Slow push in Honor of Kings uses controlled minion wave manipulation to create overwhelming lane pressure for early tower destruction. Maintain 3-4 enemy minions near your tower before 4:00, then release accumulated waves to generate 150-200 gold leads while denying opponents 20-30 gold per missed wave. This enables first tower captures at 10-12 minutes and consistent 15-minute game closures through economic and positional dominance.
Understanding Slow Push Strategy
What Is Slow Push Wave Management?
Slow push is a controlled minion accumulation technique. Instead of clearing enemy waves immediately, you maintain 3-4 enemy minions near your tower while controlling which minions die and when. This builds progressively larger waves that crash into enemy towers with overwhelming force.
The optimal freeze position sits one tower range from your base, providing safety while maximizing control. Your minions accumulate faster than enemies can respond, creating wave momentum.
For optimal wave manipulation strategies, Honor of Kings Tokens top up through BitTopup ensures access to the full hero roster.
Why Slow Push Wins Games Faster
Economic advantages:
Three frozen waves produce 60-90 gold differential
Pre-4:00 freezing yields 15-20% gold leads (150-200 gold)
Each missed wave costs enemies 20-30 gold
Last-hitting under tower grants 50% gold bonus (if safe to approach)
Structural advantages:
62% higher tower damage in first 10 minutes vs standard laning
First tower captures at 10:00-12:00
Opens map for objective control
The Science Behind 15-Minute Endings
Clash Lane spawns 4 minion waves before the crucial 4:00 Tyrant spawn. Controlling these early waves sets the foundation for mid-game dominance.
Key timings:
Dragons: 3:30, 7:30, 11:30
River Sprites: 126 gold every 60 seconds until 4:00
Target: 6-7 CS per minute with 70-80% efficiency
By 15 minutes, accumulated advantages converge: substantial gold leads, first tower bonuses, and vision control create both economic power and map control for decisive engagements.
How Minion Waves Work
Spawn Timing and Composition
Waves spawn every 30 seconds
First wave clears ideally by 0:30
Pre-4:00 contains exactly four waves in Clash Lane
Target mage minions for maximum experience
Minion types:
Melee: consistent damage
Ranged: higher DPS, lower health
Mage: maximum experience when last-hit
Lane States: Neutral, Pushing, Frozen
Three fundamental states:
Neutral: Waves meet at midpoint with equal minion counts
Pushing: Minion advantage moving toward enemy structures
Frozen: Static position through deliberate minion count manipulation (3-4 enemy minion advantage)
To convert neutral to slow push: allow 1-2 enemy minions to kill yours before last-hitting, gradually building their advantage that reverses into your accumulated wave.
Minion Aggro Mechanics
Towers target minions before champions until 4:00
Auto-attacking 1-2 enemy minions pulls them into tower aggro range
Trade aggressively at levels 2, 4, and 6 during freeze states
Pull 1-2 enemy minions into tower range while maintaining 3-4 minion freeze threshold
Step-by-Step Execution Guide
Phase 1: Setup (0-5 Minutes)
Clear first wave by 0:30 for lane priority
Secure River Sprite pairs between last-hits (126 gold/60 seconds until 4:00)
Maintain 3-4 enemy minion freeze near tower
Last-hit enemy minions just as they'd die to yours
Allow enemy minions to kill 1-2 of yours to maintain freeze
Plan waves 10 seconds ahead
Target mage minions for max experience
Phase 2: Building Momentum (5-10 Minutes)
Release freeze 30-45 seconds before major objectives by clearing all enemy minions
Ward rivers 30-45 seconds before objectives spawn
Freeze lanes 60-90 seconds before Dragon to build 2-3 wave accumulation
Force enemies to choose: defend tower or contest objective
Phase 3: Game-Ending Push (10-15 Minutes)
Secure first tower at 10:00-12:00 using economic lead
Continue wave manipulation in side lanes while grouping mid
Establish multiple slow pushes simultaneously
Coordinate for inhibitor destruction and super minion waves
Minion Count Thresholds
1 wave (7 minions): Minimal tower damage
2 waves (14+ minions): Forces response, clearable by one champion
3+ waves (21+ minions): Genuine tower-taking threat, requires multiple defenders
Optimal: 18-21 minions (2.5-3 waves) including at least one siege minion
Optimal Timing Windows
Early vs Mid Game Opportunities
Early game (0-5 min):
Focus: economic denial and experience advantages
Pre-4:00 freeze generates 150-200 gold leads
Denies 20-30 gold per missed wave
Mid game (5-10 min):
Focus: objective-focused wave manipulation
Release before Dragon at 7:30
Shift from personal to team-wide advantages
Late early game (10-15 min):
Focus: game-ending structure destruction
Multiple slow pushes across lanes
Convert advantages into rapid closure
Coordinating with Objectives
Tyrant (4:00):
Release pre-4:00 freeze 30-45 seconds before spawn
Forces choice: defend towers or contest Tyrant
Dragons (3:30, 7:30, 11:30):
Freeze 60-90 seconds before spawn
Release to crash as objective becomes contestable
Dual pressure generates advantages regardless of response
15-Minute Power Spike
Accumulated gold leads = completed core items
150-200 gold advantages every few minutes = two-item power spike vs 1.5 items
Tower destruction bonuses compound advantages
Psychological impact forces desperate plays
Slow Push vs Fast Push vs Freeze
When to Choose Each
Slow push:
You have lane priority
Want pressure while rotating to objectives
Applies continuous pressure after leaving lane
Fast push:
Need immediate tower damage
Rapid lane clearing before rotations
Dragon spawns in 15 seconds
Freeze:
Want to deny farm while staying safe
Against aggressive opponents or when behind
Prevents overextension deaths
Combining Techniques
Double wave stacking:
Freeze first wave near tower
Allow second wave to join
Release both simultaneously
Creates 14+ minion waves in ~60 seconds vs 90 seconds
Multi-lane coordination:
Freeze your lane while teammates slow push sides
Release all waves simultaneously
Enemies can't defend multiple lanes
Role-Specific Applications
Fighters and Sidelane Specialists
Establish early freezes for gold leads
Use item advantages to pressure towers mid-game
Maintain constant slow push during teamfight setups
Teleport-equipped: build slow push one side, teleport opposite lane when enemies rotate
Mid Lane Mages
Fast push mid to create roam windows
Coordinate with sidelane slow pushes
Use wave clear advantage to build pushes quickly, then roam
Ward enemy jungle before establishing slow pushes
Supports
Ward rivers 30-45 seconds before objectives
Roam to opposite lane when carry has accumulated wave
Position to intercept enemy engages during aggressive setups
Provide peel during wave manipulation
Junglers
Path toward lanes with established slow pushes
Position nearby to counter ganks
Counter-jungle when lanes have slow push pressure
Ensure sidelaners release pushes 30-45 seconds before objectives
Advanced Pro Techniques
Double Wave Stacking Method
Freeze first wave (3-4 minion maintenance)
Allow second wave to arrive and join
Release both by clearing all enemy minions
Creates 14+ minions in 60 seconds
Release 30-45 seconds before objectives
Vision Control
Ward rivers 30-45 seconds before objectives
Deep wards at jungle entrances provide 5-10 second advance warning
Clear enemy wards before establishing freezes
Deny enemy vision around slow push lanes
Recall Timing
Recall immediately after releasing accumulated waves
Push into enemy tower, recall while minions tank shots
Never recall during freeze maintenance
Recall 60-75 seconds before major objectives
Backdoor Opportunities
Multiple slow pushes force enemy splits
If three enemies defend one wave, teleport to opposite lane
Take undefended structures
Inhibitor destruction creates permanent super minion pressure
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Pushing Too Early
❌ Clearing waves immediately without setup ✅ Maintain 3-4 enemy minion freeze for 60-90 seconds before releasing
Ignoring Map Awareness
❌ Extending without vision or tracking enemies ✅ Check minimap every 3-5 seconds, retreat within 1-2 seconds if enemies missing
Poor Team Coordination
❌ Building perfect waves while team ignores pressure ✅ Ping wave timing, communicate objective contest timing
Misconceptions
Wave management only matters in pro play → Works at all skill levels
Requires perfect mechanics → Core principles involve decision-making and timing
Only works in sidelanes → Every lane benefits from proper manipulation
Countering Enemy Slow Push
Wave Clear Heroes
Draft heroes with strong AoE abilities
Save wave clear abilities for accumulated waves (20 minions vs 7)
Build items with area damage or attack speed
Contest vs Trade
Contest when:
Wave threatens inhibitors
Team lacks objective contest capability
Trade when:
Dragon buff > tower damage
First tower gold (~300) < Dragon (permanent stats)
Defensive Positioning
Position behind tower range
Let tower damage minions first
Clear ranged minions first (higher DPS to towers)
Ward before approaching to detect ambushes
Measuring Success
Tower Damage Per Wave
7 minions: 1,500-2,000 damage
14 minions: 3,500-4,500 damage
21 minions: 5,000+ damage (destroys full-health outer towers)
Target: 8,000+ tower damage by 15 minutes
Gold and Experience Advantages
Pre-4:00 freeze: 150-200 gold lead
Three frozen waves: 60-90 gold differential
Level advantage: 0.5-1.0 levels by 4:00
CS differential: 15-20 CS lead by 10 minutes (300-400 gold)
Win Rate Improvement
Typical improvement: 5-10% in primary roles
Slow push execution games: 60%+ win rate
Standard games: 45-50% win rate
Sidelane fighters: 8-12% improvement
Supports: 3-5% improvement
Ranked Match Implementation
Communication with Random Teammates
Ping Attack on waves 30 seconds before objectives
Ping Retreat when teammates should avoid clearing freeze
Push top lane while establishing bot slow push
Group for Dragon after releasing waves
Team Composition Adaptation
Poke comps: Accumulated waves provide minion shields during siege Teamfight comps: Force engagements on clustered defenders Split push comps: Multi-lane slow pushes create impossible defenses
Rank-Specific Considerations
Diamond-Legend:
Opponents often ignore wave manipulation
Focus on personal execution
Free advantage generation
Mythic:
Requires sophisticated execution
Combine with superior vision and map awareness
Demand team coordination for multi-lane pressure
FAQ
What is a slow push in Honor of Kings? Wave manipulation maintaining 3-4 enemy minions near your tower to accumulate larger waves that crash into enemy structures, generating 150-200 gold leads and enabling 10-12 minute first tower captures.
How long does it take to build a slow push wave? 60-90 seconds to accumulate 2-3 waves (18-21 minions). Double wave stacking reduces this to ~60 seconds.
When should you start a slow push? 60-90 seconds before major objectives (Dragons at 3:30, 7:30, 11:30 or Tyrant at 4:00), release 30-45 seconds before objective spawns.
What's the difference between slow push and fast push? Slow push accumulates minions over 60-90 seconds for maximum tower damage and sustained pressure. Fast push clears waves in seconds for rapid rotations but minimal tower damage.
How many minions for effective slow push? 18-21 minions (2.5-3 waves) including at least one siege minion for 5,000+ structure damage.
Why does slow push help end games at 15 minutes? Generates 150-200 gold leads, enables 10-12 minute first towers (62% higher tower damage), establishes map control for two-item power spikes by 15 minutes vs opponents' 1.5 items, creating decisive combat advantages.
Master slow push and dominate matches! Need to top up Honor of Kings for more heroes? Visit BitTopup for instant, secure recharge HoK Global with best rates and fast delivery!