Started from the bottom: After big buffs SGT. Hammer is back.

Murloc Geniuses emerge victorious from group-A with an amazing 20 kills -0 deaths using the newly buffed SGT. Hammer.

Can't touch this!

Amongst the smoke and dust kicked up by the nerf-bat smacking Greymane and Tyrael, a small trait change to Sgt. Hammer went overlooked, by some at least.  Murloc Geniuses, on the other hand, saw this as an opportunity to pack their sleeves with a trick few would expect at PAX West.

 

During game two’s draft between Murloc Geniuses and Team Name Change, Sgt Hammer came out of nowhere.  As the match begins Jhow reveals a little secret:

I kind of had a little bit of an inside track, I got to watch them practice this behind the scenes last week and let’s just say that it’s terrifying.”

In case you missed the match, read no further and catch the replay here.
 

Oh-oh oh oh oh-oh-oh! (Spoilers)

Dreadnaught tries to explain what hammer means before the match, little did he know how right he was:

 The two biggest changes why she has so much value is her old 10% bonus attack range at four (Maelstrom Shells) is now default, which opens up that slot to take focused attack which provides absurd ranged damage. ”

Going into match two, by minute three Murloc’s take down the bottom wall and are already wailing on Team Name Change's fountain. With the extra range, hammer is able to stay mobile and dodge most of Li-Ming’s poke.

By minute six, Xul, Sgt. Hammer and an early dragon knight, push Murloc Geniuses to level ten with a two level advantage.

Murlocs seemed unstoppable, with Xul providing wave-clear and hammer free to demolish forts and provid artillery support safely from a distance.

By minute nine Murlocs have a three level lead, Death-balling and refusing to be ignored. Team Name Change know Hammer simply cannot be left alone or else.

During a desperate team fight over mercs, Hammer brutally punishes TNC, getting crazy value, nuking the entire enemy team for massive damage, eventually leading to a team wipe at the 11 minute mark and a free downed keep.

By minute fifteen the Murloc Geniuses get another team wipe, holding a staggering four level lead!  

Murlocs close out the game at level 20 to Team Name Change’s level 16, managing to kill twenty times.  Not a single death; simply amazing play.

 

Fresh new kicks and pants
 

In hindsight it’s clear that Murlocs put their genius to work.  Throughout the series casters and teams alike expressed fears of letting Murlocs get ahold of a whole menagerie of heroes:
 

• Versus TNC game one, Murloc’s win with Cho’Gall
• Game two TNC bans out Zagara
• Denial bans Zagara and Cho’Gall and win 1^st match
• Denial bans Zagara and Brightwing for a 2^nd win
• TNC ban Tyrael and Zagara, but lose to Murlocs running Midivh & Stitches shenanigans
• TNC ban Zagara and Kerrigan, but lose to Murlocs running Hammer, Falstad, and Xul
   

That means Midivh, Zagara, Falstad, Kerrigan, Cho’Gall, and even Sgt. Hammer all represent dangerous landmines waiting to blow up in the face of any team drafting against the Murloc Geniuses coming day three.
 

Wrapping up
 

It was great seeing Murloc Geniuses reshape the meta using Sgt. Hammer right before our eyes.  Compared to the last regional, we’re finally starting to see some new comps with heroes like Medivh, Stitches, Auriel, and even Sgt. Hammer.

Sunday’s PAX day three looks to be shaping up into some exciting matches.

Follow us on Twitter @GosuGamersHotS and on Facebook for more competitive Heroes of the Storm news and coverage from around the world.