Getting started

What is Honor of Kings

Honor of Kings is a 5v5 mobile MOBA made by Tencent. A match usually lasts about 15 to 20 minutes, played on a map built from three lanes and the jungle (forest) that sits between them.

Each player picks one hero from a roster of 116, boosts their stats with Arcana, and then grows stronger during the match by spending gold on items from a pool of 107. The team that first destroys the enemy's Crystal (their base), deep in enemy territory, wins.

The global server version this guide covers is a separate build that launched in June 2024, with its own meta and hero release schedule, distinct from the Chinese version.

Quick Start

Tutorial：Clear the tutorial all the way through so you get a feel for the basic controls and how to use the shop.

Practice in AI matches：Play 3 to 5 AI matches (against the computer) to get comfortable landing the last hit on minions and shopping for items.

Your first hero：Once you're comfortable, pick one role you enjoy, settle on your first hero, and put in the reps with it.

Items：On any hero, boots that raise movement speed are cheap and make a big difference, so buy them early, by the 2:30 mark at the latest.

Ranked：Ranked opens up once your account reaches level 7. To start, try Quick Match, where games are shorter and it's harder for one side to snowball. Before spending coins to buy a hero, check the tier list of strong heroes in the current meta so you don't waste them.