Draft Picks are usually done in Ranked Games, Custom Draft Games or Custom and vs AI Games. It is also done during competitive esports tournaments to diversify the hero pool and put the players’ skills to the test.
Forming a strategy, the right builds, counters and more will greatly affect the outcome of the game. This is what players have to do when given a hero that they’re not familiar with. There are three phases to go through: Banning Phase, Picking Phase and Last Change Phase.
Let’s have a closer look at all this and more below!
Banning Phase
The Banning Phase allows three players to ban a hero from being picked and used by anyone from both teams, says Fandom. The maximum amount of heroes that can be banned is 6, but in competitive tournaments, that number has been increased to 10 (see here). If the time allocated for the ban is up and no hero is selected, the slot will be left empty.
This phase is generally used to ban any overpowered or strong heroes from being used by anyone in the game, creating a fairer playing field. This also ensures that other lesser heroes would have a chance to be picked in the game.
Picking Phase
The Picking Phase is where you’ll get to pick the heroes you wish to play as for the entirety of the game. Each player from each team will alternate during the picking phase, to ensure a fair pick. For example, Player 1 from Blue Team goes first, followed by Player 1 from Red Team and so on.
This way, no team can fully dominate the game by picking the best heroes for their team first. In this phase, you can strategize and figure out the builds of your heroes and team dynamics.
Last Change Phase
This occurs 30 seconds before the match begins. All your last-minute changes and touches to your build and heroes occur here. Some players even decide to swap heroes with each other, especially if the agreement is mutual.
Draft Pick Strategies
You’ll have three turns to pick your heroes in the Picking Phase, so let’s talk about some strategies to successfully make a good pick for your team.
Power Pick as First Pick
Your first pick is usually a power pick or an overpowered hero that is a no-brainer for your team to have. Each season has its own set of heroes that are considered the most overpowered, so take advantage of that.
Getting one or two overpowered heroes would be great for your team, but make sure to have a strategy in mind for them to not waste your pick. And ensure that you know how to use them, otherwise this would all be a waste. This strategy can only be used if the set of overpowered heroes were not banned in the Banning Phase.
Priority Picks
You can go into the picking phase with a set of heroes that you would like to prioritise as they play well into your strategies. This way, you don’t waste time trying to figure out a strategy or builds that would go well with a random hero.
Of course, this is only if the hero you have in mind isn’t already picked by the opposing team. In that case, make sure to have alternatives to replace your heroes. This saves time and ensures everyone is on the same page when it comes to their roles in the game.
Bait Picks
This will only work if you are aware of your opponent’s strategy and game plans. Pick heroes that will counter their strategies and heroes so that they would reassess their situation and perhaps change their strategy. Either that or ban the heroes that you think your enemy would go for or employ in their gameplay.
You could also bait them through the first three heroes by picking certain heroes that would play well in a certain strategy, and then forgoing that strategy in your fourth and fifth picks. These are all mind games, of course, and it’s a risk for both teams to take.
Counter Picks
One of the more common draft pick strategies, you pick your heroes based on what would counter your enemies. So every time they pick a hero, you pick a hero that would counter theirs. This sort of strategy can backfire though, especially if your enemy is bait picking you as we’ve mentioned above.
However, if they aren’t baiting you, then it works quite well in the game. In a way, it provides your enemies with a challenge as well.
That’s our draft pick guide to help you along in Mobile Legends! Hopefully, this has been informative and helpful for you in your journey to be the best hero and in leading your team to victory. If you would like an extra boost, you can try getting some Mobile Legend top up from OffGamers here!
Last Updated: May 23, 2022
