Mobile Legends How to Tank Guide

by AZ008

As there are only a few tank mains, I want to write a guide about how to tank, and be exceptionally good at, so good that every one wants to invite you.

Disclaimer: Every rule has exceptions, through experience you know when and where to break the rules. But these rules give you the fundamentals to gain that experience.

The Golden Rule

You win the games not through kills, but by destroying the enemy base. It doesn’t matter if you go silver, bronze or even 0 10 0. If you lead the team to victory, you did your job.

Rule 1: Spot the Carry

You’re damage dealer ist not always the mm or the one in the mid, it’s the one that deals the most damage and participates in team fights. A Zhask that goes 12 2 5, is more important than a Lesley that is going 1 5 6. That doesn’t mean let Lesley die, just that when you have a choice you prioritize the one carrying the Team.

Rule 2: You are the eyes of the Teams

You don’t need to help a mm clear the lane, until all other things are done. Check the bushes that ganks could come through. Check out where the enemy is, without just running into them. Give your team the safety to farm and plan ganks. But don’t overdo it.

Rule 3: You are the most expendable and most important part of the Team

If you have to die to save your carry, go for it. Don’t do it if he is always overextending, tell him that he is doing that and try to protect him from it, through pinging and voice commands. Do not try to save a teammate that ran into a 1v5 and is almost certainly gonna die. If you are dead, the teams chances of winning teamfights drops significantly. Get the balance right.

Rule 4: You don’t need kills, at all

No tanks job is it to get kills. If a enemy is low hp, and your carry is on the way, try to slow the enemy or cut of his way so your carry gets the gold and the farm. The kills on you don’t gain the team the same advantage as the carry getting the kills. Also the roaming mask gives you a bonus on gold for assists, don’t waste that. More importantly don’t chase kills, it doesn’t matter that he is getting away with 1 hp, protect you carry, if you chase after the enemy your carry is free to get killed.

Rule 5: Make your team love you

Try not to be toxic, and I know that is crazy hard. But try to talk to the ones that will listen, try to save your teammates. Try to make the right calls, because your team will remember and if you make the wrong calls, the team won’t follow you into teamfights. It’s crazy how much diffrence that makes, there are a few people on my friends list that will follow me in the enemy base at min 3, because they know I do it so the team gains an advantage. (but don’t actually do that. With great power comes great responsibility.)

Rule 6: Make the enemy fear you.

If you’re team is on par with the enemy team in farm, or even in the lead, then every tank can win a 1v1 vs almost any hero. There are two ways to make the enemy fear you.

1. Make them suffer. Tanks have a reasonable damage output and can stunlock if need be. If there is a tower close by or you are sure he is solo, pick a fight. Show him that you are nobody to mess with.
2. Show them they can’t damage you. A Urnaus or a Hylos for example can take so much damage, that they can just stand there for few seconds throw a sticker and then just go on, all while being hit.

Why is this important? So enemy knows when you are close by, they are in danger if they attack your team or carry.

Rule 7: Don’t initiate team fights, just because you can ult 5 people

Initiating a team fight is worth it’s own post. There are a lot of facets. For example not only jumping in, but zoning out the enemy damage dealer while your team kills the rest. But what I want you to learn for the basics is, only initiate a team fight, when you can have the advantage and know your team can follow up. It’s no use if you jump with khufra half way over the map and stun enemys under the tower, if no one is around. You always have to initiate for someone, you don’t fight the team fight yourself you only initiate.

Rule 8: Don’t waste time

If your carry can solo the buff, or can clear the wave alone and you have already checked bushes and know your carry is save. Go gank the other lanes.

Rule 9: Adjust your build

With 1 3 1, a lot of the time the enemy team has only one damage type or even only one mage. So build accordingly. Also most of the time, wings of the apocalypse queen are a pretty good call.

Rule 10: Your carry must live

If you initiate, initiate so your carry is not in danger. Always be close to your carry or run in a parallel line to him, so you can reach him and give him vision. If there is a helcurt in the enemy team, think about ways to counter him or just running in so your carry can run away. Don’t waste all of your cc, make sure you have one left so you can save your carry or help him get the deciding kill. If your carry is dead, you failed your job. Your carry can be one or two players, but with more carrys you have to be more careful.

Here are some viable tanks and their specialties:

Grock: Clearing waves and bufs fast, also roam.

Hylos: Ganking and zoning the enemys with skill 2.

Lolita: Blocking incoming damage with skill 2, also fast stun.

Gatot: High Mobility and high physical def.

Khufra: counters dash heroes and good at ganking.

Akai: Good to counter assa hypers like helcurt.

Uranus: Annoying the enemy by building pressure.

I hope this helps some people to get into tanking.