Wave management: shoving, holding and timing your exit
Control where the troopers meet and you control the lane, the jungle and the map.
Updated · Patch Nov 4, 2026
What a wave does
Trooper waves spawn on a timer and march toward each other. Where they meet decides who is safe: the closer the fight is to your Guardian, the safer you are and the further the enemy has to walk.
Shoving
Kill the enemy wave as fast as you can and your troopers walk into their Guardian. That buys you time while the enemy has to stay and defend, usually enough to clear a jungle camp, break crates or rotate.
- Shove before every shop trip, rotation or objective.
- Ability-based waveclear is fastest; use it only when you plan to leave.
Holding
If you only last-hit and avoid damaging the wave, it slowly drifts toward your side. A wave near your Guardian protects you from dives and pulls the enemy into gank range for your jungling teammates.
- Hold when you’re behind, low on health, or waiting for a gank.
- Holding only works if you keep last-hitting — a wave you ignore pushes into your tower and you lose the souls.
Crash before you leave
Never leave a big wave pushing toward your Guardian. Crash it into theirs first. Leaving late costs you a few souls; a free push costs you more souls and Guardian health on top.
Late-game side waves
Once teams group, the side lanes still matter. A hero who catches side waves keeps the team’s soul income up and forces enemies to answer. Catch waves that are near your side of the map; avoid ones that pull you deep with no vision of the enemy team.