Auto battlers have taken the gaming world by storm, blending strategy, luck, and fast-paced decision-making into a unique and addictive genre. Whether you’re a seasoned strategist or a newcomer looking to dive in, mastering auto battlers requires understanding their core mechanics, honing your tactical skills, and adapting to ever-changing scenarios. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore how to play auto battlers, uncover the art of strategic combat, and provide actionable tips to help you climb the ranks. By the end, you’ll be ready to dominate the battlefield and outsmart your opponents.
What Are Auto Battlers?
Auto battlers, also known as auto chess games, are a subgenre of strategy games where players build teams of units that automatically fight opponents on a grid-based board. Popular titles like Teamfight Tactics (TFT), Dota Underlords, and Auto Chess have defined the genre, each with its own flavor but sharing a common foundation: you don’t directly control your units in combat. Instead, your success hinges on preparation—choosing the right units, positioning them effectively, and managing resources like gold and experience.
The appeal of auto battlers lies in their accessibility and depth. You don’t need lightning-fast reflexes, but you do need a sharp mind for planning and improvisation. Ready to learn the art of strategic combat? Let’s break it down step by step.
The Basics of Auto Battlers: How They Work
Before diving into strategies, let’s cover the essentials of how auto battlers function. While specific mechanics vary between games, the core gameplay loop is consistent across the genre.
1. Rounds and Phases
Auto battlers are played in rounds, typically split into two phases:
- Preparation Phase: This is where you buy units, upgrade them, and position them on your board.
- Combat Phase: Your units automatically fight an opponent’s team (or AI enemies in early rounds). You can’t intervene once combat starts—your preparation determines the outcome.
2. Resources
You’ll manage two primary resources:
- Gold: Earned through winning rounds, interest (from saving gold), and streaks (winning or losing consecutively). Spend it on units, upgrades, or leveling up.
- Health: Your lifeline. Lose a round, and your health takes a hit based on the damage dealt by surviving enemy units. Deplete your health, and you’re out.
3. Units and Synergies
Units are the heart of your team. Each has unique abilities, stats, and traits (e.g., “Warrior,” “Mage,” or “Assassin”). Combining units with matching traits activates synergies, boosting their power. For example, fielding multiple Warriors might increase their armor, while Mages could amplify spell damage.
4. Leveling and Items
Leveling up increases the number of units you can field and improves your odds of finding higher-tier units in the shop. Items, often earned from PvE rounds or carousels, enhance your units’ stats or add special effects, like extra damage or healing.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Play Auto Battlers
Now that you understand the basics, let’s walk through the process of playing an auto battler match and mastering strategic combat.
Step 1: Start with the Early Game
The first few rounds set the tone for your match. Your goals are simple:
- Build a Strong Foundation: Pick units with strong standalone abilities or early synergies (e.g., a pair of Warriors or a Mage duo).
- Manage Your Economy: Save gold to earn interest (typically capped at 5 gold per round in most games). Aim to hit 10, 20, or 50 gold milestones for maximum returns.
- Win or Lose Strategically: Winning early rounds preserves health, but losing intentionally (a “loss streak”) can net extra gold for a comeback.
Step 2: Transition to the Mid-Game
By the mid-game (around levels 4-6), the competition heats up. Here’s how to stay ahead:
- Commit to a Composition: Identify a synergy or unit combo that’s working and build around it. For example, if you’ve got strong Knights, lean into a tanky frontline with damage dealers in the back.
- Level Up: Spend gold to increase your level and field more units. Timing is key—level up when you’re strong to maintain a win streak or when you’re weak to stabilize.
- Positioning Matters: Place tanky units upfront to soak damage and squishy damage-dealers (like Mages or Assassins) in the back. Watch your opponents’ boards to counter their setups.
Step 3: Dominate the Late Game
In the late game (levels 7+), it’s all about refinement and adaptation:
- Upgrade Units: Aim for 3-star units by collecting three copies of the same 2-star unit. These power spikes can turn the tide.
- Pivot if Needed: If your comp is faltering, use high-level units from the shop to shift to a new strategy. Flexibility is a hallmark of great players.
- Optimize Items: Combine items into powerful upgrades (e.g., a Bloodthirster for lifesteal or Guardian Angel for resurrection) and place them on your carry units—those dealing the most damage or providing key utility.
Step 4: Close Out the Match
As health pools dwindle, every round counts. Focus on:
- Scouting Opponents: Check their boards to adjust positioning (e.g., move Assassins away from enemy corner-clumped carries).
- Maximizing Damage: Stronger boards deal more damage to opponents’ health, knocking them out faster.
- Surviving: If you’re low on health, prioritize defensive items or synergies to cling to life.
Mastering the Art of Strategic Combat
Auto battlers aren’t just about following a guide—they’re about outthinking your opponents. Here’s how to elevate your game with advanced strategies.
Positioning: The Silent Game-Changer
Positioning is where battles are won or lost. Consider these tactics:
- Front-to-Back: Place tanks in the front row and damage-dealers in the back to maximize survivability and output.
- Corner Clumping: Group units in a corner to bait enemy Assassins or force AoE abilities to miss.
- Spread Out: Against Mages or AoE-heavy comps, scatter your units to minimize splash damage.
Example: In TFT, if you’re facing a Blitzcrank, position a low-value unit in the front corner to soak his hook, protecting your carry.
Economy Management: Gold Is Power
A strong economy fuels your strategy. Balance these approaches:
- Slow Rolling: Stay at a lower level and reroll the shop to find 3-star low-cost units.
- Hyper Rolling: Aggressively reroll early for a power spike, then save up again.
- High Rolling: Rush to higher levels for access to 4- and 5-cost units, sacrificing early econ.
Adapting to RNG: Roll with the Punches
Random Number Generation (RNG) plays a big role in auto battlers. You won’t always get the units or items you want, so:
- Stay Flexible: Build around what the game gives you rather than forcing a meta comp.
- Use the Bench: Store extra units for potential synergies or pivots.
- Know the Meta: Familiarize yourself with strong comps via community resources (e.g., Reddit, Twitch streams) to guide your decisions.
Popular Auto Battlers and Their Unique Flavors
Each auto battler brings its own twist to the formula. Here’s a quick rundown:
Teamfight Tactics (TFT)
- Developer: Riot Games
- Key Feature: Set-based rotations with unique traits and champions from League of Legends.
- Best For: Players who love evolving metas and flashy visuals.
Dota Underlords
- Developer: Valve
- Key Feature: Alliances and a focus on item builds.
- Best For: Fans of Dota 2 lore and deeper customization.
Auto Chess
- Developer: Drodo Studio
- Key Feature: The OG auto battler with a standalone mobile version.
- Best For: Purists who want the classic experience.
Top Tips for Auto Battler Success
- Learn Unit Tiers: High-cost units (4-5 cost) are powerful but rare—focus on 1-3 cost units early for consistency.
- Scout Constantly: Check opponents’ boards every few rounds to anticipate threats.
- Practice Patience: Don’t panic if you lose early—health is a resource to spend for a stronger late game.
- Experiment: Try off-meta comps to catch opponents off guard.
- Watch Pros: Streamers and YouTubers (e.g., Scarra for TFT) offer invaluable insights.
Why Auto Battlers Are Worth Your Time
Auto battlers combine the thrill of competition with the satisfaction of outsmarting opponents through strategy. They’re easy to pick up but hard to master, offering endless replayability. Whether you’re chasing a top rank or just enjoying casual matches, the genre rewards creativity and adaptability—key traits of strategic combat.
Conclusion: Become a Master Strategist
Learning how to play auto battlers is about more than memorizing synergies or spamming rerolls—it’s about mastering the art of preparation, positioning, and pivoting. Start with a solid early game, refine your comp in the mid-game, and dominate late with smart adaptations. The battlefield is yours to conquer, so dive in, experiment, and outwit your foes.
Ready to test your skills? Pick an auto battler, queue up, and let the strategic combat begin. What’s your favorite comp or tip? Share it below—we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Zareb Saleh is a journalist at Gulf Today and a ghostwriter for Gameoholic, specializing in gaming, technology, and digital culture. With a keen eye for industry trends, he delivers insightful stories that engage and inform readers.