Quick disclaimer: as I think of useful tips, I’m going to start writing up some articles. Each article will focus on a particular topic or game play element. The majority of these tips will likely be things that experienced players already know. I welcome any additional feedback on any of the tips and I’m happy to update any OP if you have something useful to add to the topic. Each thread will be originally posted in the Demigod general forum (at least for a bit) and then moved to the DG strategy forums.
Topic of the day: Death by towers
Being killed by structures is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it can often be the best strategy. Ever get yourself into a situation where you know you are going to be killed? Towers might be the way out. Feel pretty confident that you can get a kill but odds are you will die as well? Towers can be the solution here as well.
The first thing you need to understand for any of this to make any sense is how a kill works in Demigod. Money is awarded for assists (eg you helped in the combat) and for kills (you made the final hit that killed a Demigod). You get more money (or bounty) for making the final killing hit and you get less money for an assist. The main thing to keep in mind is that whoever or whatever makes that killing shot gets the most money. You’ll notice I said whatever. Whatever could be tower, a fortress, or the creeps. You’ll also notice that towers, fortresses, and creeps do not get any money if they get that final killing hit. Hopefully you can see where this is going. I’ll provide a few examples below.
Defensive death by towers
This example is generally not something you want to have to do, but it could very well be the best decision.
Scenario 1: I’m in a situation where I’m trying to capture an enemy portal on the HP side of the map and I suddenly see all 3 on the other team running at me from the HP flag. I have no TP scroll and I don’t believe my teammates are going to magically pop in and save me. I decide that escape won’t be possible and that the odds of me living are slim, I’ll likely immediately beeline for the enemies towers near the citadel BEFORE any of those enemy dgs get close enough to hit me. If I have a sigil, I won’t use it. If I manage to get killed by those towers without any dg attacking me, then no one gets any money – this helps my team a lot, of course, as if I stayed and fought, I’d have given the other team money for a kill and money for 2 assists. Of course, the downside is that I’m dead, but I didn’t cost the team any money AND more than likely their entire team is out of position from trying to chase me down.
- Summary - if there is no way out, trying to suicide in towers is generally a good move
Scenario 2: I’m again trying to capture a portal. I just fought and killed one of the enemy Demigods. I had to use a sigil during the combat and my hp will be extremely low as soon as that sigil drops. An oak and a sedna are approaching me and I don’t think I have a chance in hell to get a TP off before I’m interrupted by silence or pent. I again beeline for the towers and attempt to get killed by them before either enemy dg can catch up to me.
- Summary - be smart and avoid confrontation if there is no hope for escape or help from your teammates. It's better to die to a tower than give up a kill and an assist to the enemy team.
Anyway, you’ll notice in both of those scenarios, its pretty much a strategy to use when the crap hits the fan. If all goes well, you won’t have to use a strategy like this. But if you are in a similar situation, you should quickly decide if you would be better off getting killed in the towers instead of by the enemy. Sure, you die, but mid/late game, your death can mean a lot of money for the enemy. If they get a kill and that money… well… that’s not good.
Scenario 3 (thx darkliath!): I am Erebus on sigil taking enemy portal. Was too confident, did not succeed and missed enemy sedna, oak and beast porting in. They all damage me a bit and I get close to some nearby towers or even to towers near citadel in mid (depends on mana, being silenced or not already and batswarm). If I died to towers now, I'd give three assists, which are no good. So I go into mist (try not to be silenced). Wait there 15 seconds (If I remember correctly for their hits to stop being assists) they, of course might wait for me there, but when sigil rans out I'd be with extremely low hp. Then I try to get out of mist so, that as less as possible enemies would damage me. In perfect situation tower would kill me and none would get assist, but beast with ooze probably would damage me, so I'd give one assist.
- If you are caught in a situation when playing as erebus and you are sure to die, consider going into mist form in the towers. Yes, you will die, but its possible you will avoid giving the enemy team a kill (and you'll likely distract their team while you are misted - eg they will wait around or near you for however long you are misted).
Offensive death by towers
Now, this is what you see happen more often in games with experienced players, generally early on in the game (though it could happen at any time). The basic premise is that you stick around long enough because you believe you will get a kill AND you pursue an enemy into the towers. Now, depending on the items you have, etc, both of you will probably be dead. But what matters the most is who got the kill. If I can kill an enemy first and then die second (by a tower), I can deny the dg I killed any gold for my death and collect gold from him. Keeping that in mind, if you feel confident you will be able to kill your enemy before you die, its good to chase them into the towers. Let me give you a few common examples.
Scenario 1: It’s a 3v3 game and I’m playing ub. I’m currently fighting a 1v1 against an enemy ub on the mana flag. We go back and forth a bit, but now I’m convinced I’ve got a kill locked if I press the ub. My enemy turns to flee towards the tower. I give chase. Realizing that I’m going to chase him down, the enemy stops by the tower and turns to try to fight me (even though it’s a lost cause – maybe one of his teammates will tp in). I get the kill and then die to a tower immediately after. Win. I go the money for the kill and the enemy ub got nothing. You should be aware, though, that if there is a monk or minion nearby from another dg that scores a hit on you shortly before you die, that player will get an assist as well (thx dark!)
- Summary - learn when to go for the jugular and press for a kill in towers! As long as you get the kill, its almost always acceptable to take a death.
Scenario 2: Let’s use the same setup as scenario 1. Only this time, an enemy dg starts to tp in to assist his teammate. I get the kill, but realizing there’s a chance I’ll die to the enemy instead of the tower, I beeline towards the enemy gold flag (away from the dg teleporting in) to avoid that dg hitting me and then die to the towers. If the enemy had caught me, then we essentially made a 1 kill for 1 kill trade (eg not quite as good as getting a kill and dying to a tower).
- Summary - Be aggressive when pushing for kills you are confident you can get. Be willing to take a tower death if you have no out available to you. Remember - at the end of the day, the person with the most money has the best equipment.
Anyway, with offensive tower kills, at least early, its VERY important to have a decent idea of whether or not your enemy has a pot, etc. Overpursuing for a kill in towers will often mean that you die unless you a plan everything well and really know what to expect.
