Honor of Kings is a top-down 5v5 MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) title that features thematic tower-defense fights on a large-scale map. Players select their choice of character and assume a role on the map to help the team get gold and take objectives. The team that destroys the opponent’s base wins the game. The ranked mode takes the gameplay to a different competitive level, especially at the higher ranks. This guide will shed some light on the game mode and explore all the intricacies and mechanics associated with it. Let’s begin!
Ranked Mode Introduction
Much like every other MOBA game, Honor of Kings also harbors a completely ranked game mode that allows players to test their skill and team play abilities in live matches. Ranked mode takes place in a seasonal method, with each ranked season lasting for around 3 months. The game mode unlocks when you reach Level 6. At the end of the season, your final rank is calculated, and rewards are distributed depending on your rank on the leaderboards and the highest rank division acquired.
Players can play these ranked matches alongside their friends to form a full party. However, full-party teams are only matched against other full parties for airplay purposes. Furthermore, players cannot pair up with players who have a rank gap of more than two levels.
Winning matches allow players to advance their ranking tier in Honor of Kings. They must reach their current star maximum to initiate a tier advancement match. If they win, they will be rewarded with another star and promoted to the next tier. In contrast, losing all of the stars will result in a relegation match.
Ranked Mode Tier System
Multiple tiers and divisions are constituting the Ranked system. Each division further harbors more tiers. Check them out:
- Bronze I
- Bronze II
- Bronze II
- Silver I
- Silver II
- Silver III
- Gold I
- Gold II
- Gold III
- Gold IV
- Platinum I
- Platinum II
- Platinum III
- Platinum IV
- Diamond I
- Diamond II
- Diamond III
- Diamond IV
- Diamond V
- Master I
- Master II
- Master III
- Master IV
- Master V
- Grandmaster
Upon winning each match, you can get 1-star towards your current tier. You will need to win 2 matches straight in order to advance to the next division. This is only applicable if you’re at the final tier of the division and looking to promote to the next in a promotional match. Upon loss, a star is deducted or not (depending if you have a star-loss card or you have performed extremely well compared to your team).
When you hit the Grandmaster tier, the entire ranking system mechanics change. You will be assigned a server-wide ranking that increases as you win more games and overtake players ahead of you. Players who reach 25 stars in the grandmaster division will be promoted to the Mythic tier. Further, upon reaching 50 stars and 100 stars, they are promoted to Epic and Legend tiers, respectively.
Bravery Points and Star Protection
Players will gain courage points following each match, regardless of the outcome. Bravery points are calculated based on several factors, such as not going AFK or leaving the game, performing extremely well on your team, and earning Gold Medal rewards.
Bravery Points can be used to add stars. When a player hits the Bravery Points limit, their extra points are accumulated, and they receive an additional star. The number of Bravery Points consumed will be the same as their current tier’s Star Protection points.
When a player earns a particular number of Bravery Points, Star Protection is triggered. When they have Star Protection and lose a ranking match, they will lose a certain number of Bravery Points but not a star. Star Protection will consume more Bravery Points as their tier rises.
Pick/Ban Phase in Ranked Mode
Honor of Kings’ Ban/Pick function is available whenever a player achieves the Diamond tier in a ranked league. In this feature, both sides take turns banning and picking heroes, and heroes that have already been selected cannot be chosen again.
Only heroes with Senior or higher skill levels are eligible for Ban/Pick. In ranked matches, players can vote to resume a match if the lineups are uneven. Even if only one teammate chooses to restart the match, it will continue. An uneven team will be rated using the following criteria:
- All five heroes have the same class.
- Four heroes share the same class.
Ranking Tips and Tricks for New Players
Check out our fruitful tips and tricks to help you climb the ranking leaderboards faster:
Tip #1. Master the Jungle Role
The Jungler is one of the most essential characters in Honor of Kings. Junglers can traverse the jungle, receiving bonuses and leveling up faster. They can also contribute to the offensive capabilities of their team if needed. Junglers may effectively control the speed of the game through their play style. So, if you want to win more matches, playing as the jungler is the best option.
Tip #2. Achieve Hero Mastery
If you’re at all costs serious about climbing the ranks in Honor of Kings, then we would recommend mastering any one of the heroes that you feel suits your playstyle. Learn everything about their skill sets, pros, cons, and matchups against other heroes in the same role. Ideally, you should be so good with the champion that you can further improve on other aspects such as map positioning, ganking, farming, and more.
Tip #3. Increasing Game Knowledge
Honor of Kings contains a lot of information for the players to absorb. This covers map knowledge, hero ability information, how to farm money or EXPs, building knowledge, specific strategies, and much more. To win more matches and advance faster, each player should develop these skills. Learning the fundamentals of everything will tremendously assist you in defeating foes on the battlefield more effectively and giving you more chances to win matches.
Tip #4. Crafting the Best Builds for Your Heroes
Itemization lies at the heart of winning matches in Honor of Kings. Players can win a lot more games if they are comfortable with the hero and know how to build them. Some items are designed to counter specific types of champions, and you should be aware of whether to build them or not, depending on the game state. For example, DPS heroes ideally prefer more damage and attack speed items, while Tank heroes prefer building more sustain and armor items to soak up damage as the frontline.
Tip #5. Grind, Grind, and Grind!
The grind never stops in ranked mode! You will be pitied against players who have been grinding the game for a long time and have surpassed their skill levels. Don’t worry, as you can achieve the same level of mastery as you get accustomed to the game mechanics and play well with your team. Remember that coordination is key, and you can also use pings to direct your teammates if you’re looking for a gank in their lane or want to set up an ambush. As you keep practicing, you will eventually get better at predicting enemy moves and get the hang of the game.
It is highly recommended that you play Honor of Kings on a bigger screen of your PC or Laptop with BlueStacks without worrying about battery drainage and smooth gameplay.
