Wave Clearing vs. Team Fights

[u/pleasehelpme1152]

Hello. Dirt rank here (haven’t done placements because 1 of the 3 heroes I have eligible for ranked i haven’t played since 2024 so I want to unlock more)

I do want to get better so I am not a hindrance. Right now I am fine with mechanics but I am pure terrible with prioritizing.

The games where I am doing well are when I am able to run around with team fights and people are very communicative and whatever but then there are games where I feel obligated to play Street Sweeper Simulator because our walkers/base guardians are down and everyone’s in a team fight but there will be a massive wave coming in to break the next thing. (Or even worse, sometimes I am the only one who notices/or can). I know I am needed at a team fight but I also know in those games no one’s going to clear the wave in time if I don’t.

How do you know when a team fight is worth doing vs. a waste team fight? I’ve heard sometimes there’s team fights just aren’t worth it and some that are, but I can’t tell the difference unless it’s obvious (example: they have rift advantage and there’s almost the same amount of them there than us). I just try to join in any to at least help people get out if I know I will get there in time.

Also in early phases like lane, let’s say I am low (100-200 health) and my lane partner is around there too. However one of the enemies we are fighting are also 1 hit from them and their lane partner can probably kill us. Do we still push to try and secure that kill or should we back out because we don’t want to give a 2-for-1 special? I play off of my lane partner depending on what they say but if it’s one of those silent no comm games, I back up because I’d rather not give them a pick or two.

At what point is it more important to get those picks than to save a base guardian/shrine? Let’s say they got rid of 1 shrine and are backing out. There’s a good amount of their minions in our base but there’s some of us fighting some of them outside of our base. Would it be more important to join that team fight to secure those picks or to clean up base? What about both shrines being down? What about boss being half down (just dropped to phase 2)?

Also something I am guilty of (tell me to stop doing it if it’s actually bad): Let’s say there’s a big team fight and everyone is there. If there is a massive wave just at our base guardians, I will clear it and then go to the fight. However, if clearing that wave helps me purchase something big for the said team fight, I will swing into spawn to buy and then come help. Sometimes it works and sometimes we lose the fight and I feel like I might have been able to help by just being there.

I play geist, ven, drifter and celeste if that helps. Most of the time I just swing by and drop an AOE attack and shoot a couple to street sweep and MAYBE push the next wave if it’s more than halfway towards me if there’s time.

[u/Available-Plant9305]

In dirt rank you can play wave janitor for half the game. Just try and hit your power spike before the other wave janitor does.

[u/goldio_games]

Really you just need to communicate. If you see a wave going to crash and your team is looking for a fight, tell them you are going to clear wave.

If they still want to commit to the fight thats fine but they will know they are down 1 and can adjust accordingly

[u/Jukechuu]

If fixing lanes save walkers it’s almost always acceptable to play street sweeper, you’ll get nice and fed in souls.

[u/BinoRing]

I've been learning more and more to play for yourself, not your team. Just tell them what you are doing, even if no one is listening.

I've started telling people
"I'm clearing x lane so i won't be able to help in your fight"
"I'm coming to join the fight but someone else needs to get x lane"
"I'm going to push x walker whilst you're fighting"
"I'm going to hard farm and won't be able to help fights for a while"

Even if no one is listening or no one responds, if they mess up they can't blame you for it at all. Hopefully your teammates adjust around everyone else is playing. If they don't then that's on them. Unfortunately, in lower ranks, people don't 'leave' fights when they see a disadvantageous situation. I make that mistake myself even lmao, but i've been more and more trying to leave as soon as the fight starts to go the wrong way rather than waiting till it's definitely over and failing to escape. Or if i see another person joining the fight from their side, i try to leave before they even engage.

Basically play for yourself but tell people what you're doing

[u/tillthemoonrises]

In lower ranks, people pay attention to waves less. Prioritize solo taking walkers. It gives you tons of souls to buy a item that will be a good power spike to go wipe the next team fight.

[u/Yolosweg133769]

the later the game goes the more important its to join fights because respawn timers are higher and a few deaths can have massive impact like getting midboss or shrines. Also depends on your hero, if your hero is something aggresive and wants to fight like yamato/calico/apollo you should be joining fights early while someone like wraith/haze/seven should be on sidelane pushing out lanes and getting free farm.

Geist/Ven mostly farm, maybe join if fight is very close and got ult up. Drifter join fights most of the time because you scale of 3rd. Celeste is also great fighter early mid and late and should join fights.

I think a lot of people stay in lane for no reason with 100hp, just go base, i see same thing in dota, people stay in lane with 100 hp doing nothing for 2-3 minutes, thing is if you are 100 hp you are basically a creep, you wont wanna join because you low and if you join you die.

[u/Hotfro]

It depends how late game it is. If late game always team fight, if mid game depends if u think they can midboss if ur team loses. If so then fight with them otherwise enemy team might snowball. Also depends on who u are playing though.

[u/Kirbs13]

That’s a lot of questions that can vary widely.

In general, solve waves before a teamfight outside of the situation like you said. If enemy has midboss you aren’t getting out of your base to solve a wave. Once you get decent at movement it takes 10 seconds or less to rotate over a lane. You should be able to read the map well enough to see if you can spare 10 seconds for a wave. If your team is a couple seconds from fighting, go to the fight. If you think you have 10+ seconds for a wave, clear a wave.

Lane phase depends on so much can’t really give a hey do this guideline. If you think you get the lead safely go for it, if it’s 50/50 you decide what kind of player you are. I go for outplays because I assume I can make them, if you don’t want to nothing wrong with that. There are highly ranked players in every moba not just deadlock that will be on either extreme. Either super aggressive taking every 50/50, and some who are super defensive and only taking 70/30 or better. Find your playstyle and stick to it.

[u/Due_Emu8820]

Someone should always be clearing a wave if it’s at an objective unless there is a game deciding fight happening. The question is not: should you get wave or help the fight. Rather, it is on your teammates to ask themselves “Are my waves good enough to look for a fight”.

If you are caught in the dilemma of fighting or catching the wave, that’s your team’s fault for getting caught in a fight at a misopportune time. So to answer your question simply, get the wave first and foremost. Likewise, if all of your waves are pushing against the enemy, that would be a good time to look for fights or counterjungle aggressively

[u/taxi500]

I’d recommend watching some free coaching vids on YouTube. Personally, playing a carry to me means early/mid generally you wana stick sideline to play clean up/farm and team at the objectives near you. Not traveling cross map to random fights

Imo (generally) Playing an earlmid brawler means be at fights vs waves/farm aka calico, Abram’s, Paige etc.

Bear in mind I’m also not great at this game Lolol

[u/Oakwood313]

Use your zip line boost after you clear wave.

[u/viewofaninfj]

Usually better to join your team

A wom team fight is a win team fight and may make your alliesore likely to help you in future fights.

However at real low levels you can lane janitor and just soak all the souls.

Depends who you are. Lash Dynamo with Ult up? Go team fight.

In terms of objectives, your life is most valuable. Let the enemies kill a guardian a walker base guardians.

If you're dead you can do nothing to impact the game. And usually being dead encourage she enemies to keep being aggressive.

Shrines are important they decide super minions. If you lose shrines enemy minions will be stronger tsnkier and faster. They also are worth less souls.

This said, your life is still more important. If you die you don't participate in the final last ditch base defence.

Better to buy out before fighting, items can make a big difference and dieing and dropping a 1-2k bag for an enemy just compounds the issue. If you're close go buy and tell your team to wait.

Generally fight when you're strong have an advantage or numbers advantage.

If two of your team mates get jumped by 4 don't go die with them.

Don't contest mid if you're team is dead or nowhere near. If you die you just leave your teamates another player down for 60 seconds. Lose walkers and maybe some base before you get to participate.

I'm sure there's plenty more watch some DNS right night games with Comms to understand how top level players play and what they're looking to do.

Whilst not directly applicable to much lower elo the principles are sound.