Fivewells Class Guide: Five Classes, 12 Skill Points and How a Level Is Earned

What a skill rank really buys

Every class has the same seven skill slots: Q, W, E, the R ultimate, F, V and C. C is the class defensive and is always ready at rank 1 without a point. The other six need at least one point before you can use them at all; an unlearned slot simply refuses to cast. You start a match with three points and get one more each level, twelve by level 10.

Q, W, E, F and V go up to rank 4 with no level requirement, so you could put three points into one skill at level 1. The ultimate takes its first rank at level 4 and its second at level 8.

Each rank above the first adds 25% to a skill's direct damage, healing or shield, so rank 4 is 1.75 times rank 1. An ultimate rank adds 45%. Durations do not change with rank. A stun, root, slow, silence, knockback, blink or dispel does exactly the same job at rank 1 as at rank 4, and damage or healing over time ticks the same too. Put spare points into the skills that hit or heal, and one point into each control skill you want available.

Where experience comes from

There are no neutral monsters, so experience comes from fights, objectives and time. Level 2 takes 180 experience, level 4 a total of 1,040 and level 10 a total of 10,354. Time alone gives 2.2 a second: level 2 after about 1.4 minutes, the ultimate at level 4 after about 7.9.

The other sources, as the game counts them:

• Kill: 70 + 22 × the victim's level, plus 30 for each level the victim is above you. Assist: 38 + 12 × the victim's level.
• Ending a streak of three or more kills adds a bounty of up to 330, of which assisting players get 35%.
• Flags: 60 for picking one up, 90 for returning yours, 260 for a capture.
• Wells: 180 for capturing one, 70 for defending one. Holding the altar pays 55 at regular intervals.

Warrior: the front line

The Warrior has the most health (796 at level 1, +221 per level) and 90 armour, fights at 3.2 m and runs on rage, which builds as it deals and takes damage and drains out of combat. Charge (Q, 22 m, 14 s) dashes to a target, stuns it for 1.2 seconds and gives 25 rage. Shield Bash (W, 7 s) interrupts a cast, silences for 1.2 seconds and slows. Earthshaker (E, 10 s) hits everything within 7 m, cuts their damage by 25% for 8 seconds and slows them briefly. Last Stand (R, 90 s) gives 12 seconds of 25% less damage and +20 health regeneration a second, with an instant heal, and gives allies within 9 m 60% less damage for 4 seconds.

Hamstring (F) halves a target's speed for 4 seconds on a 6-second cooldown, the tool for catching flag carriers. Disarm (V) stops basic attacks for 4.5 seconds but not spells, so save it for a Rogue or Hunter. Hold the Line (C) roots you for 2.5 seconds with 30% less damage taken.

Priest: the healer

The Priest has 686 health, 320 mana and a 24 m reach. Swift Touch (Q) is a 1.2-second heal with no cooldown. Cast on an enemy, it deals 23% of the heal as damage. Sanctuary Barrier (W, 9 s) puts a damage shield and a 9-second Renew on an ally. Soul Shake (E, 26 s) knocks enemies within 8 m back 5 m, fears them for 2.5 seconds (no casting, 40% slower) and leaves 12 seconds of Shadow Word: Pain. Song of Dawn (R, 100 s) heals every ally within 14 m at once, keeps healing for 6 seconds and cuts their damage taken by 15%.

Dispel (F) removes two harmful effects from an ally, and Water Prison (V) holds an enemy for 3.5 seconds after a 0.6-second cast. Composure (C) adds 30 armour and 12 spell power for 20 seconds on a 26-second cooldown, so it can be up most of the match. Use it whenever it is ready.

Mage: burst from range

The Mage has 648 health, a 26 m reach and the highest spell power. Fire Spike (Q) takes 1.1 seconds and leaves Ignite, which stacks up to three times. Frost Spike (W) is quicker at 0.6 seconds and slows by 40% for 5 seconds. Sleet (E, 12 s) covers an 8 m circle for 6 seconds with damage and slows each second. Meteor (R, 60 s) takes 1.3 seconds, hits the target and everything within 5 m, and leaves three stacks of Ignite.

Blink (F, 15 s) jumps you 15 m the way you face and gives Arcane Power: 35% more damage for 10 seconds. It is an escape and also the opening of your burst. Frost Nova (C) roots enemies within 7 m for 3 seconds. Polymorph: Rabbit (V) lasts 5 seconds but breaks on any damage, so do not cast it on a target your team is already hitting.

Hunter: the longest reach

The Hunter starts with the least health, 600, but has the longest reach in the game, 28 m. Piercing Shot (Q, 1.3 s cast, 6 s cooldown) deals up to 35% more the lower the target's health and puts on Hunter's Mark, which makes the target take 12% more damage from everyone for 20 seconds. Split Shot (W) hits a 24 m cone and leaves a 10-second poison. Frost Snare (E) is a trap you place up to 12 m away. It arms after a second, waits up to 45 seconds and freezes the first enemy for 3 seconds. Explosive Arrow (R, 55 s) hits the target and everything within 6 m.

Beast Stride (F, 40 s) gives 45% more speed for 8 seconds and clears two harmful effects. Silencing Arrow (V) stops spells for 3.5 seconds from 30 m, and Trip (C) slows by 40% for 3 seconds.

Rogue: stealth and stuns

The Rogue is the fastest class (7.6 m/s) and has 696 health, 3 m reach and the highest critical chance. Slash (Q) has no cooldown and is limited only by energy. Each hit adds a stack of Deadly Poison (up to five) and a 30% slow. Garrote (W, 20 s) stuns for 3 seconds. Shadow Step (E, 18 s) makes you invisible for up to 20 seconds at 85% speed, and taking any damage breaks it. Shadow Blades (R, 70 s) deals instant heavy damage and gives 60% faster attacks for 12 seconds.

The stun from stealth comes from Ambush (F), which works only while stealthed and deals heavy damage with a 2-second stun. A basic attack or Slash from stealth just reveals you. Put a point in F before you plan to open from stealth. Throw Powder (V) makes a target's attacks miss 40% of the time for 4.5 seconds, and Evade (C) slides you 8 m.

Stuns that break, and other counters

• Garrote, Water Prison and Frost Snare end early once the target has taken 15% of its maximum health in damage. Polymorph and stealth end on any damage. Burst a trapped target only when your team can finish it.
• Damage over time (Ignite, poisons, Shadow Word: Pain) breaks stealth like any hit, so a Rogue carrying one cannot hide.
• Disarm and Throw Powder stop attacks, not spells, so use them on Warriors, Hunters and Rogues. Silences (Shield Bash, Silencing Arrow, Soul Shake) stop Priests and Mages, and physical skills still work through a silence.
• Last Stand and Song of Dawn are on 90 and 100-second cooldowns. Once you see them used, that is the moment to commit.

Choosing a class, alone or with friends

The class data rates difficulty from 1 to 3: the Warrior 1, the Mage and Hunter 2, the Priest and Rogue 3. With AI teammates the Warrior is the gentlest start, since it has the health to survive mistakes. The Priest lives on positioning and the Rogue on timing a stealth opener. When the public queue fills seats with bots, it makes sure each team has a tank and a healer.

In a friend room, plan around the long effects. A Hunter's Mark makes everyone's damage on that target 12% higher, Earthshaker cuts a whole group's damage by a quarter, and a Mage's Frost Nova root sets up a Rogue's Garrote or a Priest's Soul Shake. Spend a few skill points on purpose rather than spreading them evenly.