Controlling the speed of a Smite match

Match speed it a term that appears simple at first, but can quickly become far more complicated the higher you climb in the Smite rankings. Before we begin I must say that the term "Match speed" doesn't necessarily mean how long the game goes on for, but it is a part of the overall topic and is the easiest part to see. Generally, a short game can be described as quick whilst a longer game will seem slower. However there are reasons other than game speed that can affect the length of games, mainly the balancing of teams and their respective skill levels. 

 

My description of a fast game is a game where actions and events happen quickly. Perhaps their is an invade at the start of the game, or a Gold Fury is taken at 4 minutes. Meanwhile a slow game would be one where events are avoided. The kill count remains low for long periods of time and very few objectives are taken early on. At a lower level, these types of games develop because of skill matchups but at a higher level it can be a conscious decision to alter the tempo of the game in a way that best suits you and your team. In today's article, we will be looking at when, and how this can be done.

 

Team Composition:

This is by far the most important variable to consider when trying to force a fast or slow game. Some characters function far better once they're full build whilst others dominate in the early game with high base damage skills. For example Kali is one of the best late game junglers available but her relatively low ability damage makes it hard for her to make an impact early. As a team you should look to drag out the game in this situation, allowing Kali to farm in the jungle and complete her build. If she gets to the late game safely, the likelihood of a loss is pretty low.

 Late game characters that benefit from full builds and longer game times.

On the other hand, some God's function far better in the early game, due to high base damage abilities like Thanatos's death scythe. When your team is comprised of characters of this style, it is best to pressure the enemy team early, using your raw power to find kills and secure a lead. Most of these characters don't rely on items to deal damage and because of this perform far worse in the late game than other Gods.

Early game characters that perform well in the starting stages of the game.

With team composition driving the pace of the game it is important to find synergies among your team. Forming a team of pure early game or pure late game is incredibly risky but can be rewarding. If done with careful planning it's possible to dominate the opposing side and score an easy victory. That being said most teams will naturally form a balance of early and late game which creates a different dynamic to be explained in another article. Moving on in this article we're now going to look at ways of changing the game speed.

 

Changing the game speed:

Slowing down: Dragging out games and making events occur less frequently is key for late game teams. Below is a list of ways you can slow down the game.

• Avoiding fights: In general, this is quite difficult to do. Fighting and ganking is one of the key ways a game progresses. However, trying to force a game to proceed slower can be achieved by avoiding these fights and ganking as little as possible. Your team should farm efficiently, sharing experience where necessary, to ensure you keep up with your opponents. If the opposing team is good, they will look to shut down your late game carries so keeping them out of trouble is extremely important. A Kali that makes it to the late game with no deaths is a scary thought and any team will look to avoid such a situation.

• Warding: Keeping vision on the map is one of the most important aspects to drawing out a game. It allows you to know the locations of your opponents and lets you plan your routes to avoid conflict. It also means you can look for quick picks when an opponent steps out of position. Another point is that warding is a team effort and objectives should be visible at all times. A good team would counter a late game composition by looking for early Gold Fury's so be sure to ward it.

• Builds: When drawing the game out, you are looking to stay in lane and farm for as long as possible, whilst staying safe and healthy. This means you can invest into more potions and wards as the game progresses. Delaying your build slightly isn't going to matter since you're looking to slow the game down anyway. As with normal builds, you should follow your build naturally and build towards power spikes to help improve your presence. Once your build is complete look to buy power potions and wards to further extend your dominance.

 

Speeding up: Pressuring the enemy team and forcing fights or objectives is the specialty of early game teams. Below is a list of ways to speed up the game.

• Forcing early fights: When you're running an early game composition, you should look to fight as much as possible, and as early as possible. This could include invading or looking to contend buff camps. When in lane clear the wave as fast as possible, and rotate to exert pressure onto other lanes, or stay in your own lane looking for the kill. It's okay to group up early and force team fights because chances are your team will out damage the opponents, just make sure all your team members are on board.

• Taking objectives: The best way to close out a game fast is to take objectives as soon as possible. For example Gold Fury gives a serious gold boost and early game teams can take it far earlier than normal. It's also possible to force fights at objectives, since the enemy team has to defend it. In this situation look to wipe the enemy team, using your superior damage to take them down.

• Builds: At the start of the game, some characters might look to invest in a power potion. This is risky as the buff is lost on death, but can provide the extra power to wipe out an opponent. Besides the early potion, less priority should be put on potions and you should look to advance your build as quick as possible. Build straight into power spiking items and use them to further increase your lead. Remember whilst you are building these items you should also deny your opponent as much gold as possible to slow their build process down.

Some characters that benefit from power potions.

Conclusion:

It's important to note that the above tactics are heavily based on team composition. Having one early game character doesn't quite justify using these strategies since it doesn't fit the entire teams play style. There are more complicated ways of combining picks to help excel the team as a group which require a separate post to discuss. However if you do find your team fitting a specific style, perfecting the methods to changing the game speed will help you win more games than usual.

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