In Honor of King, hero, and mechanism countering is a crucial aspect of strategy. However, some hero combinations are powerful, achieving a synergy where their combined power far exceeds their individual strengths. This blog will introduce a straightforward yet highly potent duo: Marco Polo and Yaria, affectionately known as the Mar-Yaria combo. This pairing showcases how effective teamwork can turn the tide of a match, making it an excellent choice for players looking to dominate their games. You can have the heroes in this combination easily through Honor of Kings top up and get to know how to use them by reading this article.
Why is the Mar-Yaria Combo Powerful?
From the perspective of hero mechanics, Marco Polo is one of the most survivable marksmen in the game because of his two mobility skills and his passive’s large area of vision. This makes it very difficult to ambush Marco Polo or execute tower dives on him. When combined with Yaria, who provides vision and a real shield, the survivability of Marco Polo improves even further. As long as Marco Polo plays safely, he is unlikely to be caught by enemy assassins throughout the game.
From the output environment of Marco Polo, his damage output relies on the accuracy of his skills one and three while maintaining a safe distance. For squishy heroes in team fights, the survivability of soft support is generally greater than that of hard support, especially if the support can heal and shield. Yaria is an excellent match for the agile Marco Polo, and her two-stage control skill can fill in the gaps between Marco Polo’s skills.
Another crucial point is the complementary nature of summoner spells. Since the update allowed Yaria to use summoner spells while in her possession state, the strength of the Mar-Yaria combo has increased significantly. Marco Polo’s lack of control can be supplemented by Yaria’s interference, and Yaria can also provide assistance during tower dives.
How to Play the Mar-Yaria Combo well?
Having discussed the strengths of the Mar-Yaria combo, let’s look at some key points to note in actual gameplay:
Team Composition
Why should you consider team composition even after locking in Marco Polo and Yaria? Because both heroes are relatively weak in the early game and can be considered invisible until level 4. Therefore, your team needs heroes who can carry the team through the early and mid-game. In the mid to late game, the Mar-Yaria combo lacks team fight tanking ability, so you must have 1-2 frontline heroes in the team. Ideally, you should also have a utility hero who doesn’t require too much gold to support Marco Polo’s development. In order to have different heroes to choose in different situations so that the power of Mar-Yaria combo can be maximized, it’s always wise to use HOK recharge to unlock the heroes you need.
For example, in recent KPL matches featuring the Mar-Yaria combo, professional players typically select mid-lane heroes who provide high early-game damage, control, and can operate in the jungle. Additionally, having at least one tank frontline fighter or a tank side lane hero ensures Marco Polo’s output environment in the mid to late game.
Accelerate the Push
In the current meta, stationary marksmen have a greater presence than agile marksmen. Aside from changes in equipment, stationary marksmen have stronger team fighting and pushing capabilities. During the early and mid-game, if Marco Polo farms normally, he can easily collaborate to take down the enemy’s stationary marksmen or other enemies. However, avoid becoming complacent or obsessed with killing and neglecting tower pushing.
The Mar-Yaria combo often gets caught in situations where they kill ten or twenty enemies in the mid-game but eventually get outpaced by stationary marksmen’s economy and lose a team fight. This is because Marco Polo lacks tower-pushing ability. Unlike other marksmen who can deal chip damage to towers, Marco Polo needs to hit towers with his passive to push them effectively.
Moreover, if the game reaches the late stages, Marco Polo’s first skill is not very effective against tanks, and after the frontline blocks his first skill, Marco Polo will struggle to use his ultimate to enter the fight. Once everyone is fully equipped, Marco Polo’s combat ability diminishes, so it’s essential to push and end the game quickly.
How to Counter the Mar-Yaria Combo?
So, how can you counter a powerful Mar-Yaria combo? The weaknesses of the Mar-Yaria combo mentioned above are the key points to address.
Early Game Pressure
The Mar-Yaria combo relies on Marco Polo and Yaria being closely linked, which means their jungle defense is very weak. Especially when the enemy picks early-game weak junglers and mid-laners, a coordinated jungle invasion with mid-lane and support heroes is an excellent strategy. If the enemy jungler falls behind, the Mar-Yaria combo will struggle to farm.
Agudo, with faster pushing speed and strong jungle invasion capability, can effectively block Marco Polo’s skill shots with its summoned creatures. Similarly, mainstream “single-word” junglers like Jing, Lam, can effectively pressure the Mar-Yaria combo through a fast-paced game. To better deal with the Mar-Yaria combination of your opponent, it is recommended to top up Honor of Kings in order to unlock these powerful heroes easily.
Choose Counters to Marksmen
Three recommended heroes to counter marksmen are ArLi and Di Renjie, who can either block bullets or purify passive stacks. These heroes can effectively suppress Marco Polo in lane. Another option is Garo, a top-tier marksman with fast development speed and long range. Gao Luo can hit Marco Polo and has good shield-breaking abilities, and her ultimate can interrupt Marco Polo’s ultimate with a well-timed silence. To unlock these powerful heroes to beat Marco Polo in the battlefield, consider to HOK top up so that you can have enough Tokens to form your battle teams.
Conclusion to Mar-Yaria Combo
In conclusion, the Mar-Yaria combo is one of the most powerful hero combinations in Honor of Kings, offering you a significant advantage with its unique blend of survivability and damage output. By understanding the strengths and potential counters of this combo, you can enhance your gameplay and climb the ranks with confidence. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or a newcomer to the game, the Mar-Yaria combo is a must-try for you to dominate the battlefield.