Awesomenauts Fundamentals

Overview

In this guide, we will be covering the fundamentals of Awesomenauts. From the basics of proper movement, right up to formulating team compositions, and everything in between! This is meant as a tool for new and old players alike to improve their Awesomenauts gameplay.Should you have any questions or concerns on the content within this guide, you are more than welcome to contact me directly through Steam, and I will do my absolute best to help you out.Stay Awesome!

Introduction

Hello, and welcome to the wonderful world of Awesomenauts!

I am Khashix. Former AMB (Awesomenauts Mega Brawl) and APL (Awesomenauts Pro League) organizer. Throughout my time in Awesomenauts, I’ve found myself more often than not sitting right on the edge of League 1 and League 2. And while I may not have made it to the top of the leaderboards, hopefully this insight from someone with experience in helping run the early competitive scene will be useful to you.

If you’re just getting started in the game, some of what you are presented with may seem daunting. Being tossed in a match with two teammates against a team of three, unsure of who you should play, or what you should be doing. I will be doing my best to cover this in the following sections, and give you a better understanding of what it takes to win your first few matches.

Why am I doing a fundamentals guide, rather than going in depth on specific characters and maps? Well, those are all subject to balance changes, whereas hopefully what is put out in this will stick around for more than a few patches.

DISCLAIMER: Nothing being said is entirely set in stone. These are just the ways I like to look at the game. Try to take what you read here and flex it in a way which suits your playstyle, and ultimately, have fun!

Terminology

Here we’ll cover a few of the terms I might be using in this guide, or those which you might see in-game. This being said, I won’t be covering all aspects of online gaming terminology, as that would just be too much. Moreso just that relevant to Awesomenauts.

Face(something): Using an ability on someone who’s hitbox is touching yours, or using your character to check a hidden area. Examples: Facemite (Lonestar’s Dynamite), Facemine (Yuri’s mine), etc.

CC: Crowd control. Abilities which restrict the movement which limits the number of characters fighting, either by slowing, silencing, snaring, etc.

Snare: An ability which restricts a character’s movement, though not their ability to fight.

Stun: An ability which leaves the enemy Awesomenaut unable to move or attack for a brief period.

Slow: An ability which slows the enemy Awesomenauts movement speed, or in some special cases, their attack speed as well. Examples would be Yuri’s bubble, or Max’s well… Moving bubble.

Solar: The currency used to purchase upgrades within a match.

MOBA: Multiplayer Online Battle Arena. A genre of game which typically involves a set of lanes and towers, with the primary objective to destroy the opposing team’s base. The two most recognized examples of this would be Dota 2 and League of Legends.

Balance: Developers tweaking the numbers to change how effective a specific method of play is. Balancing a naut could include altering their health pool or damage output, where balancing a map would involve shifting around health packs, moving jump pads, etc.

Nerf: A balance update to a specific aspect of the game in which the reductions outweigh the additions. “Oh man, they nerfed Froggy’s splash dash! Now it only does 20 damage, instead of 40!”

Base: In Awesomenauts could refer to one of two meanings. 1. The drill core in which you are trying to protect. 2. An ability/naut without any upgrades. “Base mines are really powerful, so you should just get boots first.” “Base Leon is sooooo much better than baa.”

Lifesteal: An ability which will heal you upon damaging the enemy.

Regen: The ability to regenerate life without picking up health. Typically referring to the upgrade “Med-i-can”.

Stealth: A state in which the opposing team cannot see you. This can be granted either through abilities, or the powerup on Aiguillon.

Choosing a Naut

You’ve done it! Made your way through the tutorial, browsed the armory, looked at all those cool characters you’re able to earn and thought “Man, I wonder which one I should play.”

Fortunately for you, the armory offers the luxury of being able to try a character before you make the purchase. But where do you begin? Well for starters, let’s click on a character. You will see their name, a short description of what they do, their abilities, their difficult meter, and finally their skins. Underneath the name of the Awesomenaut you have selected, you will see their role. Let’s dive into what these roles mean, and hopefully you’ll be able to find one which appeals to your general playstyle.

The Harasser will be dishing out damage to give your team a preemptive bonus in a fight. They are typically able to harm the enemy from a safe distance, may have some sort of utility which could alter the result of a teamfight, and tend to work best when travelling in a group with their teammates. The Harasser does have to be careful, however. If caught out on their own, they could easily be picked off by a Fighter or Assassin.

List of Harasser Nauts: Max Focus, Skree, Raelynn, Coco Nebulon, Gnaw

These are the real meat and potatoes of your offensive lineup. Fighters are able to sent out a constant stream of DPS (damage per second) which is exceptional at widdling down either your opponent, or their turrets. You will typically find a Fighter Naut to have some sort of escape method for if they get caught out, be it exceptional movement, some sort of slow, etc.

List of Fighter Nauts: Jimmy and the Lux5000, Chucho Krokk, Rocco, Ted McPain, Admiral Swiggins, Ayla, Skølldir, Sheriff Lonestar,

The Assassin is here to seal the deal. Typically sporting high burst damage, a low healthpool, and excellent mobility, their job is to get in, kill, and get out. If a player is to become proficient in the movement of an Assassin naut, they become a very deadly weapon.

List of Assassin Nauts: Ksenia, Nibbs, Penny Fox, Vinnie & Spike, Leon Chameleon, Froggy G

Here come the big boys. Tanks are able to serve as your meat shields in a fight, while still being able to shell out their fair share of damage. Though with this high damage and health pool comes a severe lack of speed. In playing a tank, you will often find yourself not able to chase down the enemy all that well. To compensate for this, Tank Nauts will usually have some sort of ability or upgrade which allows them to keep the enemy from running away, most commonly in the form of snares and stuns.

List of Tank Nauts: Scoop, Sentry X-58, Clunk, Derpl Zork

Last but most certainly not least, the glue which keeps our teams together, the supports. These characters will often have a number of abilities to benefit the team in an encounter. Heals, shields, speed boosts, slows for the enemy, you name it. Though don’t be fooled, these Nauts pack a punch, and will punish anyone who gets too greedy. Often Support Nauts have a slow early game, and tend to excel as the match goes on.

List of Support Nauts: Deadlift, Ix the Interloper, Professor Yoolip, Genji, Yuri, Voltar

Hopefully now you have a better understanding of what to aim for. Now get into that armory, start trying the characters, and find that perfect fit!

Your First Match

You’ve done it! After waiting for the system to pair you with teammates, you have been tossed into a game, and are now collecting as much solar as you can while being thrust at the planet in your drop pod. But what do you do once you land?

IMPORTANT: No matter what it is you’re doing in the match, keep an eye on your minimap! Knowing where your enemies are in relation to your teammates is essential in being able to save them, getting some kills of your own, and possibly getting out of the way asthey come to gank you.

1. Shop: Until the droids spawn for the match, there will be a wall which blocks you from leaving your shop. So you may as well make the most of it, right? This initial purchase will set the scene for how you play out the first few minutes of the match, so don’t be afraid to think about it for a moment. What will you be doing once you’re on the field?

2. Farming: You’re going to need upgrades to kill your enemies. And to get those upgrades? Solar! And there are a number of ways to get this. The Piggy Bank upgrade is an option, however many players don’t wish to run that as it takes up a utility slot in late game. You can collect it on the ground, but that takes time.

Typically, you want to be focused on killing the enemy droids and neutral critters. The enemy droids will drop a single gold solar block each, which is worth 5 solar. The neutral critters will give you 3 solar per kill, so while they’re not as valuable as the enemy droids, they take almost no time to kill and are very much worth the effort.

As well as gathering solar, farming will also contribute to your team’s XP pool, which will directly benefit every member of your team. So hey, sometimes it pays to be greedy.

3. Roaming: Unlike your typical MOBA-style game, in Awesomenauts it’s typically not in your best interest to stay in one lane. Being able to move yourself around the map is a key part of the gameplay, and will present you with many more opportunities to capitalize on your opponent’s mistakes. This bit isn’t so much one I can explain, but more something you just want to feel out for yourself.

So hop in a few games, and be sure to practise moving around the map. Maybe you start in top lane, kill the droids to get their solar, then take out some neutral creeps as you transition to bottom, maximizing your earning potential.

4. Pushing: Pushing is rather straightforward. Stand behind your droids while damaging the enemy turret. Though you want to stay safe while doing this, and to stay safe, you want to be alert. Devote as much attention as you can to the minimap, and try to see where the enemies are positioned on the map.

Is there a 2v3 you’re not a part of? If it’s closer to your turret, you can probably get away with not bothering unless someone explicitly asks you for help. If it’s in enemy territory, odds are you want your droids to do the bulk of the work while you go help your team out.

5. Teamfights: Both teams are now starting to group up and go at eachother, but what should you be doing? Well, refer to the role of your character.

Are you a harasser? Stick to a safe distance and shell out all the damage you can. Fighter? Start pumping out that DPS while dancing around the enemy. Tank? Get your face in there and protect your team! Understanding your role in this sort of situation is key to coming out on top. Because if you die, that’s one third of your team gone.

Advanced: Movement

One of the first things you’ll notice about Awesomenauts is that it’s not like other MOBA titles. Rather than a top down view, the game is sidescrolling. And with this comes the added dimension of verticle movement.

This is both a blessing and a curse. While it provides you a better means of escape and ganking the enemy, the same could be said for them. You must be constantly on your toes, as the opponent will likely not just show up on the same level as you. Minimap is key when it comes to maneuvering around the stage, which is why right from the get go we must learn to use it as best we can.

Now, this is easier said than done. When you’re first starting off and not entirely comfortable with the game’s mechanics, you’ll often find yourself tunnel visioning trying to make the most out of your abilities. Now while this is fine and normal for lower levels of play, if you wish to step your game up you’ll have to make some conscious decisions.

1. Do not be afraid to jump: Yes, believe it or not that jump-spamming you do in every other video game actually pays off here! Now granted, you want to be sure that you’re still able to hit your opponent while jumping. So take a bit of time to practice before attempting to utilize it on the battlefield. If you try your hardest, you should get the hang of it after one practise round.

2. Learn to dodge mid-air: We all do it. Accidentally jump into an enemy’s ability, taking a facefull of dynamite and giving the opposing team 30 solar. But what sets the top-tier players apart from you in this respect, is that they have trained themselves to dodge while mid-air. I would not at all suggest attempting to run into enemy fire just to dodge it, but you should be safe practising this mechanic in actual games. It will just come with time, as you get better at reading your opponent.

3.Be careful when face-checking brush: Eventually, you’ll have to do it. Stick your head in the hidden area to see what’s in there. And while we can use audio queues and abilities to get a general idea of what’s sitting in there, a more effective and cooldown-friendly method is to phase through the platform, then swiftly jump out as you gain vision.

Now, you’re going ot want to avoid this if the enemy team has a Leon, or some other means of displacing you. It can also be dangerous if there is a Derpl, as the hitbox of his traps might catch you by surprise.

4. Body Blocking: Yes, this is an element of Awesomenauts. And a rather prominent one in high levels of play, at that! In essence, you cannot move through your enemies, and your enemies cannot move through you. This opens up a world of possibilities, and really brings the hitbox into question when choosing your character. If you’re fighting someone and you see them trying to reach an exit behind you, try body blocking them. If might land you a few extra kills!

Advanced: Pushing

Time to learn how to maximize your pushes. Let’s get into it!

1. Spam: If you’re not planning on fighting any time soon, be sure to use your abilities to harm the turret. Remember, there’s no mana in Awesomenauts. So all you have to worry about after is cooldowns.

2. Keep the droids safe: Tanking for your minions could be beneficial, if done safely. Make sure there are no enemies attempting to take you out, and try to soak up some damage for your droids. This could buy enough time for the next wave to reach you, which will do even more damage to the turret.

3. When you pick an enemy off: If your team has the numbers advantage (more teammates up than they do) and you are not about to kill a base turret, send your most mobile teammate to split push the other lane. Either they will send one teammate to deal with them, or they just won’t have the resources to defend.

4. Super Droids: Move with your Super Droid. Not only do they help cripple enemy turrets, they also have a lot of health and can serve as a pseudo “4th member” in a teamfight. He will also act as a bit of an aggro draw for the enemy, as usually people don’t want to let them survive.

Advanced: Fighting (Both Dueling and Teamfighting)

Let’s go over some of the ways you can give yourself an edge over the opponent when you clash heads.

1. Bodyblocking: By restricting their movement using your own hitbox, you could potentially push them into abilities they were directly trying to run away from, or just hold them down until your teammates arrive to help you clean up.

2. Know your limits: Understand when your health is too low to continue. Don’t get greedy, as in the end kills don’t win the game. Do your best to recognize when the enemy’s cooldowns will be up, and get out of their way if something high damage becomes available to them.

3. Think about your actions: Don’t just run into the enemy headfirst without having some sort of plan. Analyze the situation and see if you’ve got a potential escape route if things go sour. Do they have an escape route? Will they punish you for moving in? Is it even worth it? You might get a better result by going to gather some more farm than you would risking them gaining 30 solar if you die to them.

4. Alternate your routine: Don’t get caught just doing the same little dance over and over again. Eventually your enemy will grow wise to it, and be able to counter it efficiently. Try to make your moves unpredictable to them, so they have to remain on their toes at all time. (And yes, I’m pointing at you Leon who just waits to tongue someone into Yuri mines.)

5. Split the damage: If you’re in a teamfight and notice one of your teammates getting into lethal health territory, don’t be afraid to body block for them. The less kills the enemy gets, the less solar they have, and the less potential kills they may be getting.

6. If you must flee…: Do not shoot behind you. This will only slow you down, and give the enemy a chance to take you out. After all, it’s “fight or flight”, not “fight or kinda fly while fighting”.

Closing Statements

Thank you very much for taking the time to read this guide. I hope it has helped you gather a better understanding of Awesomenauts, and leads to many wins in your future!

As stated at the beginning, if you’ve and questions/concerns regarding the content of this guide, feel free to contact me directly through steam.

It would be greatly appreciated if you could take the time to like and rate this guide if you enjoyed it, or dislike and rate if you didn’t. All feedback is welcome.

And as always,

Stay awesome!