The Stat Screen: A Treasure Trove Of Information

by JR Cook - 8 years ago     show comments

The Stat Screen (TAB), or Leader Panel as it is officially called, may be one of the most misused features in the game. For most people it is simply a measuring stick. They use the numbers on it as a way to compare themselves to others. For some people it as a way to validate their own self worth. They look for ways to use the numbers to prove how much better they are than other players, and as proof that it isn’t their fault when they lose.

The Stat Screen should be a tool, not a gauge. It should be a resource, not a scoreboard. The first step to getting the most out of the Stat Screen is to realize that it is something you should be using during the game, not just something for post-mortem analysis. Savvy players continually monitor the data provided by the Stat Screen and use it to inform their play.

Lets take a look at a few examples of how the Stat Screen can influence your play as the game goes along.

Identify Threats

Most of us are familiar with the prevailing Meta, at least to the extent that we know which Heroes are good right now and which Heroes aren’t. To put it another way, almost everyone knows who the currently OP Heroes are. Armed with that knowledge, we go into the game confident that we know which Heroes pose the biggest threat to us. The problem is that you are playing against real people and not just a tier list. Regardless of how OP a Hero may be, there is no guarantee that the person playing that Hero is actually any good with them. This is where the Stat Screen comes in.

While the game is loading, use your knowledge of the meta to determine the major threats on the enemy team and how you need to play against them. As the game progresses, use the information from the Stat Screen to identify who the real threats are and adjust your plan accordingly. Valla may be Tier S (also known as God Tier) on all the meta reports, but if the Stat Screen shows that Chromie has the most Kills and Hero Damage she might be the one you need to worry about in that particular game. Depending on the Hero you might take different numbers, such as Siege Damage or XP Contribution, into account when assessing their impact on the game.

Prioritize Heals and Peels

Using the Stat Screen as an evaluation tool doesn’t just apply to the opposition. You should use it to assess your own team as well. If you are playing a tank or healer, there will be times where two of your teammates are in danger and you can only save one. Being aware of the Stat Screen can help you make better decisions in those situations. If one of your DPS has to die, you need to know which of them is actually doing the most damage, not who is higher on some list. You may have gone into the game thinking Li-Ming was going to be your main carry, but the numbers show that the person playing Tychus is a beast. Sorry Li-Ming, we’ll see you in 40 seconds. You can apply this same logic when deciding things such as who you should Stim Drone as Lt. Morales or who is the best target for your Bestow Hope as Auriel.

Keep in mind, we aren’t using our teammate’s numbers to ridicule or judge them. We are using them as a tool to improve our own play. If Li-Ming complains about not getting a heal, don’t reply with “Do more damage bro and maybe I’ll heal you”.

React To Talent Choices

One of the best resources on the Stat Screen is the Talent Tab. There is so much information to be found here, but it is often overlooked by players. Knowing your opponent’s talent choices, especially when it comes to Heroics, can have a huge influence on how you play against them. You don’t want to go into a team fight assuming that Malfurion went Tranquility, only to find out after he silences your entire team that he picked Twilight Dream.

You can also learn a lot about how a person intends to play based on their talent choices. If Diablo takes Devil’s Due at level 1 you can probably expect him to play a more aggressive style. If Muradin takes Sledgehammer instead of Thunder Burn at 4, you know he is going with a Hammer build as opposed to a sustain build. Knowing which Heroes take Bribe Talents can also be a major influence on how you proceed, and the addition of Quest Talents only adds to the importance of keeping an eye on your opponent’s talent choices. There is often a big power spike once Hero completes a quest. Don’t wait until Kael’thas one shots half your team with a Flamestrike to realize that he completed his quest.

If keeping track of all these talents is too much, start by just keeping track of the Heroics and go from there.

Try to get into the habit of checking the Stat Screen periodically throughout the game. A proper Stat Check should take less time than it took you to read this sentence. You aren’t looking to analyze the numbers in depth, you just want to get a quick snapshot of the story that is being told. Your first concern should be who is doing the most damage and which Heroes did people pick. As you get more comfortable you can start considering more information. Before you know it checking the Stat Screen will be second nature, and your game will be improved as a result.

GLHF!