Have you been out of the Grandmaster? Here’s what you need to know and do

Congratulations on getting out of the second lowest rank in Mobile Legends; the real journey has only just begun. Finally, after so many wins and losses, you’ve moved out of Grand Master and into the Epic rank. Winning and losing really is exhausting.

Photo Source: Mobile Legends

Sometimes all you need is just one win, but Moonton has other ideas, and you end up with a loss. But now you’ve successfully made it out of Grand Master. Congratulations once again.

However, don’t get too excited just yet, because in the next rank you’ll still face an endless cycle of wins and losses. In the Epic rank, most players get stuck here. Why? Because just because you managed to get out of Grand Master doesn’t mean you’ll be able to move up that quickly.

The matchmaking system in Epic: Learning the draft pick from the ground up

In this rank, you’ll encounter banned heroes during the matchmaking process. That’s right, from Epic V onwards, the official draft pick system comes into effect. This change is likely to come as quite a surprise to new players.

Draft pick is the process before the game starts where both teams take turns banning and selecting heroes. Each team gets the chance to ban three heroes they don’t want to face or don’t want on their team. This means the hero you usually play might get banned and you won’t be able to use them. If you only know how to play 1 or 2 heroes, this will be a problem.

Whereas in lower ranks you could simply pick your favourite hero, this time you’ll need to decide quickly and secure the role you want to play. This applies from Epic rank upwards.

 

Why are good draft picks important? A poor draft pick will put a team in a difficult position right from the start of the game. Imagine a match begins and one team is made up entirely of mage heroes, it would certainly be very difficult to defeat the enemy. Such a formation would be crushed in the very first team fight due to its unbalanced composition. A draft featuring ordinary heroes but with the right composition might actually win.

Epic Tier Player Characters

Photo Source: Mobile Legends

As well as the hero ban phase, you’ll also come across players who are starting to understand team composition better. They don’t just pick heroes who are strong individually but also consider synergy. For example, the combination of an engaged hero and a burst hero, or a healer paired with a suitable carry.

Another thing to note is that at Epic rank, the opponents you face are quite aware of objectives. At this rank, they’ve also started to get good at securing the Turtle. However, when it comes to hero variety, it can sometimes be a bit absurd because they don’t master many heroes, and their roles often clash.

Player behaviour at the Epic rank can also be incredibly frustrating. At Grand Master, you might still tolerate it, even though it’s just as annoying, but it’s still manageable. When they’re told what to do, they refuse to listen. They’re as stubborn as a rock, as if they don’t want to be told what to do.

Season-specific hero picks

Every season, the META (Most Effective Tactic Available) heroes are constantly changing. Although they change with every season, there is one pattern that remains almost consistently used at Epic rank: heroes that are simple to play, have a significant impact on the team, do not rely too heavily on high-level coordination, and are commonly used in major tournaments such as the MPL and M Series.

In the Epic tier, the pattern of effective heroes tends to remain consistent from season to season. For the EXP lane and jungle, choose heroes that have a significant impact from the early game. Fighters with high sustain in the EXP lane or heroes with high damage who can poke the enemy from the start. In the midlane, choose heroes with fast wave clear and CC in teamfights that can benefit the team in the early game.

For the gold lane, choose marksmen that are currently popular in major tournaments like the MPL and M Series. These heroes are usually OP (Overpowered). As for the roamer, you can adapt to other roles. Meta heroes are often banned, as they are considered too overpowered and difficult to counter.

So, what do you want to do now?

Reaching Grandmaster is certainly an achievement, but as you’ve read above, it’s only the beginning. The gameplay in Epic is somewhat different from before, with the difficulty level starting to ramp up. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t get out of this rank.

A few simple things to keep in mind are: study the draft picks thoroughly, expand your hero pool or at least master one role with confidence, don’t get drawn into toxic behaviour if you encounter annoying players, and keep an eye on the meta heroes that are currently popular in this season.

If you’ve had any exciting, funny, or even frustrating experiences whilst in the Epic rank, do share them in the comments section! Who knows, your experience might serve as a lesson for others, or at the very least provide some shared entertainment. See you in the next rank!