Paragon: Tips for New MOBA Players

Happy Friday! I spent most of the past week jamming on Paragon, Epic’s new PS4 MOBA. As a newcomer to the MOBA genre (I’m old), I thought it might be helpful to throw together some handy tips to help get you started — please leave your own tips in the comments below!

Basic Terminology

• Lanes: Basically, the path you take to the enemy’s Core. There are three lanes: left, right, and middle. Depending on your strategy, you and your team can concentrate down one, or split up across several lanes and fight several battles at once. Lane strategy is a defining gameplay feature of Paragon.
• Minions: Both teams get an endless supply of these meat shields. Minion packs drive forward mindlessly, attacking any enemies or Towers they encounter along the way. They’re easily killed, but present a constant threat because they autospawn in waves every 30 seconds or so.
• Towers: Along each lane lie several dangerous towers that will inflict humongous damage if you get too close. You can’t directly damage a Tower; you have to destroy the crystal that rests next to it.

Hero Highlights

• Howitzer is a straightforward Caster and an ideal choice for beginning players. His basic attack (R2) is an explosive projectile that squashes enemy Minions efficiently, and his R2000 Missile (Square) gives him extra range and damage. His land mines (Circle) and grenades (R1) help control enemy movement, too. And his Ultimate ability (Triangle) lays down a radius of destruction.
• Twinblast is another popular choice for beginners. His basic attack (R2) allows you to steadily peck away at enemies and Minions, while his Ultimate ability (Triangle) brings the pain. Remember to amp up his attack speed by triggering Nitro (Square).
• Sparrow is also worth a try. Like the other Ranger heroes, she dishes out high damage with her basic attack (R2). She lacks durability, and her other abilities don’t pack quite the punch of the Casters. But if you play defensively and remember to stick and move, she will lay waste.

Other Tips

• Minions serve as the heartbeat of a Paragon match. They respawn like clockwork, and their constant waves apply pressure to a lane. They can hold ground against an enemy offense until player heroes can reinforce the battle lines.
• • When you’re on the offense, help push your team forward by efficiently squashing enemy Minions and driving forward to gain ground.
• If you can crush the Inhibitor near your enemy’s core, your team’s Minions in that lane will get much stronger and more fearsome — it can easily tip the scales in a heated match.
• The Tower will always* target your Minions first — allowing you to get closer to the objective and hammer it. When approaching a Tower, let your Minions enter attack range first so they soak up damage.
• • *The one exception is important! If a player attacks an enemy hero while that hero is under the enemy turret, the turret will immediately target the aggressor. Avoid damaging enemy players while they are protected by their turrets.
• You have to get fairly close to a Tower’s crystal to inflict damage. Watch your crosshairs: when they turn red, you’re in range.
• The lanes are loosely connected by a jungle, allowing you to cut across from one lane to another. The jungle is home to many tight, twisty corridors, so it’s not a great place to get caught unprepared.
• • Always keep an eye on other lanes — it’s quite possible to cut away from a big battle and quietly push down a lane your enemy isn’t expecting.
• Some heroes are sneakier than others. Gideon, for example, can teleport himself and teammates to other locations on the map. Kallari can cloak to get close to enemies, leaving them vulnerable to her devastating melee strikes.
• • But stealth can benefit any hero. Look for the Shadow Pads in the jungle near the lane shortcuts. Stand in one to mask your presence from enemy players, letting you get the drop on them.
  • Paragon is notable for its many mind games. Pretending to run off, only to lead your pursuers into a trap, is a common technique.

I hope some of these are helpful! Give your own tips in the comments below.

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