Your ultimate guide to 2017 Lucioball

Now that we have a new, improved Lucioball on our hands with a competitive queue, the mode is more popular than ever. We get to participate in speedier games, better boops, and enjoy exclusive sprays. Add in the fact that it’s a great way to grind out summer boxes, especially with the arcade system, and people are flocking to Lucioball. Before you settle in for a day of grinding out lootboxes and hoping for one of those sweet summer skins, familiarize yourself with the new version of a classic game mode.

If you spawn in the goal, then it’s your responsibility to hang out and play goalkeeper until the next spawn.

We all feel the urge to rush down the field and score that perfect goal, but someone’s gotta make sure that the enemy team can’t score, and sometimes that’s you. If you don’t spawn at the goal, make sure that your goalie hasn’t run off. The goalie sets up the biggest plays, defends the net, and actually has a decent shot of making a goal of their own, so someone has to do it, and it might as well be you.

Yes, people are going to get mad.

You might enter this game mode, even in the competitive queue, thinking that there’s nothing more soothing than hanging out with six Lucios. He’s the nicest guy in the game, after all, and this is a for fun game mode. Quickly disabuse yourself of this notion, because Lucioball is serious business to the other players on your team.

Our suggestion for when someone pops off in chat demanding that everyone report you? Hit a quick F for acknowledge and to pay your respects, and immediately mute them. You’re going to want to be in the zone if you want to success in the high stakes world of competitive Lucioball.

Blizzard Entertainment

Lucio’s soundwave is a big hit.

The ball goes further, faster, and if you angle your gun towards the bottom of the ball, you can propel it upwards over other Lucios’ heads and have it land with a solid bounce. It’s great for when you want to get the ball down the field or directly into the goal. This is especially useful if you can get it over the goalie’s head. Your melee attacks are quick, have no cooldown, and are better for quick maneuvers or short passes.

The ultimate has changed dramatically since last Lucioball. Now, it makes you a Boostio. You go faster, hit harder, soundwave’s cooldown is decreased, and you jump higher. While most players save this for when the ball is in motion and near a goal, the best time to use it is at kickoff. If you use your ult during the earliest moments of a game, you’ll give your team an advantage in getting the ball positioned just right. Speaking of...

Use your environment.

The biggest Lucioball mistake that you can make is failing to use your environment. First, jump pads are essential. There is one at each goal, and four more on the field. They give you a huge speed boost and jump, but once you’re in the air, you’re committed to that trajectory. The goal jump pads give you vertical mobility, so be careful and learn how to use them appropriately to guard the goal.

The walls are also a huge asset to any Lucioball player worth their salt. There are two things worth noting.

First, wall riding gives you a HUGE speed boost, and if you play your cards right, you can bring the ball along for the ride.

Second, the walls are curved in the corners. That means you can slide the ball along them, or soundboost the ball to curve it along the corners. This sets up good angles for a great boop from a teammate and that sweet, sweet goal.

Finally, the last tip for Lucioball? Make sure you have fun. The event is only active until the 29th, and before long you may find yourself missing the halycon days of Lucioball. Don’t ruin these sweet, summer memories with excessive salt.