Heroes of the Storm can be challenging and winning a match is full of pitfalls. Lots of players often make the same mistakes when it comes to drafting, positioning and laning. Hopefully the tips below will put you on the right path to victory and if you do have any additional advice you think players might find useful, let me know in the comments below.

Pre-Select Nova

There’s nothing your team will like more than pre-selecting Nova. This is also particularly effective if you’re first pick, as it will give your team confidence that you know exactly what you’re doing, and that you’re a highly skilled player. It also ensures that the enemy team will be tilted instantly: no one likes facing Nova.

Pre-selecting Nova is a sure-fire way of cheering up your team.

Switch To Murky At The Last Minute

If you really want to fill your team with confidence, switch to Murky just before the draft timer is up. Not only will they be amazed by your audacity, but their faith in your drafting knowledge will have no limits. The effect on your team will be entirely positive and I can guarantee that the opposition will be completely thrown - they’ll have no idea how to react to such a draft and will likely struggle to counter you.

Inform Everyone You’ve Never Played Hero League Before

There’s nothing the Heroes of the Storm community loves more than a beginner. Not only will those on your team be thrilled to hear you’re new, but they’ll do everything they can to nurture you through the course of the match. Even if you’ve picked Nova or Murky, they’ll have complete faith in your decision making and will provide a variety of tips, tricks and advice.

Make Sure You Don’t Ban Anything

Banning isn’t always a great idea. It’s often a fantastic tactic to let the enemy have first pick of the strongest Heroes so that you can draft against them. If you’re in charge of banning, just let the timer run down. Most of the time your team will make some suggestions, but highly experienced players know it’s best to avoid banning a specific Hero. It’s best to use this time to go to the toilet: be sure to let your team know as well.

Have The Default Horse Equipped

There’s nothing that strikes fear into the heart of the enemy team (while boosting the morale of your own) than by having the default horse mount. Not only will the enemy team be lulled into a false sense of security about your skill level, but it will provide your team with a huge boost of confidence. They’ll know you don’t need fancy mounts to show off your ability: base it best.

Try To Die First

Building on the point above, dying first ensures your enemy team thinks they’ve the upper hand. However, it often has the opposite effect. Your team will be energised, they’ll want to succeed and more often than not they’ll die a few times too just to show solidarity, but to also lead the enemy team into thinking you’re on a feeding streak.

Disconnect At Least Once

It's important to set challenging goals for yourself when playing Heroes of the Storm and there's nothing more appealing than disconnecting, arriving back into a match ten minutes later, only to steam-roll the opposition thanks to your skills. You'll not only will this earn the thanks of your team mates for coming back, but also their admiration once they see how much of a difference you can really make.

Be Quick To Blame

It's incredibly valuable to often blame your team for your own faults so they not only know who's in charge, but to also take part in a little bit of reverse-psychology. When you're telling people they're terrible, often they'll think to themselves: "You know what? I think I can play better!". The impact of which is a team that's energised and playing out of their skin!

Always Be Out Of Position

When you're leading a team, you want to be at the front of the pack. Whether you're Nova, Murky or even Auriel. You want to be sure that your team knows you're confident in your own and their ability. By being on the front line at all times, preferrably out of position, you're saying to the enemy: "Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough!". It might sometimes result in your death, but you can be sure your team will rally behind you. It's a tactic we've found most effective.

Do you have a tip for winning in Heroes of the Storm? Let us know! (but please provide better than this satire).