The Overarching Arena Guide (Y11, Patch 11.1 "Year 11")

GOD	ABILITY	EFFECT / NOTES
Agni	Rain Fire	Moderate single-hit damage. Small circular AOE. Possible stun when combined with Noxious Fumes.
Ah Puch	Empty the Crypts	Low ticking damage. Huge square AOE. Best used with Gem of Isolation for the added CC.
Anubis	Death Gaze	High ticking damage. Long range, narrow line.
Ares	No Escape	Moderate single-hit damage. Medium AOE pull. Ares' signature move, can pull multiple gods into one small area for easy focusing.
Bacchus	Intoxicate	Moderate, single-hit damage. Intoxicate / slow. Medium circular AOE.
Bakasura	Regurgitate	High damage based on basic attacks and build. Converts basic attacks into a cone. Combine with Butcher Blades for maximum potential.
Bellona	Eagle's Rally	Moderate single-hit damage. Increased group protections and physical power buff. Large circular AOE.
Cerberus	Stygian Torment	Low, single-hit damage. Lift and pull. Large circular AOE.
Cernunnos	The Wild Hunt	Low, single-hit damage. 2s Disarm & silence. Medium circular AOE damage.
Chaac	Storm Call	Low single-hit damage. Silence. Large circular AOE.
Cupid	Fields Of Love	Moderate, single hit damage. Slow & cripple, then damage & mesmerize. Large circular AOE.
Da Ji	Paolao	Medium, situational damage to multiple potential targets. Slow & eventual pull w/ stun. Each of 3 shots has small circular AOE.
Ganesha	Dharmic Pillars	Low, situational damage. Slow & protection reduction. Large square AOE.
Geb	Cataclysm	Moderate single-hit damage. Stun. Medium circular AOE.
Hades	Pillar of Agony	High ticking damage. Pull & protection debuff. Small circular AOE. Enemies can escape with jumps/dashes. Best to combine with anything that disrupts movement/action, such as Cupid's Fields Of Love.
Hou Yi	Sunbreaker	High ticking damage. Medium circular AOE. Best when used with abilities that prevent enemies from moving away.
Eset	Circle Of Protection	Variable single-hit damage. Healing & damage reduction to allies. Medium circular AOE. Can be detonated early.
Medusa	Petrify	Moderate single-hit damage. Stun or slow. Long range cone AOE.
Odin	Ring of Spears	Containment trap. Healing and attack speed reduction. Medium circular AOE. Enemies can escape with jumps/teleports.
Poseidon	Release The Kraken!	High single-hit damage. Slow + possible stun. Medium circular AOE.
Ra	Searing Pain Solar Blessing	High single-hit damage. Long narrow line. Hard to hit but if enemies are stunned, devastating. Low CD. Low ticking damage. Ticking healing. Small circular AOE. Not an ult, but great in a contained area like Ring of Spears to heal teammates while damaging enemies.
Scylla	I'm a Monster	High single-hit damage. Small circular AOE. Great in a contained area like Ring of Spears, which limits enemy location, allowing for easier hits.
Sobek	Lurking In The Waters	High single-hit damage. Slow. Medium circular AOE.
Sol	Supernova	Moderate ticking damage. Small circular AOE in a moving line. Easier to hit when enemies are contained.
Sylvanus	Wrath of Terra	Low ticking damage. Knock up. Medium circular AOE.
Vulcan	Earthshaker	Medium to high single-hit damage. Medium circular AOE.
Xing Tian	Whirlwind of Rage and Steel	Low ticking damage. Small circular AOE gather, single direction throw. Can be easy to dodge, but great to gather enemies in one place after the throw.
Ymir	Shards of Ice	High single-hit damage. Slow. Medium circular AOE.
Zeus	Lightning Storm	Medium ticking damage. Medium circular AOE. Applies charges, so save Detonate Charge until after charges have been applied.
Zhong Kui	Recall Demons	Medium ticking damage. Large circular AOE.

1. Buy item(s). Don't forget a relic! (Optionally say hi (VVGH) or whatever to start establishing team comraderie.)
   
   
2. Exit base to the left, and go toward the first jungle camp (Mana Buff). *note* I suggest watching across the arena until the camps spawn, just in case the enemy wants to try to sneak in and disrupt your process.
   
   
3. Clear the first camp. Mana Buff will usually be taken by a mage; usually one with the best wave-clear. (Sometimes they will then head to the middle of the arena to clear the first minion wave...but they really should continue on to help clear the rest of the camps.)
   
   
4. Clear the second camp. Damage Buff will usually be taken by any god that has strong early-game damage potential.
   
   
5. Clear the third camp. Basic Attack Buff will usually be taken by an ADC. If no ADC, it is taken by any other god that uses basic attacks often.
   
   
6. Head to the middle of the arena.

Here is an advanced starting process, made easier if you're playing in a pre-made team who already understands. In essence, clear the camps in the reverse order.

This provides the following benefits:

• The Mana Buff, which has perhaps the biggest effect in the early game, is picked up last, which means you get slightly more uptime while in the middle of the Arena.
  
  
• You finish close to your base, making it quicker for teammates to run back to base to buy full items if necessary.
  
  
• If you clear more slowly than the enemy team, and the enemy team tries for a quick minion push (or a quick god kill), you're in a better position to defend your portal and yourself.

There is one further technique you can employ in either starting process for faster clearing. Since there is so little time from the start of the match to the spawning of the jungle camps, easiest to execute when in a pre-made group.

1. One person attacks the first target camp and draws the minion toward the middle camp.
   
   
2. Another person attacks the middle camp, and draws them toward the first camp. *note* Both have to stay within range so as not to lose aggro on their respective minions.
   
   
3. Once the two minions are close, any AOE damaging abilities can be used to hit both minions at the same time.

The best strategy to help yourself at this point is usually to level up and gain gold by staying near and/or helping to clear the minion waves.

The best strategy to prevent the enemy from doing the same is to poke with any long range attacks and force them to go back to base early.

Consider your god's strengths and weaknesses. Don't jump into the middle of the enemy team if you're a squishy assassin. Consider focusing an aggressive squishy god if you're a tank with good CC abilities.

Go back to base to heal up (better than giving the enemy 5 free tickets with your death) or when you have enough gold to buy full items.

As you and the enemy level up, differences in builds become more apparent. Tanks build protections and can soak up more damage, making them less appealing targets. Damage dealers will usually inflict - and TAKE - more damage.

The main things you should focus on are:

1. Teamwork: In most cases, the team that sticks together and focuses on the same targets, synchronizes ults, etc., will be victorious. This does not necessarily include powerful 1 v 1 gods (like Loki) that can spot a lone enemy.
   
   
2. Map Awareness: Even with the small arena map, don't forget to check the mini map often. It can help you watch the jungle camp respawn timers, spot separated enemies, warn you of enemy minions nearing your portal, etc.
   
   
3. Jungle Camp Respawns: This goes along with Map Awareness above, but deserves special mention. The buffs, throughout the game, give a significant advantage, especially with regard to the Damage and Basic Attack buffs. If you're going for a buff, make sure you're aware of enemy locations, and don't leave your team if they're initiating a team fight or getting pushed back. You can also ping the map to remind your team and possibly get support. Also, look for opportune moments to steal buffs close to the enemy base (e.g. Basic Attack buff on the left side).
   
   
4. Minotaurs: Minotaurs are special minions that have multiple times the health of standard minions. They are also worth 15 tickets if they reach a portal. Within reason, you want to escort your Minotaur to the enemy portal. Whenever an enemy Minotaur spawns, you want to make sure you focus it down. This needs to be your priority over chasing down a retreating enemy. More in the specific section on Minotaur Strategies below!

As the ticket counter gets close to zero, you can easily tell if one team has the upper hand. At this point, every god kill becomes more critical.


If You're Ahead:



If You're Behind:

So your team has cleared the camps, and both sides are pretty much picking their noses in the middle of the arena, throwing an occasional booger nuke at the minion waves. Pretty sure you don't want to do that for the next 20+ minutes, so let's talk about initiating a fight. How should this be done properly?

• Tanky: If you're going to initiate, make sure you can take a little heat. The best initiators are often guardians or warriors, as they're inherently tanky.
  
  
• Appropriate CC Abilities (Blink optional): Just having a strong CC ability isn't enough to initiate effectively. Abilities such as Freya's Banish may prevent the enemy from retreating, but also prevents your team from damaging them. The best initiators have abilities that help them to target and/or lock down specific enemies, such as stuns, knock-ups, roots, etc. This includes freezes like Ymir's Frost Breath, Odin's Lunge / Ring of Spears, Ares' No Escape, etc. The relic Blink is an extremely helpful initiation tool for select gods.
  
  
• Timing & Support: If you're Ymir, you're probably not going to be very effective if you blink way ahead of your team to use your Frost Breath. You may find that simple initiation (a.k.a. run toward the enemy target) may allow you to keep your team close, and aggressive players may take your challenge without thinking things through. Teammate and enemy locations are also key...don't initiate if 2 of your teammates have gone back to base, but take advantage if some of the enemy team has done just that.

*Note* This section has heavy influence and info from Turnip's guide, as he brings up some great points.



The center of the arena is where minion waves usually meet, and is equally accessible to both teams. It's by far the most common battle location.

It's best to make sure the minion waves are always cleared, while you constantly apply a bit of pressure by locating yourself just north of center. With the enemy being closer to their base, it may encourage the enemy to make just a "quick trip back" to buy items or replenish health/mana. Watch for when the enemy team is weaker in numbers (e.g. 5 v 4 or 5 v 3), as this gives you an opportunity for an easy kill or two, as well as help push the minion wave toward the enemy portal.

When this happens, you have two basic options:

1. Offensive: Apply high pressure to the enemy team, and attempt to prevent them from clearing the minion wave. Best when the enemy team is down a couple of gods from a recent teamfight, and when their team lacks easy waveclear abilities. Try to attack any enemies that are emerging from their base, so it's tempting for them to step back and heal, buying you a couple of precious seconds. Since their attention will probably be on the minion wave, it can be a bit less dangerous for you. Just make sure you have enough health and mana. With 1/2 health or less, you inevitably become a flashing neon target for enemies, and if you're out of mana, the only pressure you can apply is your presence, which isn't enough.
   
   
2. Defensive: Retreat as a team so you don't lose any points you just gained during the push/teamfight. If there are any remaining enemy gods that have strong waveclear, it's probably best to back off, as the possibility of pushing the minion wave to the portal is low. Also, remember that the farther you are from your base, the longer it takes to replenish health or get reinforcements, and the quicker the enemy team can regroup. Pay special attention to your teammates, as they may or may not let you know if they're going back to base.

For all of the reasons stated above, try not to allow your team to get in the reverse situation. Any enemy minions passing the center should be priority targets. Although aggressive (reckless) enemies may be baited into attempting to secure a god kill nearer your base (possibly exposing them to the stationary turrets), the location will not allow your team to effectively push a minion wave in case you do win a teamfight.




Another fight location is on the sides near the jungle camps. These fights commonly occur when gods go after the buffs, especially solo. The other team may spot the enemy and commit to an attack based on numbers, 1 v 1 potential, etc. Make sure, if you do fight on the sides, that your team doesn't forget the minion waves. If you have strong waveclear, you can simultaneously push the minion wave and hopefully win a teamfight.




There will almost always be a threat of attack from the middle. However, depending on the match, you may find it beneficial to pressure and poke from the sides as well. Although this can be dangerous (you'll be more isolated if you're alone on the side), this can provide multiple opportunities:

• If you can constantly harass a nuker from the side, they may be afraid enough to start throwing their AOE bombs in your direction, easing pressure and damage down the middle for your tanks and other teammates.
  
  
• Sometimes an enemy will think they spot an easy kill, and split themselves off from the main body to chase you. At this point, it's probably best to retreat to the side, and if you are confident in your 1 v 1, challenge them when threat from another enemy is lessened. Even better, you might be able to pull 2 enemies, giving the rest of your team a possible 4 v 3 opportunity!
  
  
• Some examples of gods that can excel at this strategy: Amaterasu, Ao Kuang, Apollo, Arachne, Awilix, Bakasura, Bastet, Chiron, Cupid, Fenrir, Loki, Mercury, Nemesis, Ratatoskr, Serqet, Sun Wukong, Vamana

Now, all of the above is good to consider, but it's also important to recognize the best target in each situation, not only for the initiator, but for everyone. Let's discuss.

• Sometimes it's the tank/initiator: Although the enemy Athena might be the closest to your team, she's not necessarily the best god to focus. However, in the early game, most guardians/warriors will have very limited protection. Most choose mobility first, as items like Shoes of Focus and Ninja Tabi can be bought in full. Even if they choose a protection item first, it's not going to be very high, and often will be of only one type (e.g. building toward Breastplate of Valor or Bulwark of Hope). This means they are still vulnerable. So watch if they extend themselves too much trying to initiate. They may expose themselves TOO much, providing your team with a safe kill when your whole team focuses.
  
  
• Usually it's the squishy ones: Consider enemy gods' abilities and situations. The best targets are often those with low health/protections. Other good targets are those with limited escapes/mobility, or those that have just used their escape abilities and are still close enough. Even better if they're the highest damage-dealer on their team...if you can burst them down, that's a lot of damage you're saving your team from taking.
  
  
• But sometimes it's NOT the squishy one: Perhaps the player is naturally conservative. Maybe they're scared because they ran into YOU and got destroyed. Depending on your god and their abilities, you can mess with their head by seeming to target them, keeping them way back and preventing them from effectively participating in teamfights. Although they are not good targets in this case (harder to get to them as they're playing defensively), it makes the rest of their team more vulnerable. Try disappearing a lot if you're Loki, or threatening invasion from the side, but keep in mind that may also keep you further from your own team.
  
  
• Sneak Attacks: With action going on all over the place, but with eyes mostly forward, sometimes you'll find that the enemy team's awareness is lacking. Certain gods have abilities that can allow them to get to the side, or even behind the enemy lines easily. If you're lucky, you might score a kill, but even if not, you hopefully can do enough damage to take at least one enemy out of an upcoming teamfight. However, it's also important to have the ability to get OUT, since the entire enemy team might turn around and target you while you're by your lonesome. As such, mobility is a must. If you can accomplish this and get in the enemy's head, it may put them on the defensive, always looking behind them, and allowing you to put more pressure on them.

Reverse Psychology (make sure it's not you): Of course, all of this works in reverse.

• If you're a squishy god, make sure you're aware of your position in relation to your team. Don't isolate yourself too much unless you are confident in your mobility and escape abilities.
  
  
• It's usually safest for squishy gods to stay somewhat grouped and close to tanks (but not bunched, as that allows the enemy team to focus multiple targets more easily).
  
  
• Be aware of the enemies' initiation capabilities. You may feel safe sitting a bit behind your tanks, but if that Tyr's Blink is up, you may suddenly find yourself rapidly approaching the enemy team, and not of your own volition.

Yet another aspect of awareness that comes with experience is recognizing an advantage and spotting potentially dangerous situations.

• Numbers Advantage or Equal Footing Teamfight: This one is fairly obvious. If all 5 gods on both teams are present and healthy, well, we already went over nose-picking. Someone's going to initiate, and a fight's going to happen. That's okay. But if you can make one of the enemy team back off from damage or threat, or the enemy initiator extends too far, recognize this and commit. You have an even stronger advantage the closer you are to the enemy base when pushing minions or the Minotaur, as they'll have to focus some of their attention on the wave.
  
  
• 1 v 1: Recognizing advantage definitely takes experience. You'll generally know if you have a good chance of beating the enemy one on one. Some obvious gods with this general advantage include many assassins, as well as late-game hunters. Don't try this as a tank.
  
  
• Retreating: Understand that there is nothing holding you to committing to a fight. You have no real objectives to lose, as long as the minion waves and Minotaur are covered. If you can recognize that your team is in a bad spot, sound the retreat and back off to heal up and regroup. It's better than losing multiple tickets. Remember to use any zoning tools to help your team, if you have them, rather than leaving them in the dust.

It should be obvious and essential that anytime a Minotaur spawns, the opposing team makes it a priority target. If you notice that it has spawned, make sure your entire team is aware...use chat, ping the minimap, whatever you need to do.

Before we get into further discussion, here are some basic movement mechanics about the Minotaur:

1. With no gods around, the Minotaur will walk toward the enemy portal. Minions will not slow it down. It also doesn't attack.
   
   
2. If one or more enemy gods are close, the Minotaur will stop.
   
   
3. HOWEVER, if even ONE friendly god is close to the Minotaur, it will keep walking, regardless of the number of enemy gods.
   
   
4. The only way to stop the Minotaur in this case is to body-block it.

This creates some interesting situations and can reward an aggressive team. Let's go over all 4 situations with general suggestions.

Push It, Push It Some More (click me)

If you recognize an opportunity to push the Minotaur, there are multiple ways in which you can attempt to get the Minotaur to the enemy's portal. The best situation is obviously if you greatly outnumber the enemy (e.g. recent teamfight just got 2+ of their team killed, and they're limping back to base). Support the Minotaur and put high pressure on the enemy with your superior numbers. Another obvious situation would be to just go all out, possibly 5 on 5, and use every ability at your team's disposal (e.g. zoning) in hopes of success. However, there are also some distractions and feints you can make that might be just enough to complete your mission. Enforce a 5 v 5 fight far away from their portal. If they don't notice the Minotaur is out, it may be too late by the time the fight is over. Have the tankiest player follow the Minotaur, while the other members burst enemies down or bait them into going after an easy, isolated target. The goal here is to keep as many enemies away from your tank so he can survive long enough to push it through. In essence, even if one or two teammates die but the Minotaur makes it in, you've come out with a net positive result, so sacrificing a tank is worth it. Just make sure it counts.

Don't Push (click me)

When wouldn't you push the Minotaur? Team is scattered Some teammates are dead 2 or more gods have low health In these cases, use the Minotaur as a distraction to your advantage. Back to base to buy/heal Clear jungle camps Hunt for a gank on an isolated target

Here They Come (click me)

Anytime the Minotaur is moving, you should focus your attacks on it. If the Minotaur stops (teammate close, enemy not), you can switch targets if necessary to push the enemy back, but at least one teammate (hopefully with high DPS) needs to stay near and continue attacking it. Damaging abilities should be prioritized for the Minotaur. You need to take it down as quickly as possible. Save CC abilities for when (if) the Minotaur enters the critical zone (right in front of the portal). At this point, the enemy team will likely taste blood and go all-in. You'll need the CC to hold them off at that point. Remember, if the Minotaur is going to reach your portal, sometimes, sacrifices can be glorious. 5 or 10 tickets (1 or 2 god deaths) is better than 15.

Relax (click me)

In a case where the enemy team isn't pushing, you should only need one god to stay close and finish the Minotaur, though more will do it quicker. Any other teammates not attacking are free to counter whatever the enemy team might be doing.

Use Walls & Pillars



Some Abilities Go Through Walls



Minions Gain Some Buffs



Use Minions Defensively

These items are focused on pure magical offense.

Divine Ruin (Anti-Heal): Reasonable price pairs well with good power, good flat penetration, and a passive that strongly counters enemy healers and lifesteal. Pythagorem's Piece (Teamfight Damage & Lifesteal Bonus): well-rounded offensive item that provides an aura of power and lifesteal boost for nearby teammates. Since lifesteal is only fully effective on gods, this is situationally a more useful item than in Conquest. Demonic Grip (Basic Attacker's Protection Reduction): Mage ADCs get great penetration function from this item. The greater draw in a teamfight is that this is actually protection reduction, which provides enhanced damage for any of your other magical teammates.

Mages looking for some utility, or aggressive Guardians can utilize some of these items that provide unique utility.

Gem of Isolation (Added CC): Good power, health, and some CC reduction are bonuses to the specific reason you get this item; it gives your damaging abilities a slowing effect on the enemy, though only applicable every 10 seconds or so. Very useful to control enemy movement and help secure kills or create space to retreat. Ethereal Staff (Health Steal): Bruiser item that steals health and mana from affected targets, with a long duration (45s). Makes enemies squishier while making you tankier. Void Doumaru (Magical Protection / AURA: Magical Protection Reduction): Defensive item providing magical protection, but also brings a bit of offense via magical protection shred, allowing all magical damage to be more effective.

These items are focused on pure offense and are typically used most for pure damage dealers.

Brawler's Beat Stick (Anti-Heal): Has solid anti-heal effect when facing lots of enemy healers. You'll find more function if you've got AOE abilities that can affect multiple gods at once. The high power and good flat pen enhance all damage you deal. Fail-Not (Teamfight Crits): This is an interesting item that can be picked up by some hunters that build into crits. The high CDR is great for ability-based or hybrid hunters, and when you ult, the crit "debuff" allows all teammates a chance to deal crit damage to an enemy you've damaged. Fun! The Executioner (Physical Protection Reduction): Specifically for basic attackers, the physical protection reduction on your target allows for all teammates that deal physical damage to deal more.

Tanky Mages or aggressive Guardians can utilize some of these items that provide both offense AND defense.

Caduceus Club (Heal Boost): Provides some health, but the big draw is for physical gods that can heal teammates (e.g. Guan Yu), giving a nice increase to their healing. Frostbound Hammer (Basic Attack CC): Not the strongest item overall, but the slow that is applied on basic attacks can help lock down enemies to allow your teammates to help secure kills. Runeforged Hammer (Group Damage): When you hit an enemy god with hard CC, you create an area on the ground where the enemy will take increased damage while remaining in it. Great to help your team focus and kill a specific target. Void Shield (Physical Protection / AURA: Physical Protection Reduction): Defensive item providing physical protection, but also brings a bit of offense via physical protection shred, allowing all physical damage to be more effective.

These items are typically most helpful for Guardians committing to being a full tank, and for specifically countering enemy gods.

Gauntlet of Thebes (High Balanced Protections / AURA): Best built in Arena AFTER getting some base protections, since it requires assist stacking to provide full protections. Great overall survival item, and provides a small aura of protections to nearby teammates once evolved. Sovereignty (Anti-Physical AURA): Helpful against physical damage, and provides physical protection to nearby teammates. Best to pick up when there are higher physical threats than magical. Heartward Amulet (Anti-Magical AURA): Helpful against magical damage, and provides magical protection to nearby teammates. Best to pick up when there are higher magical threats than physical. Stone of Binding (Team Damage): This is a solid defensive item for tanks with ANY hard CC in their kits, which applies a protection debuff, providing increased damage to your target from any source. Relic Dagger (High Blink Use): Specifically good for gods that rely a lot on Blink Rune for setup. Consider for gods such as Ares, Cerberus, Geb, Sylvanus, Xing Tian, Ymir, Hercules, Odin, and Tyr in particular. Magi's Shelter (Anti-CC): This is the glyph form of Magi's Cloak, giving CC protection / immunity to a nearby teammate and potentially saving their life. Midgardian Mail (Counter - Anti-Basic Attack): Good against physical damage, and particularly against basic attacks. Enemies attacking you find their attack speed and movement are slowed. Spectral Armor (Counter - Anti-Crit): Good against physical damage, and particularly against critical strike attacks. Reduces crit damage for you and nearby teammates. Contagion (Physical Counter - Anti-Heal AURA): Great against physical damage, and specifically useful against enemy healing of all types. When you're hit by hard CC, it provides pulses of damage around you. Pestilence (Magical Counter - Anti-Heal AURA): Great against magical damage, and specifically useful against enemy healing of all types. Tainted Steel (Anti-Heal Application): This and its upgrades ( Tainted Breastplate and Tainted Amulet) provide strong anti-heal effects to enemies, while also providing some offensive power, health, and protections. Fae-Blessed Hoops (Healing Deployable): Well-rounded defensive utility stats (health, magical prots, MP5 and CDR) support a unique passive that drops a flower that can be picked up by teammates and providing a health shield. Manticore's Spikes (Offensive Deployable): Provides some balanced protections and high health, with a passive that drops spikes on the ground when you apply hard CC to enemies. These spikes can be picked up by teammates, causing their next ability to deal bonus damage. Winged Blade (Anti-Slow): This very cheap product provides you and nearby teammates with situational slow immunity and a movement speed boost, especially useful to chase an enemy or escape a bad fight. Lotus Sickle (Protection Utility via Healing): provides high health, base physical protection and CDR, but an interesting feature is when you heal teammates, it gives them a temporary boost to both physical and magical protections. Talisman of Energy (Team MS / AS): Provides situational movement and attack speed boosts to nearby teammates. War Flag (Team Utility (MS / AS or Power)): This, plus either of the upgrades ( War Banner and Spartan Flag) provide you and nearby teammates with enhanced function. War Flag and War Banner provide movement and attack speed, while Spartan Flag provides a large AOE area that buffs all teammates' power.

Most assassins have single target burst-focus and low teamfight potential, but almost all have great mobility. Players using these gods need to use their skills effectively and recognize appropriate situations to engage in order to do well.





Kali: Although she has single-target focus, she can jump from target to target with her buffed health regen via her passive, and stay in a fight a long time when her ult is up. Deadly when played well, and one of the best candidates to give you a penta-kill.

Lancelot: Has great mobility and a kit that can deal a lot of damage when you decide to commit.

Susano: Has a good early game overall, and deceptive mobility which allows him to secure kills on retreating enemies and get out alive. He'd be higher if he had higher damage output.

Thor: Extremely high mobility with a semi-global ult that helps secure kills, and his Tectonic Rift is a huge stun and zoning tool. Can be built a bit tanky and still deal decent damage.





Arachne: Strong mid to late-game damage potential. Has a long duration slow w/ annoying little spider minions which also gives her a move speed buff for chase potential, a possible stun, and a great ult for escape or kill-securing. Very little team presence however.

Awilix: Great mobility and a nice pull, but mostly single target and difficult to play well. She really, really needs setup help via knockups from teammates to get her easy kills.

Bakasura: Recent CD decrease to his ult emphasizes his ult-bot presence. Good mobility/escape, high single-target damage, and a buffed/revised Hastened Katana (with similar nerf with Fatalis no longer available to hunters) give him a lot of viability. Still has to play it safe and pick his targets wisely, but can be very effective.

Bastet: High and easy to confirm damage output, AOE bleed, and extremely useful initiation AND escape rolled into one. Her one very major weakness is CC, and she can be shut down if she's not careful about when she attacks. If her ult was easier to hit, that displacement would easily make her S-Tier.

Camazotz: Good damage output, but doesn't quite have a true escape. Can be built tanky and still be effective, and his abilities trigger his healing, so can have some teamfight function.

Cliodhna: She has poke potential in her ult, and a good dash. There just aren't enough walls around for her to use a main function of her kit.

Da Ji: She seems like she should have OP potential, but her ult can be difficult to hit consistently. Has good potential teamfight damage output via her One Thousand Cuts, but an escape that is slightly situational (hope you've got a nearby teammate!).

Fenrir: Great mobility, and good single-target damage even when built tanky. His ult can easily secure a kill while keeping him relatively safe. Often forces enemies to pick up Purification Beads, and CC immunity abilities don't help if you're caught.

Hun Batz: Nothing really standout here. Decent mobility and a large AOE zoning ult are nice.

Loki: He has limited teamfight potential, and his only true escape is his ult (teleport), though his stealth can definitely help get you out of dangerous situations.

Pele: She's got good burst in combos, a nice, large AOE knockup to get her out of sticky situations or help set up kills, and an ult that deals a lot of damage. However, she has no true escapes, making her a bit risky when she decides to engage.

Mercury: Great mobility and high damage output, but can be difficult to play him well.

Ne Zha: Damage output is good, but he has no true escape. Ult can finish enemies, but you know exactly where he's going to land. Can definitely be played well, and can very easily secure kills.

Ratatoskr: Good mobility and decent damage output, but he's not much of a teamfighter outside of his large AOE ult, and his CC abilities are perhaps a bit less effective in these situations. His dash stops at the first god hit, decreasing his mobility. May be considered S-Tier depending on matchups.

Ravana: Solid damage output, especially early-game. Has a bit of everything to help in a teamfight, including a self-heal/root, a built-in Aegis Amulet + range attack, and a nice melee cone-attack. Can easily be played poorly, though.

Serqet: Has high single-target damage output, combined with amazing mobility. That said, she has almost no teamfight presence. S-Tier against weak enemies that allow themselves to get caught away from their teammates often. Borderline underpowered unless teammates help to set up kills. Try building her tanky; you'll be surprised.

Set: Strong poke ability and a great escape. He does take a while to come online, though.

Thanatos: Great ult to secure kills, but little true teamfight presence, and no other escape besides his ult. Deadly in the right hands, but timing on his abilities is key to his effectiveness.

Tsukuyomi: Now that his damage has been toned down to more reasonable levels, his lack of escape becomes more apparent, though his ranged poke and ultimate damage potential in a teamfight remain powerful.




Surprised? No underpowered Assassins, really? I believe Assassins are in a pretty balanced state right now, and they can all have good function in Arena. That said, you probably shouldn't have more than 1 on a team, and both team balance and skill will come into play.

Guardians have great CC and are tanky, so can play the role of both initiator and main tank. However, they lack mobility, and they require good teammates to ensure their abilities are effective.





Ares: High damage potential, effective teamfight defense aura, and an ult that forces the enemy team to pick up Purification Beads. This is his stomping ground.

Atlas: Good damage potential but with strong CC allowing you to grab and displace enemies regularly. Has a pretty good dash that cleanses effects from teammates.

Bacchus: Wino. Great AOE abilities combined with high damage, even when built tanky. That said, he's more suited to be a secondary tank than primary.

Cerberus: He's got a great teamfight ult similar to Ares. He otherwise has little in the way of hard CC (his spit needs to be fully charged and can be difficult to connect all 4), but his nice cone AOE slow and magical protection reduction is a great team support ability. Higher damage potential than many other Guardians.

Cthulhu: Huge presence with large AOEs and a whole set of additional abilities in his ult. Has to be careful of his lack of mobility in the ult form, as he will take up the enemy team's focus being that huge.

Kumbhakarna: His CC is amazing, and his ult can help isolate an enemy. Decent damage output, even when built tanky. Underrated for teamfight modes.

Kumbhakarna: His CC is amazing, and his ult can help isolate an enemy. Decent damage output, even when built tanky. Underrated for teamfight modes.

Sobek: Good damage potential and his pluck is an absolute killer for displacing enemies and feeding them to your teammates.

Maui: Strong CC effects, and a huge AOE ult that is like an OP Sobek pluck, combine with safety in his 3 for a well-rounded tank.




Artio: A series of nerfs has brought her down to Earth. She has a lot of utility in her kit, which can make her borderline S-Tier, but the lack of an ult means she has to make the rest of her abilities count that much more.

Athena: The mobility provided by her ult isn't that effective in Arena. Still has a great AOE pull, which, by itself, keeps her in A-Tier, perhaps borderline S. Sometimes, Athena IS needed.

Bake Kujira: He's a great, in-your-face disruption god with a decent push, and his ult reaches far in its effect for teamfights, but nothing about his kit stands out and he needs to be close to enemies to deal consistent damage.

Cabrakan: Good damage output and a bit of mobility, but his trapping ult is less effective in the wide-open Arena without help from teammates.

Charon: He has a great kit for poke damage and is quite safe with his dash, which also roots enemies. His ult in the wide open map is generally easy to dodge, keeping him in A-Tier.

Fafnir: He has a stun, a disarm, and some decent damage, especially in dragon form. The transformation resets his cooldowns, which means he can throw twice the abilities in a matter of seconds.

Geb: That shield is so nice. He also has an easy knockup, and a very disruptive (and potentially high initiating damage) ult.

Ganesha: He has a lot of team-wide function (both offensive and defensive). Borderline S-Tier due to his extremely effective teamfight ult and ease with which he can apply his silence.

Khepri: He has a strong pull, strong stun, annoying moving AOE DoT, and a lifesaving ult. Unfortunately, he has extremely low damage potential, requiring teammates to take advantage of his CC abilities.

Kuzenbo: He's got some great teamfight potential, especially with his damage reflect and Tyr-like push. His ult can really disrupt a teamfight.

Jormungandr: A global ult for chase or escape is extremely helpful, and he has some good AOE effects. Good damage potential even when going tanky.

Terra: Has multiple ways she can be effective in a teamfight, including some great AOE CC and a team-wide ult that gives some amazing benefits.

Xing Tian: His ult is great for Arena, but can be difficult to confirm a grab, even when combined with timely Blink Rune use. The rest of his kit is good, with some mobility and a knockup/root.

Yemoja: It's nice that she doesn't need mana (at least not for direct ability use), but with the base nearby, that's not so much of an advantage. Her damage output is mediocre at best, and while her ult is huge and can zone, it takes a long time to activate the damage, at which time most enemies can make their way out of danger. Her greatest team function is her heal / shield, which can be applied in rapid succession to keep teammates alive.

Ymir: Potentially high damage output and a great freeze, but lacks mobility and his wall is less effective in the wide-open Arena. Functions a bit better with some damage / bruiser items, rather than going full tank.





Sylvanus: Horrible (no) mobility and one of his abilities is practically useless in Arena other than a quick stun if it hits. Healing/sustain is less important in this mode. Please don't choose him, unless you're playing against me.

Most hunters are late-game gods (reliant on items). That said, finding it difficult to put most hunters in B-Tier. Give me reasons!





Cupid: Huge burst damage potential just in his Heart Bomb, combined with a great dash and huge AOE ult make this baby an angelic choice.

Danzaburou: Some great AOE / teamfight abilities and pretty good base damage make him a solid pick. His ult with stun and AOE damage can act as a homing missile to finish off fleeing enemies, or he can ride on it to improve his location. Unfair.

Hou Yi: Has an escape and a massive AOE ult that works well in combination with some other gods' ults. He won't get as much use out of Ricochet bounces, but the stun should be great setup for your team.

Ishtar: While her dash can be used offensively or defensively, it's her basic attack buff effects that give her great utility. Can allow her to choose safe, long-range poke or close higher burst potential.

Medusa: Abilities provide burst, CC, and an easy to confirm AOE damage ability. SMOKING Arena fighter.

Neith: Nice escape while being able to keep your eyes forward. Abilities have great AOE, and her ult can secure kills.





Ah Muzen Cab: He doesn't really have an escape, and can be focused hard because of it, so spread out Hives to give him a broad range of enhanced mobility. His slow on Honey, which has a wide AOE, can help control movement and help him retreat or catch up, and those damned bees spread everywhere, which gives him some teamfight presence.

Anhur: Lacks an attack speed steroid, and his Shifting Sands is a bit lackluster in the wide open Arena. but he has good early-game damage and an escape.

Apollo: Good range of abilities with some mobility, while his ult doubles as an escape and a kill secure. Lacks burst damage and his ult takes too long to do much in a smaller arena setting.

Artemis: A candidate for B-Tier since she lacks mobility and escape, but her attack speed steroid and passive crit help her damage output. Tusky is perfect for teamfights.

Cernunnos: He has a lot of minor utility in his kit, and his damage output is solid. His ult is also nice, but isn't particularly damaging.

Chernobog: Strong, easy to apply burst combo in his 1-2 helps with safe poke, and built correctly, has strong burst potential when mixing in basics. His dash isn't a lifesaver unless he's very close to walls, and his ult can only delay the inevitable if he uses it as an escape tool.

Chiron: Doesn't really stand out on the battlefield. Decent mobility but lacks escape. Good damage output and a good escape that allows him to run through enemies and create further distance.

Cliodhna: She's one of the safer picks with a CC immune ult form and an escape that renders her untargetable for a few seconds. That said, her damage output otherwise is mediocre, though she can get good effect out of Odysseus' Bow in teamfights due to her attack chain.

Hachiman: Great escape / kill secure ult makes him a solid hunter with all-around function and safe poke. Stronger late-game, like most other hunters.

Heimdallr: His damage output is strong and he would be a candidate for S-Tier, if not for the limited function he'll get out of The Bifrost, which has a long cooldown and limited function in a small map.

Izanami: She has pretty good damage output when combining basic attacks and abilities, and a stealth escape is very helpful. Her damage isn't top-tier, though, and people continue to be confused as to how best to build her.

Jing Wei: Her kit is good in Arena but gives a bit less of an advantage compared to larger maps like Conquest. Her passive, Rapid Reincarnation, helps her get very quickly back into the fight. Explosive Bolts provide AOE damage w/ crit chance of up to 20%.

[*] Martichoras: His bushes provide cover for himself and teammates, making them harder to see or know where they are, which can be used as an advantage against an unsuspecting or careless enemy. His lack of mobility or escape outside of his ult makes him a potential target.

Rama: Very functional multi-direction dodge and good damage output, with an ult that can secure kills. The ult also doubles as CC immunity to prevent pulls.

Skadi: Has a good slow, her ult has a root, and her pet puppy can really increase her damage output, though he's susceptible to quickly being rendered nil in a teamfight. She lacks a true escape, but her damage potential makes up for it.

Ullr: Can be difficult to play well, and doesn't have a true ult, which are the main reasons he's not immediately S-Tier. Good mobility and can unleash multiple abilities quickly from range or melee.

Xbalanque: The teamfight hunter. Multiple AOE abilities and his ult, when timed well, can allow you to get the jump on enemies.



All hunters have decent potential and I don't think I consider any of them to be significantly weaker than others at this time.

Mages...squishy, squishy mages. But boy, can they pack a punch. There's a fine line and it's tough for me to rate them, as most mages have a lot of damage potential. I've tried to isolate those gods that, from key abilities, have the best teamfight damage potential.





Discordia: Easy to confirm AOE poke damage combined with some control provides incredible damage potential. Only a short range jump makes her somewhat vulnerable, so she should be played on the periphery of a teamfight, but that jump also allows her to get around dangerous obstacles.

Nox: Huge CC abilities, good damage output, and a type of escape by hiding in teammates' shadows. Can really lock down enemies for others to finish.

Poseidon: His Release The Kraken! is the sole reason he's in S-Tier. His other abilities have good potential and control, but he can struggle without true mobility, making him a preferred target.

The Morrigan: Her ability to go invisible to catch enemies unaware is very helpful. Her greatest asset, though, is her ult's ability to morph into any other god on the battlefield. This gives her a ton of flexibility in choosing a god whose abilities have the most impact. Can be difficult to play, however.

Tiamat: As a stance switcher, she has great range in flying stance with some added control. When she switches to ground stance (also a mobility move), she becomes much tankier, perfect for surviving teamfights.

Zeus: Possible A-Tier due to his lack of escape. However, his damage potential in a teamfight is massive and easy to apply from distance, which pushes him into S-Tier.





Agni: Good long-range damage potential and a nice dash that makes him a safe pick. Other than comboing 2 abilities to create a stun, he lacks CC.

Ah Puch: Very high burst damage when comboing his Undead Surge and Corpse Explosion. Ticking or multi-hit damage via huge AOE ult and his Fleeting Breath. Combined with Gem of Isolation, his lack of escape/mobility is more than compensated with his high level of control and damage, as long as he is played properly.

Anubis: His mobility/escape is B-Tier (read: none), and he needs to stay still to deal his highest damage, but his damage output is S-Tier. Has enough CC to make him very effective in 1 v 1 and teamfights as long as he's not focused by the entire enemy team.

Ao Kuang: Similar to Loki, he can disappear for short periods, and his ult easily secures kills (and then gets him to safety). Doesn't have a lot of teamfight potential, but that ult gives him solid kill secure functionality.

Aphrodite: Aphro is a great partner, but her abilities are less effective in a full teamfight. Her healing can be nice, but is easily countered with anti-heal. She has some decent damage output, but she just isn't best-suited for Arena play. Can be very effective with the right teammates, though, and good timing on her Ult can save teammates.

Baba Yaga: A reasonably safe pick due to the mitigations and mobility in her 3, she also has fairly good poke, though a bit unpredictable. In the chaos of a teamfight, she can deal some decent damage with her ult, but it also makes her an obvious target.

Baron Samedi: Although he has no escape, he has great potential in the middle of a teamfight. Wrap It Up in particular is a powerful teamfight CC ability that can chain to multiple enemies, and his ult gives him some great control. As long as he positions himself well, he can not only deal good damage, but also provide CC, debuffs, and situational group healing.

Chang'e: Moderate damage, but her abilities have wide AOE, which work incredibly well with items like Gem of Isolation to help her control the field. Her stunning ult in a teamfight can be a game-changer. Although she lacks an escape, she's got a built-in Aegis Amulet!

Chronos: Has a variety of ways to attack, including an AOE-type ticking nuke and quick basic attacks when built that way. His ult can also save his life AND get him back into the action quickly.

Eset: She outputs good damage, has a good long-range stun, and low cooldowns (her passive gives her an automatic 10% CDR VERY QUICKLY). Her ult can also be a huge healer in a teamfight, and doubles as a zoning tool.

Freya: She's MINE, but the Fatalis -> Ring nerf hurt her. She still has some amazing damage potential, especially with access to attack speed items overall, but the loss of mobility means she won't be able to box quite as effectively.

Hades: He's got some really good burst and an effective ult if timed properly, but that ult is typically easy to escape. Really needs good team support to be effective, otherwise he can be caught and burst down.

He Bo: Decent damage from afar, and high damage potential up close, but lacks a true escape outside of his ult, which makes getting close risky business.

Hera: Borderline S-Tier as she can output some really good damage, and her ult gives her what is basically a 6th person on her team.

Ix Chel: Low cooldowns and good CC and damage potential make her a potential force, but her lack of mobility, combined with anti-heal shutting down a lot of her survivability make her a slightly dangerous bet.

Kukulkan: He's got an easy-peasy, fire-and-forget wave-clear and high damage output. With a lack of escape, best to play him on the perimeter.

Maman Brigitte: She needs to be close to enemies to deal her damage, but her damage potential is very high. While she has a dash, and can temporarily avoid damage (while also dealing damage herself), she can still expect to take regular damage, making her a bit tougher to play.

Merlin: Long range poke and good overall damage give him potential. Nerfed a lot to the point I feel he's not the biggest threat anymore.

Nu Wa: Lacks a bit of burst unless comboing on her minions, and her ult, though it can secure kills, is weak but does allow her to get out of some damage for a time.

Morgan Le Fay: Strong damage and CC potential, but she has no mobility; a smart team will look to shut her down early or make her scared to step up.

Olorun: No escape or mobility and his greatest strength is in his ranged basic attacks, guaranteeing he's going to take damage. His greatest function in a teamfight is his ult, but it starts with a very long CD. In this mode, suggest getting some CDR to use his ult more often.

Persephone: Parts of her kit are very functional for a teamfight, especially when she can place so many of her sprouts everywhere. She is somewhat safe as she has a dash, and her ult, if she hits it, is great for bunched up enemies, but she usually won't have a nearby wall to confirm her ult connects.

Ra: Although he lacks an escape or even a good dash, his waveclear and teamfight presence keeps him relevant.

Raijin: A good escape and an ult that can control are very helpful. Good damage output at range too, but the time it takes to fully cast makes him vulnerable for a bit, which can be dangerous in a teamfight situation. Possible S-Tier.

Scylla: Another that might be A-Tier, but she's got a true escape, a strong root, and a crazy burst ult that can chain into multiple kills, though it's difficult to land. Extremely effective if her teammates can keep the enemy's attention.

Sol: With multiple targets in a teamfight, her passive and self-healing will help keep her in a fight and doing good damage. She also has a great - though delayed - Aegis Amulet-type ability.

Thoth: He's got some good damage at safe range, but it can be difficult to connect his shots. He also has an escape, though it has a long CD, so he needs to be careful.

Vulcan: Poor mobility and his turret is vulnerable, but he can still output a ton of damage, especially with his ult getting a nice speed-buff, allowing him to more easily hit his huge AOE on multiple targets.

Yu Huang: Solid mage kit though nothing really standout. Has some good safety in his escape, and if hit well, his ult can displace enemies and secure kills.

Zhong Kui: Unique for a mage. Often built somewhat tanky, and has some great AOE abilities that slowly tick away enemies' health. Even though he doesn't really have burst potential, he is a great teamfighter. Lacks CC and an escape.





Hel: Her healing can be helpful, but if she emphasizes her utility, she loses on long-distance damage. She has absolutely no escape. Common target for the enemy team, and so many anti-healing items can really cut into her support function.

Janus: His teleport can still work on some walls (e.g. the sides), and he can drop it on the floor for temporary relief from damage, but it's not fully an escape. That teleport can also work against his teammates if he drops the enemy when teammates are attacking. Decent damage output, though in this mode, I consider him underpowered.

Warriors can work as main tanks or high-pressure bruisers. There's definitely a disparity of effectiveness in this class, though.





Achilles: Built with mostly protections, he can still output a reasonable amount of damage. A built in execute in his ult that can chain multiple enemies is very nice, but the wind-up time makes it at least somewhat predictable and avoidable with escape abilities or Aegis Amulet.

Cu Chulainn: He's very effective when built bruiser, and has some great potential when controlling his Rage for the right opportunity to transform, giving him immediate access to new abilities.

Gilgamesh: Great mobility combines with lots of CC and a long-range, huge AOE ult to make him extremely frustrating to play against.

Hercules: His best feature is taking damage and healing pretty much back up to full, making him an ever-present distraction. Has a pull and a push, and a damaging ult, though he lacks a bit of teamfight AOE presence.

Odin: The ult-spamming king of the Arena. His ult is OP in arena. His reworked Gungnir's Might makes him a pretty good damage threat as well.

Shiva: Strong CC and good mobility, with an large AOE ult that can keep teammates alive or secure kills as needed.

Surtr: Currently considered S-Tier for an amazing ult for escape or chase, with some very solid damage and CC in his kit. As he's the newest god, he may be toned down and dropped to A-Tier.





Amaterasu: Amazing mobility...try getting Shield of Regrowth to further enhance it. Her potential comes from this mobility, and decent damage and chase ability. Her ult can do some good damage and the stun from the final hit can help secure kills.

Bellona: Great AOE and crippling abilities, with decent teamfight damage output, while still being tanky. Best. God. Ever.

Chaac: Pretty good early damage on his huge AOE axe throw, and has some types of CC (slow and silence) and a self-heal. Within quick games, his early-mid game shines.

Erlang Shen: Nice kit that enhances his basic attacks, but basic attacking can be a bit tough against multiple ranged abilities. Strong kit overall, though.

Guan Yu: You can quickly get full stacks of Painless on minion waves, which helps get off some good heals to save teammates, or alternatively use damaging abilities with added effects. Somewhat low damage output (except for the ult, which doubles as mobility/chase), but has a lot of utility, so a good Guan player can adapt well to different situations. Has to be built correctly to be effective.

Horus: Assumed position in the tier list for now, since he is a new release. A good set of group support functions, along with some decent CC give him a lot of potential, but his ult's effectiveness in this mode is questionable.

King Arthur: Has a lot of utility in his kit, but lacks burst and doesn't really have an escape. Good Arthur players can make him feel like he's S-Tier.

Mulan: A good set of damaging abilities and a grab similar to Ne Zha's, she unfortunately has limited escape potential and mobility that prevents her from being among the most effective of Warriors.

Osiris: Somewhat weak early damage output, with a delayed effect stun, meaning he has to stick to enemies to make it count. He's like a Kali without the ability to regain health on a kill, but his inherent damage mitigation give him extra tankiness in a fight. The buff to Hastened Katana along with hunters losing Fatalis give him increased potential if he chooses to build in that direction.

Nike: She has an escape and some decent damage. Her ult is also pretty nice for survival and the AOE slow. However, her passive, To Victory! is perhaps her biggest contribution to the team. Should be simple to meet her goals, and the added power and move speed are really nice to secure kills, escape, etc.

Sun Wukong: His damage output is poor, but he's got good wave-clear/poke, great mobility + CC, and a nice healing escape.

Tyr: Consider Blink Rune with Relic Dagger to help him get into the best locations. He's got good damage potential, and works best as a secondary tank so he doesn't always have to rely on Blink Rune to initiate. Difficult to play well, but can be a game changer in skilled hands.

Vamana: He actually can do pretty decent damage, and can be built for basic attacking. Also has a nice escape-dash and a CC-immune ult that is intimidating, though easy to avoid. Lacks CC, though.




Like Assassins, I feel that Warriors are fairly well-balanced, especially in this teamfight mode.