't Get Into MOBAs! Try These Strategies

There’s a lot going on in the gaming world right now, but multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games remain insanely popular. You probably have a few friends who are raving about League of Legends and are trying to get you hooked so you can play together. If you don’t have any experience with MOBAs, it’s understandable why they may seem a bit intimidating at first: there’s an overwhelming variety of heroes to choose from, the maps are very complex, and following an online tournament is almost impossible.

But that’s just because you’re not familiar with the genre yet. Like any game type, MOBAs have their learning curve and, if you take things slow, all the mechanics that look confusing now will become reasons to love the genre.

 

If you’re having trouble getting into MOBAs, here are a few tips that will shorten the learning curve and help you get used to them.

Play with the right group

Playing MOBAs is just as fun as the group with play with. In a single-player RPG, you’re the protagonist and your actions are the only ones moving the game forward, but the MOBA experience very much relies on your teammates. If you’re on the same team with a random group of people, then the game can easily turn into an underwhelming experience, especially if you’re a beginner and you’re still figuring out the mechanics. For best results, ask your gamer friends to introduce you to the world of MOBAs, because they’re more likely to show you the ropes and not lose their patience when you make a mistake. With MOBAs, a lot of the fun also comes from outside the game: making fun of what happened, bragging about your kills, discussing strategies, and so on. Don’t have friends who play MOBAs? No problem! Considering that the number of LoL accounts is increasing every day, you can always find an online community that’s beginner-friendly and won’t rage at you for not being a pro.

Another thing you should be aware of when starting out with MOBAs is that the mood in the chat can get pretty toxic. Although developers are trying their hardest to detect and block hate speech, the technology is far from perfect, so at least while you’re still learning, ignore the chat, and focus on the game.

Play against bots

Games like League of Legends can be very intimidating if you’re playing against a team of pros and this may discourage you. MOBAs are easy to learn but hard to master, so until you’ve found your strategy, it’s best to play against bots, which are easier to beat. This way, you can learn the basics and when you’re ready to face off against real players, you’ll feel more confident and even have a few tricks up your sleeve. In general, it takes about 10 games against bots to get used to the game and die less often.

Get good with a character

When playing MOBAs, choosing a character is an adventure in itself because there are so many options to choose from. League of Legends, for instance, has 145 champions, each with their unique strengths and abilities. As a beginner, you’re probably curious to discover all these champions and play with each one, but this isn’t the best way to learn the game. With every character, you experience a new version of the game, so do what the pros do: choose a character and play with it until you get good and know all its tricks by heart. Otherwise, if you keep switching characters, every new game will feel like the first game, and it will all be very confusing.

Play for fun at first

With MOBAs, especially League of Legends, there’s massive pressure to go pro. League of Legends has one of the biggest and most active communities on Twitch, there are lots of professional tournaments around the world, and it’s almost as if you shouldn’t even attempt to play this game if you’re not competitive. But guess what. You don’t have to become a pro. If you want to play for fun, play for fun. If you don’t want to face off against real people, then nothing’s stopping you from playing against bots. MOBAs have a reputation for being highly addictive and bringing out gamers’ competitive sides, but this doesn’t have to apply to you. You decide your own adventure when playing MOBAs and in the beginning, you really shouldn’t put too much pressure on yourself. Take it slow, learn the mechanics, get used to what your character can do, and don’t panic if you keep dying.

Try out different character classes

Even if you’ve never played a MOBA before, you’re probably familiar with the idea of character classes and how much they can change your experience. For example, you have tanks, who fight in the middle of the action, have heavy armor, and can take a lot of damage. Then you have mages, who need to keep their distance but are very powerful. No two character classes are the same and your choice will influence your experience. If you had a bad time playing with a fighter, maybe you should try playing with a slayer or mage instead. Unlike RPGs, MOBA games have lots more characters and not all of them fit into a clear class. Give several champions a spin, see what matches your personality best, then level up that character.

Watch others play it

Fortunately for beginners, there are countless opportunities to watch the pros at work. If you don’t already have an account on Twitch, make one and see how other people are playing it. The gameplay will probably look very confusing at first, but after a few hours, you’ll get used to it and you’ll be ready to watch a few tournaments. Apart from being fun, watching streamers play online games is also a great opportunity to pick up a few tricks and apply them in your next games.