Overview
In Battlerite, Pearl is a powerful ranged support character that focuses on using water-based attacks and abilities to heal allies and control foes. Pearl’s strength hinges on the player’s ability to synchronize attacks with teammates while charging the character’s staff in order to lock down enemies by silencing them. Let’s break down Pearl’s abilities.
Volatile Water (LMB): Volatile Water is Pearl’s go-to basic attack that launches a watery projectile toward the opponent dealing damage. If Pearl’s staff is charged, landing the attack will also inflict the targeted enemy with silence, preventing them from using abilities for the duration. This is a very strong form of crowd control and can really devastate opponents or save allies if used at the proper time. For the cost of 25% energy, you can also use the EX form of this attack, Overflow, to recharge your weapon immediately allowing even more control over your opponents.
Healing Wave (RMB): As with most support characters, this is Pearl’s healing ability which can be used to restore the HP of any teammate it is cast upon. Not only does the ability store three uses, it also recharges faster for each ally that is around Pearl. Due to this, you’ll want to ensure that you keep your team nearby so as to have more uses of the ability. But make sure to stay behind your opponent as Pearl doesn’t do all too well on the front lines.
Dive (Space): Dive is Pearl’s escape ability. It allows the character to travel to any designated location leaving behind ripples of damage as you disappear. Be sure to use this ability when you are low in health or simply need to run away from a powerful enemy attack.
Tidal Wave (Q): Tidal Wave is an incredibly useful defensive ability that, when triggered, will counter the next source of damage Pearl receives. When the attack is countered it will also release a wave that heals Pearl, charges the staff, and knocks back any nearby enemies. The knock back makes this very strong against melee champions, however be sure to use this skill very wisely as patient enemies can take advantage of the counter duration. It is important to be unpredictable and fast-acting in order to make the best use of Tidal Wave.
Bubble Barrier (E): This skill gives Pearl the ability to control the battlefield by allowing the player to create a bubble field at a desired location that will slow both enemies and their projectiles that enter it. When used properly, it can also block certain champions’ ultimates, making it one of the strongest forms of CC available. Bubble Barrier’s EX form, Unstable Bubble, will carry the original’s attributes while exploding after the duration, dealing extra damage and knocking enemies backwards. This allows Pearl to not only get in more damage, but also continue to CC the enemy team while keeping distance.
Bubble Shield (R): Bubble Shield is another very important support ability. When cast on an ally, it removes all forms of CC inflicting the teammate while granting them a shield which will absorb incoming damage. Use the shield to get allies out of sticky situations or preventing them from dying in low-HP situations. You’ll want to prevent overuse of this ability as it is best used as a reactive measure in the worst possible situations.
Jaws (F): This is Pearl’s Ultimate ability and when used at the proper time, it can swing fights in clear favor of your team. The skill will summon a hungry shark at the target location, dealing damage and trapping all enemies caught within the area of effect. This effectively removes the trapped enemies from the battle for a specific amount of time, allowing Pearl’s team to take advantage of the opposition’s low numbers. When the time runs out, or when the ability is recast, it will create a splash that returns the trapped enemies and deals more damage to all surrounding enemies.
Strategy
As stated before, Pearl’s role in battle is to support their team with healing spells and crowd control. It is important to note that as per the ranged caster archetype, Pearl’s HP is rather low and will require solid backward position and skillful use of defensive abilities in order to stay alive. Luckily, Pearl’s toolkit is very powerful against melee attackers. Both Dive and Bubble Barrier can be used to gain and keep distance from close ranged melee, while Tidal Wave will knock back any that get too close for comfort. Try to anticipate when an enemy will rush in and use the counter to knock them back. Then immediately follow it up with a Bubble Barrier and be sure to slowly move around the barrier, not giving the enemy any clear line-of-sight to get in on you.
Bubble Shield is very much an ace-in-the-hole and can be used to navigate your way, or an ally’s way, out of very bad situations. When pitted against very CC-heavy enemies, we definitely recommend taking the tier 3 Battlerite Bobble Bubble. This will lower Bubble Shield’s cool down by five seconds and will return some energy to you if it is destroyed.
When teaming up with someone you expect to heal a lot, take the tier 2 Battlerite Healing Stream. This will reduce the cooldown of Dive each time the spell Healing Wave is cast, allowing Pearl to play a bit more forward and allow for far more escapes. You can also pair this with the tier 1 Battlerite Fountain for even more healing if you expect a large amount of team damage to take place.
If you’re looking to play more onto the CC side of things, you’ll want to look at the tier 1 Battlerite Power of the Deep which will recharge Pearl’s staff each time Dive is used. Pair this with Healing Stream and you’ll be able to terrorize the enemy team with countless silences. Throw the tier 4 Battlerite Soaking Web to increase the duration of the silence on top and the enemies won’t know what to even do with themselves.
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