A Beginers Guide to Heading Back to the Ranch (Lonestar LVL3+ Build)

So, when starting out you will only have a few upgrades available to you until you level up Sheriff Lonestar to level 3. These are the first 3 of each line skill, so to start off you don't need to choose between what upgrades you need for each skill it's mainly about the order that you get them. When starting off this won't be much of a problem especially if you're having your first game. Your three abilities are your dynamite that allows you to throw 3 dynamite out doing damage to what they hit, your Hyper Bull that knockback enemies in a line (use this to bull nauts away and into your own turret and teammates to take them down together, be careful though not to kill your team with this!), finally your ranged auto attack and your double jump (which can be and should be upgraded to the triple jump as soon as possible). There are multiple ways to play Lonestar and I find this to be the easiest and best build for new players, so try out different combinations and find what works for you. So let's talk about what to get you to start off the match!

• Mainly your role is to push so clear creeps quickly and move to the next lane and clear those using your dynamite on one lane and the bull (with the Viking Helmet upgrade) on the other especially if the opposite team are slow naughts.
  
• This allows you to push two lanes at once and they will find it hard to keep up. Failing this you can use both abilities to clear a lane quickly and deal damage to the turret using the bull to give your droids more cover, however, watch the minimap closely for anyone who might be coming for you (you may want to keep the bull for your escape after).
  
• When you feel ready try getting kills by dropping down on isolated enemies and bulling them into your turret or other teammates to get a nice easy kill, use the dynamite to chase down any fleeing naughts or use it up close and personal to engage.
  
• You should constantly try to jump when around enemies to avoid them hitting you, you have a double/triple jump use it! If you're low on health you can always jump to another lane to get health with the upgraded dynamite, visiting the base or killing a neutral creep.
  
• Always watch the minimap it's how you win! Knowing where your team is and where the enemies are, gives you a great advantage so try to do this as much as possible!

You will start off with 150 solar and will be allowed to go through the solar drop where you will collect up to 35 solar depending on how well you collect it (may be worth trying to learn the patterns as you play more!). When the gates open go gather solar from creep waves until you have 220 to get the first upgrade.

- Transfusion Grenades (220): This allows you to stay in the game longer focus creep waves to gain health back, the multiple droids they hit means more health for you!




- Rubber Sleeve (155): You will most likely miss a lot of shots and throws as you adjust to your new lifestyle, this will allow you to get a much further range and allow you to just hold it down and allow it to hit just anybody especially if they are getting away (when you get better with aiming you may want to swap for either Incendiary Bomb (150) or Trinamite (145x2)).

- Rocket Boots (160): Allow you to get your triple jump which may sound pointless, but believe me this is by far the most amazing! Use this constantly even when you don't have this upgrade try jumping as much as possible to avoid incoming attacks and using your bull to get out of sticky situations.

- If your finding that it's getting hard to stay alive you may want to invest in a health upgrade either Power Pills Turbo (130x2 solar) if you are against hard hitting nauts (i.e. Clunk) or Med-i'-can (90x2 solar) if you are against someone with a lot of burn/poison damage (i.e. Gnaw). If not try buying both ranks of the Trinamite (145x2 solar) to get your dynamite to pack more punch! Or you may want to consider the Incendiary Bomb (150) if there is an invisible character around to track them.

Now you have the ability to stay in for longer and take creep waves out quickly with the dynamite and rolling them back with your bull, it's time to start upgrading the bull to help you get more kills.

- Techno Viking Helmet (150x2): These allow the bull to do massive amounts of damage especially when pinning a naut or a naut trying to push through it, use this to pin them against stuff or towards your turret by dropping down on them.


- Mature Ribbit Snail Slime (250): This allows the bull to slow your enemies which help kill your foes and slows them to allow your team to get to you and help.



- Bull Charger (180) or Super Breed 2.0 (135): This is completely up to you whether you want to do an extra bit of damage at the end or have a longer lasting bull to pin people longer.


- Once again if you are struggling to stay in or stay alive, buy the health upgrades, if not get the Booming Bullets upgrade (190) this allows you to hit both creeps on a lane at the same time to clear creeps quicker.

So the end is near, we face the final curtain. Hopefully, you have been able to pin some nauts and get out of situations with your bull, do major damage with your dynamite/regain health to stay in longer. Now just to upgrade your AA and your health if you haven't done so already.

- Crystal Eagle Bullets (300): Allows you to deal more damage with your AA.




- Another Missile (220): Adds a slow homing missile to your auto attack that allows you to do some damage with your eyes closed!



- After this, you should be upgrading any health items that weren't already bought before, and with that you should be at full build so congrats!! :D




As one last thing there are a few things to take into account:
- Lonestar well works with almost every character but Ix, Raelynn, and Yoolip are my favourites to play with.
- Although Lonestar can deal with most characters fairly well be careful when taking on tanks (like Clunk) and fast moving assassins (like Penny). You will find it hard to do enough damage to tanks to make it worthwhile engaging them 1v1 so team up to take them down (the Techno Viking Helmet upgrade will help alot with this as well!). When it comes to fast moving assassins its best you try to keep your distance when alone as they can deal large amounts of damage very quickly and usually can destroy your bull when you try to escape.
- All characters have passive regen, but it is pretty bad.
- You do have a movement penalty when shooting, so you may want to stop when running away or trying to catch up to someone for that last shot.
- Try to stay calm and not panic use your abilities, this may waste them.
- With each level earned by killing creeps, turrets and nauts you gain a slight damage and health increase (max level is 20) so dont fall too far behind!
- Most importantly be respectful and have fun!! :)