According to Melbet Affiliates, even though the new season of Honor of Kings has only been live for four days, many players have already climbed to the King rank. As experienced players dive into the updated patch, the true meta-defining heroes of the season have emerged. If you’re unsure which hero to pick for ranked matches, or your usual favorites aren’t helping you climb, trust the data — these three champions are currently the strongest picks.

First up is the revamped heavy-armor Haino. He boasts ranged poke with his first skill, making laning easy against almost any opponent. His ultimate skill allows him to rewind and escape ganks effortlessly, even when outnumbered. Once fully equipped, Haino can sustain himself endlessly, to the point where even tower damage becomes negligible. Even if opponents build anti-healing items like Nightmare or Executioner, taking him down remains a challenge. Just remember: charge his second skill directly into enemy clusters, and if things go south, rewind with the ult. As they say, the more you understand, the lonelier you feel — and players who’ve watched Ting An’s one-vs-five gameplay with Haino know just how overpowered he is.

Next is Yunzongjun, who, despite feeling slightly off in terms of control for some players, remains a force to be reckoned with. By level four, a full combo followed by an ult can take nearly an entire health bar. If he feels weak, it’s likely just a matter of getting used to his mechanics. Prioritizing the first skill grants more mobility and shields, while the second skill offers stronger slows. A recommended setup is to max the first skill and take the second as secondary for smoother map movement and wave clearing. After using the first skill’s speed boost, immediately triggering the second skill during the dash won’t cancel the stun, and allows you to lock down targets effectively. You can even hold the first skill during your ultimate to maintain the speed buff while flying — an underrated tactic with big payoff.

Most notably, Melbet Affiliates highlights Zhao Yun as the most successful rework of the patch. His raw power is overwhelming. With no items at level one, a third-tier basic hit combined with his second skill already chunks out half a health bar. Fully geared with six items, one use of his second skill can outright delete opponents. While Zhao Yun isn’t particularly complex to play, he does require smart health management — much like Cheng Yaojin. His unique mechanic allows him to gain a permanent shield when he regenerates health at lower health tiers. This shield remains until his HP crosses into a new tier, converting the shield back into health. In team fights, you can kite jungle creeps to stabilize your HP at the third tier, then use the second skill to stack shields.

If you get the timing right, your first second-skill hit during an engage will land with full damage potential. For those struggling to manage this, consider equipping the Bloodthirst Gauntlet — its shield fills just enough to match a health tier, giving you room for recovery and aggressive play. Nothing lasts forever, but strength always finds a way — and according to Melbet Affiliates, these three heroes are without doubt the strongest picks at the start of the season. If you can’t beat them, join them. Right now, they’re your best bet for climbing the ladder.