Discover the Top 5 Most Popular Marksmen in APL 2023

Marksmen in Arena of Valor hold a crucial position, which is why gamers always want to know the hottest picks that can fit into the current meta. So, what criteria should we base our judgments on to determine the hottest Marksman heroes right now?

Many might rely on the frequency of a hero's appearance in ranked matches or the highlights shared by idols on platforms like Facebook, TikTok, etc. However, the most accurate basis to identify the meta's hot pick in the Dragon Lane is through their appearances in professional tournaments. Most recently, at APL 2023, professional players have frequently utilized the following Arena of Valor heroes, confirming their strength and adaptability to the new season's meta. Let's delve into it right away. 

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Top 5 - Joker

Since the skill adjustments, Joker has been a preferred pick in professional tournaments. At APL 2023, he was frequently chosen by players to execute lane pressure strategies in the Dragon Lane.

It can be said that Joker is an incredibly strong Arena of Valor hero, often outperforming or matching up well against other Marksmen, making it easier for teams to deploy their strategies. Whether playing aggressively in the early game with tanky heroes like Baldum, Thane, Kriknak, Aoi, or nurturing late-game heroes like Yan, Wonder Woman, both strategies are highly effective. Especially in APL, we can see Joker paired with Yue, Krixi, Liliana, Krizzix, forming relentless harassment combos because Joker only needs to use his first skill twice to deal with distant enemies. When targeting, he can finish off with a Smile Bomb.

Speaking of arcana, many players choose Benevolence for Joker to increase his ability to clear minions quickly. However, you can also use Skewer to add a bit of physical damage when attacking.

Thanks to Joker's ability to dominate the lane in the early game and access the enemy's backline, while other Marksmen rush to use Muramasa or Bow of Slaughter, he still uses Fafnir's Talon in slot 1, then quickly completes Fenrir's Tooth. If the enemy is too tanky, upgrading to Muramasa is still viable. Bow of Slaughter is good, but Joker needs Fenrir's Tooth more, and if you buy both items, it will take a lot of time because they are both very expensive.

Top 4 - Slimz

Slimz is a Marksman in Arena of Valor that's too safe to lane against many hot pick heroes in tournaments, with Elsu being a prominent example. Thanks to his decent mobility, good tank shredding capabilities, and moderately effective long-range farming with Mechanical Spear throws, he holds several advantages in resource farming and self-defense.

Once teams have chosen Slimz, they must recognize him as the card that needs to be nurtured and invested in to carry the team because Slimz is very harmless in the early game. Besides accurate Mechanical Spear throws, Slimz's damage is just negligible, so picking healthy teammates to help Slimz reach the late game is quite important. You can pair him with sturdy tanks like Y'benth, Thane, Baldum, Xeniel, or Mage heroes like Krixi, Ilumia, to help Slimz survive the early game lane and confidently deal damage late game.

To become the best Slimz or perform well in tournaments, players must ensure accurate farming with precise Mechanical Spear throws to secure minion kills, even when pressured by heroes like Elsu or Joker. You shouldn't risk trading health for farm. Another note is that when you have Slimz, the team should limit adding more late-game heroes. The Top and Jungle roles should be self-sustaining, unafraid to engage in 2v2s in the top lane or strong enough to invade the enemy Jungle, creating farming opportunities for Slimz.

Top 3 - Valhein 

If you've been following APL 2023 since the group stages, you might have noticed his powerful emergence in the new season's meta. Especially, the number of times Valhein has been banned exceeds the number of times he's been picked, which also demonstrates the strength and pressure of this Arena of Valor Marksman.

Valhein can be considered an extremely strong hero in the early game. Currently, with increased physical damage along with Fafnir's Talon and Bow of Slaughter, Valhein is not overly afraid of late-game fights. With adjustments to his strength and character, Valhein's itemization has also undergone certain changes. The essential item for him is not Muramasa but Fafnir's Talon to utilize lifesteal and help Valhein deal with tanks better. When combined with his passive, Valhein shoots no different than a machine.

In ranked matches and tournaments, Apocalypse is also a popular choice of equipment for Valhein. This item is both cheap and provides significant physical damage and early armor penetration. In the late game, you can upgrade to Bow of Slaughter, while the remaining slots can be chosen depending on the enemy team composition, such as Hyoga's Edge, Muramasa, Troy's Standard. A note when playing Valhein is that after the game adjustments, players should not hesitate to use his ultimate ability.

During APL 2023, many players spammed their ultimate into the air, causing many to question his combo. However, you should remember that the strongest point of this hero is the ability to accumulate 4 passive stacks to continuously release red and gold arrows because truly, even if you hold back the ultimate, shooting at enemies is just like scratching an itch, it can't be as beneficial as unleashing his enhanced arrows.

Top 2 - Violet

Violet is also classified as a Marksman hero in Arena of Valor that's a must-pick if not banned in APL 2023. She is a Marksman who can synergize with many different heroes, with advantages in long-range attacks and the ability to roam comfortably due to frequently playing in the top lane. If allowed, she can create immense pressure with her team, making it extremely difficult for opponents.

Not only in the early stages, Violet throughout the mid and late game targets weak foes, with just a flip and a double shot leading to instant eliminations, putting enemies on the scoreboard. To leverage her advantages, team compositions should include harassers like Krixi, Liliana, Iggy,... For Support positions, prioritize tankier heroes or those who can stand tall to allow Violet to confidently shoot, such as Y'bneth, Thane, Baldum,... What I noticed a lot at APL 2023 was teams often selecting Violet to counter the popular Marksman Valhein.

Regarding equipment, apart from the three core items - Claves Sancti, Fenrir's Tooth, and Bow of Slaughter, Violet will vary her remaining offensive items based on player preference or match dynamics, such as Muramasa for significant critical hits, Fafnir's Talon for tank busting,... In the late game, she can entirely fend for herself and handle the team quite easily.

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Top 1 - Elsu

Elsu is undoubtedly the most favored hero at APL 2023. While players may find Elsu less effective in regular matches, in the hands of professional players, his skillset is truly terrifying.

In skirmishes, just 1 or 2 successful shots from his second skill can significantly benefit the team, especially in the late game. Additionally, with three placements of his first skill, Elsu aids in map control and targeting large objectives, especially at the Abyssal Dragon area at the 15th minute mark. With robust health scaling, Elsu's synergy with heroes capable of continuous harassment like Iggy, Yue,... is even more outstanding. This duo maximizes pressure. In siege situations, you might even catch opponents off guard.

At APL 2023, Elsu's itemization typically involves rushing a Muramasa then swiftly completing Fenrir's Tooth. Additionally, you can opt for a tier 2 Blade of Eternity before upgrading to the tooth. If Elsu lacks both attack speed items, restrain from direct confrontations, focusing solely on long-range harassment. Hence, during tournaments when Elsu aims, teammates should collectively focus on dealing harass damage to help this Marksman finish off opponents.

Conclusion

These are the top 5 Marksman picks at APL 2023. Do you find these picks effective and powerful in ranked matches? Let me know your thoughts.