5 MISTAKES NEW DRAGONS MAKE

Everyone crashes into a body in their first match. That is fine – the arena is a good teacher. But a few mistakes come up again and again, and each one has an easy fix.

1. Crossing in front of a big dragon

The mistake: you see orbs on the other side of a long dragon and fly straight across its path. It turns, and its body is suddenly where your head is going.

The fix: treat every long body as a moving wall. Go around the head end, never across the path ahead of it. Remember that flying into a body ends you whatever your size – even if you are bigger.

2. Boosting everywhere

The mistake: holding boost all the time because it feels fast. Boost burns Might every second, and the Might you burn falls behind you as orbs – food for everyone chasing you.

The fix: boost in short bursts: to escape an aim line, to cut off a rival, or to grab a loot pile before someone else. Fly at normal speed the rest of the time.

3. Ignoring the aim line

The mistake: flying straight while a rival charges a Breath at you. A dashed line in front of a dragon means a shot is coming – and a charged shot to your head ends your run.

The fix: whenever a dashed line points at you, turn sideways out of it. Flying away along the line does not help: the beam travels along it. Also remember that the charging dragon is slowed down – often the best defense is to get out of its turning range.

4. Every Breath at full charge

The mistake: holding every shot to full power. Full charges cost twice as much Spirit, and Spirit only comes back from orbs, so you run dry and have nothing left when a real chance appears.

The fix: tap for quick slices on bodies crossing your path; save the long charge for heads that are lined up. A landed headshot also refunds a full shot of Spirit, so precise shots pay for themselves.

5. Chasing the Crown too early

The mistake: heading straight for the dragon wearing the Crown at 200 Might. The Crown holder is big, armored against small attackers, and surrounded by fights.

The fix: grow first. Circle the fights, eat the loot that spills out and arrive near the Crown holder's size with a full Spirit bar. When the holder falls – and it always does – its bounty is the biggest feast in the arena. Our Crown guide covers the details.

Bonus: forgetting your Rebirth

In Classic, your first defeat in a life brings you back with half your Might and a short shield. Many new players use that shield to fly straight back to the dragon that beat them. Use it to reach safe sky instead, and rebuild from there.

Want the full picture? Start with the beginner's guide and twelve habits for staying alive.