Hey! My name is mordrace34 and i have loved Abathur ever since i first started playing him. He is by far the most fun and difficult hero to play at the same time, he requires alot of micro management. Which means you have to make sure your mines are always being placed down, making sure you symbiote and ultimate evolution the right target, keeping your body safe and making sure your locust are pushing effectively. All in one game! Abathur is extremely team dependent so play him in solo queue with caution! So feel free to read this guide to hopefully give you a better understanding how to play abathur on the awesome different battleground maps and become the ULTIMATE EVOLUTION MASTER!

Abilities
Abathur's Passive (D) is Locust Strain: Spawns a Locust to attack down the nearest lane every 20 seconds.

Abathur's First ability is Symbiote . Assists the target allied unit or structure allowing Abathur to shield them and use new abilities from the host. Lasts for 45 seconds.Cannot be used on self, the Palace, Grave Golems, or summoned units. The new abilities obtained are Stab Spike Burst and Carapace .

Stab : Shoots a spike towards target area that deals damage to the first enemy it contacts. Talents that enhance symbiote's Stab:

• Barbed Spines (tier 2)
• Needlespine (tier 3)
• Spatial Efficiency (tier 5)

Spike burst : Deals damage to enemies in a 360 degree area near the ally Abathur is assisting. talents that enhance symbiotes Spike burst:

• Eradicate Minions (tier 1)
• Pressurized Glands (tier 2)
• Envenomed Spikes (tier 6)

Carapace : Shields the assisted ally. Lasts for 8 seconds. Talents that enhance symbiote's carapce

• Regenerative Microbes (tier 3)
• Adrenaline Boost (tier 6)

Abathur's Second ability out of symbiote is Toxic Nests : Spawns a mine-like nest at a location that becomes active after a short arming time. Deals damage to enemies that contact it, and reveals the enemy for 4 seconds. Nests last for 90 seconds

Abathur's doesn't have a third ability out of sybmiote.

Abathurs's First and only ultimate ability is Ultimate Evolution: Abathur creates a copy of the target ally Hero and takes control of it. The Evolution's attributes are based on Abathur's current level and talents. Lasts for 45 seconds. Cannot be used on self.

Talent Breakdown

Tier 1 talents

Eradicate Minions : Your Symbiote's Spike Burst deals 50% more damage to non-heroic targets. This talent is amazing mainly on huge minion focused battlegrounds, such as blackheart's bay and Gardens of terror. Being able to clear waves of minions for objectives and for better pushes is essential for big maps. Smaller maps its a bit lack luster because usually you have to capture shrines or be built for better team fights. The only exception is Haunted mines, although the map is small its still a minion focus map, taking this on haunted mines is the best choice in terms of game mechanics.

Combat Adaptation (trait) : Locusts gain 20% increased attack speed. the best choice if your not going to be on a minion focused map. More attack speed means better lane clears and faster pushes. Excellent talent

Survival Instincts (trait) : Locusts gain 30% increased health. i usually never take this talent because its a bit lack luster in terms of what Abathur is made for, a stronger health minions really doesn't do much especially since for this guide we're only taking Locust Brood for dragon shire. Take it at your own risk, in this tier there are much better choices

Envenomed Nest : Toxic Nests deal an additional 30% damage over 3 seconds. The second best choice in tier 1 mainly because if your team can clear minions faster on the big maps, using this talent in replace eradicate minions is not a bad choice. The extra damage can help push waves quicker and even help kill a fleeing enemy that tries to escape in brushes. Recommended to take on Cursed Hollow.

Tier 2 Talents

Barbed Spines : Increases the damage of your Symbiote's Stab by 20%. One of if not the best talent in this tier. If your a pro at placing mines without the benefit of Ballistospores, this is the go to talent by far. Although 20% SEEMS small, it isn't. Remember all of your abilities scale with level and more levels = more damage. 20% damage buff is amazing for out dpsing the enemy team.

Pressurized Glands : Increase the range of Symbiote's Spike Burst by 100%. I personally haven't used this talent at all because I find other talents more useful. IMO if your not taking Barbed spines you should be taking Ballistospores. Mainly because there's no damage enhancing talent for spike burst this talent is usually useless.

Ballistospores : Toxic Nests can be placed from unlimited range. I cannot tell you how useful this talent is. GLOBAL TRAVEL, that's all i have to say. If your a master at the locust push game this is just amazing to infiltrate the enemies base ans push even harder. This talent is also amazing for staying on top of the vision game. Well placed mines will be absolute hell for heroes like Nova and Zeratul, pay attention to the map if you see them in your jungle or nearing an ally, ping danger to warn them. Mines save lives. If this talent is chosen keep EVERY objective "warded", your mercs, there mercs, bosses, shrines, vision shrines, important bushes, and lanes. early game focus on lanes, later focus on keeping map control.

Promote : Activate to give target allied lane Minion +300% permanent Health and +100% permanent damage. Has 2 charges. 60 second cool-down. I've seen many new Abathurs take this talent because they believe all he is capable of is good split pushing. Wrong, although he can be one of the best split pushers in the game that's not his only function. He can turn team fights around, keep vision, and be a total annoyance to assassins trying to cheese 1v1. That being said promote isn't a bad choice, if you do want to run this talent make sure you have practice with him first.

Tier 3 talents
Needlespine : Increases the range of your Symbiote's Stab by 33%. Another good talent. Again depends on the team and your situation. If your comp can chase easier and secure kills the range wont be effective at all, because they're dead. Situational, not great, but not bad. Recommended with a full party, or with friends as solo queue can be iffy.

Vile Nest : Toxic Nests slow enemies by 50% Movement Speed for 2 seconds. I have never used this talent and probably never will. This isn't LoL and were not teemo. The slow won't help us at all and its only for 2 seconds. Most of the time when people run over a mine there AWAY from the team. Pretty lack luster talent, not recommended.

Regenerative Microbes : Symbiote's Carapace heals the target for 7 Health per second. I have actually used this talent when my team has lacked a healing support. This talent is very good because even if you cancel the symbiote effect, the heal AND the shield is still applied. Plus a healing over time effect + shield can save so many people. Recommended if no healers, or if team is falling behind

Calldown MULE : Activate to call down a Mule that repairs Structures, one at a time, near target point for 60 seconds, healing for 100 Health every 1 second. Grants 1 ammo every 5 seconds. Cooldown 60 seconds. I have never used this personally but i have heard good reviews on it. But like all guides talents shown here aren't go to every time, situations change and it depends on team comp. This may be the perfect talent for your situation.

Tier 4 talents

Ultimate Evolution : Clone target allied Hero and control it for 45 seconds. The only choice and the best choice.

Tier 5 talents

Assault Strain (Trait) : Locust Basic Attacks cleave, and explode on death for 60 damage. One of the best talents for a locust focus build. Best used on Dragon Shire because of the medium sized map. Take in coordination with Locust Brood

Bombard Strain (Trait) : Locust Basic Attacks become a long-range siege attack. This basically turn your locust into mini merc camps. They shoot out of tower range and are actually pretty good. Although IMO Assault Strain is better, its personal preference. Good talent.

Spatial Efficiency : Symbiote's Stab gains 1 additional charge. Great talent for symbiote focus builds. Best used on almost every map because you can easily snipe and poke people down for the kill.

Prolific Dispersal : Toxic Nest gains 2 additional charges. No point in taking this because the extra 2 charges are meaningless if your on to of your mine placement game. After you cancel symbiote or the effect ends, place nests down immediatley and you won't need the extra charges. Take at your own risk

Tier 6 talents

Envenomed Spikes : Your Symbiote's Spike Burst also slows enemies by 40% for 2 seconds. Not a good choice unless you've taken pressurized glands. It CAN help chase down but not the best for it.

Adrenaline Boost : Symbiote's Carapace increases the Movement Speed of the target by 40% for 3 seconds. One the best choices in this tier, i love using it in place of locust brood when i'm not on dragon shire. The best talent to help chase/escape.

Locust Brood : Gain the ability to spawn a Nest near Abathur that hatches 3 Locusts. It explains itself, you spawn 3 locust near your location just like your passive. This ability has a 60 second cooldown and has to actually be targeted on the ground near your location, and just like your passive, they will attack the nearest lane.

Tier 7 talents

Bolt of the Storm : Activate to teleport to a nearby location. Cooldown 40 seconds. Don't even consider taking this ever.

Evolution Master : Lower the cooldown of Ultimate Evolution to 90 seconds, and increase the duration to 60 seconds. The only choice, and the best choice!

Symbiote is a very unique ability. It allows you to enhance an allied hero making them surprisingly harder to fight 1v1 and can help them secure kills more efficiently

• Symbiote can shield and ally, make them shoot spikes for faster wave and merc camp clears, and shoots a long ranged projectile used for securing kills, helping kite, and pumping out more damage during team fights
• Focus using symbiote on tanks in team fights. Keep them shielded and keep pumping out raw damage so your back line can clean up
• Try not to use symbiote on assassins such as and . Using it wont reveal there position initially, but if you start spamming abilities it notifies the enemy exactly where they are at. ONLY use symbiote on melee assassins in team fights if they can jump in and out. Use symbiote on ranged assassins to help them escape or win 1v1's better

Ultimate Evolution Love it to death. The main uses of this ability are:

• Cloning a strong split pusher when the enemy team is down or its safe to do so.
• Cloning a strong assassin before a team fight or before fighting for an objective
• If a team fight has started its best to use your ult on tanks to help your back line as the assassin you clone will most likely get bursted down before you can even help your team.

Cursed Hollow, Garden of Terror and Blackheart's bay are easily the most difficult maps for Abathur because of the sheer size and game mechanics required to be successful on the battlegrounds.

Garden of Terror
Take Eradicate Minions for Garden of Terror early because of the game mechanics and taking those Shamblers for seeds. The extra damage to minions will help you and your allies take seeds faster and more efficient. More seeds and more terrors = Wins. Take Ballistospores for the tier 2 talent. On huge maps like this awareness is key. Focus on the main objectives such as merc camps, bushes, garden terrors and important escape routes. Once toxic nests are placed for map vision start looking at each lane and determine where to drop nests to keep lanes from over pushing your forts. Use Deep Tunnel to travel quickly, escape, or even have a better position for more aggressive locust. Always make sure your in a lane that is not protected at all or very little protected to make full use of your . If your feeling brave enough you can deep tunnel into enemy territory using toxic nests. Make sure where you decide to hide is safe enough and hard to get to. The locust can reveal your position so be ready to bail as quickly as possible with either hearthstone or another deep tunnel. For symbiote tips go to "How to use symbiote effectively" for Ultimate Evolution go to "Ultimate Evolution tips and tricks".

Blackheart's bay
On Blackheart's Bay take Eradicate minions as well. Extra minion damage means you can clear coin camps with allies much faster and get Blackheart to bombard your enemies more often. This build is exactly like Garden of terror because map vision and taking minions faster than your enemy is how you win on these huge battlegrounds. Focus Toxic nests just like you would do in Gardens, this is why we take Ballistospores . Keep merc and doubloon camps lit up, place them in the fog around blackheart, and make sure the fog around the boss at the top of the map is secured. Once map vision is secure, focus on lanes. For symbiote tips go to "How to use symbiote effectively" for Ultimate Evolution go to "Ultimate Evolution tips and tricks".

Cursed Hollow
On Cursed Hollow although the map is fairly large like Gardens and Blackheart's bay the focus isn't so minion heavy. That is why Combat Adaptation is the go to talent for this battleground. IF you don't like that the map is so big and your still new to Abathur and to scared to go deeper in enemy territory taking Envenomed Nest is a safe option because the focus here is still to keep the map lit up and "warded" for better merc camp control. Ballistospores is also taken here to ensure your body is safe and you dont have to travel far to keep objectives lit up, such as shrines bushes and merc camps. The other talents are taken to help team fights around tributes. For symbiote tips go to "How to use symbiote effectively", for Ultimate Evolution go to "Ultimate Evolution tips and tricks".

Dragon Shire and haunted mines are extremely different in terms of what is important to do to as Abathur, the big maps your supposed to keep vision and utilize symbiote to maximum efficiency. These small maps are going to focus on keeping pressure and pumping out damage in team fights because of the small spaces.

Dragon Shire
On dragon shire we take Locust Brood and the other locust enhancing talents such as Combat Adaptation and Assault Strain because the locust actually last a decent amount and can be devastating to lanes and overall enemy team focus. For Toxic Nests on Dragon Shire focus placing them around the shrines and in lanes. Keep lanes shoved and keep those shrines lit up. If absolutely necessary place a mine ON the shrine if the coast is clear and take it for yourself, it will surprise the enemy team and force them to split up giving your team some breathing room if they can't control shrines better. For symbiote tips go to "How to use symbiote effectively", for Ultimate Evolution go to "Ultimate Evolution tips and tricks".

Haunted mines
On Haunted mines the focus is purely pumping out as much damage as possible. Symbiote will really shine here, which is why we focus on symbiote enhancing talents such as Barbed Spines and Needlespine . Watch your team mates carefully to make sure there safe and even help secure kills, if an ally is in danger symbiote and shield right away. For me its saved a ton of allies. The small map with only two lanes means forcing split pushing is useless, control the mines effectively and the merc camps and they'll do all the work for you. place mines in lanes for maximum pressure and around merc camps. Alert your team where they are and how there moving, placing nests around the vision shrine bushes is also very good keep your team aware of what is going on around them. For symbiote tips go to "How to use symbiote effectively", for Ultimate Evolution go to "Ultimate Evolution tips and tricks".