Laning 101: win the first ten minutes
Last-hits, denies, trading around the Guardian and when to leave lane.
Updated · Patch Nov 4, 2026
Last-hits & denies
Troopers drop a glowing soul orb when they die. If you landed the killing blow, shoot the orb before it floats away to claim the full value; your teammate gets a share either way. If one of your troopers dies to the enemy hero, shoot that orb to deny it — every deny is souls they don’t get.
A clean deny is often worth more than a poke. Track the enemy’s last-hits and contest the orbs they’re aiming at.
Respect the Guardian
Your lane Guardian hits harder than any hero early on. Trade inside its range, retreat outside theirs, and never follow a low-health enemy under their tower in the first minutes. Troopers walking next to you absorb Guardian shots — tower dives only work when your wave is ahead.
Trading
A good trade is one where you deal more damage than you take. Use your cheapest ability when the enemy steps forward to last-hit, then back off before they answer. Heavy melee punishes anyone who walks too close, and a well-timed parry stuns the enemy that tried it on you.
- Trade when their key cooldown is down. If they have a dash or escape, wait until they’ve used it before you commit.
- Health regen items early (Extra Regen, Healing Rite) make every trade cheaper.
Jungle & breakables
Crates and statues around your lane drop souls and short buffs. Neutral camps between lanes are free souls when your wave is safe. Take them after you shove the wave, never instead of it.
When to leave lane
Leave when your wave has crashed into their Guardian, when a teammate is about to die and you can arrive in time, or when an objective is about to spawn. Do not rotate if you’d arrive after the fight or leave your Guardian undefended against a full wave.