Brax: 'At first, I really thought I was getting trolled'

As the official topic of LGD.international is released, the Chinese powerhouse will have an additional team consisting of five international star players. In an interview with Dota 2 Vietnam, which we present in the English translation, Braxton 'Brax' Paulson elaborates more about his upcoming life playing for LGD.int, and what he expects from his new team.

Original Interview by Dota 2 Vietnam
On behalf of DotA 2 Vietnam and the Dota community, congratulations for being a part of LGD.int, Brax. How do you feel about this and when did you see it coming?

I'm very excited and honored to be part of LGD.int. Theeban, 1437, contacted me about it. At first, I really thought I was getting trolled.

Let's talk a bit about the previous DotA 2 event which was the biggest one, The International 2. Did you watch The International 2? What did you think about The International 2?

I watched all of The International and I loved every part of it. I was blown away by every part of it and only the ending could have been improved.

LGD recently did a really impressive performance and finished at the 3rd place at The International 2. What do you think about your Chinese teammates and Chinese Dota 2 scene in general?

My Chinese teammates are all great players and I hope I can learn from all of them. The Chinese DotA scene is a lot more developed than the American of European scene. I don't think, it's any surprise that they have surpassed nearly everyone else at The International.

Recently, we saw you playing for Quantic Gaming, until the news were released and confirmed you would be leaving Quantic. However, we haven't seen you played any official matches for that for the last three weeks. What have you been doing lately, after leaving Quantic?

I've just been pubbing and enjoying my time in the US, before I leave. I'm really sad about leaving Quantic and I hope they do well. (The rest of the team left Quantic by now, Ed.)

We all know that SEA and Chinese teams are very disciplined and they have a different playstyle. How do you prepare yourself for learning a new Dota style, or do you still prefer to stick with American-European style overall?

I'm very comfortable with having to change things up. Lots and lots of practice are the only thing we can do to adapt to the other's playstyles.

When did you start playing DotA, DotA 2 or any MOBA games?

I started playing DotA when I was about 11 years old.

Compare to DotA 1, what do you think about the current DotA 2 and its potential? Is there anything you want Valve and Icefrog to fix or improve?

I really like the way DotA 2 is headed. Valve's approach wants to involve the community in their project through the steam workshop, pennants, and tournament tickets. The right way to build a game up is through letting it spread with people who are so passionate about it. The game never gets boring, because it always changes.

What is your thought about the current hero pool? What heroes do you expect to see soon?

I'm looking forward to Tuskar. He's by far the most fun hero to play in pubs.

Many people think that playing in a gaming house is one of the strong factors for Chinese teams being so strong. What do you think about it? Will LGD.int follow the successful steps that most successful Chinese teams have been running? What advantage do you think is there about playing at a gaming house and talking to your teammates in a person?

I think being able to play with your team on LAN is huge. It's easier to analyze things with your team and getting to know your teammates on a personal level is important. It helps with understanding your teammates. After a point players know exactly what to expect from each other so you can confidently make plays without hesitation.

What's the next big thing coming for the scene and for you guys?

I personally can't wait for the release of DotA 2. Once it's accessable to everyone, bigger sponsors will be more willing to host events. I just want to see how big DotA 2 can get.

Have you been to China before? Do you expect anything going on when you arrive over there?

I've never been to China before so I have no idea what to expect.

Do you have family supporting you for your professional DotA 2 career in China?

My parents are very supportive, but they don't really understand what's going on. There's a very different perspective of what a gamer is in the US.

Thank you for the interview, Brax. I wish you best luck with your DotA 2 career in China. Do you have anything to say to our readers? Any shoutouts as well?

Thanks for the interview! I look forward to living in China and I'll be blogging and making videos once I arrive. You can find me on twitter, at @braxlikesdota. I'll be posting updates on my twitter. Shoutout to LGD, Taobao, and Razer for making this all possible! Special shoutout to NAdota.com.

The interview was conducted and written by Anthony 'Chargers' Tran in English. DotA 2 Vietnam published it first in Vietnamese. Interview shortened.

Full Vietnamese Interview: Dota 2 Vietnam