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[Code S] Ro32 Group E Preview - Season 3

Forum Index > SC2 General
17 CommentsPost a Reply

[Code S] Ro32 Group E Preview - Season 3

Text bylichter
Graphics byMeru
August 14th, 2014 06:38 GMT
2014 GSL Season 3

GSL Season Three
Code S



Group E Preview
Zest, Hurricane, Rogue, Rain

Brackets and standings on Liquipedia

Group E:
Mortals Against Gods


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 (P)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.

Samsung(P)Hurricane 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 (Z)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.

(P)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

(P)Rain and (P)Zest to advance!

Writers: Destructicon.
Graphics: Meru.
Photo: GOMeXP.
Editor: lichter.
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AdministratorYOU MUST HEED MY INSTRUCTIONS TAKE OFF YOUR THIIIINGS
prabhbhambra13
Profile Joined April 2011
United Kingdom424 Posts
August 14 2014 06:51 GMT
#2
Rain will get through easily. He looked so strong in the SPL Playoffs
SECO SECO SECO
Franky92
Profile Joined November 2013
Italy20 Posts
August 14 2014 07:06 GMT
#3
Rain will probably get through, but i keep thinking he's overrated by TL writers... He won just the Hot6Cup and a 16-players OSL tournament...
MiniFotToss
Profile Joined December 2013
China2430 Posts
August 14 2014 07:16 GMT
#4
On August 14 2014 16:06 Franky92 wrote:
Rain will probably get through, but i keep thinking he's overrated by TL writers... He won just the Hot6Cup and a 16-players OSL tournament...


yeah, with players like PartinG (god of PvP at that time) and MC (The Bosstoss), Mvp (Best Terran)DRG (Best Zerg in the wholeworld that time) and Flash (needs no intro) in it, and it wasn't just 16 players, plz do your research before making comments.
And Rain ALSO WON WCS ASIA FINALS in 2012, against PartinG, again, do your research, Rain is not overrated, if anything Zest is overrated nowadays (and so is Rogue).
boxerfred
Profile Blog Joined December 2012
Germany8360 Posts
August 14 2014 07:42 GMT
#5
On August 14 2014 16:16 MiniFotToss wrote:
Show nested quote +
On August 14 2014 16:06 Franky92 wrote:
Rain will probably get through, but i keep thinking he's overrated by TL writers... He won just the Hot6Cup and a 16-players OSL tournament...


yeah, with players like PartinG (god of PvP at that time) and MC (The Bosstoss), Mvp (Best Terran)DRG (Best Zerg in the wholeworld that time) and Flash (needs no intro) in it, and it wasn't just 16 players, plz do your research before making comments.
And Rain ALSO WON WCS ASIA FINALS in 2012, against PartinG, again, do your research, Rain is not overrated, if anything Zest is overrated nowadays (and so is Rogue).

None of those guys is overrated.
Orlok
Profile Joined June 2014
Korea (South)227 Posts
August 14 2014 07:51 GMT
#6
Rain has been a steady player ever since KeSPAs first switch into SC2. Sure, he may not have won as many tournaments as his hype suggests, and he did have his own struggles and slumps within his career, but he has always been a big fish in a lake full of other contenders. He has really always been the textbook protoss, THE guy you should watch if you play protoss and wish to get better at the game. Just because one doesn't win tournaments doesn't mean he is over-hyped. He is always the favorite to get out of his individual group stages just because of his skill and consistency he showed us over the years. So...yeah. Rain is never over-hyped or over-rated. He was there at the start, and is a really strong player. If anything, I too believe Zest is overrated. Sure he is good, but he hasn't really thrown me off with his play.
Writer"Don't leave me hangin!"
Pandemona *
Profile Blog Joined March 2011
Charlie Sheens House51481 Posts
Last Edited: 2014-08-14 07:52:54
August 14 2014 07:52 GMT
#7
After what we witnessed Zest do in the Asia qualifier for IEM i can't see him losing to Rain in PvP. Rain has not impressed me in PvP in the recent pro league outings he has had in it, he always looks scrappy or gets clutch wins. See vs herO in the CJ entus decider.

That being said, if Rogue cannot beat Hurricane or Zest, i see Rain struggling to make it out...
ModeratorTeam Liquid Football Thread Guru! - Chelsea FC ♥
Olli
Profile Blog Joined February 2012
Austria24417 Posts
August 14 2014 08:43 GMT
#8
I have to disagree with all of you. Rain's PvP is godly and the way he beat herO and Zest in PL was convincing. Add to that the way he played a basically flawless game against Hush, a supposed PvP expert. Then look at his record for SKT in Proleague recently. He's making it out.

Zest isn't overrated either. He's been a bit slower to adapt to the changing metagame for protoss but he's there now. His PvT looked ridiculous against Maru, his PvZ has always been amazing and PvP is currently shaped after him. I could see Rogue beating him because Zest is a stargate player and those are vulnerable in the current meta in Korea. PvZ in general is hard atm, judging from what I've seen recently at least. It's all +2/blink -> third into either macro game or mass gate timing. Zest doesn't strike me as the type of player who would favor that playstyle. He may have to do it but might not excel. He's still favored over anyone in this group except Rain.
Administrator"Declaring anything a disaster because aLive popped up out of nowhere is just downright silly."
Hadronsbecrazy
Profile Joined September 2013
United Kingdom551 Posts
August 14 2014 09:03 GMT
#9
Rain PLayed in IEM Cologne and lost to Polt :D
No need Build Orders, Only Micro,Favourite Players: Maru, Zest, soOjwa , CJherO
Crot4le
Profile Joined June 2013
England2927 Posts
Last Edited: 2014-08-14 09:28:48
August 14 2014 09:19 GMT
#10
.
Massive fan of Axiom eSports | Crotale#992 | Twitter: @Crot4le
Crot4le
Profile Joined June 2013
England2927 Posts
Last Edited: 2014-08-14 09:28:55
August 14 2014 09:28 GMT
#11
.
Massive fan of Axiom eSports | Crotale#992 | Twitter: @Crot4le
MiniFotToss
Profile Joined December 2013
China2430 Posts
August 14 2014 09:34 GMT
#12
On August 14 2014 18:03 Hadronsbecrazy wrote:
Rain PLayed in IEM Cologne and lost to Polt :D

it was close, Rain lost 2-3, Zest lost to Taeja 0-3
MiniFotToss
Profile Joined December 2013
China2430 Posts
Last Edited: 2014-08-14 09:38:24
August 14 2014 09:37 GMT
#13
On August 14 2014 16:52 Pandemona wrote:
After what we witnessed Zest do in the Asia qualifier for IEM i can't see him losing to Rain in PvP. Rain has not impressed me in PvP in the recent pro league outings he has had in it, he always looks scrappy or gets clutch wins. See vs herO in the CJ entus decider.

That being said, if Rogue cannot beat Hurricane or Zest, i see Rain struggling to make it out...


If you're saying that the 5-0 record Rain has in proleague semi-finals and finals is not impressive (3-0 against PvP expert Hush, CJ herO and KT Zest HIMSELF) then you probably haven't EVEN WATCHED PROLEAGUE!!!!!! god Rain is better than Zest in PvP, even Artosis says he's better
ZAiNs
Profile Joined July 2010
United Kingdom6525 Posts
August 14 2014 10:12 GMT
#14
On August 14 2014 18:37 MiniFotToss wrote:
Show nested quote +
On August 14 2014 16:52 Pandemona wrote:
After what we witnessed Zest do in the Asia qualifier for IEM i can't see him losing to Rain in PvP. Rain has not impressed me in PvP in the recent pro league outings he has had in it, he always looks scrappy or gets clutch wins. See vs herO in the CJ entus decider.

That being said, if Rogue cannot beat Hurricane or Zest, i see Rain struggling to make it out...


If you're saying that the 5-0 record Rain has in proleague semi-finals and finals is not impressive (3-0 against PvP expert Hush, CJ herO and KT Zest HIMSELF) then you probably haven't EVEN WATCHED PROLEAGUE!!!!!! god Rain is better than Zest in PvP, even Artosis says he's better

Uh oh...
MiniFotToss
Profile Joined December 2013
China2430 Posts
August 14 2014 10:49 GMT
#15
On August 14 2014 19:12 ZAiNs wrote:
Show nested quote +
On August 14 2014 18:37 MiniFotToss wrote:
On August 14 2014 16:52 Pandemona wrote:
After what we witnessed Zest do in the Asia qualifier for IEM i can't see him losing to Rain in PvP. Rain has not impressed me in PvP in the recent pro league outings he has had in it, he always looks scrappy or gets clutch wins. See vs herO in the CJ entus decider.

That being said, if Rogue cannot beat Hurricane or Zest, i see Rain struggling to make it out...


If you're saying that the 5-0 record Rain has in proleague semi-finals and finals is not impressive (3-0 against PvP expert Hush, CJ herO and KT Zest HIMSELF) then you probably haven't EVEN WATCHED PROLEAGUE!!!!!! god Rain is better than Zest in PvP, even Artosis says he's better

Uh oh...

Rain won 2-1 against Zest, I stand correct
Soke
Profile Joined September 2012
United States790 Posts
August 14 2014 14:23 GMT
#16
Hurricane and rogue easy
Djsoke
herMan
Profile Joined November 2010
Japan2053 Posts
August 14 2014 21:29 GMT
#17
I did not know that destructicon was writing stuff for TL. You go girl!
Cricketer12
Profile Blog Joined May 2012
United States13974 Posts
August 15 2014 04:11 GMT
#18
Zealously is going to kill me for this but Rain should have won his first season of code s
Kaina + Drones Linkcro Summon Cupsie Yummy Way
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