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EsportsDota 2 Hero Tier List for Ranked Games—Our Top Picks (2023)Dota 2 international championship has come to a close, with a jaw-dropping prize pool of over 17 million for the tournament alone, so it's time to prepare for next year's ranked season. The roster has grown from its 46 playable heroes to 123 heroes, and the meta has evolved along with it.
With so much content available and consistent updates creating different ways to play the game, it is safe to say that there will probably be some changes to the meta, and some nerfs and buffs here and there, but if things stay pretty similar, these are our top hero choices for the next ranked season.
» Interested in CS:GO? Learn how to trade your Dota skins for CS:GO skins
Tier 1
Tier 1 heroes are typically used as the powerhouses of the team and are almost in every ranked or draft game in Dota 2. They have tons of flexibility, allowing them to be utilized around the map, overpowering opponents wherever they roam. These heroes often can't be countered easily and they are often banned in draft picks, so it's best to get familiar with all of them to ensure you can crush your opponents in the lane.
Batrider
Batrider is well known as one of the best initiators. He's a really fun hero to play, with very useful crowd control and gap-closing abilities. His full potential unlocks when he can combine his initiation capability with his massive burst damage potential.
When you get hit with Batrider's Lasso, you can kiss your sweet life and gold goodbye. Batrider is still OP after loads of nerfs and is very often the target of draft bans.
Death Prophet
With huge team fight potential, Death prophet is an extremely versatile magic hero. She has the ability to unleash devastating amounts of damage to multiple enemies and structures while sustaining her own health in the middle of team fights. She can also be played to be extremely tanky, so even focusing her as a team can be fatal, landing her a spot in our tier 1 list.
Enigma
Enigma has the power of creating black holes and could be the single best team fight hero in the game, making him dominate in the late game. Enigma is also extremely strong in the laning phase and has a huge creep-denying capability with his Demonic Conversion spell. This purple death machine is often found in the jungle, striking fear into any lineup when he appears with his black holes.
Faceless Void
This champion has been revered since way back—DotA 1 days—as an unstoppable disabling machine. In recent updates, he's taken a hit with some nerfs to his laning phase potential. But, as soon as he has his ultimate ability Chronosphere, he becomes a formidable opponent that freezes entire teams and can carry his own team to victory. Faceless Void will likely always be a popular pick in draft modes.
Io
Io is the extremely versatile amplifier of any team. Io has huge potential to turn an already strong ally into an unstoppable machine, supplying heals, increased spell damage, attack speed, movements speed, and more.
Wait, your teammate across the map needs help? No problem! Io can teleport anywhere across the map to a friend in need, tether to them, and teleport back with them, or even right back to home base.
Marci
Marci is considered to be in a league of her own. She makes an appearance in nearly every draft game and it's basically essential to have this hero either banned or a part of your team. Marci is the most versatile hero and can be played in any role. She's a little slow in the laning phase vs. creeps, but can still be seen destroying enemy champions with better items and more stats on her.
Visage
Visage is a ranged intelligence attacker that has a unique playstyle involving golems that deal damage while he stays safe by wrapping himself in ethereal amour. Visage has amazing sustain and is incredibly strong in the lane. It is worth learning his complex kit to play him to his full tier 1 potential.
Tier 2
Tier 2 heroes are a safer pick in draft modes that still have a really good presence in Dota 2 matches. These heroes see fewer bans in draft modes. Tier 2 heroes can be powerful picks in matches that favor their skillset and aren't counter-picked.
Bloodseeker
Bloodseeker is a formidable opponent in the lane, or in the jungle. He's an easy hero to master and has high sustain and wave push capabilities. He is not a hard carry but can be a bully in the lane against the right enemies.
Enchantress
Enchantress is a ranged jungler support hero that has a great lane-pushing capability. She's got good sustain with the ability to heal herself and her teammates, and is a lot of fun to play.
Lina
Lina has been a popular pick at all ranks for ages. She's a ranged intelligence hero that has a massive nuking capability—she can delete her enemies in a flash.
Omniknight
OmniKnight is a tanky support hero equipped with a massive hammer ready to defend his allies. He's a great part of the lane as he excels at damaging enemies while healing his teammates at the same time.
Puck
Puck is another ranged intelligence hero in the top picks list. Puck excels in initiating a fight, dealing burst damage, and escaping before opponents can even really react.
Tiny
Tiny ironically grows to incredible sizes by late game and is incredibly durable. He's a strong carry who excels at disabling enemies and crushing them with a tree.
Viper
Viper is a flying dragon-like poison-spitting intelligence hero. Viper deals damage over a long range and whittles his enemies over time, slowing them down and draining their hit points.
Tier 3
Tier 3 champions are seen a lot less often in draft picks and typically don't see bans hit them. These heroes generally require a great understanding of the game and the ability to adapt well, and they have arguably more shortcomings than in tiers 1 and 2. So, choose wisely and play to your strengths.
Dawnbreaker
Dawnbreaker makes a perfect last-pick hero as a do-it-all melee attacker. This hero is able to play in all lanes and positions, wielding a solar hammer and jumping across the map to help her teammates with her ultimate ability—Solar Guardian.
Ember Spirit
Ember spirit is a high-mobility hero with very safe lane-farming skills, allowing him to excel at late-game fights. He also has great evasion techniques that can double as handy initiation or gap closer when you're steamrolling.
Morphling
Morphling has always been a popular choice in the meta. His most recent updates buffed him to be an incredible anti-carry that can steal enemy statistics and grow stronger himself.
Terrorblade
This gloomy-looking hero is a strong carry that uses illusions to initiate fights and control opponents with tactical slows. He's a smart counter against heroes that do physical damage, as he has really high natural base armor and can move around quite quickly.
Undying
Undying is a tanky support hero who has amazing harassment ability to keep your carry farming his lane safely. Undying is the right pick if your team needs a diversion from damage. Undying shines with his ultimate, requiring enemies to kill him before they get a hard debuff, which can turn a team fight on its head. He's also a beginner-friendly hero, so it's easy to pick up.
Ursa
Ursa has a lot of versatility and can be played in multiple lanes. However, Ursa is really seen as an anti-disabling carry and can be used effectively against choices that have lots of crowd control.
Vengeful Spirit
Vengeful spirit acts as a damage-boosting support with a unique ability to swap places with either a friendly or enemy hero, creating some epic moments for clutch saves and pick-off initiations. Her scepter ability allows her to continue to have a huge presence even after she's been killed.
» Do you have any Dota skins you aren't using? Learn how to sell them on Steam
Final Thoughts
Whether you're looking to stomp on your opponents with Tier 1 heroes, or play a little safer with Tier 2 and 3 picks, it's always important to consider team composition. Dota 2 is often quite social in draft modes, so communicate with your friendly players to build the right lineup. All that's left is to hit the lanes and win your games, GL HF!
» Are you ready to hop into Ranked? Earn free rewards while climbing the ranks
Buff faqsHow to Redeem Your Buff Points (+ What’s up for Grabs)So you already know that Buff helps you earn while you play, but let's get into the specifics of what Buff Points can be used for. The most asked questions across the Buff community are what the actual redeemable options are and how to redeem points for the goodies, and we're here to provide answers.
What You Can Redeem Your Buff Points For
There is a variety of options to choose from when it comes to redeeming your Buff Points in the Marketplace, so figure out what suits you best.
Gift Cards
Buff offers Amazon gift cards, which can be used to buy just about anything nowadays, or you can dig deeper into your love for gaming with gift cards from PlayStation or Xbox.
Steam Keys
Another redeemable option from the Buff Marketplace is Steam CD Keys, meaning you can get a full game directly by entering the key into your Steam account.
Although you are not able to pick just any game as the games are predetermined by Buff, the dollar value from this redeemable option is usually one of the best.
In-Game Skins
There are also opportunities for limited and rare skins. These are some of the rarer rewards, so definitely be on the lookout and check the app frequently if you want to get your hands on one of these. If they aren't currently available, there are ways to get free skins in Valorant too.
In-Game Currency
You can also obtain in-game currency with Buff Points. One reward that is readily available is Riot Point cards. The RP can be used for any of Riot Games' titles, such as League of Legends and Valorant.
Gaming Hardware
The gaming hardware selection on the Buff Marketplace is exceptional, with loads of Razer stuff, the leading brand in gaming peripherals, allowing you to obtain a new gaming keyboard, mouse, or headset without spending a single dollar IRL.
Obviously, you are going to need to save up your points for these bad boys, as they are typically the highest in Buff Point costs.
» Haven't started collecting points yet? Download Buff
How to Redeem Buff Points for Items in the Marketplace
Now that you are all excited, it's time for the logistics. Here is the step-by-step play for how to get those redeemable items into your actual games or digital pockets.
1. Navigate to the 'Marketplace' on the Buff App
After opening up the Buff App on your PC, click on the Marketplace tab on the left side of the window. You will then be able to see what items are available for you to redeem your points for.
2. Select the Item of Your Choice
After scrolling through the items and coming to a decision on what you'd like to get, click on the item and choose the option to redeem your points in exchange for it.
Keep in mind that there are items in the marketplace that are only available in certain regions—be sure to double-check that you are not purchasing something region-locked so that you don't waste your hard-earned Buff Points.
(Link to targeted post: How Many Buff Points Can You Earn Per Hour)
3. Enter the 6-Digit Verification Code Sent to Your Email
To ensure a super safe experience for you, there is a two-factor authentication process when making an exchange through Buff Marketplace. You will receive an email with a 6-digit verification code from Buff to enter into the app and verify the exchange.
4. Click 'Confirm' to Purchase
After entering the code, give yourself one last moment to appreciate the Buff Points you earned through your playtime. Once you are done with that, click 'Confirm' to finalize the purchase.
5. The Item Will Show Up in Your Inventory
The item you purchased will show up in your inventory once you are done, which you can easily find by going into the Inventory tab. Different types of items may be treated differently and require the correct verification steps to ensure the proper accounts are connected to your Buff Account.
» Want to cash out? Learn how to redeem Buff Points via PayPal
The time you spend playing your favorite games can add monetary value on top of the enjoyment you are already getting. So get Buff up and running and earn some points and get yourself some sweet rewards.
EsportsTop 5 Most Popular LoL Female Champions of 2022Whether you're picking all-girl LoL champions for the theme (we see it quite a lot, even in the competitive scene), you're playing a female-champion-only challenge, or you just really like the aesthetics and personality of the characters, and you don't know which to choose—don't worry, we've got your back. Here are the top 5 most-played female champions for top, mid, and bot lanes in 2022, to help you make the right choice.
1. Fiora
The Grand Duelist
Fiora fights to restore family honor after her father tarnished the reputation of her house. She's an ultimate duelist with a blunt personality and is often seen in the top lane during the laning phase. She's a melee fighter who excels at 1v1 matchups, and can be seen bullying her opponents with high damage and mobility. Fiora's build allows her to make short work of bruiser champions with high HP.
Fiora's Skills
Passive: Duelist's Dance Fiora will mark enemy champions with a vital spot—if she hits it, she gains movement speed and restores health.Q: Lunge She dashes in a direction dealing damage to anyone she hits, dealing on-hit effects.W: Riposte Fiora evades all incoming damage for a small period of time, then stabs her weapon. If her ability blocks an immobilizing attack, her stab will hit the first champion, otherwise, it will slow them. E: Blade Work Fiora's next two basic attacks will have increased attack speed—the first will slow, and the second will always be a critical hit.R: Grand Challenge Her ultimate marks four vitals on a selected enemy champion. If she hits all four vital spots or hits at least one before the champion dies, you and your allies in the area will be healed for a few seconds.
2. LeBlanc
The Deceiver
LeBlanc is a mysterious magic user who uses mirror imagery and trickery to manipulate opponents to get her way. The sorceress has been a pain in the mid-lane since her release, and her re-work made her even more feared than ever before. LeBlanc's kit excels at high magical burst damage and has an amazing knack for escaping fights with her passive ability that creates a clone to confuse opponents.
LeBlanc is a glass cannon, meaning she excels at damage output, but ultimately she's a squishy champion. She's a tricky champion to master, but the time required to learn how to play effectively is worth it as popping off with high kill streaks is amazingly satisfying with this OP mid-laner.
LeBlanc's Skills
Passive | Mirror Image LeBlanc turns invisible for a second and spawns a clone of herself when her health drops below 40%. The clone does no damage.Q | Sigil of Malice She sends out an attack that damages and marks an enemy for 3.5 seconds. If LeBlanc damages that enemy within that time, the target takes more damage.W | Distortion LeBlanc dashes to a location dealing AOE magic damage. Activating the ability again returns her to her starting location.E | Ethereal Chains She sends out a chain that deals damage to the first enemy hit. If the chain stays attached to the target for more than 1.5 seconds, they take extra damage and are rooted.R | Mimic LeBlanc's ultimate casts an empowered version of the last spell she's cast.
3. Camille
The Steel Shadow
Camille is another super popular top-lane fighter. She's an overpowered agent who's been weaponized with Hextech technology coupled with a perfectionist attitude, whose duty is to keep law and order in Piltover and the Zaun undercity district.
Camille's tool kit does take a bit of effort to understand and requires a lot of precision. When you've got her kit down though—you're guaranteed fun and rewarding gameplay with loads of flexibility during the mid-game phase of the match.
Camille's Skills
Passive | Adaptive Defenses When Camille hits an enemy champion with a basic attack, she'll gain a shield equal to the percentage of her max HP against that champion's main damage type.Q | Precision Protocol Camille can cast an empowered basic attack. She can cast it again, though the second strike deals far more damage if she delays her hit.W | Tactical Sweep She sweeps her leg out in a cone AOE doing damage. The edge of the cone does extra damage, slows, and heals Camille.E | Hookshot Camille can jump onto a wall, where she can leap off at an enemy, knocking them up as she lands.R | The Hextech Ultimatum Camille launches herself at an enemy champion and locks them in a mini arena they cannot escape. She does extra damage to this target with her basic attacks.
4. Vayne
The Night Hunter
Vayne is a challenging ADC who seems simple at first glance. She's an incredible bot-lane champion who has insane skills. Her kit takes a long time to master and her abilities are much closer-ranged than other ADCs in the bot lane, putting her in the heat of the situation at all times.
Vayne struggles in the early game with no wave clear abilities and requires precise timing to farm during the laning phase, but becomes one of the most overpowered carries in the game, in later phases of the match.
Passive | Night Hunter Vayne gains 30% extra movement speed when running toward an enemy champion.Q | Tumble Vayne rolls in a direction, empowering her next basic attack. W | Silver Bolts Vayne stacks basic-attack marks against enemies, and on her third consecutive hit, deals bonus true damage based on a percentage of the target's maximum health.E | Condemn She fires a bolt that knocks a target back, dealing damage. If the target hits a wall, they take extra damage and are stunned.R | Final Hour Vayne empowers herself for a short period of time, gaining extra damage and invisibility during her tumble, which has faster cooldowns and extra movement speed from her passive.
5. Katarina
The Sinister Blade
Katarina is a hybrid assassin mid-lane champion that is feared by most ADCs and melee attackers. When you get her combo right, her mobility and burst damage make her fun to play, but rather challenging to master.
Katarina deals both physical and magical damage, making her hard to build a defense against in a lane or in a team fight. Since her release in 2009, Katarina remains one of the most popular female champions to play in League of Legends. Her abilities work around movement and attacking enemies with her daggers.
Katarina's Skills
Passive | Voracity If an enemy that she hurt dies near her, Katarina's cooldowns are shortened dramatically. And if she picks up a dagger she's thrown, she'll dash through nearby enemies dealing extra damage.Q | Bouncing blade Katarina throws a blade that bounces between enemies dealing damage before landing on the ground.W | Preparation Katarina tosses a dagger into the air above her and gets a burst of movement speed.E | Shunpo She flashes to the target friendly, striking the nearest enemy upon landing. This will always prioritize champions over minions.R | Death Lotus Katarina spins on the spot throwing loads of daggers at up to three enemy champions, dealing huge magic damage.
These female champions are some of the top picks in LoL at the moment. Each has some amazing skins to choose to personalize your champion so you can dazzle your teamies and opponents in the rift.
» Are you practicing your female champions in the rift? Earn some points through Buff and redeem rewards while practicing
RewardsApex Legends: How Does the Daily Shop Work?Regardless of the game, you're probably familiar with that great feeling of playing with your squad, using superior tactics and positioning, and eventually winning the game. But you know what's even better? Doing it in style! Plus, everybody knows that looking good makes you play better, especially when you're still new at the game.
So, instead of looking like a newbie with default skins, stand out from the rest with some of the amazing skins Apex Legends has to offer. After all, there are plenty of cosmetics for specific characters and guns. There are even unlockable dive trails hidden behind certain ranked achievements.
Most of those can be found in the Store, so here's what you should know about it.
» Learn more about Apex Legends
What Is the Daily Shop?
The Daily Shop, otherwise known as the Store, is a menu that you can access through the lobby. It allows you to purchase cosmetics by using Apex Coins, Legend Tokens, or Heirloom Shards. The Store also offers an alternative purchase method through the exchange of Apex Coins for items that can normally be crafted with Crafting Metals or found in Apex Packs. Finally, it also has Thematic Event items and Store-exclusive items.
Some of the sections of the Store include:
The Featured Section
The Featured section is basically the Store's homepage. It's always open and offers a wide variety of items that rotate each week. Some of the items that are offered at the time of writing are:
Solar Soldier Bonus Bundle for BangaloreOutland Explorer Bundle for WattsonDeath Row Bundle for RevenantFlying Warhawk Skin for Devotion
The Monthly Item Store
There's also a Monthly item store, which features deals that are available during the entire month. This month's offerings are looking pretty cool:
Dressed to Impress Skin for BangaloreArtic Blaster Skin for WingmanElectric Flux Skin for Triple-Take
Apex Packs
In the Item Pack section, you can purchase packs that essentially act as random loot crates. Opening a pack gives you 3 items, which have the potential to be the Legendary skin you've been wanting! However, that really depends on how lucky you are, so you also may not get anything you need or like.
The Mythic Store
Lastly, there is the Mythic Store, where you can purchase high-end Prestige skins and the Heirloom melee weapons for your characters. Each character gets access to their own unique Heirloom skin, which can only be attained through exchanging Heirloom Shards. At the time of writing, the Bloodhound skin is available in the Store.
» Learn how to get the Apex Legends Battle Pass for free
When Does the Store Reset?
The Store resets every Tuesday at 12:00 PM Pacific Time. For the Monthly and Daily rotations, these will happen at 12:00 PM Pacific Time, as well.
Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for the chance that the skin you've been gunning for finally drops!
Can You Shop Without Being In-Game?
Sometimes, opening the launcher can be a pain if you want to just check out the Store and see if there's anything you'd like to buy later. Although there isn't a way to purchase items without being in-game, a great place to check what items are currently available in the Store is at Apex Item Store. You can see this information along with the full item breakdowns and the remaining time they will be available for purchase in the Store.
» Want to know how long you've been playing? See how to track your playtime hours in Apex Legends
Final Thoughts
The Store is the place to be if you want to spice up your in-game appearance, or if you simply want to see what is available out there. And if you don't want to log in, there are ways to check out what's on sale without starting the game.
Finally, by having Buff run in the background, you can be earning Buff Points just by playing games of Apex with your squad. And who knows, some of the Buff rewards you redeem may include precisely the cosmetics you've always wanted.
ReviewsWho Is K’Sante? Get to Know the New LoL ChampionThe Hunters Pride
The newest champion to compete in the rift is a charismatic hunter who prides himself in being the best in his lane. K'Sante is a top-lane machine, which means that he can take a lot of damage while also having the ability to transform into a ruthless damage-dealing oppressor. This makes him almost unrivaled in the 1v1 duel department—if you're playing smart.
» New at LoL? Try some of the more beginner-friendly champions instead
K'Sante's Origin
K'Sante is the first champion we see coming from the City of Nazumah, a society built around a remote oasis in the deserts of Shurima. The people of Nazumah stand under no rule but their own. They protect their home from all the monsters who surround the oasis and depend on its waters to survive—and where there are monsters, there are also monster hunters.
Tutored by his parents, K'Sante dreamed of becoming the best warrior-hunter in the city. With his passion for the hunt and his strong will to fight and be the best, he teamed up with Tope. Tope is a strategic archer who would eventually become the lover of K'Sante. Together, they set off to take on the biggest threat to their society at the time—a snake-lion monster created from the power of Xerath. After both of them almost dying due to K'Sante's inability to slow down, Tope would leave the city to start a new life in a distant land. Left alone, K'Sante would have to come to terms with the fact that brute force without strategy isn't sufficient.
Therefore, K'Sante would start training in both strategy and strength to take on the monster himself. He will eventually succeed in his mission and forge his signature weapons—Ntofos—from the chunks of the beast's armor.
» Are you interested in strong female champions? Check out the most popular female LoL characters
K'Sante's Weapon
K'Sante's Ntofos are shaped like heavy stone L-batons and are capable of dishing out massive blunt-force blows to anyone who opposes him. These weapons come with a twist, though—upon casting his ultimate ability, K'Sante will shatter his Ntofos' protective layer, revealing deadly blades that allow him to deal more lethal damage to opponents.
K'Sante's Abilities
K'Sante has abilities that allow him to transform from a damage-soaking tank to a high-damage skirmisher who can 1v1 almost anyone in most situations. Not only is K'Sante's damage output determined by what state his weapons are in, but his damage resistance and defensive capabilities are too. This makes K'Sante more challenging to play than a standard top-lane bruiser.
Passive: Dauntless Instinct
K'Sante marks targets when he lands abilities on them. He can detonate the mark for extra damage (based on Max HP) with a basic attack.
All Out Form: K'Sante deals extra damage to marked targets, scaling with his bonus Armor and Magic Resist.
Q: Ntofo Strikes
K'Sante slams his Ntofos down in a line, dealing damage and slowing any enemy it comes into contact with, gaining a stack if it lands a hit. After 2 stacks, K'Sante's next Ntofo strike will send out a shockwave with a bit of extra length, knocking enemies toward him and stunning them briefly.
All Out Form: The strike will no longer slow, but it has a shorter cooldown.
W: Path Maker
Holding the ability will charge up a dash, which can be released to push back anyone he touches along with him to the end of his dash, stunning them when they land. K'Sante is Unstoppable and can tank a lot more damage during his dash. The longer the charge, the more damage Path Maker will deal.
All Out Form: Cooldown is instantly refreshed, and K'Sante can charge and dash faster, dealing more damage per dash. He is also tankier during the dash, but will no longer knock back targets in this form.
E: Footwork
K'Sante can also dash a short distance to gain a shield, or dash to a teammate to give shields to both them and himself. The shield scales with Max HP and lets you jump over walls if Footwork is cast onto another friendly player.
All Out Form: K'Sante can dash just far enough to reach through walls.
R: All Out
Casting K'Sante's ultimate will make him shatter his Ntofos into blades, knocking a targeted enemy back, stunning them, and landing behind them. Knocking an enemy into a wall will make K'Sante pursue his enemy through the entire length of the wall, dealing extra damage before landing behind them.
After the ability is cast, K'Sante will be in All Out Form, gaining extra attack damage that scales with his Armor and Magic Resist, but he'll also lose a portion of his health, and his total armor and magic resist will drop, too. K'Sante will return to his tank state after a period of time, but All Out can be cast again to perform the switch back early.
» Learn the difference between AP and AD in LoL
Go All Out With K'Sante!
With an ability kit that splits into 2 like K'Sante's, it'll be a small challenge to get comfortable with casting his spells in the right order and finding out how to efficiently take on other opponents. However, the time and effort spent practicing with him will certainly pay off when you find yourself dominating the top lane against most other champions.
If you're spending time playing LoL and learning new champions to play, why not have Buff run in the background for some sweet free rewards?
EsportsTop 7 Most Iconic Moments in League of Legends HistoryRiot Games has seen over a decade of intense, hair-raising gameplay from players all over the world in their highly successful MOBA: League of Legends. Since the game's launch, the fantasy universe and aesthetic it birthed have grown into multiple game genres, from card games to FPS shooters.
With so much content from Riot out there, there are bound to be some stand-out moments that have shaped, influenced, or outright mind-blown the League of Legends fanbase.
Here are our 7 favorite moments that went down in the League of Legends history books.
1. SKT T1's Wombo Combo (Worlds 2017)
I've watched this moment consecutively more times than I'd like to admit, just to decipher what happened in this chaotic moment of team perfection from SKT T1. Let's set the scene:
It's day 2 of the 2017 World Championships, and the stakes couldn't be higher. SKT T1 is up against EDG, and they've been taking a beating. It's 30 min into the match, and the team kills are 9-0 to EDG, SKT has a 10k gold deficit, has lost 5 more towers than their opponents, and Baron is about to spawn. At this crucial point of the match, both teams are forced to either push mid or contest Baron Nashor. Feeling aggressive with their lead over SKT, EDG decides to push mid. They extend just far enough to let SKT pull off what could be the greatest moment of synergy in professional League of Legends history.
All within a 3-second window:
SKT initiates with Rakan's charms and knock-ups pulling EDGs whole team togetherThis is followed by Cho'Gath's flash-silence and MORE knock-upsThen, Faker lands a beautifully placed Orianna shockwave (yeah, another knock-up), and Jarvan IV gets a flag-jump through the crowd providing yet another knock-upDuring all of this, Twitch deals constant huge damage, piercing through all his targets with his ultimate
It's a lot to break down, but with the commentators going nuts and the live crowd screaming in the background, the moment certainly induces a wave of goosebumps. It is definitely worth watching a few times over to truly appreciate the infamous wombo combo by SKT T1.
» Find out how to get rewards just by watching LoL esports streams
2. Faker vs. Ryu 1v1 (Hot6 Champions Summer 2013)
This epic moment in 2013 was the true start of Faker's fame as the face of LoL and the best player of the game. During the intense 5th match of the grand final of the Hot6 Champions Summer Tournament, both teams could select their champions at will in a blind-pick match. Both SKT T1's Faker and KT's Ryu picked Zed, generating tons of excitement at the potential 1v1 Zed plays in mid-lane. However, little did anyone expect the jaw-dropping outplay that would come from this matchup.
At the 32-min mark of the match, Faker appears to overstep into KT's base, taking loads of tower damage. Then, just as Ryu shows up to finish the job with his own Zed, Faker displays a show of incredible decision-making, timing, and raw skill that could remain unmatched to this day.
Simply googling "Zed vs Zed" will have this clip show as the top result, and it's definitely worth checking out if you want to witness the highest level of League of Legends skill the world has to offer.
3. ROX Tigers PraY's Famous Arrow Long-Shot (Worlds 2016)
In the semi-finals of Worlds 2016 against SKT, ROX Tigers' PraY showed us all just how effective Ashe's ultimate can be—even if it's not during a fight or securing a kill. Many avid LoL fans claim that Worlds 2016 was one of the best series to date in the professional LoL world.
The atmosphere and goosebumps-inducing screams from the crowd and commentators were spectacular, as PraY sent off his Crystal Arrow across the map to prevent SKTs Ekko from recalling. This gave ROX enough time to push the game to victory.
4. xPeke's Backdoor (Intel Extreme Masters 2013)
Every time I've watched the clip of xPeke backdooring SK Gaming's base with Kassadin on low HP, I'm hit with a strong feeling of nostalgia. I remember watching this match live with my friends during a LAN, the room erupting after a tense hour-long match. I also remember playing League of Legends right into the early hours of the following morning trying to replicate the move.
It was an incredible moment that feels like it was set in time as one of the best moments in LoL eSports history. The backdoor maneuver that xPeke pulled off was so notable that, to this day, players still refer to the move as an "xPeke" when done successfully.
5. KT Rolster & Invictus Gaming Base Race (Worlds 2018)
I've never come across another professional League of Legends match where I couldn't tell who's going to win till the announcers called it. If you're unfamiliar with what a base race is, it's where both teams are inside each other's base, racing to take down their opponent's nexus for the victory. This match was so tight that a split seconds difference could have determined which team stayed in Worlds 2018.
In a 5-match battle to see who'd win the quarter-finals, KT Rolster was 2 matches down against IG in Worlds 2018. In an amazing show of effort, they won the tightest base race ever and pushed all the way to match 5 before IG took the win.
6. First-Ever Finals Pentakill by Suning's Bin (Worlds 2020)
There have been loads of pentakills during Worlds over the years. However, none had seen the finals of Worlds until 2020, when Bin from team Suning would show the destructive power of Fiora in the hands of a pro. It's no wonder she's one of the most popular female champions in the game.
During the 2nd match of the finals, Suning put all of their efforts into feeding and snowballing their already-strong Fiora. After 30 min, Suning's Bin had been fed enough gold to become a problem for DWG, and he and his team were waiting for the right moment to strike. So, when Ornn missed his Call of the Forge God(a crucial initiation for DWG) during a bunch-up in mid, Suning wasted no time in rounding their opponents up for Bin.
Sadly, with the lockdown in place during the Worlds 2020, the lack of the live crowd does make the moment feel like it's missing something, despite how amazing the casters were.
» Interested in LoL cosmetics? Learn more about the rarest LoL skins
7. The Elder Drake (Worlds 2017)
The opening ceremony of Worlds 2017 in China was as impressive as the tournament itself. The show kicked off with a heartfelt clip from Riot Games about how the game brings people together and keeps them connected across the world. This was followed by amazing live performances by globally-known performers, hundreds of backup dancers, amazing audio, and great lighting. Finally, there was a giant friggin' Elder Drake that flew around the stadium, landed on the stage, and roared at the crowd before flying off.
Of course, the dragon wasn't real, but its the closest thing they could get without actually building a giant robot Elder Drake that actually flew into the stadium... Who knows, maybe they'll pull it off one day, but until then, we're going to be seeing the dragon in AR(augmented reality) only.
AR performances usually mean that effects and models are added into live footage of the stadium, making it seem like there are actually giant statues, a ferocious dragon, or popstar Ahri herself on stage. The effect appears much more "believable" when you're watching from home than it is live, though the whole thing must have been breathtaking regardless.
Final Thoughts
I feel privileged to have witnessed some of these epic moments when they happened, and honestly, I'm glad I got to revisit those epic times while writing this piece. League of Legends really did—and still does—have an amazing production team, a loyal fanbase, and a well-polished game that culminates together to create some awesome experiences that are worth revisiting over and over.
If watching all of this League content got you inspired to play a bit and hop into the rift, why not have Buff on in the background to score some free rewards? Check it out here.
Tips & tricksClimb the Valorant Competitive Ladder: 7 Pro Tips & TricksValorant is one of the biggest FPS games in the esports gaming industry, quickly overtaking its Valve counterpart, CS:GO, in popularity and general interest. Though the two games are very similar in their genre, they have a few key differences that set them apart from one another, creating some interesting challenges when trying to climb the ranked ladder in both games. We've collected the 7 best pro tips and tricks to help you do just that in the Valorant competitive scene.
1. Pay Close Attention to Your Individual Performance
Sure, you should always be paying close attention to your performance during a game, checking the scoreboard to gauge how well you're doing against your current opponents and how you're synergizing with your team, but that's not the review we're talking about.
The best way to get the most information on how you're doing and how you should improve is to watch gameplay footage of a match after it's done.
I've had the accidental privilege of reviewing tons of my own footage since stepping into the streaming and content creation world, and even though the majority of my clips are ones I think I'm doing excellently in, I can still spot loads of little errors in my gameplay, ones I'd never have spotted or thought about during the match itself. Since I've started paying attention to the bad habits I've spotted myself doing in play-backs, my in-game performance has accelerated way faster than just trying to grind the hours to get better would have done.
» Need help with Breeze? Here are our game-changing tips
2. Learn to Play a Small Pool of Self-Sufficient Agents Well
Though being a jack of all trades is great for understanding how each Agent is played, you lose the opportunity to really master some Agents since your spells and mindset for the right time to use them are always changing. Choosing a small handful of Agents to play and practice with—a favorite Agent, a second favorite Agent in the same role, and an Agent in a secondary role—means that you can focus on and refine a specific play style that you and your team can rely on.
It's nice to try out all the agents, but pick a few that you really like and really develop your skills with them.
3. Play in a Party Rather Than Solo
Admittedly, this one's harder when you've got a small friend pool who aren't interested in joining you competitively or don't enjoy the same games as you. Though it does present an opportunity to chat with people in casual or other ranked games until you gather a group that is keen to play more consistently with you on a competitive level.
The perks to having partied-up teammates are that you eventually know how they perform, what roles and weapons suit them, and vice versa, as well as being able to identify their callouts and unique strategies. Managing to gather a full team of players who consistently play with one another and practice together can be a major advantage against a team full of solos.
4. Work on Your Communication Skills
Practice Your Callouts
Giving clear and concise callouts to your teammates is vital to making sure your team functions well together during a match. Learning how to give short and specific call-outs to your team can tell them where to be watching when moving around corners, or when they should be rotating effectively. Admittedly, the callouts themselves take a good while to master: the fastest way to learn each area is to look at the name of the area you're in underneath the map as you move around. Watching pros make callouts in clips and watching streamers play online is another great way to learn how to communicate the right things to your teammates.
» Struggling with Fracture? Discover the pro callouts, strategies, and tips for Valorant's Fracture map
Keep Your Cool When Winning and Losing
As important as callouts are, so is being a good teammate to talk to. Making sure you don't lose your cool and keeping the morale of you and your team up is an important thing to keep in mind. If all of your teammates are with you on this, round losses and match defeats start to feel like a learning process instead of a kick to the face. I think it's much better to have a teamie saying things like "ah dang, you'll get him next time," or, "try this gun out there instead, I'll support you," when you die, instead of things like telling you to uninstall or throw the game.
Nobody really likes a toxic teamie, so keep your chins up, and you'll find your wins up.
5. Target Enemies That Are Broke
When you're in a match and you've lost a few rounds consecutively, you'll already know the struggle of trying to save up funds to get a better weapon to compete with, only to get bombarded by the enemy team. Well, use this strategy against them as well.
Since you can see how much cash the enemy team has, picking on the guy with the least cash can insure that he stays in a disadvantaged position for a longer period of the match. It's not the nicest tactic, but this is ranked we're talking about, and if you can keep 2 or 3 members of a team broke, then you'll have a serious advantage in the overall match.
6. Warm Up Before Jumping Into a Ranked Queue
This may sound silly, but physically warming up—especially if you're in a cold room—is a great way to make sure you're not stiff and clunky when you hop into Valorant. It's easy to think you might be out of practice or that "something is off," when really, your muscles and joints just need to be loosened up again. When you are physically warmed up, the practice range is where you should be headed next to start working on your movement and aim, before your first match of the day.
Cold hands are a gamer's worst enemy. Warm them up before you play.
7. Make Time for Aim Training
Aim training is another incredible way to get better at Valorant. I mean, if you can click on an enemy's head before they click on yours, you're winning, right? Hop into the practice range for this and try out the different training dummy routines there.
There are 4 main things you should focus on when aim-training:Accuracy: practice getting headshotsTarget switching: flicking between targets rapidlyShooting while strafing Recoil patterns: spray each gun and find out how to control it
» Master your aim: 5 Valorant Pro Player Sensitivity Settings to Tweak Your Aim To
Stick With It, Ranks Come Slowly
While we can't guarantee you'll see results right off the bat, sticking to these tips will, over time, help you climb the Valorant ladder so you can show off your new ranks to your friends—if you don't run into any of the ridiculous queue problems against super-high ranked players. If you're practicing and climbing the ranks in Valorant, you could be getting free goodies from Buff while you're at it!
Rewards5 Legitimate Income Streams for Minecraft Players in 2023 Minecraft is one of the longest-existing games in popular game culture, and it has really seen it all.
From its start in 2010, when Mojang first launched the game, all the way to Microsoft's acquisition of it for $2.5 billion in 2014, Minecraft has had an incredibly vibrant history. This led to it being the most-sold game in history, with about 100 million monthly active users still going strong.
With all of that passion coming from the community, it should be no surprise to anyone that there are multiple opportunities to make an income from being a Minecraft player or fan.
» Earn free rewards while playing Minecraft
1. Livestream Your Gameplay on Twitch or YouTube
You're already playing Minecraft, so why not live stream it to an audience? There are tons of Minecraft streamers and content creators on Twitch and YouTube who are making a killing doing so.
Livestreaming on Twitch gives you a bunch of different ways to make money if you can generate enough of a following. Twitch subs, donations, and advertising are all ways to earn from the content you create. With a free Prime Sub, you just need to be your viewers' favorite for the month, and they can support you with a click of a button. If you really start to hit it big, you can earn even more with brand sponsorships and opportunities to sell merchandise to your followers. YouTube offers a bunch of the same revenue streams with YouTube Gaming live streams, but there's also the added benefit of capturing your viewers on the platform to view your VOD content. Dream is one of the best examples of this, as one of Minecraft's biggest and most successful creators with loads of VOD content on YouTube.
To get started, there are two things that are paramount to building your initial audience: engagement and consistency. Have a clear schedule set up for yourself and communicate that schedule to potential viewers on your profile. You want to start creating a loyal audience that enjoys your content and knows when they can come to view it. And to make them feel connected to you and your streams, you have to engage them. Always pay attention to your chat and make sure to respond and react to messages passing through.
» Looking to stream other games too? These are the most watched games on Twitch now
2. Join the Minecraft Partner Program
The Minecraft Partner Program is an awesome creative platform. If you are accepted, you can make a variety of in-game worlds and assets to be sold on the Minecraft Marketplace. To qualify, you will be expected to express your creativity and love for the game with a strong portfolio of high-quality content previously shared with the community (e.g. maps, skins, realms, biomes, etc.).
Skins are a great place to start when it comes to creating Minecraft items and content that is likely to sell in the marketplace. People are always looking for a way to better represent their characters, especially for a game as centered around creativity as Minecraft. So if you can create a character skin that can really resonate with players, they are bound to want to put it on.
3. Host a Minecraft Server
Hosting a server is another great way to make an income, and this is something that has actually existed across the MMO space for a large part of its history. For some of our OG gamers who remember the MMORPG renaissance of the early 2000s, loads of games like Runescape, Everquest, Ragnarok Online, and even World of Warcraft had a strong community across a number of private servers. You can make income by:
Charging membership and access feesRunning a store, specific for your serverGetting set up with monetized streams of your server's gameplay.
While it's relatively easy to get a private server up and running, to get a Minecraft Server that players feel is worth investing their money into, you have to make it enticing. Adding the right mods and having a strong, active community are just some of the ways to go about it.
4. Construct Items, Buildings, and Maps for Other Players
While this requires a similar skill set to joining the Minecraft Partner Program, your "buyers" will be rather different. There is a number of people across the web that have a need for pro Minecraft builders to construct buildings, landscapes, towns, and even entire worlds for their game/servers.
Your customer base can vary—you may be hired as a builder for somebody's private servers, oftentimes themed requests (e.g. dragons and castles for a medieval-themed server), or even by some savvy businesses looking for new ways to get new clients.
The potential is pretty high when it comes to how much you can make by being a pro builder for hire in the world of Minecraft. But a great example that lays it out is this video from Mr. Beast. He hires Minecraft builders to see who could build the best Minecraft house for the best value, with the most expensive freelancer charging up to $16,000!
5. Create & Sell Minecraft Artwork
Creating and selling Minecraft artwork is an awesome way to make income. This is especially true for those who are super passionate about the game, but their talents and creativity lie more on the canvas than in the 3D block world. Whether it's oil and pastels or neon digital art, there is a huge market for Minecraft fan art.
There are loads of markets for superb artists to sell their works, whether that is digitally on sites like DeviantArt, physically at conventions and events like Minecraft Festival, or live streaming the drawing process on Twitch. Because of the variety of ways to make money on even just one piece of artwork you create, the earning potential for talented Minecraft artists is fantastic, especially as the game continues to grow.
If you are stump around what to draw, Creepers are one of the best places to start. While they are scary encounters for players in-game, they are absolutely loved by fans as merchandise, collectibles, and art outside of it.
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Esports7 Most-Streamed Games to Watch on Twitch Right Now Unlike in the very early days of Twitch, nowadays there are many viewers, many streamers, and many games to watch. If you are completely new to the scene, it can be pretty overwhelming to decide what games to watch since scrolling through them seems to be endless.
Explore our list of the 7 most-streamed games that can guide you in the right direction and help you choose, depending on if you are more into casual entertainment, esports, or the same games you play.
» Want to stream instead? Discover the 7 best Twitch games to stream now
1. Overwatch 2
With the release of Overwatch 2, there's obviously going to be a lot of hype for Blizzard's MOBA-FPS franchise. When Overwatch was first released, it was revolutionary with its combination of the MOBA and FPS genres, especially since both genres were at the forefront of esports at the time. According to Stream Charts for Overwatch 2, there was an average of 5,677 channels to choose from in October 2022, amassing over 138.5 million hours to watch.
With the game being so popular amongst esports fans and casual players, it is no surprise that this one is our first recommendation. If you don't currently play, this could be the best time to start, with the Overwatch 2 launch being so recent! Especially considering the high quality of the twitch drops recently, with the Werewolf Winston Legendary Skin being super clean. Seriously, start watching.
» Play Overwatch 2 and earn Buff coins
2. Apex Legends
Apex Legends made history with it hitting the 10 million player milestone in the first 72 hours. Though there's a lot of controversy over their initial marketing tactics during the first game launch, they have been super consistent with updates and improvements to the game. There's been a big move of the COD Warzone crowd to the game as well, so it shouldn't be too difficult at all to enjoy some streams and then pick up some games with your squad.
According to Stream Charts for Apex Legends, there was an average of 3,439 channels to choose from in October 2022, amassing over 32.9 million hours to watch. Like other games, there are some sweet skins and rewards to be earned from watching during some of the bigger tournaments.
» Earn free rewards while playing Apex
3. Grand Theft Auto V
Grand Theft Auto V (GTA V) is one of the most interesting titles on this list. While GTA V is the latest game in the Grand Theft Auto franchise, it was actually released back in 2013. The game has not only remained popular but is actually going strong—one of the biggest reasons for this is the GTA V Roleplay server and community. It's a super interesting viewing experience you can't get with most other games, with some of gaming's biggest names and streamers partaking in it.
According to Stream Charts for GTA V, there was an average of 2,617 channels to choose from in October 2022, amassing over 95.9 million hours to watch. While there have been leaks about GTA 6, there is no well-defined date of release just yet, and GTA V still continues to scratch the itch for many viewers and players.
4. Valorant
Valorant is the game to watch if you like to see headshots galore. Valorant is Riot Games' take on the Tactical FPS genre, most famously started by Counter-Strike. This is a captivating viewing experience that's really easy to get into if you've had any experience with CS:GO or CS 1.7 in the past, and we are actually seeing a lot of the Counter-Strike community move over to playing Valorant as the game continues to rise in popularity. Giving the genre some Riot Games flavor, we see the addition of abilities to replace smokes and mollies from Counter-Strike and even allow for some really diverse gameplay.
According to Stream Charts for Valorant, there was an average of 4,704 channels to choose from in October 2022, amassing over 69.7 million hours to watch. Being a fresh game and explosive esports relatively new to the scene, the drops are easily obtained, with the annual Valorant Champions Twitch being a great opportunity to add things like exclusive titles, sprays, and cards for the game.
» Use Buff to get free Valorant points
5. Minecraft
If you are looking for a mix of creative and entertaining content, both can be found in the world of Minecraft. There are so many mods that exist for the game that you can practically watch Minecraft streams for a variety of viewing experiences: speedrunning, competitive, building showcases are all on the table for the channels you find under Minecraft on Twitch.
According to Stream Charts, there was an average of 1,893 channels to choose from in October 2022, amassing over 43.5 million hours to watch. Earning rewards on Minecraft through Twitch Drops is slightly more complex and not available out of the box, but there are certain Minecraft servers where Twitch Drops are enabled, allowing you to earn while watching a streamer on a specific server as long as you are also playing on the same server.
6. League of Legends
League of Legends is one of the most notable esports there is. There have been tons of new games coming in—new esports titles, MOBAs, multiplayer games in general—but LoL is still at the forefront of the gaming industry.
According to Stream Charts, there was an average of 2,813 channels to choose from in October 2022, amassing over 159.4 million hours to watch. There is so much variety and complexity in the game, with some of Twitch's most popular streamers playing the game almost exclusively, that there will always be a reason to watch.
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7. FIFA 23
FIFA has actually been the entry point into the world of gaming for many gamers across the world. Sports games have historically been one of the strongest bridges between the gaming community and those existing outside of it, and what is better suited than arguably the most popular sport around the globe.
According to Stream Charts, there was an average of 1,525 channels to choose from in October 2022, amassing over 61 million hours to watch. Seeing as the game was just recently released, be on the look out for any Twitch Drop viewing opportunities. If you have Twitch Prime, be sure to grab the already available rewards.
Watching streams is not only a great form of entertainment, but there is also so much to gain from it and so much to explore. If you really care about getting better at one of your favorite games, you should definitely start watching popular skilled players, and make notes.
» Ready to test your skills? Have Buff running in the background to earn rewards while playing
