The essentials in plain words: the goal of a match, souls, items, abilities and the map. Numbers come from game data and update with patches.
The goal of a match
Two teams of six heroes. The first team to destroy the Patron — the main objective in the enemy base — wins.
The way to the base runs through the lanes. Each lane is defended by objectives: first a Guardian, then a Walker. While they stand, pushing further is hard.
Waves of troopers keep marching down the lanes. They soak objective damage, so it is easier to take objectives together with your wave.
Once the base defenses fall, the Patron is exposed. Finish it and the match is won.
A match can turn at any moment: a soul deficit shrinks fast with kills on fed heroes and big map objectives.
Souls — the main currency
Souls are both money and experience. You buy items with them, and your total decides your hero level.
Souls come from lane troopers, neutral camps, kills and assists on heroes, plus crates and golden statues across the map.
Troopers drop souls as an orb — shoot it to secure it, or the enemy may take part of it.
When you are not fighting, farming camps helps you keep up with the enemy.
Any match page on LOCKSTAT shows how souls grew for both teams minute by minute.
Items
Items come in three branches: Weapon, Vitality and Spirit. Each has four tiers, from cheap to the strongest. The shop currently has 156 items.