Introduction to Honor of Kings for Absolute Beginners
Ever jumped into Honor of Kings and felt like everyone else is speaking alien? It's a 5v5 MOBA with blistering 10-15 minute matches across 3 lanes: Clash Lane up top for Fighters and Tanks, Mid for Mages, and Farm Lane down bottom for Marksmen. Jungle's for Assassins, Roam for Supports. Matches flow early farm → mid-game rotations and objectives → late chaos teamfights. Stick to macro basics over flashy micro, and you'll climb to 54.2%+ win rates in Diamond with comps like Arthur/Augran/Daji/Marco/Yaria. Simple heroes like Arthur? Aim for SSS ratings: 70-80% kill participation, snag 3+ objectives, and smash 4+ towers.
HoK Basics: Modes and Match Length
Start in Solo Battle against bots (that's Training Camp) or quick Simulation matches (5-10 mins). Ranked? Grind from Bronze to Legend via win stars. Minimum specs: Android 5.1/iOS 11.0, 1.2GHz CPU, 1GB RAM. Recommended? Android 8.0/iOS 11+, 2GHz quad-core, 4GB RAM. No excuses—get that rig sorted.
Tip 1: Master the 6 Core Roles Immediately
Know your roles cold. Tank: frontline absorbers/protectors with CC in Clash Lane. Fighter: bruiser sustain and control, also Clash. Assassin: jungle burst divers hitting backlines. Mage: Mid-lane ranged magic nukers. Marksman: late-game Farm DPS machines. Support: Roam heals, shields, CC. Early on? Lean Marksmen or Warriors—they forgive mistakes.
Tank: Frontline Protectors
S-tier picks: Dun (51.95% WR), Lian Po (49.81%), Sun Ce (52.03%). Time engages 1:00-1:30 synced with jungler. Build Dominance Ice/Shield of the Lost; chain that CC; dive objectives above 70% HP.
Fighter: Versatile Brawlers
Biron shines with tanky durability and damage. Path: Arthur first, then Lian Po/Sun Ce.
Assassin: Dive and Delete
Steer clear early. Liu Bei/Zilong jungle clears (Red→Blue→Gromp→Gank), hit level 4 by 2:00-2:30 for +67% gank success. Brutal.
Tip 2: Pick Easy Starter Heroes Like Arthur or Angela
Why struggle? Arthur (Tank/Warrior): S1 gap closer, S2 slow, ult knockup—point and delete. Angela (Mage/Support): ult for shields and CC immunity; combo Chaos Cinders stun → Scorching Barrage → Blazing Brilliance. Di Renjie (Marksman poke/CC), Luban No.7 (ult>AA>S1>AA>S2>AA; 3-item spike), Hou Yi (global ult stun, max kite god), Yao (50% health recovery), Sun Bin (S1 575 dmg, MS buffs), Cai Yan (S1 heal/MS, ult auto-heal duo with Hou Yi), Wang Zhaojun (area denial/CC lockdown).
Free Hero Recommendations
Free rotation stars: Arthur, Angela, Di Renjie, Luban—they crush Jing/Luna/Li Bai for noobs. Master one per role in 20-30 matches; simple kits push 68% win rates rushing Down comps.
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Tip 3: Learn Last Hitting for Gold Efficiency
Last-hit minions. Nail it for 50% gold bonus and full XP—miss, and you're out 20-30g per creep. Clear those jungle buffs too. Gold flows from minions (mages feast early), kills, structures, jungle, passives. Drill 15-20 mins daily. (I've lost games to sloppy CS; don't be me.)
Step-by-Step Minion Farm Technique
- Pre-4min: 4 minions per wave; tower shots prioritize.
- Freeze waves near your tower.
- Perfect CS on mages.
- River Sprites: 63g each, 60s respawn till 4:00—double up for 126g and 15-20% econ edge.
Gold Per Minute Benchmarks
Early game? Lane creeps plus jungle for steady leads. Last-hits are your edge.
Tip 4: Obsess Over the Minimap Every 5 Seconds
Glance every 5 seconds. Spot ambushes, track that jungler (01:00-01:30 prime time). Ward rivers/jungle/bushes for 2s vision, lasting 30-45s before objectives. Clock those 90s buff timers religiously.
Bush Vision and Ward Placement
Sun Bin owns this; hit Dragon pits and rivers hard.
Gank Avoidance Strategies
Sync ally CC; punish overextended or low-HP foes. Counter-jungle with wards, vertical farm, ally collapses. No pre-4:00 dives—ever.
Tip 5: Build Beginner Arcana and Inscriptions
Mid mages: 10x Nightmare (magic pen), 10x Mind's Eye (CDR), 10x Hunt (AS). Physical MM: Huntx10/Eagle Eyex10/Calamityx10. Prep loadouts pre-match; auto-buy, swap to MR Resistance Boots for CC cut, Holy Grail for mana.
Red/Green/Blue Slot Priorities
Tanks crave sustain; Supports rush Holy Grail. Farm via games and missions—no shortcuts.
Tip 6: Understand Lane Rotations and Objectives
Rotate after towers fall or enemies shift—but clear your wave first. Primal Portal teleports at 2:00. Dragons spawn 3:30/4:00/7:30/11:30 (prep 30-45s early, vision at 3:45). Priority: towers (map control/gold), inhibitors (super minions), Dragons (scaling buffs), nexus. Tyrant/Overlord after big TFs.
Mid Lane Pressure
Mages farm then roam; supports clear wave 1, babysit ADC. Contest at >70% HP—rewards? Towers, crystals, medals.
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Tip 7: Use Pings Effectively in Team Fights
Ping spots, missing enemies, objectives (55s pre-spawn). Chain CCs; Flash to position. Mix pings, chat, emotes, shot-calls. Balance: one main per role, pure synergy.
Ping Types Explained
Alerts for ganks/rotates. Marksmen? Stay backline DPS. Tanks lead engages.
Tip 8: Avoid Common Newbie Pitfalls
Don't. Solo queue into groups. Ignore minimap. Pick wrong counters. No retreat at low HP. Overextend blind. High-skill heroes. KDA obsession over objectives. Static builds. Over-roam. Trash positioning. Recover: recall, turrets, heals, lifesteal, jungle camps.
Overextending Solo
Freeze waves. Trade CDs. Ward rivers pre-4min. Flex builds (anti-heal when needed). Simple fixes.
Tip 9: Post-Match Reviews for Fast Improvement
Pull up win rates, KDA, stats history—watch replays (20-30 matches per hero). SSS benchmark: 70-80% kills, 3+ objs, 4+ towers. Objectives trump KDA. Grind practice modes. (Editor note: This alone bumped my WR 15% early on.)
Tip 10: Free Rewards and Daily Quests
Score Asterite/Tokens from missions, events, Honor Pass BP, dailies, season goodies. Quick queue teams/guilds. Gold unlocks route pre-select. Skills like Purify/Heal/Teleport (rank-locked).
Skin and Hero Unlock Paths
Daily quests snowball progression.
Tip 11: Your First Week Action Plan
Lock in 1 hero per role (Arthur tank; 20-30 games). Daily: 15-20min last-hitting/macro drills (objectives/map). Sample all lanes, specialize later. Level skills via XP (basics first, ult at 4).
Daily Practice Routine
- Solo vs bots.
- Balanced teams.
- Review everything.
FAQ
What are the best starter heroes in Honor of Kings?
Arthur (Tank, S1 gap/S2 slow/ult knockup), Angela (Support, ult shield combo), Di Renjie/Luban (Marksmen, poke/CC/positioning), Cai Yan (Support duo).
How do I last hit in HoK as a beginner?
Attack low-HP minions for 50% gold; 15-20min daily practice; prioritize mages; freeze near tower (misses 20-30g).
What arcana should new HoK players build first?
Mid: 10x Nightmare/10x Mind's Eye/10x Hunt; MM: Hunt/Eagle Eye/Calamity x10; prep sets, adapt Holy Grail Supports.
What roles should I play first in HoK?
Marksmen/Warriors; Tanks Arthur/Dun (51.95% WR); avoid Assassins; 1/role in 20-30 games.
How to read the minimap in Honor of Kings?
Every 5s for ganks (01:00-01:30); ward rivers/bushes (30-45s pre-Dragons); track buffs.
Common mistakes new HoK players make?
Overextend sans vision, ignore minimap, no low-HP retreat, KDA > objectives, complex heroes like Li Bai.
