- Positioning counter: stand where their best angle doesn’t exist
- Timing counter: fight when their key cooldown is down (or bait it out)
- Resource counter: answer their “big moment” with the correct defensive tool, not panic spam
If you learn this structure, you can counter almost anything—even if you’re not playing a “hard counter hero.”
The Counter Toolkit: What Actually Stops Meta Heroes
Most “broken” heroes are only broken when you give them one of these advantages. Remove the advantage, and they become manageable.
1) Deny predictable value
Meta heroes love predictable movement (doorways, payload corners, overtime touches).
Counterplay: rotate early, split entries, and avoid stacking in one doorway.
2) Force them to show first
If a hero relies on surprise (assassins, flankers, stealth, sudden burst), make them reveal themselves before committing.
Counterplay: hold crossfires, keep one player watching flank routes, and don’t push your backline into blind corners.
3) Make their ultimate “hit nothing”
Many ults look overpowered because teams stand in the perfect clump and panic.
Counterplay: spread, pre-position behind cover, and hold one invulnerability/shield tool specifically for ult answers.
4) Punish the commit
Mobile heroes feel unfair if you don’t punish them when they spend mobility.
Counterplay: don’t chase the entry—punish the exit. When they dash in, survive; when they try to leave, focus and finish.
5) Stop the first death
Most fights are decided by the first elimination.
Counterplay: supports play safer, tanks peel earlier, and the team stops trickling into lost fights.
6) Win the objective, not the ego duel
Sometimes the correct “counter” is ignoring the raid boss and winning the capture/escort while they overchase.
Counterplay: assign touch responsibility, stop chasing, convert every won fight into progress immediately.
The 30-Second Counter Checklist Before Every Fight
If you want a simple routine that improves your counterplay immediately, do this each fight:
- Where is their win condition located? (high ground, backline, choke, objective corner)
- Which cooldown/ultimate decides the fight? (their big engage, pull, burst, invulnerability, heal spike)
- Who is our “answer” hero? (the one holding shield, sleep, cleanse, displacement, or anti-heal)
- Who touches if it goes to overtime? (don’t let touch be random)
- What is our focus target? (support, diver, or the tank depending on comp)
The biggest reason meta heroes feel unbeatable is that teams fight them with no plan and no assigned answers.
Counter Picks That Matter (Without Forcing Weird Comps)
You don’t need to hard counter every enemy hero. You need 1–2 counter tools in your lineup that match what the enemy is doing.
These counter tools are the most universally useful:
- A peeler Vanguard (someone who can protect supports and deny divers)
- A control/zone Duelist (someone who punishes touches and forces enemies off lanes)
- A defensive Strategist (someone with strong saves, denial, or fight-swing utility)
- A diver/finisher Duelist (someone who can actually reach and punish backline supports)
When the enemy runs “double support sustain,” your counter tool is usually:
- anti-heal pressure + coordinated focus
- When the enemy runs “double diver backline delete,” your counter tool is usually:
- peel + punish + safe support positioning
- When the enemy runs “objective anchor tanks,” your counter tool is usually:
- angle pressure + forcing supports out + not dumping ults into shields
Now let’s get specific.
How to Counter Top Meta Vanguards
Meta tanks don’t feel strong because of damage—they feel strong because they decide where fights happen. Your counter plan should be: break their space advantage and kill what enables them.
Countering Devil Dinosaur
Why Devil Dinosaur feels oppressive
- Huge frontline presence that wins close objective fights
- Forces panic positioning (teams clump, then get punished)
- Creates “I can’t touch” pressure in overtime
- Can become even scarier when paired with strong frontline damage (including certain Team-Up setups)
What actually stops Devil Dinosaur
- Kiting and corner discipline: don’t brawl in open space; fight from corners and fall back one corner at a time.
- Split angles: if all damage is coming from one lane, Dino just walks at it. Two angles force him to choose.
- Punish the overcommit: Dino is strongest when you stand still. If he pushes past cover, focus him while his support line is forced to step forward.
- Backline pressure: Dino wants to be enabled. If his supports are stressed, his pushes become much weaker.
Counter picks that consistently help
- High mobility backline threats that can pressure supports (assassin/flank Duelists)
- Stable anti-dive supports that keep your team alive through the first stomp
- Objective controllers that punish close-range clustering
How to play the matchup (simple plan)
- Don’t meet Dino in the middle of the point. Hold a corner near the objective and force him to enter through a narrow path.
- Save one displacement or “stop tool” for the moment he commits to your support line.
- If Dino is paired with a strong frontline DPS, treat that pair as one unit: either force them off the objective with pressure, or rotate away and re-enter from a second lane.
Mistakes to avoid
- Standing on point “because we must” when you could hold the edge and still contest
- Dumping all cooldowns into Dino while enemy supports free-heal
- Chasing Dino away from the objective and losing the actual win condition
Countering Groot
Why Groot is meta
- Walls and space control turn objectives into forced paths
- Splits teams and isolates targets
- Creates “we can’t enter” scenarios, especially in Domination and Convergence capture fights
What actually stops Groot
- Don’t fight his wall the way he wants. If you keep walking into the same blocked doorway, you’re donating the match.
- Rotate early and wide. Groot is strongest when you arrive late and stacked.
- Angle pressure on his supports. Groot wants structured fights; chaos on his backline breaks the structure.
- Exploit wall cooldown windows. Once he commits a wall, there’s a period where your team can push a different lane without getting split.
Counter picks that consistently help
- Mobile Duelists who can bypass or re-angle around walls quickly
- Vanguards that can dive or disrupt to force Groot to turn around
- Supports with speed/utility to help the team rotate around new geometry fast
How to play the matchup (simple plan)
- Start every push by choosing two entry routes. Even if you only use one, you prevent the “single doorway trap.”
- When a wall splits your team, don’t panic push through. Back up, regroup, and re-enter together.
- If Groot is anchoring the point, pressure his supports first; when heals are stressed, Groot can’t hold forever.
Mistakes to avoid
- Trying to “break through” the same choke three times in a row
- Standing stacked behind one wall so one split ruins your entire fight
- Ignoring the objective timing and chasing Groot into side lanes
Countering Magneto
Why Magneto is meta
- Strong damage denial and “nope” moments (shields/bubbles)
- Makes enemy bursts and ultimates feel wasted
- Creates safe pushes by protecting teammates during key windows
What actually stops Magneto
- Bait the bubble, then fight. The worst thing you can do is dump your ultimate into a protection window.
- Stagger your resources. If you use everything at once, Magneto answers once and wins.
- Attack from multiple angles. Protection tools are strongest when all threats are in front.
- Pressure his supports and angle holders. Magneto excels when his team is stable; unstable backline makes his value harder to maximize.
Counter picks that consistently help
- Divers who force Magneto to peel instead of anchoring
- Sustained damage heroes who don’t rely on one burst moment
- Displacement/CC that punishes teammates grouping tightly around him
How to play the matchup (simple plan)
- Call a fake engage: show presence, force the bubble, then back up for two seconds.
- The moment the protection window ends, hard commit with your real push.
- Use ultimates to win the objective fight, not to “start the fight.” Against Magneto, many ults are stronger as counter-engage tools.
Mistakes to avoid
- “We have ults, go!” into a bubble/shield window
- Shooting the tank forever while supports free-cast behind him
- Getting impatient and feeding one-by-one into his protected zone
Countering Deadpool as a Vanguard
Why Tank-style Deadpool is strong
- Constant frontline pressure and disruption
- Can create chaos while still staying active in the fight
- Punishes teams that don’t focus or don’t peel
What actually stops him
- Burst + control when he’s exposed. The key is catching him when he can’t freely disengage.
- Punish his gun form moments by using cover and forcing him to waste value.
- Don’t duel him alone. He thrives on isolating people and farming stagger deaths.
Counter picks that consistently help
- Hard CC or “stop tools” that prevent him from freely weaving in and out
- Ranged pressure that forces him to retreat before he reaches your supports
- A disciplined peeler Vanguard so your backline doesn’t collapse
Mistakes to avoid
- Trying to 1v1 him on the objective while your team is split
- Overchasing him into his team and getting turned on
- Ignoring him completely when he’s farming your Strategists
Countering Hulk
Why Hulk stays strong
- Dive pressure that forces chaos
- Excellent at touching and stalling objectives
- Punishes teams with weak peel or greedy support positioning
What actually stops Hulk
- Peel early, not late. If Hulk reaches your support line uncontested, the fight is already broken.
- Save your “stop tool” for landing. Many Hulks are weakest right after they commit mobility.
- Focus him when he’s leaving. Survive the entry, then punish the retreat.
Counter picks that consistently help
- Area control Duelists that punish close-range commits
- Supports with defensive saves (sleep, cleanse, big defensive ult, denial tools)
- Peel tanks that can intercept dives without abandoning the objective
Mistakes to avoid
- Panicking and running in five directions (Hulk loves isolated targets)
- Wasting CC early when Hulk hasn’t committed yet
- Ignoring touch discipline and letting Hulk stall forever while your team chases
Countering Emma Frost
Why Emma Frost is a high-tier frontline
- Strong defensive windows (Diamond Form) that reward timing
- Becomes hard to remove during her active mitigation
- Punishes teams that keep shooting into damage reduction
What actually stops Emma
- Kite her defensive window. You don’t need to “win” during Diamond Form—you need to survive it.
- Switch targets mid-fight. If she’s unkillable for a moment, punish her teammates instead.
- Re-engage when her window ends. Emma without defensive timing feels far more manageable.
Counter picks that consistently help
- Mobile Duelists that pressure her supports while she’s in Diamond Form
- Sustained damage that doesn’t rely on one burst moment
- Displacement to push her off the objective when she tries to anchor
Mistakes to avoid
- Shooting Emma through Diamond Form while ignoring the supports keeping her alive
- Running into her at point-blank range when you could fight from a corner
- Using your biggest ultimate into her strongest defensive window
How to Counter Top Meta Duelists
Meta Duelists win games by deleting one target at the wrong time—usually your Strategist—then snowballing objective control. Your counter plan is: deny their entry, survive their spike, then punish their exit.
Countering Phoenix
Why Phoenix is meta
- High fight impact in clumped objective battles
- Punishes predictable touches and tight choke pushes
- Snowballs fights by forcing teams to spread too late
What actually stops Phoenix
- Spacing discipline: Phoenix gets “free value” when you stack.
- Use cover, not bravery. If you stand in open lanes, Phoenix’s pressure feels unstoppable.
- Force her to choose between angles. Two angles mean her pressure can’t hit everyone.
- Answer her ultimate with denial tools. Shields, invulnerability moments, and “safe zone” utility can erase her big spike.
Counter picks that consistently help
- Shield/denial Vanguards that let your team survive burst windows
- Divers that pressure Phoenix so she can’t freely farm clumps
- Supports with strong defensive ultimates that stabilize objective fights
How to play the matchup (simple plan)
- Enter objectives in layers (frontline first, backline second), not as a six-person stack.
- If Phoenix is holding a lane, rotate rather than forcing the same doorway.
- Save one defensive team resource specifically for “Phoenix’s big moment,” not for poke.
Mistakes to avoid
- “Group on point!” when the enemy Phoenix is waiting for exactly that
- Holding still in overtime clumps without cover
- Using your own ultimates in panic while Phoenix still has hers available
Countering Elsa Bloodstone
Why Elsa is meta
- Ramps with momentum and becomes terrifying if you let her stack value
- Ultimate and burst windows can melt teams that don’t answer correctly
- Punishes slow, unfocused teams that let her farm
What actually stops Elsa
- Deny her momentum: don’t give her free stacks by letting her poke safely for long periods.
- Shut down her ultimate window: defensive tools that grant damage denial or immunity can nullify her spike.
- Pressure her so she can’t “play safe.” Elsa feels broken when she’s allowed to farm without being threatened.
Counter picks that consistently help
- Defensive/immunity tools: examples include Diamond Form style mitigation, strong walls that break line-of-sight, bubble-style protection, and certain “invulnerability moment” abilities.
- Dive pressure: heroes like Iron Fist style divers can keep Elsa from stacking safely.
- Support answers: sleep effects, cleanse effects, and large “save the team” ultimates are extremely valuable into Elsa.
How to play the matchup (simple plan)
- Treat Elsa like a timer. The longer the fight goes with her stacking value, the worse it gets.
- Force short fights: either burst a target quickly or reset and re-enter with a plan.
- If her ultimate starts, don’t panic-run into open space. Break line-of-sight, use denial tools, then re-engage after the spike ends.
Mistakes to avoid
- Letting Elsa farm stacks on your tank for free while nobody pressures her
- Trying to out-heal her ultimate without using denial tools
- Chasing Elsa into her team and feeding stagger deaths
Countering Psylocke
Why Psylocke is meta
- Assassin pressure that punishes supports and isolated DPS
- Strong mobility means she chooses fights
- Thrives when teams don’t peel or don’t watch flanks
What actually stops Psylocke
- Peel discipline: Psylocke becomes far less scary when your team turns and punishes her commit.
- Hold crossfires: she wants a clean 1v1 or 2v1. Crossfires make her commit lethal risk.
- Survive the first burst: once her initial combo is spent, she’s often punishable during escape.
Counter picks that consistently help
- Peel tanks that can intercept or threaten her entry
- Area control Duelists that punish her approach routes
- Supports with crowd control (sleep/freezes) that turn her dive into a free focus
How to play the matchup (simple plan)
- Supports should play “objective-adjacent,” not isolated behind a single breakable wall.
- Always have one teammate able to see your support line (not six players tunnel-visioning the frontline).
- When Psylocke dives, call her and focus fast. Assassins lose value when dives become trades instead of free picks.
Mistakes to avoid
- Ignoring the backline while Psylocke farms your supports
- Chasing her into deep flanks where your team can’t follow
- Standing alone on high ground with no peel route
Countering Star-Lord
Why Star-Lord is high tier
- Mobility enables relentless off-angle pressure
- Punishes teams that don’t track where damage is coming from
- Thrives when supports panic and burn cooldowns early
What actually stops Star-Lord
- Angle denial: don’t let him farm the same off-angle repeatedly.
- Punish predictable flight paths: he often needs consistent routes to get value.
- Save one “anti-dive” utility every fight: if you spend everything on offense, Star-Lord deletes your backline.
Counter picks that consistently help
- Shield/denial tools that reduce the value of his burst windows
- Punish Duelists that delete divers when they commit
- Supports that reposition safely and don’t die first
Mistakes to avoid
- Standing in the same support spot every fight
- Burning your only peel tool on the enemy tank
- Chasing Star-Lord into the sky while the objective is lost
Countering Namor
Why Namor is strong
- Area pressure and zone control make objective entries painful
- Can punish divers who overcommit
- Wins slow fights by making the objective space dangerous
What actually stops Namor
- Don’t fight inside his zone for free. If your team insists on standing where his pressure is strongest, you’re donating value.
- Pressure him from an angle. If Namor must turn to deal with a flanker, his zone loses control.
- Short, decisive pushes. Slow “maybe pushes” get shredded.
Counter picks that consistently help
- Mobile flankers who can hit Namor’s position without walking through his main zone
- Burst comps that win one fight quickly before zone value compounds
- Shielded entries that let your team cross the danger lane safely
Mistakes to avoid
- Trickling into the objective one-by-one through the same lane
- Ignoring Namor while trying to kill the tank in front
- Letting Namor’s zone sit uncontested for the entire fight
Countering Moon Knight
Why Moon Knight is strong
- High value in clustered fights
- Zone tools can swing overtime touches
- Mobility allows finishing low targets and escaping
What actually stops Moon Knight
- Kill or deny his setup value. If his zone tools sit uncontested, you’ll lose the objective fight.
- Spread in overtime. Don’t give him perfect multi-target value.
- Punish him after he commits. If he spends mobility to finish, he can become punishable.
Counter picks that consistently help
- Sustained pressure heroes that can destroy or deny his setup space
- Peel supports that prevent your backline from becoming free finishes
- Displacement tools to force him off the objective at critical moments
Mistakes to avoid
- Standing stacked on point during overtime
- Ignoring his setup and trying to brute-force the fight anyway
- Chasing him deep while the objective is still contested
Countering Magik
Why Magik is meta
- Converts small openings into fast backline kills
- Threatens supports in a way that forces panic
- Punishes teams that don’t coordinate timing
What actually stops Magik
- Keep distance and fight around corners. Magik wants close, open brawls where she can chain abilities.
- Hold “stop tools” for her entry. If you CC her after she’s already killed your support, it’s too late.
- Punish her exit. If she uses mobility offensively, she may have less to escape.
Counter picks that consistently help
- Anti-dive supports with sleep/freeze/deny tools
- Peel tanks that can threaten her without abandoning objective control
- Ranged pressure Duelists that force her to take risky entries
Mistakes to avoid
- Fighting in wide open lanes with no cover
- Leaving your supports alone “because I’m DPS”
- Spamming cooldowns early so nothing is available when Magik commits
How to Counter Top Meta Strategists
Meta supports decide games because they keep teams alive through burst windows and turn objective fights into “we can stand here, you can’t.” Countering supports is about two things:
- denying their safety
- denying their peak utility windows
Countering Cloak & Dagger
Why Cloak & Dagger are top-tier
- Strong sustain and fight control around objectives
- Can stabilize chaos and punish clumps
- Hard to deal with if you let them free-cast in the backline
What actually stops them
- Burst windows on the support line: You usually don’t kill them by poking; you kill them by committing when they’re forced to reposition.
- Angle pressure: if Cloak & Dagger must turn to deal with a flanker, their team’s sustain often drops.
- Don’t fight inside their best zone tools. If they create a “safe zone,” your team either bursts through it with a plan or disengages and re-enters.
Counter picks that consistently help
- Backline assassins and fast flank Duelists that can threaten supports reliably
- Aggressive brawl heroes that punish supports if they’re too close
- Anti-heal pressure or “deny healing” moments when your team is focusing one target
How to play the matchup (simple plan)
- Make their support line uncomfortable: one flanker pressures, the rest of the team holds the objective corner.
- If they drop a big sustain tool, don’t ego-fight in it. Back up one corner, wait it out, then re-engage with your own resources.
Mistakes to avoid
- Ignoring Cloak & Dagger and trying to kill the tank through full healing
- Clumping in doorways where their utility hits everyone
- Diving them one-by-one instead of committing as a team
Countering Invisible Woman
Why Invisible Woman is strong
- Survivability and protection tools make her difficult to punish
- Shields/denial windows can erase enemy burst
- Excellent at keeping the team stable during objective pushes
What actually stops her
- Force cooldowns, then commit. You rarely kill her at full resources.
- Attack from two angles. She can protect one lane; two lanes stretch her value.
- Punish predictable invis/reset patterns. If she always retreats to the same corner, trap that corner with pressure.
Counter picks that consistently help
- Divers who can threaten her when she repositions
- Sustained damage comps that don’t rely on one burst she can shield
- Objective pressure heroes that force her to use protection defensively instead of proactively
Mistakes to avoid
- Wasting ultimates into shield windows
- Chasing her invis into unknown space while the objective is contested
- Letting her sit untouched behind a tank line for the entire match
Countering Rocket Raccoon
Why Rocket is strong
- Small hitbox makes him hard to pick at range
- Stabilizes teams quickly after burst
- Can swing fights with clutch support tools (including revive-style value in many team plans)
What actually stops Rocket
- Hard commits, not soft poke. Rocket thrives when you give him time to stabilize.
- Flank pressure that forces movement. If Rocket must constantly reposition, his healing/utility uptime drops.
- Kill what Rocket is trying to save. Many teams waste time chasing Rocket instead of finishing the low target.
Counter picks that consistently help
- Assassin/flanker Duelists that can reach Rocket’s cover safely
- Burst follow-up to finish targets before Rocket stabilizes them
- Smart target focus (finish the low one first, then pressure Rocket)
Mistakes to avoid
- Tunnel-visioning Rocket while his tank and DPS win the objective
- Taking long, slow fights where Rocket’s sustain wins by default
- Leaving your backline unprotected and letting Rocket become “free value”
Countering Gambit
Why Gambit is meta
- Strong support impact with game-warping utility
- Can swing tank wars by denying or cleansing key effects
- Rewards disciplined resource use and punishes sloppy teams
What actually stops Gambit
- Force him to spend resources early. If Gambit burns his key tools before the real fight, his team becomes more fragile.
- Split threats. Gambit thrives in predictable front-to-back fights. Two angles make his decision-making harder.
- Target timing: focus a target when Gambit’s “save tool” is unavailable.
Counter picks that consistently help
- Dive pressure that forces Gambit to defend himself instead of enabling the frontline
- Burst comps that kill during short windows before sustain tools reset
- Anti-backline pressure plans (peel + punish) so Gambit can’t freely set tempo
Mistakes to avoid
- Slow pushing into his prepared fight space
- Using your “big moment” into his defensive answer window
- Ignoring him completely and complaining the tank never dies
Countering Loki and Mantis (The “Tempo Supports”)
These two supports win by controlling rhythm: when fights start, when fights reset, and which target dies first.
What actually stops Loki
- Don’t chase “tricks.” Use cover and focus the real threat.
- Pressure him with flanks so he can’t sit in one safe pocket.
- Win by objective pressure: if Loki is spending time surviving, he’s not enabling his team.
What actually stops Mantis
- Respect sleep/control tools: don’t hard engage in a straight line with no cover.
- Force her to use utility defensively by threatening her position.
- Stagger your entries so one sleep doesn’t shut down your entire push.
Mistakes to avoid vs both
- Standing in the open during the first engage
- Using all mobility offensively, leaving nothing to survive the counter
- Trying to “out-support” them instead of denying their tempo with pressure
Countering Team-Up Power Spikes (The Hidden Meta Layer)
Some “meta heroes” feel extra overpowered because their Team-Up pairing creates a fight-winning window. Your job is to recognize when the enemy comp is built around a Team-Up and counter it like you would an ultimate.
Three rules that beat most Team-Ups
- If the enemy can walk away, don’t fight yet. Many Team-Ups are strongest when you’re forced into tight space.
- Bait the window, then re-engage. Show presence, force activation, back up, then fight when it’s down.
- Spread your formation. Team-Ups often punish clumping more than anything else.
Common Team-Up counter mistakes
- Fighting in the exact doorway the enemy wants
- Panicking and stacking defensive ults on top of the Team-Up window
- Ignoring the objective while chasing a flashy synergy play
Swapping and Drafting: How to Counter Without Tilting Your Team
Counters are often one swap away—but random swapping can also destroy your team structure. Use this system:
Step 1: Identify the problem (not the hero)
- “Our supports die first.”
- “We can’t touch the point.”
- “We can’t finish targets through healing.”
- “We keep losing to one ultimate.”
Step 2: Swap one slot to add one counter tool
Examples:
- Supports dying first → swap second Vanguard to a peeler, or swap a Strategist to a more survivable support.
- Can’t touch → swap to a sturdier anchor Vanguard or add a second tank.
- Can’t finish through healing → add anti-heal pressure and a finisher Duelist; focus one target during the window.
- Losing to one ultimate → add shield/deny tools and save them for that moment.
Step 3: Keep your comp identity consistent
If you’re playing poke, don’t swap one hero into a pure brawl pick unless your team is committing to changing plans.
If your match has bans
Bans are most valuable when they remove the hero that:
- your team doesn’t have answers for,
- or amplifies an enemy Team-Up synergy your comp can’t handle.
BoostRoom: Turn Counter Knowledge Into Real Win Streaks
Most players lose to meta heroes because they keep repeating the same patterns:
- pushing the same doorway into the same wall/zone control,
- using ultimates into shields/denial windows,
- ignoring the backline until supports are already dead,
- and swapping randomly instead of adding one specific counter tool.
BoostRoom helps you convert counterplay into wins by focusing on practical improvement:
- building a small hero pool with reliable counter tools (peel, anti-dive, denial, burst conversion)
- learning matchup-specific timing windows so you stop wasting cooldowns
- objective-first decision-making (counter the hero while winning the point)
- Team-Up and ultimate tracking so you always have a planned answer
- VOD-style reviews that turn “they’re broken” into “we needed to bait bubble first” or “we clumped in the doorway again”
If you want meta heroes to stop feeling unfair, the fastest path is learning how to remove their win conditions—and BoostRoom is built around that exact skill.
FAQ
Do I need hard counters to beat meta heroes?
No. Most meta heroes are beaten by timing and positioning: bait the key cooldown, survive the spike, punish the exit, and convert the objective.
Why does a hero feel unbeatable in low ranks but normal in high ranks?
Low ranks tend to clump, trickle, and waste defensive tools early. Meta heroes punish those habits hard. Cleaner teams remove the free value.
What’s the #1 mistake when countering tanks like Devil Dinosaur or Groot?
Tunnel-visioning the tank. The real counter is often pressuring the supports that enable the tank, and attacking from multiple angles so the tank can’t just walk forward.
How do I counter assassins like Psylocke if my team won’t peel?
Play safer support positioning, use cover, avoid isolated high ground, and pick a hero with self-saves or crowd control. Also, keep one teammate watching the flank route—one person can change the whole fight.
