GSL Season Three
Code S

Group E Preview
Zest, Hurricane, Rogue, Rain

Brackets and standings on Liquipedia

by Destructicon

Group E tells the tale of two very illustrious players fighting it out against their less successful peers. For the two titans, this group should be a simple formality, a leisurely hop on to the Ro16. For the two challengers though, this group is a rare opportunity to further their careers in individual tournaments. And what better way do so than by toppling a giant. However, even the two heavyweights of the group still have something to prove; in a year of protoss champions, they will have to do more to cement their place in the pantheon of greats.

First up we have our GSL S1 champion and GSL GT champion, KT Rolster's Zest. Initially known as one of Flash's supporting cast, Zest has made a name for himself in 2014. He secure two tournament wins and looked invincible during that period of time. While he failed to defend his championship, he still made a very deep run in season 2 of GSL. His eventual loss against TRUE was a credit to the latter's preparation rather some decline in form from the season 1 champion, but in an era of protoss domination, it's easy to forget that he's been one of the most consistent players of his race this year. Despite his loss in the SPL finals against Rain, he still holds better than 60% winrates in both PvP and PvZ. If there is one criticism of his mirror, however, it is his lack of a late game plan. It was apparent in his recently recommended game against sOs, as he remained on gateway units and colossus while the Jin Air protoss teched to tempests. This flaw was once again the culprit in his loss against Rain in the finals, and he'll have to remedy his tendency to get stuck in mid game compositions if he wishes to have a comfortable evening. Fortunately for the KT protoss, his first opponent is far less accomplished than the caliber of player he normally faces.

SamsungHurricane is a veteran of the scene. He has been around for a long time, initially under the name Tear as a member of FXO. He was a staple of the FXO lineup for many years, coming out regularly with great snipe builds and exquisite execution, even getting an all kill against NSHS at one point in GSTL. When FXO disbanded, Hurricane managed to find a home on Samsung Khan. He has since been fielded 8 times in Proleague with a worrisome 2-6 record. The one silver lining for Hurricane is that he did go 2-2 in PvP, while his overall lifetime record is 55%. He'll have to use his great execution of builds and exploit the volatility of PvP to potentially scrape by. His PvZ record isn't looking too bad either at 59%, and he has a good chance to beat Rogue should they meet. Hurricane proved in his Code A group that he can do some real damage, but he will have to step it up a notch if he wants to advance ahead of his more accomplished opponents.

Similarly, JinAir's Rogue is a man still searching for glory. Despite being a key player on Jin Air's roster, he has had to live in the shadow of his more successful teammates Maru and sOs. Recently, TRUE has also unlocked a lot of his potential, making it to the semi-final of last season's GSL before being stopped by soO. With his teammates surpassing him left and right Rogue must be feeling the pressure. Unfortunately - or perhaps fortunately - he has been drawn into a group with 3 protoss. Rogue does have the advantage of only having to prepare for one MU, one in which he holds a respectable 58% record. On the flip side, all the protoss in the group play very different styles, which is something Rogue will have to take into consideration. He struggled against Stats in Code A while he was able to defeat Zest in R4 of Proleague, so it's difficult to say whether he will find enough consistency in one evening to advance from a strong group. When he's hot--such as the IEM World Championship qualifier where he beat the likes of Rain, Zest, and Soulkey--he is a force to be reckoned with. When he's not, he's Proleague filler. It'll be interesting to see which Rogue shows up tonight, but it may not matter against his first opponent.

Rain and Rogue could not be more different. Rain is what you would call the very definition of consistency. Ever since KeSPA's switch to SC2 he has always looked fantastic, frequently making deep runs in the tournaments he takes part in. Rain is also the undisputed ace on a team full of champions, a terrifying thought for players that struggle to be sent out. His ability to perform when the stakes are high and the margins for error are low is astounding, and his meticulous brand of safe play is the platform from which he's launched his star. Even though he is the type of player that should be vulnerable to well prepared builds, Rain's ability to adjust within games makes him about as bullet proof as anyone. His sublime positioning, excellent sense of opportunity and brilliant decision making are often applauded by other pros, but for all his admirable attributes, he yet to win another title since Hot6ix in 2013. He doesn't participate in foreign tournaments and lacks any qualifier luck, so Code S season 3 might be his last chance for a title this year. As talented a protoss as he is, he still just one of many until he earns another trophy. Everyone knows what to expect from the SKT T1 ace tonight, and that is a compliment and a caution in equal measure.

Overall predictions:

Overall, I'm going to predict the two titans advance here. Although form should dictate who comes out in which order, their experience and sheer mastery of PvP, coupled with their deadly PvZ's, is difficult to overlook. Hurricane and Rogue are both great players, but I'm just not seeing them able to take on the unstoppable force and the immovable object. For Rain and Zest this encounter is not only about who advances in first place, but is also a matter of pride. Rain recently beat Zest in the SPL finals, but KT still won the day. The former must prove that SKT T1 still own individual leagues, while the latter must show that his loss was just a small bump in the road. The SKT T1 ace's imperious form suggests that this could be his season, and I'm betting on him to win the group.

Zest > Hurricane
Rogue < Rain
Zest < Rain
Hurricane > Rogue
Zest > Hurricane

Rain and Zest to advance!

Writers: Destructicon.
Graphics: Meru.
Photo: GOMeXP.
Editor: lichter.