EPTI’ll be categorizing heroes based off the Chinese system of 1-5. Position 1 gets the highest farm priority (hard carry), while position 5 gets the least farm priority (hard support).
I'll analyze a game from this perspective while I'm watching from the defense, Fnatic.EU vs Baguette (from 10 January 2013), replay 96774302.
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Important to note now: Baguette (Dire) has first pick, giving Fnatic (Radiant) second and third pick.
1st Ban Phase
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1st ban from Baguette: Wisp (a 5 position). Banning a wisp bans the popular wisp+damage/gank strategy that's so popular right now. That global presence is something Baguette doesn't want to have to deal with, perhaps giving a hint as to a split pushing strategy (because there will often be a lone hero pushing the lane). Additionally, since Fnatic has its’ first two picks together, they could pick up whatever wisp/damage combo they wanted. Or, maybe Baguette just hates that tactic and don’t want to deal with it.
1st ban from Fnatic: Batrider (a 2/strong 3 position): great at initiations and separating teams. Generally just a huge hassle, very common ban and doesn't necessarily lend itself to any hint of their strategy without reading what may be too much into it.
2nd ban from Baguette: Darkseer (3/4 hero). Another general nuisance, really strong off-lane and teamfight hero. If we read into it, maybe Baguette want to have a good teamfight, and as such don't want Fnatic to be able to be as strong in that area.
2nd ban from Fnatic (going 30 sec into reserve time to do it): Nyx Assasin (generally played as a weak 3/normal 4 position right now). Another very popular ban right now, because he’s so versatile and useful. He can initiate, stun, block target spells, and set up ganks very easily.
1st ban from Fnatic: Batrider (a 2/strong 3 position): great at initiations and separating teams. Generally just a huge hassle, very common ban and doesn't necessarily lend itself to any hint of their strategy without reading what may be too much into it.
2nd ban from Baguette: Darkseer (3/4 hero). Another general nuisance, really strong off-lane and teamfight hero. If we read into it, maybe Baguette want to have a good teamfight, and as such don't want Fnatic to be able to be as strong in that area.
2nd ban from Fnatic (going 30 sec into reserve time to do it): Nyx Assasin (generally played as a weak 3/normal 4 position right now). Another very popular ban right now, because he’s so versatile and useful. He can initiate, stun, block target spells, and set up ganks very easily.
1st Pick Phase
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1st pick from Baguette: Magnus (very weak 2, usually a 3, sometimes a 4). Not as popular as he was 2-3 months ago, but still a force to be reckoned with to be sure. Brings a strong ulti and great ability in skewer to a team. A good start to a teamfight-oriented lineup, if that’s what they choose to do.
1st and 2nd picks from Fnatic: Templar Assassin and Undying (TA is a great 2 position, Undying can be played as a strong 3 or a 4). TA provides a solid lane mid, not many heroes can outlane a TA. She’s also great a initiations, ganks, rune control, and a damage dealer, as well as being able to slow enemy heroes, hindering their mobility and making it harder to set up (great against Magnus). Undying is great teamfight, great abilities all around, and a pain to try and take down. His tombstone is great for reducing the mobility of enemy heroes, and especially against position based heroes (such as… Magnus. See a trend?).
2nd and 3rd pick from Baguette: Keeper of the Light and Lone Druid (a 4/5 and a weak 1/strong 2). KotL provides great push and antipush, as well as giving mana replenishment (great for magnus) and being able to summon heroes from afar (great for bringing in your farming lone druid). Lone druid has been a popular pickup recently as well, being effective at split-pushing and being very tanky. Now we see why wisp was banned first pick, Baguette didn’t want wisp+ck or tiny to come in and gank LD any time he tried to farm. His entangle is very useful for pinning down highly mobile heroes such as TA.
3rd pick from Fnatic: Shadow Demon (a solid 4/5): SD has being seeing a ton of play recently, for good reason. He’s great as disabling and adding to ganks, being able to be extremely effective in both offensive and defensive lanes. He can disrupt heroes like Magnus before they get off their powerful ultimates. Additionally, he can disrupt any target that gets entangled, similar to how he can do that to any target that gets Beastmaster roared (hence why he “counters” beast master. It gives his team time to get in position for a fight).
1st and 2nd picks from Fnatic: Templar Assassin and Undying (TA is a great 2 position, Undying can be played as a strong 3 or a 4). TA provides a solid lane mid, not many heroes can outlane a TA. She’s also great a initiations, ganks, rune control, and a damage dealer, as well as being able to slow enemy heroes, hindering their mobility and making it harder to set up (great against Magnus). Undying is great teamfight, great abilities all around, and a pain to try and take down. His tombstone is great for reducing the mobility of enemy heroes, and especially against position based heroes (such as… Magnus. See a trend?).
2nd and 3rd pick from Baguette: Keeper of the Light and Lone Druid (a 4/5 and a weak 1/strong 2). KotL provides great push and antipush, as well as giving mana replenishment (great for magnus) and being able to summon heroes from afar (great for bringing in your farming lone druid). Lone druid has been a popular pickup recently as well, being effective at split-pushing and being very tanky. Now we see why wisp was banned first pick, Baguette didn’t want wisp+ck or tiny to come in and gank LD any time he tried to farm. His entangle is very useful for pinning down highly mobile heroes such as TA.
3rd pick from Fnatic: Shadow Demon (a solid 4/5): SD has being seeing a ton of play recently, for good reason. He’s great as disabling and adding to ganks, being able to be extremely effective in both offensive and defensive lanes. He can disrupt heroes like Magnus before they get off their powerful ultimates. Additionally, he can disrupt any target that gets entangled, similar to how he can do that to any target that gets Beastmaster roared (hence why he “counters” beast master. It gives his team time to get in position for a fight).
As analysts, let’s stop and take a step back here before the second ban stages begin. What are we seeing develop? Baguette’s lineup consists of Magnus, KotL, and Lone Druid. Great pushers and teamfight. Cool. Fnatic’s lineup is TA, Undying, and SD: A big focus on teamfight/mobility control and midgame aggression. This is going to force Baguette to have to get good positioning, lest they get picked off 1 at a time in teamfights around a tombstone. Alternatively, Fnatic is going to need some way to hold off the push that can come out from Baguette. So in this coming ban stage we should see things to this effect. Additionally, Fnatic will want to prevent Baguette from getting even more push, while Baguette probably wouldn’t mind not letting Fnatic get any more heroes adept at teamfight control.
Also, there are still gaps that need to be filled in each team’s lineups that will also heavily influence the bans. Baguette needs a position 2 hero, usually one that can deal out a ton of damage and is mobile, often goes mid. Then, based off how they play magnus, they need one of two things. If they play magnus as a 4, then they need a 3, which can be heroes like, NA or BH. If magnus is going to be there 3, then they will want a second support hero, such as veno, lina, rubick, etc. Fnatic needs a position 1 (hard carry), and then either a 3 (if Undying is played as a 4 (support)), or a 4/5 is undying is played in the 3 position.
Lets see what happens.
2nd Ban Phase
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Baguette’s 3rd ban: Leshrac (weak 3, normal 4/5). Leshrac can counter push, push, do lots of magical damage, aoe stun, and is a great combo with the SD of Fnatic, while fitting into one of the roles that Fnatic still needed. Good ban.
Fnatic’s 3rd ban: Enigma (a 3 or 4 position). Enigma brings push and teamfight, two things that Baguette already have a ton of. This is Fnatic saying that they don’t want Baguette’s teamfight and push to become overwhelming. Baguette also needed a 3 or 4 so this would have been a viable pickup for them. Additionally, black hole goes through bkb and pulls lanaya out of invis, both of which would be annoying to Fnatic.
Baguette’s 4th ban: Naix (position 1). Baguette knows that Fnatic still needs a position 1, and so bans the extremely popular naix pick. Naix could bring even more teamfight control to Fnatic through his open wounds, and is very mobile himself with rage activated. Baguette makes a good ban here.
Fnatic’s 4th ban: Tinker (position 2). Tinker would have been a 2 position that Baguette needed, bringing even more push and antipush, as well as split push. Not something Fnatic want to deal with, having a tinker push a lane while a lone druid takes their towers in the opposite lane.
Baguette’s 5th ban: Bounty Hunter (position 3). BH would have provided even more mobility to Fnatic through movement speed bonus from track as well as being a counter to the lone druid split pushing. A BH could have also fit into Fnatic’s lineup by offlaning, allowing an undying, SD, and position 1 trilane, not something anyone wants to go up against.
Fnatic’s 5th ban: Phantom Lancer (position 1). PL brings chaos to teamfights, as well as having a good escape mechanism, allowing him to survive and be a nuisance. He can also slow down the Radiant with his lance, decreasing their mobility. PL is also a great split pusher, something Fnatic wants to avoid, remember. I don’t think I understand this ban completely though, as these don’t seem like great reasons to use a ban, as I didn’t see PL fitting in too well with what Baguette were doing besides the split push aspect. Maybe that was the whole reason.
Fnatic’s 3rd ban: Enigma (a 3 or 4 position). Enigma brings push and teamfight, two things that Baguette already have a ton of. This is Fnatic saying that they don’t want Baguette’s teamfight and push to become overwhelming. Baguette also needed a 3 or 4 so this would have been a viable pickup for them. Additionally, black hole goes through bkb and pulls lanaya out of invis, both of which would be annoying to Fnatic.
Baguette’s 4th ban: Naix (position 1). Baguette knows that Fnatic still needs a position 1, and so bans the extremely popular naix pick. Naix could bring even more teamfight control to Fnatic through his open wounds, and is very mobile himself with rage activated. Baguette makes a good ban here.
Fnatic’s 4th ban: Tinker (position 2). Tinker would have been a 2 position that Baguette needed, bringing even more push and antipush, as well as split push. Not something Fnatic want to deal with, having a tinker push a lane while a lone druid takes their towers in the opposite lane.
Baguette’s 5th ban: Bounty Hunter (position 3). BH would have provided even more mobility to Fnatic through movement speed bonus from track as well as being a counter to the lone druid split pushing. A BH could have also fit into Fnatic’s lineup by offlaning, allowing an undying, SD, and position 1 trilane, not something anyone wants to go up against.
Fnatic’s 5th ban: Phantom Lancer (position 1). PL brings chaos to teamfights, as well as having a good escape mechanism, allowing him to survive and be a nuisance. He can also slow down the Radiant with his lance, decreasing their mobility. PL is also a great split pusher, something Fnatic wants to avoid, remember. I don’t think I understand this ban completely though, as these don’t seem like great reasons to use a ban, as I didn’t see PL fitting in too well with what Baguette were doing besides the split push aspect. Maybe that was the whole reason.
Now we’re going to enter the pick stage again, solidifying the team’s strategies, and revealing any final counters.
2nd Pick Phase
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Baguette’s 4th pick (use all remaining bonus time in deciding): Windrunner (a 3/4 hero). This fills the lower position of Baguette, now they only need a position 2. Windrunner has mobility to escape, as well as evasion against TA. She also can make big plays with her shackle, and has a decent push/antipush through her powershot. She is also very flexible with what lane she can go to.
Fnatic’s 4th pick: Invoker (a 2/3 position). An interesting choice, unexpected considering they already have a strong middle hero in TA, and really didn’t need another position 2 or 3 hero. Perhaps Undying will be support, meaning Fnatic only needs a position 1 now. Invoker brings stong antipush to their lineup, something they desperately needed, as well as boosting their teamfight control even more through tornado and EMP. I’m expecting to see a quas/wex invoker for the antipush.
Baguette’s 5th pick (uses entire time deciding, I’m guessing the invoker pick threw them off as it did to me): Weaver (last position left, position 1/2). Weaver is hard to lock down in teamfights, taking the edge of the mobility control of Fnatic. He is also flexible in laning, being able to offlane or short lane. His scarabs will be useful in taking down heroes as well as scouting.
Fnatic’s 5th pick (instantly picked): Meepo (position 1). Wow. Meepo in a competitive game. He provides lockdown/initiation with his nets, and counterpush with his poof.
Fnatic’s 4th pick: Invoker (a 2/3 position). An interesting choice, unexpected considering they already have a strong middle hero in TA, and really didn’t need another position 2 or 3 hero. Perhaps Undying will be support, meaning Fnatic only needs a position 1 now. Invoker brings stong antipush to their lineup, something they desperately needed, as well as boosting their teamfight control even more through tornado and EMP. I’m expecting to see a quas/wex invoker for the antipush.
Baguette’s 5th pick (uses entire time deciding, I’m guessing the invoker pick threw them off as it did to me): Weaver (last position left, position 1/2). Weaver is hard to lock down in teamfights, taking the edge of the mobility control of Fnatic. He is also flexible in laning, being able to offlane or short lane. His scarabs will be useful in taking down heroes as well as scouting.
Fnatic’s 5th pick (instantly picked): Meepo (position 1). Wow. Meepo in a competitive game. He provides lockdown/initiation with his nets, and counterpush with his poof.
Should definitely be an interesting game!
