A win for Vici Gaming today should put them in a very good spot for direct TI invite.
The lower half of the upper bracket is really interesting with Vici, Mineski and TNC fighting for a place in upper bracket final. In the upper half, Secret should be the expected team to make it to the UB finals, but both OG and VGJ.Storm can upset them.
I am hoping 1 SEA team beats Vici Gaming today and make it to upper bracket finals (preferrably TNC as they need the points a lot more more than Mineski). If I am correct, TNC winning today might give us Mineski vs LGD elimination series as early as Lower bracket round 2.
I like the way this tournament shaped up. The format is pretty good, but the only thing I disliked is the tie-breaker rule. If you only see number of 2-0 wins I don't think its fair, because among teams having equal points, the team that has higher 2-0 wins should also have higher 0-2 losses. I think they should have just looked at head to head, and after that results against lower teams and then results against higher teams. This tiebreaker rule did hurt Invictus Gaming a lot.
Also I am quite surprised no tournament ever implemented the difference in networth calculation as a criteria to decide the better team for tiebreakers (I am sure this method will also have lots of negative points, but still better than this 2-0 win rule according to me).
In the past couple of years people have often complained that the Western scene lacked depth, even when Western teams won TI. This year it seems that dubious honor belongs to China now, and TI is yet to come.
Personally it appears to me that the more frequent changes to the meta have left the Chinese scene gradually lagging behind. Every once in a while they have a flash of brilliance and show up (usually at TI), but the days when DK, iG, VG etc took turns dominating international events seem so far back. Now it's the reverse with Chinese teams struggling to defend their home turf.
That seems an odd characterisation. China still has by far the most depth. They currently have 4 teams in the top 8 of DPC despite few invites (most of which Newbee hogged) and then you have a good number of teams behind them all capable of making it to TI and doing decently well (iG, LFY, Keen, iG.V, Ehome, etc.). Obviously the top Western teams have won more this season, but I don't see how that relates to depth.
The real problem for China is finding a team that's good enough to actually win TI. LGD's the only team I currently think of as a serious contender. VG are good, but I have trouble believing they're good enough. I love Lanm, but I don't think they're even in the same realm as LGD in terms of individual skill. Newbee's underperforming horribly and even at their best they were always the gatekeeper team (beat everyone who's not world-class, lose to the world-class teams). VG.j... I have a lot of faith in ddc disruptor, but...
Since this is a Chinese TI year though, Keen's obviously going to come out of nowhere and pummel everyone.
On May 16 2018 11:54 Nevuk wrote: It's easier now since root stops ult... but it still should never happen
It is much easier now but static remnant completely owns the flame guard which is the only thing that allows ember to trade. Seb probably feels so bad for losing that.
On May 16 2018 11:54 Nevuk wrote: It's easier now since root stops ult... but it still should never happen
It is much easier now but static remnant completely owns the flame guard which is the only thing that allows ember to trade. Seb probably feels so bad for losing that.
On May 16 2018 11:54 Nevuk wrote: It's easier now since root stops ult... but it still should never happen
It is much easier now but static remnant completely owns the flame guard which is the only thing that allows ember to trade. Seb probably feels so bad for losing that.
yawar took a point in sleight to dodge remnants
Everyone goes 1 point in SoF against storm. You still lose. CD is 3.5 seconds on remnant and you have a faerie fire. SoF is required to solo kill storm at 6 unless he lets you walk up to him.
Valve compendium prediction website is so freaking amateur. last night it listed Mineski vs VGJS which is wrong and funnily 3rd party web Liquidpedia shows correctly and now it's showing Mineski vs Mineski for next match WTF VALVE ?!