Garden of Terror Map Guide

Last updated on Sep 30, 2025 at 19:30 by Elitesparkle

Welcome to our strategy guide for Garden of Terror, a Map in Heroes of the Storm. On this page, you will find everything required to understand how it is designed and how to play it.

Garden of Terror Map Guide Banner Image
1.

Introduction

Garden of Terror is a 3-lane Map belonging to the Nexus universe. The signature Objective of this Map are Seeds required to get Garden Terrors. One per lane, the Garden Terrors will fight alongside the team who gets 3 Seeds, temporarily disabling enemy Structures on their path.

2.

Draft Strategy

Prefer
Avoid
3.

Lane Assignments

Here you can find one or more formations that are viable on this Map. Keep in mind that positions in lane are not strict and will often change based on the situation.

3.1.

Formation 1-1-3

A good formation for Garden of Terror is 1-1-3:

  • 3 Heroes cover the side lane where the allied Bruiser Camp is or, alternatively, the side lane near the next Objective;
  • 1 Hero covers the middle lane;
  • 1 Hero, the Offlaner, covers the side lane far away from the next Objective.
Garden of Terror Formation 1-1-3
3.2.

Formation 1-3-1

A good formation for Garden of Terror is 1-3-1:

  • 1 Hero, preferably ranged, covers the lane where the enemy Siege Camp is;
  • 3 Heroes cover the middle lane;
  • 1 Hero, the Offlaner, covers the other side lane.
Garden of Terror Formation 1-3-1
4.

Map Strategy

  • When possible, send a Hero with mobility to scout the enemy Bruiser Camp. If the enemy team is clearing it, start clearing the allied Siege Camp in the same lane and capture it about 15 seconds after the enemy team captures their Bruiser Camp, so that Giants will help you while defending the Fort.
  • At 0:30 or whenever available, start clearing the allied Siege Camp in the middle lane and capture it as soon as possible. To make this Mercenary Camp join the lane behind allied Minions, capture it at 0:42 minutes or 12 seconds after a wave of Minions spawned.
  • At 0:45 minutes or right after capturing the allied Siege Camp in the middle lane, start clearing the allied Bruiser Camp in the side lane and capture it as soon as possible. To make this Mercenary Camp join the lane in front of allied Minions, capture it at 1:12 minutes or 12 seconds after a wave of Minions spawned.
  • At 1:45 minutes or 30-40 seconds before the next Objective phase, if the allied Siege Camp in the side lane is NOT in the same lane as the next Seed location and you did not use it in response to the enemy Bruiser Camp, start clearing the allied Siege Camp in the side lane and capture it as soon as possible. To make this Mercenary Camp join the lane behind allied Minions, capture it at 2:12 minutes or 12 seconds after a wave of Minions spawned.
  • If you want to contest the next Seed, be there in time with 4 Heroes while 1 Hero defends enemy Mercenaries and then joins the team at the Objective. If it is the first Seed of the game, the Offlaner can keep soaking.
  • If you want to give the next Seed, poke with a couple of Heroes and let the rest of your team push in the opposite lane from the Objective.
  • When you reach 3 Seeds, push side lanes. Do not forget to soak in this phase.
  • If you lose the Objective, try to save as many Forts and Keeps as possible. In case the enemy team is playing grouped, however, you must immediately retreat from the lane near them while your teammates get value elsewhere.
5.

Mercenary Camps

As shown in the image below, Garden of Terror has a total of 6 Mercenary Camps:

  • 1 Siege Camp (green icon) on the left side of the top lane;
  • 1 Bruiser Camp (violet icon) on the right side of the top lane;
  • 2 Siege Camps (green icon) in the middle lane;
  • 1 Bruiser Camp (violet icon) on the left side of the bottom lane;
  • 1 Siege Camp (green icon) on the right side of the bottom lane.

Mercenary Camps on Garden of Terror disappear from the battlefield once the Garden Terrors begin spawning (unless their Mercenaries are in combat) and reappear only after all Garden Terrors have been killed.

Garden of Terror Mercenary Camps
5.1.

Siege Camp

This type of Mercenary Camp features 2 Giants. Once captured, it spawns the same units fighting for your team in the corresponding lane. When possible, push with them to get more value.

Spawn Respawn
0:30 minutes 3:00 minutes after its last capture

Instead of attacking enemies with Basic Attacks, Giants throw stones at them. These stones can be dodged, so it is possible to capture them without taking any damage. Once captured, they are capable of damaging enemy Structures without getting in their range. Giants deal 100% bonus damage to Structures.

5.2.

Bruiser Camp

This type of Mercenary Camp features 3 Knights and 1 Wizard. Once captured, it spawns the same units fighting for your team in the corresponding lane. When possible, push with them to get more value.

Spawn Respawn
0:30 minutes 4:00 minutes after its last capture

Right after being captured and while in lane, the Wizard creates a Spell Armor field around him which reduces some of the damage taken by Minions, Mercenaries, and Heroes within range. Avoid fighting the enemy team if they still have a Wizard helping them!

6.

Map Objective

The signature Objective of Garden of Terror consists of Seeds required to get Garden Terrors. In order to collect a Seed, Heroes have to channel for 6 seconds. Seeds also spawn a Regeneration Globe when collected. The first team who gets 3 Seeds will spawn a Garden Terror per lane. You should push with them once they reach enemy Structures and start hitting them.

Spawn Respawn
2:30 minutes from 0:50 to 1:20 minutes after collecting a Seed, from 1:30 to 2:00 minutes after all Garden Terrors die
Garden of Terror Map Objective
Garden of Terror Objective 1
Fight the Shamblers
At night, Shamblers will rise from the gardens.
Garden of Terror Objective 2
Collect Seeds
Kill the Shamblers and collect seeds for your team.
Garden of Terror Objective 3
Control Garden Terror
With 100 seeds, control a garden terror and destroy your enemies!

Seeds can spawn in 6 possible locations, with each Objective phase having only 1 Seed active. The spawning rules are:

  • the first Seed is always bottom-left or bottom-right;
  • a Seed cannot be in the same row as the previous one;
  • 3 consecutive Seeds are always in 3 different columns.
6.1.

Seeds Sequences

Once you know the second Seed's location, it is possible to predict all other Seed's locations.

  • bottom-left, top-right, bottom-middle, top-left, bottom-right, top-middle;
  • bottom-right, top-left, bottom-middle, top-right, bottom-left, top-middle;
  • bottom-left, top-middle, bottom-right, top-left, bottom-middle, top-right;
  • bottom-right, top-middle, bottom-left, top-right, bottom-middle, top-left.
6.2.

Garden Terror

Garden Terrors spawn an Overgrowth that disables enemy Structures. When attacking, use it to dive when possible. When defending, destroy it to enable your Structures again.

7.

Core Ability

Every 5 seconds, the Core shoots a Seed under a nearby enemy Hero. When the seed explodes, Heroes inside are Polymorphed for 3 seconds.

8.

Win Conditions

To win the game on Garden of Terror, you should count on any of the following win conditions:

9.

Tips and Tricks

  • Use the first Healing Fountain (2-minute cooldown) at or before 0:30 minutes because the first Objective on this Map activates at 2:30 minutes, so you will have it back in time for that.
  • Depending on where the next Seed is, you should decide if you want to contest it or not. Seeds on the enemy side of the battlefield are harder to contest whereas Seeds on your side of the battlefield are easier to contest.
  • If you want to contest the next Seed, be there in time with 4 Heroes while 1 Hero defends enemy Mercenaries and then joins the team at the Objective. If it is the first Seed of the game, the Offlaner can keep soaking.
  • If you are not ready to contest or capture a Seed, do not kill the Shamblers that are defending it. They will slow down the enemy team while your team gets ready.
  • To capture a Seed as quick as possible, one Hero should distract the Shamblers by taking aggro and another Hero should click on the Seed.
  • Garden Terrors spawn an Overgrowth that disables enemy Structures. When attacking, use it to dive when possible. When defending, destroy it to enable your Structures again.
  • Global Heroes should ideally take care of the lane that is farther away from the next Objective location, so that they can use their global tool to quickly join their team during the next Objective phase.
10.

Changelog

  • 30 Sep. 2025: Guide updated for the latest Map Updates.
    • Map Strategy section updated.
    • Mercenary Camps section updated.
  • 23 Aug. 2024: Guide reworked.
  • 28 Oct. 2022: Guide created.
Show more
Show less