Arena of Valor (AoV) - Never Surrender

August 20, 2018 Taku Bou Arena of Valor (AoV) 6

DTwo professes his disdain for surrender-ers and explains with math and logic why surrendering never makes sense. And he's completely objective while doing so. No bias here.

Never Surrender!

Right off the bat, I’d like to say that this is a personal pet peeve of mine (DTwo), so if this article seems a bit more…charged than usual, head over to our database page for more level-headed, unbiased articles. If you’ve watched my stream, then you know there’s nothing that infuriates me more than someone pressing the surrender button, especially in the inexplicable case in which our team is actually winning the game. Even more rage-inducing are the times when the rest of my team votes “yes,” sabotaging an exceedingly winnable game. In fact, I’ve probably seen the surrender vote come up in just about every situation – including a troll vote as we aced the enemy team and were advancing on their core. And about 99% of the time, I find myself wondering, “Why?!”

So that’s why I’m here to tell you why you should never, ever surrender. Well, except in very rare occasions. Which I’ll state at the end. But otherwise…NEVER SURRENDER!

It’s Mathematically Illogical

There are no ties in a game of Arena of Valor, meaning the difference between a win and a loss is worth two stars – not counting Brave Points and assuming you’re in a tier where you can lose stars. For example, if you currently have 2 stars, then winning will put you up to 3, while losing will drop you to 1. This makes losing close games all the more excruciating (and winning them exhilarating), but it also underscores the importance of not needlessly throwing away winnable games.

The earliest that a team can surrender is at the six-minute mark, meaning that even if your team immediately decides to surrender at that time, you’ll only save – at most – five minutes. Why five minutes? Well, first of all, if your team was so far behind as to warrant such an early surrender, then it shouldn’t take very long for the enemy team to completely snowball the game into a quick victory. If the enemy team is too incompetent to finish in that amount of time, then your team will have naturally farmed enough gold to be able to mount a comeback – not to mention the fact that their incompetency would provide a comeback window as well.

So, if all you’ll gain by “correctly” surrendering is five minutes, how much will you lose by incorrectly surrendering a game that you would have eventually won? Considering an average game takes around 15 minutes, and adding queue, draft, and waiting screen times, it will take you roughly 35 minutes to recover the two-game swing of surrendering a won game. In order for the 5-minute gain for a “correct” surrender to equal the 35 minute loss from an “incorrect” surrender, you’d have to have a winning percentage of 12.5% in surrendered games – and that’s just to break even! To save even a few minutes, the win rate has to be well below 10%. Don’t even get me started on how much time you’re wasting by trying to surrender a game that’s clearly a 50-50 situation.

It Lowers Morale (And Ruins Team Fights)

When a teammate sees the surrender vote pop up on their screen, it is either dejecting or infuriating or both. It takes a particularly level-headed player to completely shrug off a surrender vote, especially when they previously believed it was a pretty close game. That teammate will also likely call into question whether or not the people trying to surrender will be willing to properly focus on coming back, further ruining team chemistry and trust.

The worst surrender-er, though, is the guy (or girl, but probably a guy) who immediately surrenders after dying during a winnable team fight. Having to stop to make the notification go away while you’re frantically trying to finish off an enemy hero while you’re also losing health fast is just…

It’s a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

By constantly surrendering, players never learn how to play from behind. So when they are forced by their teammates to stay in the game, they engage in behavior that is normal to them, but actively causes their team to lose. For instance, a fight between even numbers of heroes is fine if the game is even or you’re ahead, but a terrible idea if you’re behind unless not taking the fight will lose you the game. A surrender-er, having seldom been in this position, will take the fight regardless. Upon inevitably losing the fight, the surrender-er will throw up their hands, wondering why the team hasn’t just surrendered already, not realizing that they’re the ones causing the team to fall further behind.

Related: Many Surrender-ers Don’t Understand Who’s Even Winning

Aside from being the result of a bad reflex or an overly frustrated player, there are undoubtedly many surrender-ers who simply have no idea that their team isn’t losing (or is just barely losing). Like the player who thinks the kill score atop the screen is the actual score. Or the player who pings the teammate trading a tower for a kill (correctly), wondering why they didn’t join the fight instead of asking why the fight was taken in the first place. Or the player who simply can’t understand that just because they keep dying doesn’t mean their team is losing.

Even at the highest levels of the ladder, there are those who don’t understand that their team has the late-game composition, and that the enemy team is under pressure to finish the game off. Sure, everyone gets that Batman and Rourke fall off in the late game. But when surrender-ers have a team of Lauriel and Alice and Violet and still think the game is over because they suffered a couple deaths? Pish posh.

So When is it Okay to Surrender?

I did promise that I’d mention when it’s okay to surrender, and here it is. The only time you’re ever morally, justifiably, honorably, decently, appropriately, viably allowed to surrender is: when you have an AFK teammate who’s showing no signs of coming back AND you’re down over 3000 gold as a team, or if two or more teammates are AFK and showing no signs of coming back (and you’re not ahead in the game). These are the only situations in which there is virtually no hope to win – a less than 1% chance. In every other situation, a comeback is either viable or the other team is going to win the game so quickly so as to make surrendering not worth the effort of finding the button.

Wait, that reminds me of one final rant before I’m done:

Don’t Surrender When the Opposing Team is Literally Bearing Down on Your Core

Just…why? Does it give you a swelling of pride knowing that your team was capable of surrendering 1 second before the opposing team finished off the Core? This all-too-common surrender timing has always confused me the most. One of the best ways to come back is to capitalize on the enemy overextending, so even if your entire team is dead, a miracle hold at the base could lead to an incredible comeback victory. And if the most likely outcome – your Core dying in the next 20 seconds – occurs, you’d have only saved 5 or so seconds with a surrender. Congratulations. In fact, this kind of surrender is annoying even when you’re the winning team – give us the satisfaction of finishing the game! Does it feel good to rob us of…

Heavy breathing Okay, okay. I’ll stop now. I hope this at least convinces a few of you. Uh, go look at our hero pages with ability ranges and mechanics and stuff. And thanks for reading. Waves timidly

Arena of Valor (AoV) Recommended Article List

▼ Popular Articles
Beginner's Guide	Hero Tier List
Hero Class Guide	Armory (Item List)

▼ Popular Articles
Beginner's Guide	Hero Tier List	Hero Class Guide	Armory (Item List)

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Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Awesomestest
April 14, 2019 at 11:28 AM

I have been in situation where we were 1 afk, 1 tower left at less than half and under siege in our base with enemy at 2 or 3 towers in each lane. We dragged on for defense for 3-4 mins and one of the enemy players went afk. We cleared them in our base. Took dark slayer and took out their centre lane, 2 lane towers. Next attack with dark slayer and blessing boost and we won. Final score 14 kills to their 29. NGU man! Never give up!
There have been more than one such times. NGU!!!

Reply
YYK
March 3, 2019 at 4:30 PM

What about you have an early comm, you got lots of kill and you want to finish the core but your teammates are idiots and refuse to join you, leaving you to die with one last hit on the core and proceed to feed the enemy’s late comm by dying one by one? Does that warrant a surrender?

Reply
LrdVoldemort
November 20, 2018 at 6:36 PM

Not forgetting you get valor points for not surrendering

Reply
hellman
August 21, 2018 at 3:35 PM

even in the quick match, when it doesn’t really matters whether you’re winning or losing, there is still someone who pressing surrender button. Duh!

Reply
- dtwo
  August 21, 2018 at 4:22 PM
  
  Yeah that one makes little sense to me either – it’s like, why did you enter casual anyway?
  
  Reply
  - Faisal
    September 2, 2018 at 10:19 PM
    
    To play the free heroes of course XD
    
    Reply

HERO

GUIDES

SG Rating

Name	Effect	Unique Passive (Special Ability)
Short Sword	Attack Damage +20	None
Dagger	Attack Speed +10%	None
Gloves	Critical Chance +12%	None
Bloodied Club	Attack Damage +10 Life Steal +8%	None
Chain hammer	Attack Damage +40	None
Cleaving Claymore	Attack Damage +80	None
Arcane hammer	Attack Damage +25 Attack Speed +15%	Speed Up: Normal attacks increase movement speed by 10%.
Tempest Blades	Attack Speed +25% Movement Speed +5%	None
Astral Spear	Attack Damage +50	Armor Pierce +60
Shuriken	Attack Speed +25%	Vital Point: Normal attacks deal additional 20 physical damage (+1 per hero level) for melee heroes and 40 physical damage (+2 per hero level) for ranged heroes.
Uriel’s Brand	Attack Damage +100 Max HP +600	Magic Guardian: When hero’s HP falls below 40%, Uriel’s Brand grants +200 magic defense and summons a Shield that absorbs (500+hero’s level*100) magic damage for 5 seconds. 75-second cooldown.
Curse of Death	Attack Damage +100 Life Steal +10%	Soul Prison: On dealing damage, reduces target’s HP regeneration by 50% for 1.5 seconds. If this is triggered by normal attacks, the duration is extended to 3 seconds.
Death Sickle	Attack Damage +60 Cooldown Speed +5%	Divine Intervention: Prevents damage from a potential killing blow, then increases movement speed by 20% for 1 second. 90-second cooldown.
Spear of Longinus	Attack Damage +80 Cooldown Speed +15% Max HP +400	Shatter: Decreases target armor by 50 on hit for 5 seconds. Stacks up to 5 times.
Fafnir’s Talon	Attack Damage +60 Attack Speed +30% Life Steal +10%	Dragon’s Breath: Normal attacks deal additional damage equal to 8% of target’s current HP.
Claves Sancti	Attack Damage +90	Upon landing a critical attack, grants bonus (30 + Level*2) movement speed for 2 seconds (only for Ranged). Critical Chance +25% , Increase critical damage by 50%
Muramasa	Attack Damage +75 Cooldown Speed +10%	Armor Pierce +45%
The Beast	Attack Damage +100 Life Steal +25 (physical and magic)	None
Omni Arms	Attack Damage +70 Attack Speed +15% Life Steal +10% Cooldown Speed +10% Max HP +500	Pentapower: After using an ability, the next normal attack within 5 seconds deals 100% more physical damage. 2-second cooldown.
Slikk’s Sting	Attack Speed +35% Critical Chance +25% Movement Speed +7%	Blessing of the Wind: Increase own resistance by 35 for 2 seconds after a critical hit
Fenrir’s Tooth	Attack Damage +200	Fenrir’s Tooth: Increases all damage dealt with 30% when the target’s HP is below 50%.
Blitz Blade	Attack Damage +50 Attack Speed +35% Life Steal +10% Movement Speed +5%	Chain Lightning: Every 4 seconds, the next normal attack triggers a chain lightning that deals 102 (+7 per level) magic damage. Each normal attack also carries Life Steal and reduces cooldown by 1 second on hit.
Devil’s Handshake	Attack Speed +30% Critical Chance +20% Movement Speed +5%	Flame Wrath: Normal attacks increase attack speed by 10% for 2 seconds. Stacks up to 5 times.
Rankbreaker	Attack Damage +110 Cooldown Speed +10%	Windwalk: Increases movement speed by 10% after exiting battle. Break: Increases armor pierce by 100 (+10 per level).
Spell Tome	Ability Power +40	None
Lapis Ring	Max Mana +300	None
Pendant of Faith	Mana +10 / 5 sec	None
Ancient Scriptures	Ability Power +80	None
Magic Ring	Cooldown Speed +10%	None
Enchanted Scroll	Ability Power +120	None
Trick Blade	Ability Power +60 Cooldown Speed +10%	Elemental Power: After using an ability, the next normal attack deals additional magic damage. 3-second cooldown.
Spoopy Mask	Ability Power +100	Magic Pierce +75
Phoenix Tear	Ability Power +60	From the Ashes: When the hero gains a level, 20% of HP and mana are restored over 3 seconds.
Virtue’s Bracelet	Ability Power +60 Cooldown Speed +5% Mana +20 / 5 sec	Soaring Spirit: Restores 20% mana after earning a kill or assist.
Vlad’s Impaler	Ability Power +90	Magic Life Steal +15%
Staff of Nuul	Ability Power +180 Cooldown Speed +10%	Magic Pierce +45%
Virtue’s Necklace	Ability Power +160 Cooldown Speed +10% Max Mana +300 Mana +30 / 5 sec	Soaring Spirit: Restores 20% mana after earning a kill or assist. Magic Pierce +75
Tome of the Reaper	Ability Power +240 Max HP +500	Soul Prison: On dealing damage, reduces target’s HP regeneration by 50% for 1.5 seconds. If this is triggered by normal attacks, the duration is extended to 3 seconds.
Boomstick	Ability Power +240	Explosion: Ability hits trigger a small-area explosion that deals 50 (+50% ability power) magic damage. 5-second cooldown.
Hecate’s Diadem	Ability Power +240	Warlock: Ability Power +35%