Overwatch has its annual Summer Games event on right now. With this year’s Summer Games comes the fan favorite Lucio Ball, a bunch of new skins and highlights, and sporting emotes. There’s also a new Lucio Ball arena for players to flex their ball skills in. We know how intimidating it can be to put your trust in the balls of strangers if you’re a newbie; let our Overwatch Lucio Ball guide show you the path to victory.
Overwatch Lucio Ball Guide: An Introduction
Lucio Ball is a simple game. Think about Rocket League, except you and a bunch of other Lucios are knocking heads over getting your ball into the opponent’s goal. It only rolls around during the Summer Games so it’s usually chocka with players when you’re wanting to queue up. Luckily for those who want a bit of a break from getting flamed in Ranked but who still want to feel like they’re achieving something, Lucio Ball has a competitive mode that is functionally similar. However, getting good enough to flex your ball-honed muscles is a tough one. Here are some tips to get you started.
Overwatch Lucio Ball Guide: The Name of the Game
While the ball is the focus of the aptly-named Lucio Ball, it’s not a game about always being in possession of the ball. Much like in traditional soccer, every player on the Lucio Ball team has a role to play, which largely involves throwing yourself around the map at high speeds. Players will enter the game mode in a specific position on the field, and it’s in your interest to stay in that formation. It works a lot like any other game with balls and lads – someone has to stop the opponent from sliding the ball cheekily between your posts.
Overwatch Lucio Ball Guide: Being at One with the Ball
Lucio Ball is about being in harmony with the ball. That said, you don’t have to focus on always having balls resting on your head. It’s about letting the ball come to you, and about knowing when to go hard on the ball and when to caress it. You get to employ Lucio’s prodigious skills in ball-maneuvering to help you across the enemy line, and knowing how to use those skills is important for victory.
Using Lucio’s Ultimate in Lucio Ball
Players have the option of using Lucio’s ultimate for better ball handling. The ult turns you into Brazilian Sonic for a short time. You go fast, and you get more momentum to execute some truly lethal ball shots. Often ults get activated in retaliation when someone on the enemy team has powered up, but that might not be the most effective way to use your ult.
Lucio Ball rewards anticipatory play as much as reactive play. If you’ve got your ult up and the field is reset, boost it as fast as you can. This will ensure that you get the first hit on the ball and can control its trajectory before the enemy has a chance to strategize past your opening shot.
Lucio’s other skills will grant you general mobility around the ball and help you control how high or low you’re swinging, but the real game changer is generally his ult.
General Movement Tips for Lucio Ball
Unsurprisingly, those with an eye for the field will do well in Lucio Ball. Making sure that you’re focused on the ball is one thing, but you also need to know where you want to be and how to position yourself accordingly for both defensive and offensive play. You have the ability to leapfrog off jump pads and to pull off some truly amazing plays if you’re finding yourself getting highballed by the enemy team.
Much like Rocket League, it’s as much about a soft touch as it is about bouncing the ball off inviting surfaces. Those who are skilled at ball whispering will want to make use of every single nook and cranny in the area to get optimum momentum and to trick your opponents. Sometimes letting the ball follow the call of nature and take its own path can be just as valuable as having an iron-fisted grip on where it goes. You need to learn when to put your foot on the pedal (when your opponents’ goal is open), and when to relax (when you’re waiting for a mate to top your ball up).
Now that we’ve shared our tips and tricks with you, it’s time to get out there in the Lucio Ball arena and to hit a home run with your mates and your balls. Remember the golden rules above and you’ll be sure to make your home team proud these Summer Games. You’ve got until 30 August 2018 to flex those ball muscles of yours, so take every opportunity! We’ll see you on the field.
