MOBA hero spotlight: Smite's Ymir

Getting trapped is even more panicking when you're on ground level.

I've just become the frosty filling of an ice-wall sandwich. Josh and I are getting hands-on time with Hi-Rez Studios' Smite , and we're right at eye-level with the action thanks to the third-person camera angle. Through sheer coincidence, we've both chosen Ymir, the leader of the frost giants from Norse mythology, as the tank of our opposing teams. This astral plane isn't big enough for two ice giants—may be the best frost titan win.

Ymir (pronounced “Eh-meer”) has a bevy of abilities that make him more than a damage sponge. Though his melee damage may be low, farming mobs is a breeze thanks to his skill-shot line nuke, impaling puny soldiers on a bed of spiky icicles. Ymir's most crucial spell is a giant ice wall that bursts through the ground, trapping unsuspecting heroes between your team and a cold place. This gives you the perfect opportunity to freeze them in place with a blast of your bone-chilling breath, totally disabling them as they turn to snow-encrusted statues.

When two Ymirs face off in a 5-on-5 team fight, things really get interesting. Josh is trying to block my escape with a surprise ice wall, and in a panic, I've boxed myself in with an ice wall of my own. Josh sees his chance: activating his ultimate, he gathers his energy to unleash an ice-crystal supernova for huge area-of-effect damage. His team shatters me in an instant, but next time that frosty meathead isn't going to get so lucky.