• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EST 13:46
CET 19:46
KST 03:46
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
HomeStory Cup 28 - Info & Preview12Rongyi Cup S3 - Preview & Info3herO wins SC2 All-Star Invitational14SC2 All-Star Invitational: Tournament Preview5RSL Revival - 2025 Season Finals Preview8
Community News
Weekly Cups (Jan 26-Feb 1): herO, Clem, ByuN, Classic win2RSL Season 4 announced for March-April7Weekly Cups (Jan 19-25): Bunny, Trigger, MaxPax win3Weekly Cups (Jan 12-18): herO, MaxPax, Solar win0BSL Season 2025 - Full Overview and Conclusion8
StarCraft 2
General
StarCraft 2 Not at the Esports World Cup 2026 Weekly Cups (Jan 26-Feb 1): herO, Clem, ByuN, Classic win HomeStory Cup 28 - Info & Preview Weekly Cups (Jan 19-25): Bunny, Trigger, MaxPax win Oliveira Would Have Returned If EWC Continued
Tourneys
RSL Season 4 announced for March-April PIG STY FESTIVAL 7.0! (19 Feb - 1 Mar) HomeStory Cup 28 StarCraft Evolution League (SC Evo Biweekly) $21,000 Rongyi Cup Season 3 announced (Jan 22-Feb 7)
Strategy
Custom Maps
[A] Starcraft Sound Mod
External Content
Mutation # 511 Temple of Rebirth The PondCast: SC2 News & Results Mutation # 510 Safety Violation Mutation # 509 Doomsday Report
Brood War
General
[ASL21] Potential Map Candidates Can someone share very abbreviated BW cliffnotes? BW General Discussion Liquipedia.net NEEDS editors for Brood War BGH Auto Balance -> http://bghmmr.eu/
Tourneys
[Megathread] Daily Proleagues Azhi's Colosseum - Season 2 Small VOD Thread 2.0 [BSL21] Non-Korean Championship - Starts Jan 10
Strategy
Zealot bombing is no longer popular? Simple Questions, Simple Answers Current Meta Soma's 9 hatch build from ASL Game 2
Other Games
General Games
Nintendo Switch Thread Battle Aces/David Kim RTS Megathread Path of Exile Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Beyond All Reason
Dota 2
Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion
League of Legends
Join illminati in Luanda Angola+27 60 696 7068
Heroes of the Storm
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Deck construction bug Heroes of StarCraft mini-set
TL Mafia
Mafia Game Mode Feedback/Ideas Vanilla Mini Mafia
Community
General
US Politics Mega-thread Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine European Politico-economics QA Mega-thread The Games Industry And ATVI Canadian Politics Mega-thread
Fan Clubs
The herO Fan Club! The IdrA Fan Club
Media & Entertainment
Anime Discussion Thread [Manga] One Piece
Sports
2024 - 2026 Football Thread
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread
TL Community
The Automated Ban List
Blogs
Play, Watch, Drink: Esports …
TrAiDoS
My 2025 Magic: The Gathering…
DARKING
Life Update and thoughts.
FuDDx
How do archons sleep?
8882
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 1473 users

#6: Zest - Greatest Players of All Time - Page 2

Forum Index > SC2 General
234 CommentsPost a Reply
Prev 1 2 3 4 5 10 11 12 Next All
kaos00
Profile Joined September 2010
United States125 Posts
January 27 2024 00:25 GMT
#21
MVP being below Rain is a little dubious but not too dramatic. MVP could be anywhere from #6 to #12. I feel like Zest could be lower than #6 but I think he gets a bump for being the GOAT Protoss and I guess this list is really valuing Zest's staying power.
RPR_Tempest
Profile Blog Joined February 2011
Australia7798 Posts
January 27 2024 00:45 GMT
#22
On January 27 2024 09:14 Balnazza wrote:
I'm still not buying into the hype that Mvp is even on this list. Being dominant when the game was new is just not that big of a feat. Sorry for yet again making the side-step to WC3, but I don't feel like DayFly or Madfrog ever were seriously in a Top 10 discussion of all time, considering how fast they dropped out compared to...well, everyone else.

Zest being the best Protoss seems about right. Him not being Top 5 also seems right.

Why would Rain be on the list if Mvp isn't? Mvp's case is just Rain's case but better in every way lol
Soundwave, Zerg player from Canberra, Australia. @SoundwaveSC
luxon
Profile Joined August 2012
United States117 Posts
January 27 2024 01:30 GMT
#23
if the remaining top 5 isnt life rogue maru serral mvp/inno then this list cant be taken too seriously
lolfail9001
Profile Joined August 2013
Russian Federation40190 Posts
Last Edited: 2024-01-27 01:32:11
January 27 2024 01:31 GMT
#24
On January 27 2024 10:30 luxon wrote:
if the remaining top 5 isnt life rogue maru serral mvp/inno then this list cant be taken too seriously

Life is not going to be on this list for very obvious reasons. Though he would qualify in counter factual universe where he gambles less.
DeMoN pulls off a Miracle and Flies to the Moon
Kitai
Profile Joined June 2012
United States880 Posts
January 27 2024 02:07 GMT
#25
Maru Serral INno and Rogue are almost certainly guaranteed at this point. Would not be surprised if Dark took the last spot over MVP. Also, MVP was not dominant for 2-3 years like someone said earlier, it was more like a year and a half. His last big win was a 4-3 over Squirtle in the GSL finals, which is also kinda funny since that series is so famous for the game Squirtle won. After that he fell on his face hard for 2 years when the Kespa invasion happened and then he retired.

I'm not gonna be upset if MVP gets the nod, but I certainly won't be rioting in the TL streets if he doesn't!
"You know, I don't care if soO got 100 second places in a row. Anyone who doesn't think that he's going to win blizzcon watching this series is a fool" - Artosis, Blizzcon 2014 soO vs TaeJa
Fango
Profile Joined July 2016
United Kingdom8987 Posts
Last Edited: 2024-01-27 02:42:01
January 27 2024 02:35 GMT
#26
There's little to say against him being the GOAT Protoss. His 2014 run was up there with Mvp's 2011, INno's 2017, and Serral's 2018 in one of the best years any player has had. If any writers decide to do a 'highest peaks' series, he would certainly be on it.

He's also the best PvP player to ever touch the game. Is his PvP the best match up of any player?

He is, unfortunately, inconsistent so I can see why he ended up lower than INno and Mvp. And he does have a couple grim losses that hold him back from being on the highest tier (2014 Blizzcon, GSL finals vs Cure), and he has the worst cannon rush of all time

But personally I think after 8 years of winning, he outshined at least Mvp's triumphant couple of years. Not to mention he had a similarly dominant run in a much harder era against Kespa players
Zest, sOs, PartinG, Dark, and Maru are the real champs. ROOT_herO is overrated. Snute, Serral, and Scarlett are the foreigner GOATs
Balnazza
Profile Joined January 2018
Germany1256 Posts
January 27 2024 03:03 GMT
#27
On January 27 2024 09:45 RPR_Tempest wrote:
Show nested quote +
On January 27 2024 09:14 Balnazza wrote:
I'm still not buying into the hype that Mvp is even on this list. Being dominant when the game was new is just not that big of a feat. Sorry for yet again making the side-step to WC3, but I don't feel like DayFly or Madfrog ever were seriously in a Top 10 discussion of all time, considering how fast they dropped out compared to...well, everyone else.

Zest being the best Protoss seems about right. Him not being Top 5 also seems right.

Why would Rain be on the list if Mvp isn't? Mvp's case is just Rain's case but better in every way lol


That's a question you could ask Mizenhauer. I wouldn't have been mad if he was tenth, but Top 5 of all time? No way in hell. His last non-qualifier or showmatch series was a 2-3 vs. MorroW...
"Wenn die Zauberin runter geht, dann macht sie die Beine breit" - Khaldor, trying to cast WC3 German-only
yht9657
Profile Joined December 2016
1810 Posts
January 27 2024 03:10 GMT
#28
and is tied with Rogue, sOs, Serral, and Dark for the second most world championship final appearances at three

Stats may not have done enough to deserve top 10 goat but stripping him of a world championship final is kinda disrespecting.
BisuDagger
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
Bisutopia19305 Posts
January 27 2024 03:11 GMT
#29
Miz, I gotta know, are your final 5 picks set in stone already or are you still changing them as you listen to arguments?
ModeratorFormer Afreeca Starleague Caster: http://afreeca.tv/ASL2ENG2
jy_9876543210
Profile Joined March 2016
265 Posts
January 27 2024 03:45 GMT
#30
I think the biggest question is, will Rogue be on the list at all? He's the patch zerg after all. Now that he's reminded, maybe suddenly there's room for another player
Phase 1: F2    Phase 2: A   Phase 3: Profit!
Blargh
Profile Joined September 2010
United States2103 Posts
January 27 2024 03:54 GMT
#31
I can't see any players other than... Innovation, Serral, Maru, Rogue, and Dark being top 5. Initially I had MVP in there too, but this list is much more about longevity than "Peak". Mvp may have been the best in 2011-2012, but he was pretty much washed up by the end of 2013.

But I do agree, I can't see why Mvp would be absent but Rain on the list. The more I think about it, the more convinced I am that Rain shouldn't be there.
argonautdice
Profile Joined January 2013
Canada2719 Posts
January 27 2024 04:28 GMT
#32
On January 27 2024 12:54 Blargh wrote:
I can't see any players other than... Innovation, Serral, Maru, Rogue, and Dark being top 5. Initially I had MVP in there too, but this list is much more about longevity than "Peak". Mvp may have been the best in 2011-2012, but he was pretty much washed up by the end of 2013.

But I do agree, I can't see why Mvp would be absent but Rain on the list. The more I think about it, the more convinced I am that Rain shouldn't be there.

I wonder if Rain doing well in BW after he retired from SC2 played a role in that.
very illegal and very uncool
fastr
Profile Joined February 2011
France902 Posts
January 27 2024 04:31 GMT
#33
On January 27 2024 12:54 Blargh wrote:
I can't see any players other than... Innovation, Serral, Maru, Rogue, and Dark being top 5. Initially I had MVP in there too, but this list is much more about longevity than "Peak". Mvp may have been the best in 2011-2012, but he was pretty much washed up by the end of 2013.

But I do agree, I can't see why Mvp would be absent but Rain on the list. The more I think about it, the more convinced I am that Rain shouldn't be there.


I agree. I think anyone who still expects Mvp to show up in this list is either deluded or seeing the past with rose-tinted glasses. I was the biggest Mvp stan back then, and I still think his GSL finals win vs Squirtle was the hypest SC2 moment of all time. Yet if we look at objective results which this list does, if Mvp was to show up, he would have been top 8 at best IMO. Mvp is the undisputed King of Wings, but he has no business being in a top 10 GOAT list of a nearly 14 year old game when WoL was only around for 2 and a half years. That is less than 20% of the game's total existence.

I agree that the top 5 should indisputably be Rogue Serral Maru INno Dark. While pretty much everyone agrees on the first 4, I think Dark doesn't get the respect he deserves here. Dark has been a top 3 world zerg for like 9 years and he's still a world champion contender.

I personally had Stats at #7 and Zest at #6 so now I'm guessing Stats won't show up. I think it would be especially puzzling to see Rain in this list without Stats, but that's the only disagreement I have on an otherwise excellent top 10 list by TL's writers.
Pandain
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
United States12989 Posts
January 27 2024 04:42 GMT
#34
I am loving these Dark over Mvp takes - spicy!
Crocolisk Dundee
Profile Blog Joined October 2015
870 Posts
January 27 2024 04:54 GMT
#35
Rogue Serral Maru INnoVatioN Dark should be the top 5.
Stopped watching ESL content in 2022 when the company was acquired by Savvy Gaming Group. Also object to sponsorships by the U.S. Air Force. Thanks for the lively discussions about sportswashing. StarCraft II is not for me anymore.
Yoshi Kirishima
Profile Blog Joined July 2009
United States10366 Posts
Last Edited: 2024-01-27 05:14:18
January 27 2024 05:11 GMT
#36
On January 27 2024 12:54 Blargh wrote:
I can't see any players other than... Innovation, Serral, Maru, Rogue, and Dark being top 5. Initially I had MVP in there too, but this list is much more about longevity than "Peak". Mvp may have been the best in 2011-2012, but he was pretty much washed up by the end of 2013.

But I do agree, I can't see why Mvp would be absent but Rain on the list. The more I think about it, the more convinced I am that Rain shouldn't be there.


Agreed. Sounds like MVP is out, but how is Rain above MVP?

And i say this as someone who's always been against MVP being ranked so highly on others' lists, reminding others that he didn't win 4 GSL's but just 3 GSLs and the 4th GSL was a GSL vs the World style tourny with much less money, and with only a Ro16 that was half filled with foreigners who were non-competitive in that era.

Heck, even TY above MVP is an interesting take.

Also, if longetivity is going to be valued highly on this list, then why Rain over Stats? Stats has a very close achievements list to Zest. Zest has 1 WC win, and 2 WC 2nd places. Stats has 3 WC 2nd places, it's not a huuge difference there, 3 is still very impressive especially considering how Soo's 2nd places are valued enough to put him at 8th. And Stats has a few wins at GSL tourneys / Starleagues similar to Zest, as well as several 2nd or top 4 places at GSL tourneys / Starleagues. Main difference to me is Zest getting that late-career GSL Super win, and actually getting a WCS win where Stats didn't.

I don't get how Soo is above Stats as well as MVP. Stats has a few wins as well as 2 WC 2nd places, considering this list's criteria said that WC is generally valued only a little more than a GSL/Starleague.

That said, anyone below Zest is pretty contentious and it's interesting to see where people place sOs/sOO/MVP/TY/Stats/Taeja/etc.

It'll be interesting if Dark might even be placed above Inno considering Dark is still going strong into 2024, years after Inno started to fall off.
Mid-master streaming MECH ONLY + commentary www.twitch.tv/yoshikirishima +++ "If all-in fails, all-in again."
Blargh
Profile Joined September 2010
United States2103 Posts
January 27 2024 07:38 GMT
#37
If anyone is curious, here are the top earnings for SC2 players: (Wiki)Winnings
1 Serral $1,317,671
2 Maru $1,215,993
3 Rogue $1,059,971
4 Dark $1,044,351
5 INnoVation $811,251

Reynor is 6th at ~750k. While earnings aren't a great way of measuring goatness (pre LotV EU/NA were basically welfare bucks compared to the Korean field), I think it's pretty clear that all 5 of those players are legends and didn't just have a dominant year or two. They've pretty much all been top players for as long as they've been active. Mvp on the other hand is all the way down at 25th at $415k. Basically half of the rest of these. Of course, then Rain is just at $216k!!! Interestingly, if you look at the top 10 earnings, it will likely encompass all of Miz's list with the exception of Reynor being swapped with Rain!
WombaT
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
Northern Ireland26236 Posts
January 27 2024 07:58 GMT
#38
On January 27 2024 14:11 Yoshi Kirishima wrote:
Show nested quote +
On January 27 2024 12:54 Blargh wrote:
I can't see any players other than... Innovation, Serral, Maru, Rogue, and Dark being top 5. Initially I had MVP in there too, but this list is much more about longevity than "Peak". Mvp may have been the best in 2011-2012, but he was pretty much washed up by the end of 2013.

But I do agree, I can't see why Mvp would be absent but Rain on the list. The more I think about it, the more convinced I am that Rain shouldn't be there.


Agreed. Sounds like MVP is out, but how is Rain above MVP?

And i say this as someone who's always been against MVP being ranked so highly on others' lists, reminding others that he didn't win 4 GSL's but just 3 GSLs and the 4th GSL was a GSL vs the World style tourny with much less money, and with only a Ro16 that was half filled with foreigners who were non-competitive in that era.

Heck, even TY above MVP is an interesting take.

Also, if longetivity is going to be valued highly on this list, then why Rain over Stats? Stats has a very close achievements list to Zest. Zest has 1 WC win, and 2 WC 2nd places. Stats has 3 WC 2nd places, it's not a huuge difference there, 3 is still very impressive especially considering how Soo's 2nd places are valued enough to put him at 8th. And Stats has a few wins at GSL tourneys / Starleagues similar to Zest, as well as several 2nd or top 4 places at GSL tourneys / Starleagues. Main difference to me is Zest getting that late-career GSL Super win, and actually getting a WCS win where Stats didn't.

I don't get how Soo is above Stats as well as MVP. Stats has a few wins as well as 2 WC 2nd places, considering this list's criteria said that WC is generally valued only a little more than a GSL/Starleague.

That said, anyone below Zest is pretty contentious and it's interesting to see where people place sOs/sOO/MVP/TY/Stats/Taeja/etc.

It'll be interesting if Dark might even be placed above Inno considering Dark is still going strong into 2024, years after Inno started to fall off.

I find it hard to make such lists given I do rate innovation and influence quite highly, longevity a little less. A top 15/20 is pretty easy but what order they appear in is quite tricky!

It feels to me you either have both Mvp and Rain, or neither, depending on one’s criteria. If a shorter but glorious peak of smacking nerds around is one, then I think you can put them both in no worries, but if a longer stretch is prioritised it’s harder to make a case that they keep a Dark or a Stats out
'You'll always be the cuddly marsupial of my heart, despite the inherent flaws of your ancestry' - Squat
Waxangel
Profile Blog Joined September 2002
United States33541 Posts
January 27 2024 08:13 GMT
#39
On January 27 2024 12:10 yht9657 wrote:
Show nested quote +
and is tied with Rogue, sOs, Serral, and Dark for the second most world championship final appearances at three

Stats may not have done enough to deserve top 10 goat but stripping him of a world championship final is kinda disrespecting.


ah whoops, caught an error, thanks!
AdministratorHey HP can you redo everything youve ever done because i have a small complaint?
darklycid
Profile Joined May 2014
3529 Posts
January 27 2024 09:20 GMT
#40
On January 27 2024 16:38 Blargh wrote:
If anyone is curious, here are the top earnings for SC2 players: (Wiki)Winnings
1 Serral $1,317,671
2 Maru $1,215,993
3 Rogue $1,059,971
4 Dark $1,044,351
5 INnoVation $811,251

Reynor is 6th at ~750k. While earnings aren't a great way of measuring goatness (pre LotV EU/NA were basically welfare bucks compared to the Korean field), I think it's pretty clear that all 5 of those players are legends and didn't just have a dominant year or two. They've pretty much all been top players for as long as they've been active. Mvp on the other hand is all the way down at 25th at $415k. Basically half of the rest of these. Of course, then Rain is just at $216k!!! Interestingly, if you look at the top 10 earnings, it will likely encompass all of Miz's list with the exception of Reynor being swapped with Rain!

Earnings favor later peaks way more as there is more price Money in the big Events than in the First 5 years.
Prev 1 2 3 4 5 10 11 12 Next All
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
Next event in 5h 14m
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
mouzHeroMarine 391
Harstem 242
OGKoka 132
UpATreeSC 93
BRAT_OK 72
MindelVK 11
JuggernautJason3
StarCraft: Brood War
Britney 23995
Calm 3238
Mini 531
Shuttle 172
actioN 151
ggaemo 110
Backho 55
Hyuk 37
910 31
Rock 15
Dota 2
qojqva1606
Dendi669
LuMiX1
League of Legends
C9.Mang091
Counter-Strike
fl0m1926
adren_tv125
ptr_tv96
Heroes of the Storm
Liquid`Hasu306
Khaldor140
Other Games
gofns11654
Grubby3877
FrodaN1805
Beastyqt873
TKL 113
ArmadaUGS93
Mew2King63
Trikslyr52
Organizations
StarCraft 2
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
sctven
[ Show 20 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• StrangeGG 66
• HeavenSC 27
• Reevou 5
• Kozan
• Migwel
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• sooper7s
• intothetv
• IndyKCrew
• LaughNgamezSOOP
StarCraft: Brood War
• HerbMon 32
• FirePhoenix11
• Michael_bg 2
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
• BSLYoutube
Dota 2
• WagamamaTV420
League of Legends
• TFBlade1873
• imaqtpie1364
• Shiphtur484
Upcoming Events
Replay Cast
5h 14m
The PondCast
15h 14m
WardiTV Invitational
17h 14m
Replay Cast
1d 5h
RongYI Cup
2 days
herO vs Maru
uThermal 2v2 Circuit
3 days
Replay Cast
4 days
Wardi Open
4 days
Monday Night Weeklies
4 days
Sparkling Tuna Cup
5 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

Proleague 2026-02-03
HSC XXVIII
Underdog Cup #3

Ongoing

CSL 2025 WINTER (S19)
KCM Race Survival 2026 Season 1
Acropolis #4 - TS4
Rongyi Cup S3
Nations Cup 2026
IEM Kraków 2026
BLAST Bounty Winter 2026
BLAST Bounty Winter Qual
eXTREMESLAND 2025
SL Budapest Major 2025
ESL Impact League Season 8

Upcoming

Escore Tournament S1: W7
Escore Tournament S1: W8
Acropolis #4
IPSL Spring 2026
HSC XXIX
uThermal 2v2 2026 Main Event
Bellum Gens Elite Stara Zagora 2026
RSL Revival: Season 4
LiuLi Cup: 2025 Grand Finals
IEM Rio 2026
PGL Bucharest 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 1
BLAST Open Spring 2026
ESL Pro League Season 23
ESL Pro League Season 23
PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2026 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.