Duel mode
Duel in SMITE 2 is The mode where You test your skills in a 1v1 player Match, this leans The game mode to a more competitive and direct style of playing rather than a casual, jump in and out kind of match. We need to think that Even that there's no league of this mode or anything in smite 2 (as it is in conquest) in smite 1 it was a only competitive/league Game mode, so when You jump in duel you're most likely to find experience players if you're new in duel, don't be afraid to stay with your main for a while until You learn to play most gods or at least know how they work, which brings me to the first tip.
Know your gods and items
One of The most important things in duel is knowing how each god works as The same as items, The builds in duel work different in this mode than in conquest, can be similar but most likely not The same, You have to know how to build and counter what your enemy is building and doing, after all, you're gonna be alone in this one. One build item can changes The course of battle so, know how, when and what to invest when it comes to your build. Also with all The new additions in smite 2 in gods passives and abilities, knowing strengths and weaknesses of each god comes in handy. You have 2 bans when in lobby, and besides that everything is available so, My advice is, know your gods as Best as You can.
Take advantage of buffs
If You pick a god with a strong early Game You can take advantage with securing 2 to 3 buffs and without losing Minion waves, buffs in smite 2 are very important, the fact that you're able to pick 3 at The same time is huge, The new map makes it more accesible, since everything is really close together, so if You are able to secure as much buffs as You can, that can secure You The advantage flor most of the Game.
The most important ones in duel tent to be red and purple, since they give You fighting advantage when trading off. Also, don't forget about the Lost knight, that Big mob at The far right of The map, he gives You a penetration buff and deactivates objectives, as well as making The Titan hit lets and be more squishy.
Timing is everything
Try to have in mind when is a good time to do something, as in conquest, there are Moments for everything, as in doing objectives, buffs, fighting. Again all of this is different in duel, a kill in the right moment is more important than a random kill, since that can literaly make You lose or win The game, for example, You can combine The moment where You choose to do buffs, to fight, and at The same time as The minion Wave is arriving or when The enemy has no Minions (depending The situation) so You have The advantage and if You make The kill You Then might go and do the Lost knight or straight to tower or phoenix, taking The advantage of how many seconds to respawn does The enemy have, good timing for certain moments can win You a Match.
Don't be afraid of taking your time.
This goes to anything really, from learning how to play a new god, to making good builds and mostly to play wether safe or agressive in a Match, as being a moba, smite 2's primary Game mode is conquest, so, most of The things lean towards how that mode plays, meaning, certain objects or gods can be somekind broken in duel, not by a large amount that You can literaly do nothing against certain god, but enough to know that if You don't play safe or Smart You most likely Will lose The game.
So if You need to play safe or play until late Game that's fine, some of us like to play tanks or weird builds with not that commonly strong duel gods or sometimes a god has a really strong early and You need to be careful, so if You are not an experience player yet, don't be afraid or in the wrong to play safe or slow. Have to know The límites of your pick and skills. Just don't stay always under tower or something like that, that's annoying for everyone.
Have fun
I know we all like to win, but wether You are really good or a newcomer to duel, You should try to keep yourself together when it comes to winning or losing in duel. I said that there's more competition in this mode, but that does not mean that You should aim for that, there's a reason why You can pick any god and Made any build and most importantly, is your Match, no teammates depend on You checking a role for The game to go right, it's You and your skills and creativity against someone elses. Do any build You want, play any god You want; as any videogame ever: it's made for fun, so have it. Also, duel is a casual mode, You lose nothing if You don't win The game, take advantage of that... For now at least. 🤓
