Dedicated Abathur, performance inefficient. Requires improvement, need superior Evolution Master.

You won't be soaking any XP until around level 3-4, this is the time the first objective pops up on most maps. After that you should be jumping between empty lanes pretty much constantly. If you can get that xp you are either making your team snowball if you win teamfights, or preventing the other team from snowballing. When it comes to build I usually go for this this, it gives the best of both worlds when it comes to locust and symbiote. If the team has no support I'll get the healing talents, if I play with a good Illidan I get a more symbiote heavy build.

General tips: *If there are no teamfights going on, symbiote mobs to get xp and push the lane. *Your mines will rarely do significant damage, put them in chokepoints to dismount enemy heroes, and on paths to your hideout so they give you a heads up when it's time to burrow out. *Most of your time playing outside of teamfights should be spent looking at the map to track enemy movements. *Whenever you deep burrow to a forward position, don't burrow to close to enemy mobs so you get shown on the minimap for the enemy team

Garden of Terror:

You won't be doing much until the first night, take pot shots on enemy heroes and help prevent ganks, put mines in the jungle on the side the enemy team are most likely to go. Your body should be near the bottom or top fort when the first night comes. As soon as people start leaving for the jungle you sneak into the bushes in either top or bottom, preferably on the side your team has most heroes. While you're there, symbiote the ranged mobs in the lane on the opposite side of your body so you're getting xp from 2 lanes. Keep doing this until a teamfight starts, always help in teamfights if you can. People very rarely spread to all 3 lanes after the first night, but keep your eye on the map to catch glimpses of where people seem to be headed. The top and bottom lanes are the safest usually, if you're unsure where their heroes are, deep burrow to a safe fort in the lane with least action (so you can "walk" out in the lane if it's abandoned to not waste Deep burrow cooldown again). Whenever a Garden Terror is spawned by either team, it usually means that a teamfight is going down, and the lanes with no Terror are pretty safe to soak in. This is also a very good time to spawn the Monstrosity in a lane where there are no enemy heroes. It either forces to enemy team to split up and deal with it, or it gets to do a lot of pushing, win-win either way.

Dragon Shire:

Not a good map for Abathur since all lanes are usually occupied, but whenever a team gets the Dragon Knight, that's your cue to get in the bushes in top or bottom lane. Personally I prefer bottom lane here since the bushes in top near the shrine are just a tad too far away to get all xp, and the bushes below the lane leaves you open for ganks from people coming from mid, while the bushes near the shrine in the bottom grants you more vision and are close enough to the lane to get all xp.

Sky Temple

My favourite map for Abathur. Start out near the bottom fort, most teams fight for vision, if you see enemy heroes near the watchtower it's completely safe to stroll out into the bushes and soak while symbiot'ing teammates. The first 2 temples are always mid and top, making bottom lane pretty safe to stay in. The second objective temple is always the bottom temple, making top lane safe for you. Third wave is top and bottom (iirc, may be fourth), then you go mid. So forth and so forth, my team usually gets a very good level advantage on this map thanks to me.

Haunted Mines

This is the only map where I pick Envenomed Nest (+30% damage from mines), unless there's an Illidan on my team. The entrances to the mines act as 2 great chokepoints that everyone has to go through, and teamfights usually happen inside the mines and if an enemy hero is trying to limp out of there with low health they port out only to be greeted by a minefield resulting in their death. When the mines are open you sneak out into the lane on the side your team entered from, symbiote the ranged minions in the lane on the opposite side to soak both lanes while paying attention to potential teamfights you have to join.

When the golem is summoned jump to the lane your golem is attacking from (so your locusts can grant some moral support at least), while symbioting wherever seem most crucial.

Blackheart's Bay

Top lane, in the smoke near the boss is where you'll be spending most of your time soaking safely on this map, but the bushes south of the watchtower in mid lane, and smoke near bottom bruisers can be used whenever they seem safe. Keeping the watchtower is key though.

The locations I put here was just where the minions meet naturally if no lanes are pushed, you always need to follow the minions so you're close enough to get xp, but far enough away (or hidden in bushes/smoke) to not show up on the minimap for your enemies.

Good luck and have fun :)

/r/heroesofthestorm Thread