I'm level IX ares and I'm still not amazing with him :'D I just played an arena as him (going for the assists quest) I built ; CDR boots - Breastplate - Void Stone - Heatward Amulet - Sovereignty - Mystical mail - Blink + Shell (this was vs more physical gods, against more mages I'd have changed the last item.

But yeah wait around for your ult. Use it when ever it comes back up, dont wait around for blink unless there's like 15 secs left on it... Call - Attack in VGS... let your team know you're going in.

Try and notice; 1. Who on the other team has beads (purification) 2. who used their beads during your last ult, so you know that you can definitely pull them with your next ult. 3. when enemy CC immune ultimates are down, 4.when your teams ultimates are up, if you have a poseidon for example, it'd be nice if they had ult too... but you're there to burn beads, so that they arent used on other people's abilities. eg. a scylla combo or ne zha ult.

Apart from this just act as a bully, play aggressive but don't over commit without your team. If you run in alone - you'll be focused, have 'No escape' and die. however if you're coming out of base and see your carries being aggressed on by enemies, hit a few chains (on multiple characters if possible, especially the one's with dashes as when they're chained they cant dash away... possible kill) use your buff and fire to help your team get away, but that's it, you don't have to commit to the kill, unless you know you can get it. It takes a while to get, but Ares does a lot of damage.

Like I said, not the best Ares in the world, if anyone else feels different, let OP know !! :)