Tychus
Disclosure: I am being financially compensated for this series.
Screenshot Version: https://i.imgur.com/tsjs8Lf.png[5:10 PM] SPIKES!!!: Hey, Kith. Do you still do writing commissions?
[5:12 PM] Kith: yes
[5:12 PM] Kith: why
[5:13 PM] SPIKES!!!: How much do you charge to write posts?
[5:13 PM] Kith: i have no idea because that is something i have never considered doing
[5:13 PM] Kith: why
[5:16 PM] SPIKES!!!: Well, I was thinking. I was reading some of your SA posts on HOTS and I was thinking about playing it some.
[5:16 PM] SPIKES!!!: And I was thinking, there are a lot of characters and I donât really know how to play any of them.
[5:17 PM] SPIKES!!!: Except for the ones that you posted about, and the rundowns you did of the skills and stuff.
[5:19 PM] Kith: youâre not going to pay me to post about HOTS
[5:19 PM] Kith: just tell me who youâre interested in and iâll give you a rundown
[5:20 PM] Kith: i can see you typing
[5:20 PM] Kith: shut up
[5:21 PM] SPIKES!!!: What if I really want to, though?
[5:21 PM] Kith: [5:19 PM] Kith: youâre not going to pay me to post about HOTS
[5:24 PM] SPIKES!!!: I will pay you $20 for every hero guide you write on the HOTS forums.
[5:24 PM] Kith: okay
[5:24 PM] Kith: first off
[5:25 PM] Kith: 1) what is wrong with you
[5:25 PM] Kith: 2) i stopped posting on the HOTS forums for a lot of reasons. mostly because i hate it there
[5:25 PM] Kith: 3) why the
[5:26 PM] Kith: 4) you realize this is going to run you about two grand total if iâm writing
something for every hero right
[5:27 PM] SPIKES!!!: Yeah, Iâm fine with that.
[5:27 PM] Kith: a;slkjaslk;gsdsla;kdgas
[5:29 PM] Kith: why there though. like why the, seriously
[5:30 PM] SPIKES!!!: So I can just bookmark your profile and find all your posts.
[5:30 PM] Kith: iâm going to shove you into a locker, nerd
[5:30 PM] Kith: iâm going to give you an atomic wedgie and hang you on a flagpole
[5:30 PM] Kith: fine.ing fine
[5:31 PM] Kith: but theyâre going to be quick and dirty andtty and i refuse to update or maintain them in any way
[5:31 PM] SPIKES!!!: Thatâs fine.
[5:31 PM] Kith: shut up
[5:31 PM] Kith: cannoting believe iâm doing this
What is the purpose of a Quick and Dirty Review?
Exactly what it sounds like: a casual rundown of the character in question. What they do, what theyâre good at, what theyâre bad at, what talents I use and why. However,
THESE ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE IN-DEPTH, ALL-ENCOMPASSING GUIDES.
I play a lot of ARAM (and treat QM much like ARAM), so the vast majority of the talents that I use are choices I make before I even get into queue. As such, the vast majority of my talent choices are are geared towards the safest options that (generally) require the least amount of extra effort from me. If you get angry because my playstyle or talent choices are âwrongâ, I will laugh at you. This series isnât meant to be ârightâ, itâs meant to be a starting place.
Might as well start this disaster with something familiar.Overview
Tychus. Big man with the plan. Supposed to be a tankbuster, can kill Valla in less than four seconds once he has Level 4. Genius balance.
Hereâs the thing about Tychus: you can kill anyone, and I am not joking about that. Burst them down with Minigun and follow up with Overkill and Frag Grenade when they try to run. Heâs all about that Health Shred, so heâll rip through any Hero with almost no effort.
Howâs this fair, you ask? Well, the problem is getting in range to do that. For some reason, despite having a gun thatâs literally bigger than he is, Tychus has 4.5 range instead of the standard 5.5. On top of that, the fellaâs extreme Attack Speed means that stutter-stepping is out of the question, so heâs much more vulnerable to someone simply walking away than most Ranged heroes.
To be effective with Tychusâs standard combo, you gotta get the drop on someone, have a friend hold them in place with some CC, or be fighting someone thatâs exceptionally stupid. Not impossible hurdles, just something youâve gotta keep in mind.
Incidentally, save Run and Gun to get out of trouble - itâs better to seriously wound an enemy and get away alive than to dive for a kill and miss a teamfight. With how QMâs matchmaking is, thereâs a 90% chance that youâll either be the closest thing the team has to a frontline or the only real damage-dealer, so donât die to an Easily Preventable Mistake and screw everything up for your team.
Talents
Level 1: Dash
Run and Gun is your only mobility skill, and it sucks without Dash. I know that range increase from Press the Advantage looks VERY juicy, but having slightly easier positioning is not going to save you. If it offered 2 range, then sure, Iâd argue for it, but it doesnât, so I wonât.
Level 4: The Bigger They AreâŚ
TBTA is stupid. Once upon a time, I said a lot of words about why. For now, just trust me when I say that itâs really, absurdly, viciously stupid and it massively increases your killing power against everyone but Garrosh (who it still increases your killing power against, just not by as much).
Level 7: Combat Tactician
More Minigun, More Better. The extra cooldown reduction from Run and Gun is nice, but not really necessary unless youâre desperate.
Level 10: Drakken Laser Drill
You have to plan ahead to use Odin effectively, but the Drakken can be used on pretty much everything at any time. In trouble? Fart out a laser and run away, eating a cooldown is better than dying.
Level 13: Thatâs the Stuff!
The healing happening on expiration instead of on hit is the #1 reason why In The Rhythm at Level 4 is a bad choice. If it were tied to Minigunâs original duration instead of this nonsense weâd have an actual choice at Level 4, but it isnât, so weâre not.
Oh, uh, Thatâs the Stuff! is Tychusâs only source of sustain and Tychus lives and dies by how well he can stand and deliver, so thatâs important. You should probably take it anyways to get some pressure off of your healer.
Level 16: Sizzlinâ Attacks
Stacks with Minigun but not Thatâs the Stuff!, takes the edge off of The Bigger They AreâŚ's drawback because itâs a separate effect not subject to the health gate (so lol @ Garrosh), generally makes your basic attacks More Gooder.
Level 20: Bob and Weave
Ladies, Gentlemen, and Nonbinary Pals, Mobility Creep has entered the building. Take this to get extra slippery and get a little extra range for your trouble. It is now safe to use one (1) Run and Gun for offensive purposes, but keep the two in reserve just in case. Additionally, Bob and Weave combos with Combat Tactician, so with a little thinking you can have Minigun available all the time.
Situational Advice
If youâre drowning in BlindsâŚ
Sometimes the matchmaker screws you over and pits you against Minigunâs hardest counter: astigmatism. If that happens, take Armor Piercing Rounds at 16 and Can Do This All Day at 20. Spray ânâ Pray at 13 is also a decent option, but only recommended if you feel like Minigun is totally useless.
A case for Neosteel Coating
If youâre good enough to predict when youâre about to get totally dumped on by Spell Damage (Kaelâs Pyroblast, KTZâs combo, Chromieâs Rewind, Falstadâs Hinterland Blast, Qhiraâs Final Strike), Neosteel Coating can save your butt more effectively and more often than Thatâs the Stuff!. However, those situations are (comparatively) rare, so make the call as you see fit. Thankfully, Neosteel Coatingâs talent tier comes after Level 10, so you can usually wait to see what big damage is on the way.
