What is a one trick in gaming? An in-depth look at specializing in a single hero

Hey friend! If you play team-based competitive games like Overwatch, League of Legends or Valorant, chances are you‘ve encountered or even been a "one trick" before. These players choose to specialize in a single hero or agent, becoming true masters of their craft.

But is one tricking looked down on as being inflexible? Or is it a valid strategy on the road to greatness? Let‘s dive deeper into the controversial world of one tricks!

Defining the one trick pony

A "one trick" refers to a player who plays and mains a single character exclusively in competitive multiplayer games. They live and breathe that hero, obsessing over every matchup, mechanic and playstyle nuance.

One tricking stands in contrast to flexing – being competent on multiple heroes and switching based on the map, team comp and counterpicks. It‘s an extremely polarized playstyle.

The term "OTP" also stands for "one trick pony" and means the same thing, but has a more negative connotation. Just like an old circus pony only capable of one trick, OTPs can only competently play their one main hero.

One tricking by the numbers

Let‘s look at some statistics around one tricking:

• In League of Legends, around 15-20% of players actively one trick a single champion. This number is likely higher in ranked solo queue.

• One tricking is most common for carry roles like mid, top and ADC. Only ~5% of support mains one trick a champion.

• In Overwatch, one tricking reached its peak in 2018 where 19% of Top 500 ranked players were one tricks. This has reduced after role queue was introduced.

• One tricking is extremely specialized in certain heroes. Over 50% of Top 500 Doomfist players exclusively play Doomfist.

One tricking clearly remains a significant part of competitive gaming culture. But why do players choose to hyperfocus on a single hero?

The mind of a one trick

Speaking as a former one trick myself, here are some common motivations behind this playstyle:

• Mastering a high skill cap hero. Champs like Yasuo and Genji have near unlimited outplay potential. One tricking allows you to push their mechanics to the limit.

• Enjoyment from "maining" a hero. Getting attached to a hero‘s personality and playstyle feels great. You never get bored spamming your favorite.

• Specializing to climb rankings. Targeted practice leads faster improvement than flexing. You exploit specific matchups and scenarios.

• Standing out with an unique playstyle. Being the lethal Widowmaker sniper or unkillable Doomfist diver makes you feel special.

• Refusing to compromise on hero choice. Some one tricks vocally reject meta picks or team pressure to switch.

Of course, one tricking has its share of downsides too. You become utterly useless if your hero is taken or countered. And certain roles like main tank inherently require flexing.

But when it clicks, the tunnel-visioned pursuit of one trick excellence can be rewarding in its own right.

Playing as and against one tricks

Here are some tips for both one trick players and their teammates/opponents:

For the aspiring one trick:

• Pick a hero that can carry and has playmaking potential like Genji rather than a team-dependent pick like Reinhardt.

• Become an expert on your matchups – every hero that counters you and who you counter.

• Master niche techs that only mains use like animation cancels, rollouts, stealth spots etc.

• Build a mental checklist of mistakes to avoid – situations where you commonly overextend or die.

For teammates of one tricks:

• Make compromises in team composition to suit them if they are proficient.

• Enable them to pop off by pocketing as a healer or setting up combos.

• Politely suggest switching only if they are being hard countered and swap yourself if needed.

For opponents of one tricks:

• Identify the one trick early based on hero time played and quirks.

• Counterpick them decisively with heroes they struggle against.

• Exploit common habits and flaws – punish positioning mistakes.

• Deny them value by pressuring and focusing them down early in teamfights.

One trick interactions can be complex, but are part of what makes competitive games so deep!

Healthy vs unhealthy one tricking

Is one tricking ethical? This debate has raged for years in gaming circles:

Arguments against one tricks:

• They selfishly inflate their rank abusing a single good hero, while feeding on anything else.

• They force teammates to build entire comps around enabling them.

• They refuse to cooperate or switch even when countered.

Arguments for one tricks:

• They contribute mastery on an off-meta hero others don‘t play.

• They still win the majority of their games, proving their rank is deserved.

• Having a specialty hero to excel at raises the skill ceiling.

There are healthy and unhealthy ways to one trick. For example, reluctantly switching if both your hero and backup are taken/countered shows flexibility.

But screaming at your team to play around your Torbjorn pick or intentionally throwing on other heroes demonstrates toxicity.

One tricking across gaming genres

While most prevalent in team hero games like Overwatch, League and Dota 2, one tricking exists across genres:

• FPS: Main a single weapon like the AWP in CSGO or Kraber in Apex Legends.

• Fighting games: Master a single character‘s matchups like a Tekken player using just Paul Phoenix.

• RTS: Focus on executing one opening build order or cheese strategy.

• MOBA: Specialize in a hero role like jungler or roamer.

• Card games: Build your entire deck around a win condition/combo.

The common thread is honing expertise in a very narrow domain. Of course, one tricking is more viable in genres where you control a single "unit" like a fighter rather than an army.

But it allows focusing practice efficiently and minimizing the knowledge to learn.

Closing thoughts on the controversial playstyle

So what‘s my verdict on one tricking after all these years? For the right person on the right hero, it can be an excellent path to mastery. The concentrated practice hones skills exponentially faster than flexing.

But some humility is needed – being willing to switch if you‘re having an off day or your specialty pick makes no sense with the team comp.

One tricking certainly isn‘t for everyone. But neither is it inherently wrong if done respectfully. You just need to decide whether becoming the world‘s best Genji is more important than boosting your SR number!

That wraps up my deep dive on gaming‘s most stubborn players. Let me know your spiciest one trick stories or if you have any other topics you‘d like covered! This is Terry signing off.