Kid Bomba shared a guide on how to play Bartz

The character burst onto the scene this summer, during our boot camp leading up to Riyadh. I can probably say with pride that I was the very first player to start using him in practice matches. How did I discover him? I was just thinking about what was in the meta two years ago—back then, it was an assassin meta—and it was obvious to me even then that Bartz was overpowered.

I wouldn’t say I’m some kind of Bartz main, but I played him a lot in Season 3 of MCC when he was in the meta. And with that foundational knowledge, I’ve probably become the best player on this character in the world right now.

The best allies for Bartz are heroes who can burst for him or heroes who can support him well. Setups with Matilda and Raphael are always great, or even with Marcel, because you get a pool, an extra dash, and maybe some extra kiting. Plus, Raphael can extend your ultimate with his stun. It doesn’t matter who deals the damage—the main thing is that damage gets dealt.

Take tank emblems: Vitality, Tenacity, or Festival of Blood. I took Festival of Blood for the extra healing on the lane. I highly recommend Rapid Boots against Uranus. Then Chastise Pauldron.

I don’t like it when people build Bartz as a full tank. I think two items are enough. For the third slot, you should always buy Winter Crown. Why? With Bartz’s ultimate, you’re always charging forward. To maximize the time you buy for your team—not only to continue your initiation but also to stay alive—you need to initiate and activate Winter Crown.