How to win more games on this tricky tactical map.
The special objective which will help you team gain the upper hand on this map revolves around the handful of Dragon Shrines that feature: one each in the centre of the top, middle and bottom lanes. When they are periodically activated during a match, teams compete to gain control of the upper and lower Shrines.
The team that controls both then has the opportunity to seize the mighty Shrine in the middle of the map, which allows a player to assume the form of a fearsome Dragon Knight. Both Shrines must remain under the team’s control while the player unlocks this creature.
The Dragon Knight is an extremely tough character which possesses a deadly front cone attack, the ability to kick enemy Heroes back a decent distance, and an auto-attack that’s capable of ripping forts and structures to pieces.
As you can imagine, the team that manages to unlock this creature gains a significant advantage in the overall domination of the map.
Dragon Shire strategy guide
The logical approach for a five-man team is to have two players focus on the uppermost lane, two on the bottom-most, with the remaining Hero primed to capture the Dragon Knight in the central lane. Look for a good lane-pushing character to assume this final role, so that they can continue clearing out waves of minions, and be productive while you wait for the Shrines to activate.
While you’re taking this approach, make sure you communicate clearly what’s happening on the maps, and juggle team Heroes around accordingly. You may want to swap team members into different lanes, depending on the type of threat presented by the opposing team. Make sure you have your lanes appropriately set up before the Shrine countdown begins.
If you manage to take control of the Dragon Knight, have everyone head to the creature’s location and charge as a single unit against the opponent’s defences. It makes sense to prioritise the middle lane in the first instance, as it’s closest to the Dragon Knight’s starting point, and your team members are likely still fighting centrally in the lanes. Group up and pile on into the enemy.
What happens though if you fail to grab the Dragon Knight and the enemy’s trying to do their best to wipe you out instead? If this happens, simply group everyone up and prioritise killing the creature. It won’t take too long to drop, but it can do devastating damage if left unchecked. Just keep your heads cool and work together.
Dragon Shire tips and tricks
The most important thing to do is to avoid dying during the Shrine activation phase, as you’ll find it very hard to stop the opponent from snowballing their threat. If you do lose Heroes on your team, get everyone to muster at one of the Shrines, so at least you prevent the enemy from unlocking the Knight. Fighting cautiouslyin general is an important part of winning on this map.
If you’ve reached a stalemate, and are struggling to hold both Shrines simultaneously, consider sending someone off to capture a Mercenary Camp (assuming your level is high enough). This extra pressure against the opponent’s defences might just fragment their team, and give you the extra breathing space you need to take both Shrines.
It’s still relatively early days for the game, so don’t assume that everyone knows the best strategy. Use the time before each match actually begins to outline this strategy clearly. People are usually happy to take a little direction, but not in the middle of a match, and not when it’s delivered in frustration.
