Smite can be quite intricate, particularly for those just starting out. Understanding how to develop your God and utilize their skills is just one aspect; knowing when to engage in battle or retreat is an entirely different challenge. This guide is designed for newcomers, focusing on how to navigate Smite’s iconic mode, Conquest.
We’ll begin by discussing lanes and objectives, followed by strategies for optimizing your Gods for maximum effectiveness during gameplay. After that, we’ll explore various tactics, but rest assured, we’ll keep it straightforward!
Pre-Game
Contents
Before diving into the match, it’s essential to select a God for yourself! This decision plays a crucial role in Conquest. The makeup of your team is vital for achieving victory, so it’s wise to take into account the Gods chosen by your teammates before finalizing your own choice. Various Gods work effectively in combination, and as you gain experience in Smite, you will begin to understand these team compositions.
IMPORTANT – Declare your role! In the pre-game lobby, make sure to announce your preferred role as soon as you can. If you choose to play Jungle but notice someone else has already claimed that role, you’ll see “Jung 2” next to your name. The worst mistake you can make is to lock in a Jungle character with the intention of playing that role. There is a code of conduct in MOBAs that should always be respected. The most frustrating matches occur when players are overly ambitious, resulting in a team of four Junglers and a very frustrated Guardian. It’s essential to take on whatever role is left at the end. Your chances of victory significantly increase when all necessary roles are filled!
The current meta features various roles and class combinations, which are outlined below:
- Assistance – Protector
- Carry – Predator
- Intermediate Sorcerer
- Solo – Fighter
- Jungle – The Assassin
Keep in mind that these roles are suggestions, and you have the flexibility to switch things up as you see fit. For instance, you could choose a Mage as your primary damage dealer, or opt for a Hunter in the solo lane. Just make sure you are proficient with your character to effectively counter a different class.
Laning and the battlefield layout
Conquest boasts the most expansive map in Smite, consisting of three lanes and an extensive jungle area. New players may find themselves disoriented initially, making it crucial to frequently check the mini-map to orient themselves.
Lanes
Conquest features a Duo lane (Long), a Mid lane (Center), and a Short lane (Solo).
The Duo lane is the area on the map where your tower is the most distant from the enemy’s tower. Typically, this lane is controlled by a Support and a Carry.
The Mid lane is the central pathway that traverses the map, serving as the fastest access point to the opposing Titan. Typically, this lane is occupied by a Mage.
The Solo lane is the area of the map where the towers are positioned nearest to each other, either on the left or right, based on your spawn location. Typically, a Warrior is the champion you’ll encounter in this lane.
The Jungle differs from a lane in several ways. It occupies the area between the lanes and is home to experience camps, buff camps, and various Objectives. This area is frequently the territory of Assassins, who use it for their strategic advantage.
The goal of Laning is to gather resources from enemy Minions and assault enemy Towers. Defeating minions, experience camps, and deities grants you experience points, which help you level up your character, as well as Gold, which can be used to purchase new items, potions, or wards.
Enhancing your character enables you to boost your skills and shorten their cooldown periods. However, this often results in a higher mana expenditure for your improved abilities.
Eliminating all enemy minions before they take down yours enables you to engage the enemy in your lane. Typically, this involves harassing the enemy to chip away at their health rather than attempting to secure an outright kill. The initial phase of the lane focuses on maintaining your health and outpacing your opponent in farming. While you shouldn’t hesitate to take down the enemy if the opportunity arises, be cautious not to put yourself in a vulnerable position in the process.
Laning is straightforward, whereas the role of the Jungler is more intricate. The Jungler is responsible for farming experience and buffs from the various camps scattered throughout the Jungle. Defeating these camps grants experience and gold, and it also enables the team to collect the buffs that are left behind. Typically, the Jungler will keep the Speed Buff for personal use, provide the Mana Buff to the Solo lane, and assign the Damage Buff to the Mid lane.
The Jungler should assist in clearing Minion waves whenever feasible to earn additional experience points and level up more quickly.
Objectives
I will begin by focusing on the goal of Conquest instead of other objectives that can be farmed.
In your quest for victory, your goal is to eliminate the enemy towers, followed by the enemy phoenixes, and ultimately defeat the enemy Titan to secure the win. Each tower you and your team take down grants you gold, which you can use to purchase items, making the destruction of towers a crucial part of your strategy.
Eliminating a Phoenix boosts the allied minions that appear in that lane, enhancing their health and damage. If not addressed, these minions will dominate the opposing minions and ultimately advance to assault the Titan.
Eliminating each Phoenix will lower the maximum health of the opposing Titan, simplifying the task of defeating it. If possible, aim to take out all enemy Phoenixes before launching your final assault on the Titan.
The Gold Fury is located between the Mid and Duo lanes and is a formidable Fury, adorned with heaps of gold (brush up on your mythology!). With a substantial amount of health, it can quickly eliminate low-level players, making it a significant Team Objective. To increase your chances of successfully defeating the Gold Fury and preventing the enemy team from snatching the final hit, it’s advisable to eliminate a few opponents and enlist the help of your teammates.
Defeating the Gold Fury rewards every team member with 300 gold, allowing you to acquire your powerful items more swiftly!
The Fire Giant resides in the area between the solo and mid lanes and is unmistakably a massive creature. His blazing domain frequently serves as the ultimate demise for unsuspecting players, as his strikes can deal significant damage if you’re not ready. As a Team Objective, defeating the Fire Giant typically requires assistance, as he can easily overpower you. It’s also wise to attempt to eliminate the Fire Giant when the opposing team has a few players down or is in a state of chaos, trying to protect their Phoenixes from minion waves!
Defeating the Fire Giant grants all living teammates the Fire Giant Buff, providing +30 MP5, +30 HP5, +100 magical power, and +70 physical power for a duration of 4 minutes. This significant enhancement is crucial when you prepare to launch an attack on the enemy Titan and secure victory.
Divine Creations
This section of the guide covers the fundamentals of creating a god build. I will discuss initial items and relics, and if there is enough interest, I will provide a more detailed guide in the future!
Solo – Fighter
Players who prefer to go solo typically opt for the Teleport relic at the beginning of the game. In the Solo Lane, maintaining health is crucial, making it vital to return to the fountain and swiftly return to the lane. The relic selection at level 12 depends on the circumstances, and any option can be effective!
Warriors are not typically designed to be the primary damage dealers in team battles; instead, they are usually built to be tanky. The Breastplate of Valor provides cooldown reduction and physical protection, while the Stone of Gaia offers health regeneration and boosts to overall health. Early in the game, items like Warrior Tabi and Jotunn’s Wrath are effective choices, followed by damage items like Titan’s Bane. It’s crucial to adapt your build to counter your opponents, so be mindful that not all advice applies to every scenario.
Intermediate Sorcerer
Mages should consider bringing either Sanctuary or Purification Beads to their lane to assist them in tricky situations, especially if the enemy Jungler makes an appearance. Additionally, the choice of your next relic will depend on the circumstances.
Mages aim to deal significant sustained damage in team battles while ensuring their survival. The Book of Thoth is an excellent choice for mages, as it boosts your magical power quickly through the defeat of minions and gods. The Warlock’s Sash provides additional health and mana, while the Obsidian Shard and Rod of Tahuti serve as effective damage options. It’s also important to incorporate some defensive items into your build!
Carry – Predator
The Hunter should consider bringing a Sanctuary or Beads into the fight, as their Support can assist them during challenging moments with other relics. The next relic should be the one you believe will be the most beneficial for you.
Following the elimination of Golden Bow in patch 3.12, the approach to hunter builds has become less straightforward. Hunters should begin with Transcendence to achieve an early boost in power, then progress to Boots and Jotunn’s Wrath. After that, consider acquiring items that enhance either attack speed or critical hit chance. Remember, your primary role is to inflict significant damage on your foes, but if the situation calls for it, don’t hesitate to pick up some defensive items. You have the flexibility to adjust your build as the game unfolds.
Assistance – Protector
The Guardian serves as the backbone of the team. This allows you to prioritize acquiring relics that benefit the group rather than focusing solely on your own needs. Choosing a Sprint or Curse relic can enhance your ability to either retreat or join your teammates in battle, while a Scout relic can always be advantageous. Strategically placing wards is crucial for your survival in conquest.
Guardians require a substantial amount of protection. The tougher you are to eliminate, the more of a nuisance you can become for the opposing team. Starting with Shoes of Focus will provide you with additional mana early on, allowing you to reach your teammates more swiftly. Following that, it’s time to prioritize your defenses. The Breastplate of Valor is a great choice, along with Sovereignty, which grants nearby allies +20HP5. The Heartward Amulet offers magical protection and enhances mana regeneration for both you and your teammates. The Hide of the Urchin is also a valuable option! Additionally, you can consider acquiring offensive items to support your team, like the Gem of Isolation, which slows down enemies you strike.
Jungle Assassin
Junglers have the option to choose Wrath as their initial relic, aiding them in efficiently clearing minion camps while also providing a one-second stun to opponents. Alternatively, they can select Purification Beads or Sanctuary.
The Jungler should prioritize acquiring Bumba’s Mask as their initial item. This item restores health upon defeating a camp minion and ensures you receive the full experience and gold from camps, even if a teammate assists you. Some Junglers prefer to start with a Potion of Physical Might to enhance their clearing speed and efficiency in defeating minions and opponents. Each Assassin requires a unique build to maximize their effectiveness; for instance, Susano benefits from a focus on power and penetration, while Ne Zha thrives with a significant critical hit chance. Starting with Boots is a solid choice, followed by Jotunn’s Wrath. The Breastplate of Valor is often a wise selection for the next item. Experiment with various items for your Jungler to determine the best build, or check out smitejunkies.com for recommended builds from professional players.
Tactics
One crucial aspect to keep in mind while playing Conquest is that you’re never truly isolated in your lane. The Jungler or Mid can appear in your lane unexpectedly, and without proper wards to alert you, you might find yourself in a tough spot. If your opponent vacates your lane, make sure to announce it. Utilize the VGS system to notify your team with messages like ‘Enemy missing right!’ or any relevant information. It’s essential to inform your teammates when they should fall back to evade a gank and when you require assistance. Effective communication is vital, everyone.
Remember to rotate as well! This could mean assisting the Jungler in taking down a camp to gain some extra experience, or stepping away from your lane after clearing it to apply pressure elsewhere. If a teammate is in a tough spot, make sure to head over; your presence could turn the tide in that skirmish. Don’t hesitate to communicate when it’s time to engage the Gold Fury or Fire Giant, and rally your team to join in.
Should there be interest in a more comprehensive guide, I will delve into advanced strategies and their potential to enhance your success in Conquest!
In summary…
Victory in Conquest relies heavily on teamwork. Understanding your positioning and timing will enable you to overpower your foes and defeat the Titan.
Don’t anticipate mastering conquest immediately. If a frustrated teammate expresses their dissatisfaction with you in the chat, try not to take it to heart. Instead, reach out to that player and see if they can offer guidance and advice to help you improve. While the Smite community can sometimes be harsh, it can also be welcoming, so it’s definitely worth seeking help!
I trust this guide has been helpful to you! Stay tuned to my blog for additional updates and reviews on Smite and gaming!
