1. Introduction 2. At A Glance 3. Trait 4. Abilities 5. Ultimates 6. Talents 7. Level 1 Talents 8. Level 4 Talents 9. Level 7 Talents 10. Level 13 Talents 11. Level 16 Talents 12. Level 20 Talents 13. Builds 14. Tips and Tricks 15. Fin

We all know that Murky is a quirky, annoying specialist with a propensity for equal amounts of violence and annoyance, but who is hereally?

In a weird, roundabout kind of way I consider Murky to be the HOTS character closest to a fighting game character. The mechanics are all there: Spacing, annoyance, poking, using safe moves to press an advantage, and in general being a pain in the butt.

Basically, I'm saying that Murky is the Murloc version of Ryu. Victory is found in the heart of mrglrgrlgl.

I hope to use this guide to shed some light on the more psychological advantages that Murky can have over an opposing team, especially when you can take advantage of their pre-concieved notions of Murky play and catch enemy off guard.

Also.... Here's some Murloc noises. You all know it's why you're here.

I’m Will Harrison, video game critic for the Toledo Blade and this is the updated version of my previous guide on Murky, Murloc supreme and my favorite character in HOTS. He's the only character I have over level 10 and the only Master costume I've purchased. I love him dearly.

Let's murgle.

In the four pillars of HOTS hero types, Murky falls under the category of Specialist. What does this really mean? To be honest, the archetype is a misnomer, as Murky is an adept ganker and expert duelist in addition to being a great siege engine and all around pain in the rear.

Here is a short rundown of Murky for those that LOVE bullet points:

POSITIVES

• Has the ability to create havoc, pester, and annoy, thanks to his passive trait.
• Doesn’t use mana for his abilities.
• Incredibly fast health regeneration
• Very high burst damage capabilities from Level 10 and up, with this ability growing exponentially at level 20.
• One of the best junglers in the game.
• His Safety Bubble allows him to play footsies in lane, as well as escape, mess up skill shots, and in general be a jerk.
• Is an absolute monster in 1v1 situations against non-warrior characters.
• Is one of the few characters that can operate solo, split pushing or harassing objectives without hurting the team by being out of place.
• Players who don’t know how he works will always be at a disadvantage, thanks to his unorthodox play style.
• Is a Murloc, and therefore is better than every other character.

NEGATIVES

• The smallest health pool in the game, which still comes into play despite his faster re-spawn.
• Completely reliant on keeping his Spawn Egg safe. If your Spawn Egg is found, you’ve effectively been taken off the board as a threat to anyone or anything for at least 20 seconds.
• His offensive centers around being close to opponents who can often kill you in just a few hits; as such, it is easy to make mistakes or find yourself stuck in bad situations.
• Nearly worthless in team fights until Level 13 and/or 16.
• His best tools, the Pufferfish and Octo-Grab are able to be countered and Cleansed. Good players will plan for it accordingly.
• Very cooldown heavy.
• The sheer fact that picking Murky causes people in public matches to act as if picking him was a waste. Be prepared for potentially getting a ton of negative feedback.
• Little variety in regards to viable talent choices, especially at levels 4, 7, and 16.
• Requires a high level of coordination and timing to play well.

Murky has a wide variety of builds, but not many viable choices in each of his talent levels. As such, it is important to use talents that synergize with each other, giving Murky a clear boost to one specific aspect of his game over the others.

Let's look.

Alright, we have a lot to go over here. Let's start with the general, Ranked Build.This build is meant for the most general of Murky play; some pushing, being an outlier in team fights, and being able to hold your own in chase situations. the goal is to catch unsuspecting squishy enemies with a Slime, Pufferfish, Octo-Grab combo, which puts a serious dent in all but the tankiest of heroes.

Feel free to swap Slime Advantage for Compressed Air, as the latter can sometimes catch nimble enemies like Tracer.
The Bubble Build is Murky's dueling build, providing equal amounts of survival capability and damage potential. Use Envenom+ Blood for Blood+ Pufferfish+ Octo-Grab for amazing damage potential, wiping anyone off the map who has the nerve to chase Murky down.

I'm looking at you, Illidan.

Rewind can be subbed for Shark at your preference.
The Annoy-O-Tron Build is meant for solo lane pushing and being annoying as possible. Take camps. Push a lane when everyone else is fighting over that oh-so-important vision tower. Be a big jerk and collect huge siege damage.

This is the only instance where I like March of the Murlocs, either as a distraction, a push on towers, or by flanking a teamfight from the direction of their escape and sending the adorable baby Murloc horde after them.

Rewind is also a solid choice for 20. Be sure to collect as many minions as possible so that you can Bribe enemy mercenary camps early and often, preferably when they're least suspecting it.

• In the early game, don’t fret over team fights. Until level 10, Murky is just about useless. Instead, focus on soaking lanes, pushing buildings, and possibly taking a mercenary camp or two.
• Once Level 10 is achieved, Murky can spread out across the camp in search of prey. However, his full ganking power doesn’t come to fruition until after Level 16 Talents are taken.
• Don’t be overly aggressive with Egg placement until the late game. Opposing teams are less likely to go Egg searching towards the tail end of a game. This is a great chance to place it in a secluded piece of stealth on the enemy side of the map and attack targets or prevent enemy retreat.
• Murky works well with: Johanna, Nova, Valla, Kael’Thas, and just about anyone with a decent stun.
• Watch out for inept team mates playing the likes of Diablo, Nazeebo, or anyone else that can knock enemies out of Pufferfish or Octo-Grab range. Trust me: It’ll happen.
• I love using Bribe to steal early Mercenary camps right before objectives, forcing the enemy to prioritize. It can cause a lot of havoc in the early game, leading to the opposing team to ignore soaking the lanes.
• Don’t be afraid to die for a good cause. Murky is a great body blocker and meat shield. Sometimes a Murloc has to do what a Murloc has to do.
• With that in mind, protect your Living the Dream damage buff in the late game. It can mean the difference between a dead Jaina and a Murloc Popsicle.
• Don’t be afraid to hide in the bushes for a tasty, squishy enemy. After Level 16, Murky can 1 shot KO just about any non-tank. Prime targets are Nova, Jaina, Kael, Illidan, Gazlowe, Falstad, and Zeratul.
• Murky’s worst enemies are Tychus, Nova, Tracer, Wizard, and Zeratul. If you are in the lane against any of these three, leave. Immediately.
• Don’t be afraid to let your team mates fight in a 4v5 situation if it means you can steal a mercenary camp, objective, or building. Murky is built to wander and does it better than any other Hero in the game currently.
• This is a given, but be mindful of your cooldowns. Each one is precious, like a tiny baby Murloc with a wooden sword.

Haha. Fin. Fish pun. Get it?

Jokes. I have jokes.

I hope this guide can help out anyone that either wants to learn Murky or is looking to figure out how the little guy ticks. I don’t know why, but I immediately fell in love with him. His play style is interesting and fun, and it is simply a joy to play such a unique character.

Murky and I wish you farewell!

Will Harrison is a journalist in Toledo, Ohio who writes about the video game industry. Find him on Twitter, at The Toledo Blade, on YouTube, or on Twitch.