Pearl Attack Guide:
Pearl in its current state has new "noob" traps that cause people difficulty when attacking the map. Generally, it is structured in favour of the attacking team assuming that utility is deployed correctly to claim space. So if you're struggling we'll teach you in this guide how to win Pearl attack, how to use your utility on the two sites and what the common pitfalls are for players.
How to default on Pearl?
When defaulting on Pearl the approach to gaining space should be a subtle one. Unlike maps such as Ascent, do not expect to be aggressively taking space in mid and converting that into a rush. Whilst this is certainly possible, it is unlikely and tends to occur later into the round off of the back of a lurker pick or two.
What are the Default positions on Pearl?
A Default
Priority: Orb Control | Force Utility
Mid Default 1
Priority: Early pick | A Link pressure and space control.
Mid Default 2
Priority: Early Pick | B-Doors/Link pressure and space control.
B Default
Priority: Orb Control | Spot OP | B Main control
How to Attack A:
Pearl is attacker sided. A makes this pretty clear.
A is the most difficult for the attackers to claim of the two but that isn't saying much.
As with any site, you'll want to tease out utility, either that or play contact and try to catch the anchoring player off guard. It's very common for a sentinel or an equivalent agent such as Viper to be solo holding A; expect utility spam if you make your presence known.
The site is designed for entry flaggers to have a good time. Even if they are pushing in dry. The reason for this is the lack of a "hard crossfire" as in a full 180 degrees exit out of the chokepoint. B doesn't either. Generally, hard crossfires are hated by the player base and for good reason, they are hellish to deal with in solo Q, where people cannot seem to even flash at the correct time for their team. Such is the nature of rag-tag PUGs.
A Site on Pearl gives a generous amount of space to the attackers before they have to worry about a crossfire; you can quite easily clear the right-hand side through Main without having to worry about the A Link player shooting you in the back. On top of this, a Jett can easily dash to the market stall and not have to worry about the Link player either due to the metal box.
The one location that attackers should be concerned about is Dugout. If a defender positions themselves correctly, they can create a crossfire with the tucked player in the righthand corner. However, the attacking team can make this player redundant by pushing Link through mid, which is something you'll want your lurker and perhaps one more player to do. Additionally, you could use smokes to cut this player off. The problem with this approach is that Viper and Brim, the most popular agents on the map at the moment, cannot afford to do this. Controllers will prefer to take more space for post plant, which attackers should rely on. Especially given that Link is a very hard position to hold for the attacking team, defenders typically take this space back first. Yet the lanes from the Defender spawn into the site are far more attractive to attackers, they are tight corridors; easy for them to hold.
How to execute onto Pearl A-Site?
- Smoke Link and Flowers.
- Flash the right-side of A main.
- Use stun utility on back-site and Dugout to flush players out of that position.
- Push in and claim the space as fast as possible.
The standard execute for Pearl A site is a smoke for Link and a smoke for Flowers. You can achieve this smoke combo with all controllers. If you are playing Brim you can choose to smoke Dugout as well but this is not advised. You will probably need the second smoke for post-plant.
Instead, you should be focused on claiming as much space as possible, Dugout included. It is an execution failure if you do not have control of Dugout. Which is essential when figuring out how to win Pearl attack.
Flashes:
Following the smokes should be a flash for the right side of Main, it's unlikely for anyone to be posted here and if they are it is probably an agent that can get out such as Jett or Chamber, so do not dump too much utility unto the right-side of main. One flash should be enough to swing it.
Utility for Back-site:
°
Having a Breach, Astra, Fade or Sky for back-site would be ideal, this is a position that players like the jiggle around and play from, similar to the main boxes on C of Haven. So you should give it the same treatment by stunning it out and flashing it if possible.
Dugout also has a nasty angle onto A main so utility on the stairs of Dugout would be best.
How to play A Post-Plant?
In post plant, due to the nature of the aforementioned lanes, I suspect that defenders in competitive will come to favour flanking and taking Link control instead. As the attacking team, you will want to have utility to hold this position. Controllers would be best saving a smoke for Link in the post plant. And a molly of some kind would be a great compliment to it.
How To Attack B?
B is very easy to take as a 5-man team. Many teams win Pearl attack by abusing this site.
How to execute onto B-site?
- Take B main/long control.
- Smoke Left-Hall, Tower and Tunnel.
- Flash high onto Site.
- Use CC utility on B Screen and Right-Hall.
- Clear and take Hall control.
- Plant on the top left corner of Site, outside Left-Hall.
You want to start with B main control. This is usually effortless to acquire unless the enemy team has an OP posted up which is likely later in the half. Simply start by Jiggle peeking and then using utility to force them off the angle. Once you've done so you should claim B main as fast as possible.
Now you can start entering Site. The best places to have smoked off for B are Left-Hall, Tower and Tunnel. You don't need to have any smokes available for a post plant set up on this site if you plant outside of Left-Hall. So feel free to use them all here, but if you are looking for one to save, save the Tunnel smoke. Or if you have an OPer, they can hold Hall whilst your team pushes onto Site. In this case, you can save a smoke or use for Right-Hall or B-Link, whichever you feel is more threatening during the game.
Flashes:
Flashing high is important on the B site due to the high ground present, it'll also catch someone who is behind the metal box on the close right as you enter the site.
You will want to save a flash for taking Hall control as well. Players like to anchor here and unless you already have control of it, don't burn it on anything else.
Utility:
Ensure that you stun or use some scouting utility to clear B Screens.
Screens is a rat spot. It's hard to know if it is truly clear after spamming it. On top of it this, it is a cheeky angle that Chambers like to play from; force their TP when entering and you won't have to worry about it for a while.
Hopefully, this guide has helped you learn how to attack and win Pearl. Now go storm ranked and claim some RR, you have nothing to fear on this map now. If you are struggling with Defense we have a Pearl Defense Guide.
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