EPTFormat
This isn't GSTL ! Key differences are : Best of 7 and pre-ordered maps.
- Bo7 means that only 4 players per team ever get to be fielded for the losing team (and less or equal for the winning team). So the priority number one is to identify the main line-up of each team as the core players have way more chance of being fielded.
- Pre-ordered maps favored sniping and less streaks as snipers can be prepared for certain maps. The maps that are likely to be sniped are the 2nd, 3rd and 4th. After that it's ace territory and much less predictable. For you it means that some unexpected players might get playing time but as BW history showed it's very rare (around 1 non-core every 2 matches) which reinforce the importance of core players.
This is a presentation of my opinion concerning which players belongs to the core members of the team based on previous results and overall fame.
- EG-TL (6p)
- Core :
TaeJa (9p), 
Stephano (8p), Jaedong & 
HerO (7p) - Second String : JYP (5p), Zenio & Revival (3p)
- Fillers : IdrA, HuK, PuMa & ThorZaIN (2p)
- Opinion : They will do better now with a very very experienced core. Their fillers are irrelevant in this format but Revival and JYP might see some playing time. Beware of HerO, he was red-hot last month but I fear he might already have entered the tilt The question is : Will Stephano crush faces or just be average ?
- Core :
- KT Rolster (6p)
- Core : Flash (10p), Stats (7p), Action (6p)
- Second String : Wooki (6p), Crazy-Hydra (5p), Hitman & Motive (3p)
- Fillers : BarrackS, HoeJJa, Mind & Acacia (2p), MyuNgSiK, PenguiN & miso (1p)
- I don't know what to think about KT, results tend to indicate a scary team but Wooki and Crazy-Hydra are almost pure snipers (
& 
respectively) and as such I don't consider them core players. Still Action and Stats have proven their value over time and will play a lot; on the contrary Motive and hitman won't probably see the light.
- Core :
- Woongjin Stars (5p)
- Core : sHy & SoulKey (8p), ZerO (5p), Light (3p)
- Second String : Sin (5p), free (3p), Flying (2p)
- Fillers : NaGi (2p), BisAnG, fOKINS, Hanbin, Rudy & Swift (1p)
- Opinion : Obviously a very strong team, perhaps even more than KT if Light still has the same level as in the hybrid PL. Sin is a good sniper that might get a lot of playing time while Flying and free could play if they regain more confidence.
- Core :
- SKT T1 (4p)
- Core : Rain (11p), Fantasy (9p), SoO (5p)
- Second String : BeSt, Bisu & s2 (3p)
- Fillers : Sacsri, ParalyzE & yeOngJae (2p) Hyuk, sSak (1p)
- Opinion : A very good team all-around. I don't understand why it cost one point less than SKT but with the power of Rain & Fantasy as well as the help of soO, BeSt and co. It's hard to see who will play beside the 2 kings but Bisu and BeSt could well be among them.
- Core :
- CJ Entus (3p)
- Core : EffOrt & herO[jOin] (8p), Bbyong (3p)
- Second String : Hydra, SonGDuri & sKyHigh (3p)
- Fillers : Bong[S.G] (2p) rare, Snow & Leta (1p)
- Opinion : It was somewhat surprising to see them go 3-0 in the first 2 weeks of the round 1, but their 0-4 in the second part is worrying. The matches were close but they still got crushed by T8. With Bbyong and Hydra with losing records the gap to overcome is too big for them to perform until either of them regain some momentum.
- Core :
- STX Soul (2p)
- Core : Bogus (8p), Dear (6p), Trap & hyvaa (4p)
- Second String : Last (3p), Classic (2p), Mini (1p)
- Fillers : Calm, Comet, Size & Bear (1p)
- Opinion : STX struggles a lot because all of its players are inconsistent (even Bogus is only 5-4) But this might be a better round for them. All their core (besides hyvaa who contrary to what his name says in finish isn't any good) can hold their ground against anyone and with a bit of luck, they could end up winning 3 games max. The second string is just terrible though.
- Core :
- T8 (2p)
- Core : BaBy (8p), Jaehoon, Speed (4p)
- Second String : Ryul2 & Terminator (3p), MajOr (2p)
- Fillers : Alone (2p) Dream.t)check, Sherry, Haruhi (1p)
- Opinion : Anemia. That's the main issue here. Speed and BaBy can hold their own. Jaehoon wins sometimes. Let's hope MajOr brings them some win otherwise they are doomed to be at the bottom once again.
- Core :
- Samsung Khan (1p)
- Core : JangBi & RorO (6p), Stork (5p)
- Second String : Reality (3p), Shine (2p)
- Fillers : TurN, hOpe (2p), JuNi, Kop, BBatta, oDin(1p)
- Opinion : I hesitated to list none of them as core players but I was feeling nice. None of their players have a winning record. Shine fell into the abyss and didn't have Flying's teammates to catch him. Tough road ahead for Khan. If their fillers can get somewhat relevant, they might win more than one game, I wouldn't bet one it though.
- Core :
