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Why is rain so good?

Forum Index > Brood War Strategy
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raplacay
Profile Joined August 2018
9 Posts
Last Edited: 2019-11-11 00:53:27
November 10 2019 23:35 GMT
#1
Spoilers ahead!! I was watching rain play Best in the ksl season 4,and rain was ridiculous. I honestly don't understand how he is better than best. Best was Way better in 2007 and so was stork so What is it that makes rain so good, especially in pvp?
Ej_
Profile Blog Joined January 2013
47656 Posts
November 11 2019 07:34 GMT
#2
12 years of practice since 2007 would be my guess.
"Technically the dictionary has zero authority on the meaning or words" - Rodya
ggsimida
Profile Joined August 2015
1148 Posts
November 11 2019 08:19 GMT
#3
exceptional innate understanding of PvP, solid all around consistent player strong at both micro and macro. knows when and how to make army engagements. prefers safe standard builds but not afraid to pull out cheese/proxy builds in a boX making him a more unpredictable player.

only advantage best has over rain is better macro but his other traits are not as great. stork slows down a lot during midgame/lategame (age?).
SuGo
Profile Joined March 2013
United States681 Posts
Last Edited: 2019-11-11 14:36:13
November 11 2019 13:39 GMT
#4
Specifically, in regards to PvP, I find that Rain is a master at predicting his opponents' build with what we may consider very little intel. For instance, he "just knows" when he can get away with a really fast nexus in PvP after 1 or 2 dragoons, whereas regular-minded folks would be scared of a DT, and may likely not opt for it. He knows when to use what build, which is so hard to do in PvP in a day-and-age where many still believe in hard BO advantages / rock-paper-scissors / etc.

In my opinion, it's these types of scenarios where "he just knows" that really sets him apart in PvP. It's this enhanced level of intuition that sets him apart in PvP.
yubo56
Profile Joined May 2014
687 Posts
November 11 2019 22:34 GMT
#5
On November 11 2019 22:39 SuGo wrote:
Specifically, in regards to PvP, I find that Rain is a master at predicting his opponents' build with what we may consider very little intel. For instance, he "just knows" when he can get away with a really fast nexus in PvP after 1 or 2 dragoons, whereas regular-minded folks would be scared of a DT, and may likely not opt for it. He knows when to use what build, which is so hard to do in PvP in a day-and-age where many still believe in hard BO advantages / rock-paper-scissors / etc.

In my opinion, it's these types of scenarios where "he just knows" that really sets him apart in PvP. It's this enhanced level of intuition that sets him apart in PvP.

He also famously "solved" PvP back when he was a big SC2 player. I think he is just a versatile player of his own race, which means it's much easier to anticipate what other players of the same race will do in certain situations. It's probably why his PvP game sense would be so much better than his non-mirror matchups
Jung Yoon Jong fighting, even after retirement! Feel better soon.
oshibori_probe
Profile Blog Joined July 2006
United States2933 Posts
November 13 2019 00:12 GMT
#6
Hes a dynamic player that will bring a different strategy to every game, and he just gets more out of his dragoons in the early and mid game than his limited pool of protoss opponents.

Other than that, I'd guess he goes in with an enormous psychological edge. If Rain's been making you look like a scrub for the past two years how the hell are you going to forget that and bring your best PvP.
Fuck KeSPA.
LocoBolon
Profile Joined June 2012
Argentina243 Posts
Last Edited: 2019-11-13 03:10:17
November 13 2019 03:06 GMT
#7
For me Rain is some kind of Flash protoss, he has a flashlike vision of the game.
What do I mean with that? He is a very, veeeery smart guy, strategically wise he may very well be the smarter player after Flash.
They both have this ridiculous superb hability (that all bw player have, but this two have developed it to the next level) to take a step back and watch the game from "above", The quaity of analitical thinking and decition making they both display feels as if they are both playig the game and calmly sitting in a coach watching and analizing it. I undoubtly relate that to a very high strategic and analitical intelligence, they have trained their brains to think at the right pace, no metter how fast they hands and eyes and going.
I think he knows it, Rains has that look in his eyes as if he knows he is smarter than his opponent. He has a modest, humble and also supreme confident air that translates so honestly in his play is absurd. In Rain case, similar to Flash, it's superior brain power bro, they are both the overmind type of guy. You could make the comparison between them and players like JD and Bisu that are completely different kind of player, the later are the ninja foxy type of guy, pysical, swift,graceful, more about tactic than strategy.
Not only smart also (again, like Flash, but not as much as Flash) great mental fortitude. He does't lose focus nor demoralize easily, there is a consistency in his level of play.
Standard Queens
evilfatsh1t
Profile Joined October 2010
Australia8641 Posts
Last Edited: 2019-11-13 04:59:05
November 13 2019 04:58 GMT
#8
On November 13 2019 12:06 LocoBolon wrote:
For me Rain is some kind of Flash protoss, he has a flashlike vision of the game.
What do I mean with that? He is a very, veeeery smart guy, strategically wise he may very well be the smarter player after Flash.
They both have this ridiculous superb hability (that all bw player have, but this two have developed it to the next level) to take a step back and watch the game from "above", The quaity of analitical thinking and decition making they both display feels as if they are both playig the game and calmly sitting in a coach watching and analizing it. I undoubtly relate that to a very high strategic and analitical intelligence, they have trained their brains to think at the right pace, no metter how fast they hands and eyes and going.
I think he knows it, Rains has that look in his eyes as if he knows he is smarter than his opponent. He has a modest, humble and also supreme confident air that translates so honestly in his play is absurd. In Rain case, similar to Flash, it's superior brain power bro, they are both the overmind type of guy. You could make the comparison between them and players like JD and Bisu that are completely different kind of player, the later are the ninja foxy type of guy, pysical, swift,graceful, more about tactic than strategy.
Not only smart also (again, like Flash, but not as much as Flash) great mental fortitude. He does't lose focus nor demoralize easily, there is a consistency in his level of play.

lets not get out of hand now buddy. rain is a solid player and especially great at pvp, but hes not flash. i wouldnt even put him above bisu still, even with bisus drop in form compared to 3 years ago. if i had to put money on rain or bisu to win a random spon match (not necessarily against each other) id choose bisu
yubo56
Profile Joined May 2014
687 Posts
November 14 2019 02:04 GMT
#9
On November 13 2019 13:58 evilfatsh1t wrote:
Show nested quote +
On November 13 2019 12:06 LocoBolon wrote:
For me Rain is some kind of Flash protoss, he has a flashlike vision of the game.
What do I mean with that? He is a very, veeeery smart guy, strategically wise he may very well be the smarter player after Flash.
They both have this ridiculous superb hability (that all bw player have, but this two have developed it to the next level) to take a step back and watch the game from "above", The quaity of analitical thinking and decition making they both display feels as if they are both playig the game and calmly sitting in a coach watching and analizing it. I undoubtly relate that to a very high strategic and analitical intelligence, they have trained their brains to think at the right pace, no metter how fast they hands and eyes and going.
I think he knows it, Rains has that look in his eyes as if he knows he is smarter than his opponent. He has a modest, humble and also supreme confident air that translates so honestly in his play is absurd. In Rain case, similar to Flash, it's superior brain power bro, they are both the overmind type of guy. You could make the comparison between them and players like JD and Bisu that are completely different kind of player, the later are the ninja foxy type of guy, pysical, swift,graceful, more about tactic than strategy.
Not only smart also (again, like Flash, but not as much as Flash) great mental fortitude. He does't lose focus nor demoralize easily, there is a consistency in his level of play.

lets not get out of hand now buddy. rain is a solid player and especially great at pvp, but hes not flash. i wouldnt even put him above bisu still, even with bisus drop in form compared to 3 years ago. if i had to put money on rain or bisu to win a random spon match (not necessarily against each other) id choose bisu

I think it's an approach based comparison rather than a results based one. Rain definitely plays more like FlaSh than Bisu does I would agree, though obviously not with FlaSh's success
Jung Yoon Jong fighting, even after retirement! Feel better soon.
Mo_tx
Profile Joined November 2019
26 Posts
November 15 2019 08:23 GMT
#10
Isn’t Rain is little bit younger than Best? According to liquipedia in started playing professionally in 2009, so he did not have much time to shine before the transition to SC2… Then I think that being a champion in SC2 probably unlocked some of Rain potential (improved mechanics, self confidence and/or strategic approach to the game).
Djabanete
Profile Blog Joined May 2008
United States2786 Posts
November 16 2019 17:38 GMT
#11
Rain has a knack for tactics. Especially in PvP.

Avoiding bad battles and creating good battles is not a simple matter in PvP. You don't have perfect information. Every Protoss understands tactics --- arc formations, pincers, reaver placement, picking off units that are out of position, picking off units with low HP, taking the high ground --- and every Protoss tries to avoid bad battles and create good battles. For Rain, tactics seems to come naturally.
May the BeSt man win.
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