Hi friends, I want to play Nova more, but i’m so hit and miss, that it’s either, I am successful, or I just throw. I feel like with any character you can always be getting some sort of value out of them, but with her at times I feel like I contribute literally nothing but raw dmg.
So I was hoping for a nice talent do’s and dont’s, tips and tricks, and counters, what to focus, and what to avoid. <3
I could use some help too…
but if you are good with Ana as you portrait suggests, just pretend with your Q that you are using Sleep Dart I guess…
I love this!
Seems like he told you everything you need to know. Lets pack up and go home boys!
use precision strike to clear big minion waves across the map, its not a must but it creates a lot more space for the team to stay together
I just love Ana as a character lol
Oh? I like going triple tap, unless they got good tanks or ways to avoid it. I’ll have to try this next time. I imagine it giving a full wave of xp, and letting a lane push while you’re all on objective. Good macro
You need to pick bribe at level 4, since that’s the best talent out of the options. Don’t waste mana and if you see a lane that needs to be soaked, go to that lane. You don’t have to show to soak, sit in a bush if you want. Steal enemy mercs with bribe. USE YOUR AA to do sustained damage. Too many Novas just sit on the sidelines waiting and waiting and waiting when they could’ve done thousands of damage and forced the enemy tank to retreat. You’re not fooling anyone, I know you’re on the flanks and I’m going to use minions to block snipe.
Regardless, Nova isn’t a good hero and never has been because of poor waveclear. Assassins have to waveclear because most other hero types can’t. When you have an assassin that also can’t waveclear, then the enemy team can get macro pressure and win that way. Basically the best advice I can give is don’t pick Nova if you want to win. If your team manages to win, it’s despite having Nova, not because of Nova.
I’m not Nova main, but…
Nova can go Q build. If you don’t miss - you will deal dmg all time. The problem of this build - if you miss, you are useless for next 6 seconds.
Lvl 1- W
Lvl 4 - Any talent
Lvl 7 - Q
Lvl 10 - Depends from game.
Lvl 13 - Q
Lvl 16 - Q or W
Lvl 20 - Depends.
Second - AA(W) build.
I prefer this build, because even if I miss my Q, I have hard AA dmg, what helps me to deal stable dmg to squishy targets. But with AA talent I’m become more weak on waveclearing, so I take PS mostly.
Lvl 1- W
Lvl 4 - Any talent
Lvl 7 - AA one
Lvl 10 - PS
Lvl 13 - W
Lvl 16 - W
Lvl 20 - Double PS.
I hope it helps.
i can teach you nova in action instead of tell you what talents you should go. hopefully you’re either NA or EU player if so add me and i can show you stuff! Catherina#21588
You can try my build, see if it’s to your liking:
1 - Pinning Shot (W)
4 - Rapid Projection (Decoy cd reduc) or Bribe (for merc heavy maps)
7 - Anti-Armor (Increased AA dmg with 15 armor debuff in exchange for AA speed)
10 - ANY ULT (tho I’m more of a TT Nova uwu)
13 - Psionic Efficiency (Q range increase)
16 - Crippling Shot (W armor debuff)
20 - ANY ULT UPGRADE or Rewind
Also don’t use your Ghost Protocol (Active) just because you feel the need to have two decoys - this isn’t Double Fake Nova rippu. Use it to escape/diversion from a heavy teamfight.
https://www.heroesfire.com/hots/talent-calculator/nova#kzum
this is my standard nova build with 93 lvls on Nova currently.
Snipe build is the best currently because nova does not have enough burst damage in her burst build to really kill all that much. And with Snipe build you become a mage who never runs out of mana if you consistently hit your snipe.
her burst build is:
While this build does technically do the most amount of damage in the shortest time possible it’s downsides are to massive with it making you go oom really quickly and not becoming amazing until rewind.
And with rewind you miss out on Precision barrage and that ult upgrade is amazing.
Don’t ever take these talents
Any decoy talent
Advanced cloaking
Apollo suit
Rewind
Tips and fun facts
Nova has one of the best bribes in the game where i think only the lost vikings have the same passive from bribe where it makes camps respawn faster if you fully take it with bribe.
If you are fighting a murky always go Anti-Armor shells. The burst damage from your AA and snipe kills most murky players instantly without giving them a time to react.
Triple Tap is pretty bad but it has a niche in fighting really mobile heroes like Tracer and Zeratul who can just dodge precision strike and i generally take it in qm when fighting them. However when fighting someone like tracer make sure that she uses recall before you ult her.
Learn where to stand around completely invisible to give your team vision / safety while they are getting boss / a camp. Usually stay out of bushes, because good players will throw their skillshots there. Stay in the open at crossroads to see enemy rotations (only works if your team checks minimap or you are in voice).
You can check this detailed Nova Guide I made a while ago:
Did they tell you what Nova skin you must play with? It’s Amber Widdowmaker maker skin, it’s most important.
Just hold mouse tight.