Blumbi

As the team captain, keeping spirits and motivation high is very important. Would you consider yourself a motivational captain? How do you make sure that your team is always in good spirits?

A positive and motivational team atmosphere is the most important thing for me as it’s the foundation of a successful team. You have a lot of emotional pressure to perform so there is no room for a negative mindset. I am usually a calm guy but in tournaments I start to shout and hype up the team, so yes I would consider myself a motivational team captain! If a teammate has a bad game I will compliment him on 1 good move he did rather than commenting on the bad ones during the game. Usually players know what they did wrong and if not you can talk about it after games.

If you could compare your leadership style to a famous person or fictional character, who would it be and why?

Varian Wrynn — He is loyal towards his allies and protects his people. I am loyal towards my team and peel for my HasuObs. Ah and also... FOR THE ALLIANCE!

Nurok

The flex position requires you to think on your feet. What do you think are the most important decisions that you make that fans might not notice immediately?

I always try to adjust to my opponents on the fly, which means I never want to be too passive or too aggressive. If I am either, I am giving away free advantages to my enemies. I usually try to play smart, but obviously it doesn't always work, especially if I am playing 4v6. Sorry Blumbi, you're my favourite sandbagger and you know it.

What do you think is your best defined position and why?

I don't think I have a specific role that I am best at, like for example "Ranged DPS", but rather with characters which have an impact on the game and that are capable of turning the game around with a perfectly-placed ability or ultimate. I love to play characters with mobility-tools to bait my opponents into a favourable position for us.

darkmok

How do you bring your own personality and flair to each hero you play (when you play as Illidan, for example)?

When I play, I focus on getting the most out of auto-attacking and thus maximizing my damage output. It basically means I adapt my movement and the usage of abilities to that. I want to make the most out of any situation, so when I play Illidan, for example, you can find me jumping into five enemies, because I just want to get a little bit of attention and damage and also while (most of the time) knowing my limits.

The relationship between support and carry is the most symbolic relationship in MOBAs. Would you consider yourself the team’s carry in real life (carrying them in parties or social situations, or when you travel together?)? Who do you think fulfills the roles of carry, support, tank and flex on your team in real life?

Blumbi keeps calm most of the time and helps us stay together as a whole (while playing), Splendour tries to be funny most of the time in a sarcastic way. Nurok is the carry when it comes to keeping in touch with and searching for potential sponsors. HasuObs is the flex, he does a little bit of everything and usually encourages us to drink a beer. So I guess carrying the team overall is what I do! Haha!

Splendour

You’re the only non-German player on the team. How did you meet your teammates, and what is it like playing on a team as the only foreigner? Has it ever gotten in the way, or how has the team made you feel more at home?

In the great end of 2015 EU roster shuffle I was benched from Na'Vi, and Blumbi, who back then played in mYinsanity along with darkmok and Nurok, asked me to try out for them. These guys were one of the best EU teams at the time, although they didn't get the recognition they deserved because they didn't qualify for Road to BlizzCon. I believe they were never an all-German team and ending up with 4 players from Germany is just a coincidence. In game we speak English so it doesn't make a difference, although I do sometimes find myself surrounded by German speakers at events — especially GamesCom. I do know a bit of German myself, not enough for a meaningful conversation but I'm pretty good at 'funny German'. It works as a cue to my teammates to switch language.

As the support player, how do you try to make your mark on games and make a difference?

I try to use my spells at the best moment, be it a saving spell like Cleanse or Palm, or a CC to secure a takedown. My playstyle in the early game is similar to an assassin, I try to do a lot of damage and I'm not afraid to die, but I tone it down once the enemy team gets their heroic abilities and focus on having a good position that lets me save my teammates without being in danger. In fact I believe I'm too passive in the mid/late game and this is something I'm working on improving right now.

HasuObs

A lot of fans, especially Team Liquid fans, still know you from your time in SC2. What was it like transitioning between games? Are there any key similarities or differences between your approach to each game?

For sure the transition from SC2 (1on1) to a MOBA like Heroes was not easy. From having my very own practice routine in SC2 and mostly working by myself, the whole practice schedule changed a lot. I'm now working and playing together with a team day in and day out, communicating and understanding what kind of problems can rise up.

The transition was a big challenge, but I like to overcome such things with hard work and finding the right teammates. I’m now very happy that I made the decision to switch from SC2 to Heroes.

And of course I can utilize a lot of what I learned in SC2 and from all my experiences within the eSports scene. When it comes to pure gameplay, I enjoy playing heroes like Abathur, The Lost Vikings, and other global characters. I guess it’s hard to get rid of the macro game..

You have the most competitive experience on the team. Do you act as the ‘big brother’ on the team, and has your experience come in handy during tournaments?

Haha, big brother? More like grandpa.

But yes, when we had the first bootcamps and our first offline appearance I did indeed remind everyone to check the most important settings which you might forget when not playing on your own PC.

I personally think I perform slightly better offline and usually never have problems with my nerves when it comes to playing on a big stage.

And of course, the Pirate question

Your family has been kidnapped by pirates. Which 2 of your teammates would you bring to save them and why?

Blumbi: That’s an easy choice. Splendour the brain to make a plan for the rescue, and darkmok to go berserk and fight the pirates 1v5.

Nurok: Blumbi and Splendour. I will use Blumbi as decoy and Splendour will help me creating a perfect plan to save my family.

darkmok: I would take Blumbi, because he's the one I trust the most and in case the pirates are Finnish, Blumbi is there to translate in a negotiation. I guess I might also take Splendour so he can work out a plan to rescue the rest (as he is the main drafter in game).

Splendour: Chasing pirates sound like a long adventure that involves a lot of travelling. My first choice is Nurok — he likes to carry, and what better way to travel than on his back. I will also take darkmok, he's always boasting about his pizza and it's always a good idea to bring a chef on a journey.

HasuObs: Splendour and darkmok. Splendour has the plan, darkmok does the wrestling.