Hero Battles

The Hero Battles arena was a place where players could lead their own squad of heroes against an opponent and their heroes. Each player is supported by three heroes that they must choose and customize before the battle starts.

Each match took place in a randomly chosen Hero Battles map. The goal is simple: you have to out-score your opponent. To do this, you can kill your foes for one point each, or hold as many shrines as possible, which will give points each time the morale bar is filled. The first squad that reaches twenty points wins the match.

Location

 * Battle Isles

Getting there

 * 1) Map travel to The Battle Isles (Great Temple of Balthazar) from Tyria, Elona, or Cantha.
 * 2) To access Hero Battles you must unlock at least three Heroes onto your account. If you haven’t already unlocked the first three Heroes, just complete Zaishen Basic Training with a PvP character, then talk to the Priest of Balthazar, who will give you free unlocks.
 * 3) Once unlocked this way, you can map travel there at any time.
 * 4) You must own either Nightfall or Eye of the North, or you cannot unlock any Heroes.

Alternately, you can open your Hero menu (hit the H key) and click on 'Account', then click on 'Travel to Hero Battles'.


 * 1) If you have created a new PVP character and have followed the above steps and you still cannot go to Hero Battles, simply talk to a Priest of Balthazar.

Exits
None

NPCs

 * Faction:
 * Tyren (Priest of Balthazar)
 * Various:
 * Tolkano (Tournament)

Team Setup
The following applies for this arena:
 * Match types: Score
 * Minimum level: none
 * Team size: 1 player + 3 heroes
 * Teams: Random opponent chosen

Note: Currently there is a ranking system similar to that of GvG that sets you up against an opponent based on your rating points.

Shrines
Each map has a Central Shrine. The holding team receives additional progress towards a score point. After the Wednesday March 7, 2007 Update all shrines now contribute to the morale point but to a lesser extent than the center shrine. When a team has captured a Shrine at least once, both you and your enemy's progress to the next point is displayed; progress stops once all of your shrines are neutralized. When near the Central Shrine, each creature has the "To the Pain!" buff. While under this effect, you deal 10% more damage but healing is reduced by 10%. Apart from this, each map has different additional shrines, that give powerful bonuses in battle, if your squad controls it.
 * Battle Cry - Increases attack speed by 15%, move speed by 25%, and skill recharge by 15%
 * Mending - gives +3 health regeneration
 * Cultist's - spawns a Cultist Mercenary NPC (level 24 Necromancer) who fights for you and helps you capture shrines
 * Warsong's - spawns a Warsong Mercenary NPC (level 24 Paragon) who fights for you and helps you capture shrines
 * Mystic's - spawns a Mystic Mercenary NPC (level 24 Dervish) who fights for you and helps you capture shrines
 * Health - increases the maximum health of each party member by 120
 * Energy - decreases energy cost of skills by 20%
 * Siege Cannon - hits all foes at the central shrine every 10 seconds for 100 damage

Each morale point adds 1/107th of a bar per second, so following times is what is needed to gain a Point.
 * 1 morale point: 107 seconds
 * 2 morale points: 53.5 seconds
 * 3 morale points: 35.67 seconds
 * 4 morale points: 26.75 seconds
 * 5 morale points: 21.4 seconds

Maps
Battles took place in any of the following arenas. (Click the images for a better view)

Other highlights

 * When near your own base, your team takes 50% less damage and deals 50% more.
 * Like in Alliance Battles, there is no Death Penalty, and there is an automatic resurrection in your base every 30 seconds. (On the clock, not after death).
 * After 10 minutes, if the scores are tied, Sudden Death mode activates and the next point wins. In an Automated Tournament match such a game is a draw.
 * If both players hit 20 points at almost the same time (1-2 seconds difference), the game will be a draw, but the game won't be a draw if one scores two or more points at once, making a score of 20:21 or higher.
 * If the player with more points resigns at 2-3 seconds to the end of the match, the game will be a draw.
 * If a player resigns just as they are about to hit 20, or gain 1 point in Sudden Death mode, it will be a draw.

Rewards
The following Balthazar Faction rewards are given at the Hero Battles:
 * Point Gained (From morale points or a kill): 20 Faction
 * Victory: Your points x 5 Faction

Since the December 20th, 2006 game update, players will also earn points toward the Commander title with each win in rated Hero Battles.

Trivia

 * "To The Pain!" is a reference to the movie The Princess Bride. It was a fictional set of dueling rules Westley used to psyche out Prince Humperdinck, where the end result was mutilation rather than death.
 * The Beachhead seems to be located on the second island east of Chahbek Village.