Honor of Kings: Ace FAQ: beginner, energy, lineups and rewards
The short answer
Choose a strategist whose play style you understand and learn one lineup engine at a time. If a key hero is missing, check shop level, strategist, bans, and lineup requirements before rolling. These beginner answers draw on pre-Sep 24 sources. The Sep 24 version 1.3.1 notice changed some strategists and heroes; older lineup routes still need individual rechecking.
Which starting strategist should a beginner choose?
- A TapTap player guide describes Chang Xiao’e and Xiangxiang as easier to start with, while Baige asks for more card chaining. This is the author’s experience, not a win-rate ranking. Choose by play style; more strategists can be earned through play.
What should I focus on in my first match?
- Finish the tutorial, learn when your strategist skill triggers, and see how hero keywords form an engine. Do not make first place the goal of your first match; replay the same strategist to understand the loop.
Should I save energy to level or spend it rolling?
- Identify the core card and its shop level, then judge whether your board is stable. Level along your route when stable; roll for immediate strength when losing health. Do not copy beta round or energy numbers into the live version.
Why can’t I find a hero listed in my lineup?
- Check whether the hero belongs to this strategist’s route, whether your shop level is high enough, whether the hero is banned, and whether the route is at that stage. Official onboarding notes say recommendations account for unlocked factions, and the game flags heroes unavailable to the current strategist.
Why does a copied lineup still lose?
- Compare strategist, carry, keywords, and setup order, then check bans and matchup. Matching a faction alone may not activate the engine; add the heroes that trigger its core effect. Lineup strength changes with patches, so recheck core and substitute cards.
What if repeated rolls do not find the card?
- Pause and check the card’s shop level, faction, strategist restrictions, and ban status. Rolling cannot solve a shop-level requirement you have not reached. If health is low, stabilize with playable cards instead of spending everything on one target.
How many auctions are there, and what should I bid on?
- Player guides commonly plan around three auction phases. Bid for a card that fills an immediate gap in your route and can be fielded. Check your board and energy first. Guides disagree on exact round numbers, so follow the live phase indicator instead of treating one schedule as universal.
How do I stop my back line from being dived?
- Watch the opponent’s Blink or dive target each round and move your carry away from a direct landing. Check protection targeting too. Reference boards are starting points; confirm which ally skills such as Taiyi actually protect.
Where do I claim the beginner 50-draw rewards?
- The official FAQ lists two locations: Hall → City of All Things, and Bag → Season → Rewards → Rank. Events can expire, so check whether the in-game event is still open. QQ or WeChat binding must match the account currently signed in.
When should I recheck a guide?
- Recheck strategist, hero, talent, and lineup advice after each patch. The Sep 24, 2026 version 1.3.1 notice lists strategist, hero, and bug changes. This FAQ now reflects that notice, but verify specific lineups against the live client and updated guides.
Sources & version
Reviewed 2026-09-27 · Player reports may vary between regional builds.