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== Macro ==
Macro is the strategic decisions made about the map, pressure and objectives. It is often referred to as the "invisible" influence your team exerts on the map, but can majorly influence the outcome of a game nonetheless.

=== Map Knowledge ===
Knowledge of the [[Map|Map's]] layout helps with maximizing uptime, positioning, rotations, and other crucial aspects in greater strategies throughout the game. This includes, but is not limited to, knowing [[Cosmic Veil]] locations, [[Powerup]] locations, and [[Teleporter]] locations.

=== Timings ===
Knowing '''Timings''' for events on the map can allow you or your team to gain significant advantages for a duration of time, or help you know what's available for you to do.

Timings to know regarding enemy heroes:
* Ultimate abilities are available to unlock when the enemy reaches 3.8k souls, which can significantly tilt fights in lane.
* [[Ziplines|Zipline Boost]] is unlocked at 6 minutes. If you kill an enemy hero at 6 minutes, they can generally return to the lane much sooner than usual.
* Respawn timers become longer as the match goes on, reaching about 35s at 20 minutes. As such, kills become more significant as the match goes on, representing missed income for the deceased and map pressure for the opposing team.

Timings to know regarding the map:
* Bridge Buffs spawn every 5 minutes, and are a significant force multiplier for the next 160s.
* The Spirit Urn spawns every 5 minutes, and can be used to secure a soul lead.
* The Unstable Rift spawns every 8 minutes after its initial spawn, and can be used to secure a soul lead as well as apply significant pressure on a lane.
* Waves spawn every 30s in lane, with increasing frequency as the game goes on (see Troopers). If you plan on leaving lane, it is generally best to do so right after securing the wave. In a similar vein, it is best to return to lane after leaving or dying before the next wave arrives.
* Midboss spawns every 6 minutes, with increasing frequency after each Midboss killed. Care should be taken not to die while Midboss is (or is soon-to-be) available.

Timings to know regarding pushing objectives:
* WIP

=== Uptime/Presence ===
'''Uptime''' is the amount of time you spend actively contributing to something in a match, usually by creating pressure against the enemy team or collecting Souls for your team. Time spent farming Denizens, harassing enemies, and pushing troopers towards enemy Guardians and Walkers contributes to '''uptime''', as opposed to "downtime" which can include time spent respawning, idly waiting for objectives to spawn, and rotating aimlessly around the map.

=== Pressure ===
'''Pressure''' represents a team's effective threat on a map -- for example, the risk of a fight breaking out, a gank on an enemy player, or the amount of farm available to safely claim. '''Pressure''' can be manipulated by player leads, hero rosters, or pushing and freezing lanes. By being aware of '''pressure''', you can anticipate what might happen next in a match, and have more objectives available to you and your team.

'''Creep/Troop denial''' is a crucial part of the game's laning phase and involves shooting the Souls of one's own trooper when they are killed. This prevents enemy laners from obtaining Soul Orbs by killing Troopers. Denying Souls is still effective after the laning phase, as Souls increase in value as the game continues. Denying Souls after the lane phase grants all Souls to the denier, which can be an effective way to individually gain more Souls if you are farming for an important item. 

Pushing up lanes by killing enemy Troopers spreads your team's area of control and removes farmable space from the enemy. If your team is able to control more of the map by pushing up Troopers, friendly Ziplines will extend and allow Trooper reinforcements to help push [[Guardian|Guardians]] and [[Walker|Walkers]], further pressing your advantage.

By carefully damaging enemy troopers to equalize the number of troopers on each team within a lane, it is possible to "freeze" a lane in place so that the troops neither advance nor fall back. By limiting your damage to the wave, it is possible to effectively keep it "frozen" indefinitely. 

This tactic is useful to keep troops close to your Guardian or Walker for your own safety. By preventing your troops from pushing forward, you can stay within the safe zones of your defenses.

It is also useful for denying your opponent's access to farm due to the distance from their defenses. Since your guardian or walker is the point furthest from their guardian or walker, freezing a lane on your side of the map can make retreat difficult for your opponent.

The healing from the medic pack dropped by a medic trooper can heal your minions and change the balance of the wave state, inadvertently causing your wave to push and breaking the freeze. You can prevent this from happening by keeping your distance from your own wave as it dies and collecting the medic pack only after a few of the minions in your wave have died.