Characteristics and Role
Guardians are known for their high natural resilience, both in theirs stats and skill sets. Typically found at the forefront of battle, they generally fulfill the role of absorbing damage for the team and restricting the enemies’ movement through crowd control and tactics like body blocking. An effective Guardian is characterized by sustainability, synergism with defensive items (for example, 12-B’s skills scale with his physical defense, Polyphemous and King Reega’s skills work in tandem with the damage reflection of Hades Armor, etc…), crowd control, and the ability to draw and defend against enemy aggression. Resultantly, heroes like Jombraa and 12-B, both of which lack mana and have powerful stuns and taunts, make incredible Guardians, whereas others, like Lut’Hiran and Valox take are best played as bruisers.
The main job of a Guardian, usually abbreviated as the “tank,” is to lockdown opponents and set up kills. Guardians should be the first into a fight, gathering fire and scattering their opponents. The tank should never hesitate to stay behind and peel for their teammates and should attempt to funnel as much gold and experience to their carry as possible.
As a Guardian, teamwork and timing must be impeccable. Fighting without the help of the carry or other teammates will often leave you vulnerable and weak since the majority of Guardians lack mobility or self-peel. Consequently, communication is essential to victory! Communicate with your team about when you plan to initiate a fight or about where you plan to gank, about which targets to lockdown and prioritize, and even about what items would most complement the team. This last point is especially important as you must constantly consider and reconsider your build to fit the needs of your allies and counter your opponents. There is rarely a defensive build that will work for all occasions.
Available Heroes
There are currently eleven Guardian heroes.
Frostland Guardian (Rock Fist)
Savage of the Deep (King Reega)
Paladin Grandmaster (Lut’Hiran)
Bone Breaker (Valox Fireraven)
Forgotten Warrior (Balondis the Merciless)
