EPT
HGC West
Week 3 Recap
By: Emperor/Sams0n and inimical/im_a_roc
Patch 22.6
HGC Europe Brackets and schedules on Liquipedia
HGC North America Brackets and schedules on Liquipedia
Last week was important for a lot of the mid tier teams trying to secure the third and fourth place rankings. In EU, Team expert faced off against their first "real" opponents but fell in the end against the ruthless mechanical onslaught of Dignitas and Fnatic, In NA, continued their meteoric rise through the ranks after finishing off GFE and playing an extremely close series against Tempo Storm.Team Freedom's underdog story also continued with their victory over Team Naventic, which catapulted them into the middle of the standings. Likewise, the Playing Ducks had a fantastic victory over Tricked eSport in an extraordinarily close series. On the opposite end, Team Naventic is having a surprisingly bad season so far; as former North American regional champions, we expected a lot more fight out of them, but they just can't seem to get it together.
The rankings are finally starting to settle into place, and it's clear that there's a big gap between the middle tier teams and the lowest ones in both regions. Only time will tell if that gap begins to close, but it's going to be an uphill battle for the underdogs.
Friday, February 3
Playing Ducks [3-2] Tricked eSport 
This matchup proved to be biggest thriller to date, despite their generally lackluster performances. Tricked started off with a solid performance on Infernal Shrines by securing the first Punisher never letting up. Playing Ducks looked poised to reset the series in the second game, but due to untimely mistakes in their positioning, Tricked Esport was able to swing momentum back in their favor with a strong 2-0. But Playing Ducks did not relent. They shut down the Cho’Gall pick from Tricked on Battlefield of Eternity, and with an insane Core defense on Dragon Shire, Playing Ducks managed to take the series to Game Five.
On Warhead Junction, Tricked took an early lead and out rotated the Ducks. However, Playing Ducks managed to secure a few picks and prevent their opponents from snowballing the mid-game. The Ducks pulled out all the stops; possessing three Nukes in the late game and poised to backdoor the core of Tricked when the objectives spawned, they overpowered the defenses and took down the Core with the power of Nukes and Sanctification, turning the series around and pulling off the reverse sweep.
Fnatic [3-0] beGenius 
Without a win to their name so far in HGC, beGenius was a major underdog going up against Europe’s best. They didn't play badly, but Fnatic was simply on another level. There was no single moment to pinpoint and say, “this cost beGenius the game”; Fnatic simply outplayed them at every opportunity.
B-Step [3-0] No Tomorrow 
None of the games in this series looked very close, but each featured standout play on a mage hero from a different player on B-Step. The first game in this series was not very entertaining––No Tomorrow consistently overcommitted in teamfights and allowed themselves to be dominated by Li-Ming resets. The third game was as one sided as the first. B-Step devastated No Tomorrow with a Tyrande/Chromie pick comp. McIntyre secured kill after kill with perfectly placed Dragon’s Breaths and easily closed out the series to earn B-Step their first win in the HGC.
Game Two on Dragon Shire was much more interesting, with a huge number of back-and-forth teamfights. k1pro in particular played a great game with Jaina, landing multi-hero Ring of Frosts with impressive consistency.
Gale Force eSports [3-0] Superstars 
The first two games of this series were largely one-sided. On Towers of Doom, Gale Force quickly took all six forts and won the map in record time, and on Braxis Holdout they got a keep with the first Zerg wave and snowballed to victory shortly thereafter.
In an exciting Game Three, Superstars went toe-to-toe with GFE. Looking like an entirely different team, Superstars showed confidence by playing aggressively and making faster rotations than their opponent. Goku led the charge with outstanding Zeratul play and constantly put pressure on GFE’s backline in teamfights. He also made excellent use of Void Prison to set up kills for his team. Even so, GFE was finally able to capitalize on an overcommitment from Superstars and close out the series with a solid 3-0.
Saturday, February 4
Misfits [3-0] Synergy 
Going into the series, Misfits had more or less secured their spot for Katowice through pristine play. Like Fnatic vs beGenius, it was a one-sided affair for the German team. Synergy failed to capitalize on Chromie's long-range poke in the first game on Towers of Doom, and Misfits was quick to punish her every chance they could. With a full team wipe in the late game, Misfits convincingly secured their first win with plenty of Core health still left on the board.
Surprisingly, the Russian team took control of the early game in Game Two, but even two levels behind, Misfits managed to win a major teamfight and equalize the game. Synergy made an attempt to Core rush, and alas, it proved to be a Kaelaris core; Misfits held, and reverse Core rushed for the win. In an attempt to turn the tides, Synergy mixed it up on Sky Temple with a Sylvanas/Vikings composition. Misfits countered with global pressure by drafting Dehaka and keeping their rotations up. After forcing a fight at the boss as early as 14:00, Misfits came out on top and pushed all the way to victory.
Team Dignitas [3-1] Team expert 
Despite winning four sets in a row, Team expert had yet to face off against one of the big three in Europe, so this match was an important one. They came out of the gate swinging on Braxis Holdout with a back and forth early game. Both teams traded damage like it was nothing—Mene and Nic both dealt more than 10K hero damage in the first three minutes of the match. As the game progressed, Team Dignitas attempted to punish any poor positioning on the side of Team expert, but they couldn’t outplay adrd’s Medivh.
By Game Two, both teams had warmed up and were looking for a fight, and the momentum shifted quickly with Dignitas in the driver’s seat. From a late game Molten Core on Infernal Shrines to Bakery hitting clutch a Twilight Dream on Malfurion, Dignitas found an answer to expert. Although many thought this series would be an intense back and forth affair, Team Dignitas made sure remind everyone why they are one of the best in Europe.
Team Freedom [3-1] Team Naventic 
Team's Freedom's meteoric rise in HGC NA faced another challenge against Team Naventic, but they surprisingly dispatched the mechanical powerhouse in an easy 3-1. The key highlight was Freedom winning with a rare Zul'jin pick on Braxis Holdout. After victories against GFE and Naventic, Freedom dispelled any criticism that they may be a fluke team.
Naventic should be concerned with only taking one map off Freedom. They sit seventh in the standings with a 6-11 Battleground record. While it is still a bit early to panic, Naventic will eventually need to right the ship to avoid sinking into the Crucible in May.
Tempo Storm [3-2] Team 8 
Both teams entered the matchup with a 4-0 record, and there was no doubt there would be a Game Five. The series itself was back and forth, but it didn’t take long to get weird. Tempo tried running a Malfurion/Brightwing double support comp in Game Two on Braxis Holdout, but to no avail. Team 8 didn't fully commit to Glaurung's Medivh, and when they did in Game Four, it was with an unkillable Zarya comp. Tempo forced a Game Five in which Team 8 opted for an Illidan comp, and while Glaurung played a great Illidan, it wasn't enough to throw Tempo off.
Tempo has openly said their goal is to take a clean 7-0, and the win over Team 8 puts them a little bit closer to achieving their goal. Both teams showed some very strange drafts that allowed their opponents back into the series, but the desire to immediately move away from standard play could end up being the Achilles' Heel of North America at the Western Clash.
Sunday, February 5
Fnatic [3-2] Team expert
One of the most anticipated games of the weekend, Team expert looked to solidify their top three spot in Europe with a win over Fnatic. In Game One, Fnatic played patiently and pushed cautiously with Sylvanas and multiple Webweavers. Unfortunately, the slow and steady approach didn’t work, and all of Fnatic’s members dropped while expert’s Core lived with just 2%. After losing, Fnatic turned it up a notch in Game Two on Braxis Holdout. The second game was scHwimpi's Chromie raining sand down on Team expert, and expert fell without an answer. Fnatic carried their momentum into Game Three with the first few Dragon Knights, but expert rallied and took advantage of a rare misstep by Fnatic, crushing the Core and bringing the series to 2-1.
Both teams looked a bit hesitant in the following game on Infernal Shrines. Neither wanted to make a mistake, but Fnatic managed to turn a late game teamfight into a couple of staggered deaths and eventually followed in the Punisher for the win. In a raucous Game Five, Fnatic used the poking power of Li-Ming to stall the altars on Towers of Doom; expert looked frazzled and couldn't put proper combos together. Steady as she goes, Fnatic was able to capture enough Altars to take the series.
Tricked eSport [3-1] Synergy
In Game One on Braxis Holdout, Tricked eSport came out looking far more refined than their previous series. After winning a mid game teamfight and stealing the boss, they rode a wave of Zerg all the way to the Core for a win. Synergy’s Vikings play initially gave Tricked some trouble in the second game on Towers of Doom, but they were able to scrape together an impressive late game fight and take a 2-0 series lead.
Tricked was greedy for the quick 3-0. Attempting a tricky backdoor, they went for the series sweep but were thwarted by Synergy. Deja vu, Tricked went for another failed backdoor attempt in Game Four. Luckily, due to their global heroes, they were able to recover this time and zoom back in to finish off the Core to clinch their first HGC series win 3-1.
Team 8 [3-2] Gale Force eSports
Although Team 8 wasn't able to beat Tempo and secure the #1 spot in NA, their play so far in HGC has made them top contenders. Gale Force looked shaky despite their 3-2 series record, so it was a toss-up on whether GFE showed up or not.
Team 8 made quick work of GFE's Illidan comp in Game One. While Fan has generally been considered NA's best Illidan player, it wasn't enough to carry GFE to winning the first map. They again got to Game Four as GFE struggled to close out the series. Glaurung managed to pick up Medivh in a few sets but struggled to make plays. Game Five would end on Cursed with an insane bait play from YoDa on Falstad. He flew onto an isolated Diablo and immediately used Mighty Gust to push him back. While Team 8 couldn't immediately capitalize on the Gust, Glaurung hit a three-man Void Prison, followed by Tour Bus for the four-man Mosh Pit. GFE was eviscerated as Team 8 broke for the Core and closed out the final game.
B-Step [3-1] Team Freedom
After a confident victory over Naventic, Team Freedom was looking to ride their success into their matchup versus B-Step. Zugrug brought some playful BM to his interview by suggesting that B-Step was full of "old pros...washed up now". B-Step has notoriously struggled with this new meta, but this series was an old-school beatdown on Team Freedom. B-Step busted out k1pro’s signature Tyrande in the first two games and annihilated Freedom. In Game Three, the Tyrande was banned out, and Freedom took the map. However, B-Step answered back in Game Four with a Mind Control Sylvanas comp which provided repeated picks for B-Step and allowed them to close out the series easily.
No sugar coating here: it was a stomp. Freedom simply didn't have a response to B-Step’s blow-up compositions. Luckily, this should be an easy fix for Freedom. While this series helped to mitigate the criticism from previous weeks, it's safe to say B-Step still has a lot to prove.
Week 4 Preview
By: Sams0n and inimical
Last week's matches were more important for deciding who goes to the Western Clash and who stays, but no one is technically safe yet. Any small victory this week could easily tip the balance and knock the #2 or #3 team in each region out of the qualification. Fortunately, most of the matches are not nearly as even as they were last week.
That said, the biggest thing to watch out for in Week 4 are upsets. If one of the top teams like Dignitas, Misfits, or Team 8 falter, it won't be hard for another team to sweep in and steal their spot at Katowice. The metagame is also being shaken up with the Valeera patch this week. Top teams will need to adjust to the new meta quickly and prove that they can adapt well, but with new strategies, new drafts, and a new hero, the possibility of an upset is very real. We're officially in a prime environment for lower tier teams to overcome their previous failures and overtake their opponents.
Europe
Friday, February 10
- Team Dignitas vs Playing Ducks
- Misfits vs beGenius
Saturday, February 11
- beGenius vs Tricked eSport
- Team expert vs Misfits
Sunday, February 12
- Team Dignitas vs Fnatic
- Synergy vs Playing Ducks
With only two weeks left before the first Clash, there have been a few shining stars and a couple of duds. The focus over the next two weeks will be on the top three qualifying positions for the Western Clash. It's not impossible for anyone to overtake Misfits and Fnatic for the top two spots, but it's fairly unlikely. Third place, on the other hand, is still under contention.
Dignitas will be fighting to maintain their third place ranking against Playing Ducks and Fnatic next week. Team expert will face their biggest challenge yet against Misfits, but if they can pull out a victory, there's still hope for a Western Clash appearance.
In the lower rankings, Tricked, Synergy, and beGenius are more or less in a three-way tie. Nothing big is happening for them over the next few weeks, but this is their last chance to start picking up points before mid-season; if they're still stuck at the bottom of the rankings after this week, it's going to be long uphill climb for them to avoid the Crucible.
The excitement and intensity are sure to ramp up this weekend. Look for better teamwork, better strategies and unique drafts. It's time to set the tone for the Western Clash! If someone misses the Clash, all is not lost—the season is long, and there is still plenty of time to make a run for the Playoffs.
North America
Friday, February 10
- Tempo Storm vs No Tomorrow
- Team Naventic vs Superstars
Saturday, February 11
- Superstars vs B-Step
- Team 8 vs Team Naventic
Sunday, February 12
- Tempo Storm vs Gale Force eSports
- Team Freedom vs No Tomorrow
No Tomorrow sits at #8 in the HGC standings, with a dismal 3-12 battleground record, but they will face off against Tempo Storm and Team Freedom next week for redemption. While their series against Tempo should be a 3-0 in Tempo's favor, No Tomorrow should be able to get a Battleground win against Team Freedom; either way, it won’t be good enough. If No Tomorrow wants to avoid the Crucible, they are going to have to play out of their minds for the rest of HGC.
Gale Force eSports has a tough weekend ahead as they are in a must-win situation to keep their coveted third place rank. Tempo Storm will be facing off against GFE in the long-awaited battle of NA giants. While the result of this series will mean more for GFE, Tempo is hungry for the 6-0. The competition at the top has been stiff, but Tempo can look to distance themselves from the pack if they can take the win against GFE.
Superstars is currently sitting at #4 in the standings with a 2-2 result. If Superstars drops both matches against Naventic and B-Step, they will be sharing seventh place. However, winning out would propel Superstars into contention with GFE for the #3 spot in NA. There is a lot at stake here for Superstars. The series against Naventic is winnable and should go all five games. If you consider B-Step's performance against Team Freedom in Week 3, coupled with their 9-10 battleground margin, the series versus Superstars should be exciting. The edge goes to B-Step here, as they have a huge chip on their shoulder, and it's probably not going away anytime soon.
Naventic too have a chip on their shoulder but with less results. While Kenma and Zuna have never struggled against the players on Superstars, this is not the early-mid 2016 Naventic. I expect Naventic to go into the series confidently, but it could be their undoing. Superstars have lost far less maps (6-8 to 6-11) because Naventic continually put themselves at two map deficits. If Superstars can take a quick 2-0 , they just might have the ability to take the series and leave Naventic with Crucible woes.
