The complete line-up for the World Championship will be decided this weekend in San Francisco. Below we rank the eight players hailing from the Americas region from weakest to strongest as we load the hype train for the HWC action starting tomorrow.
The power rankings of the players has been determined by a GosuGamers comittee of five. Text by: Radoslav "Nydra" Kolev.
8. Alexandre "MoleGel" Souza 
It makes sense to start the climb to #1 with the Brazilian players. Even though Brazil is probably the most developed country in Latin America, championing strong teams in League of Legends and Counter-Strike, it’s still very much a terra incognita when it comes to Hearthstone. With no international LAN experience, the two Brazilians can’t be nothing else than underdogs.
Without much footage and data to analyze, we’ll have to go with MoleGel as #8. Recently signed by leading Brazilian organization Keyd Stars, he might have a good team behind him but his age is definitely a factor. Only 14 years old, MoleGel will have to play the biggest tournament of his career against the veterans of North America while thousands of viewers follow his every move.
And while young age is beneficial for reflex-based esports, it’s almost the opposite when it comes to Hearthstone. The inexperience is often tied to impatience and nerves and the shaky, inconsistent plays that stem from it. Even though the game has seen young card players become champions – think Rdu, for example – more often than not it’s the other way around.
7. Vinicius "Coreia" Pupo
At #7 comes Coreia, edging out MoleGel just by not being 14. Besides that, very little is known about the other Keyd Stars player. He finished second in the Latin American qualifier and although he lost the direct face-off with MoleGel, he trumped the biggest names on the Brazilian scene including Coglorin and Leomane.
Rating the Brazilians on the bottom of the power rankings doesn’t mean that they are a lock for immediate ousting. As casters and players like to point out – this is Hearthstone, anything can happen. If they get paired in the same group, we might even see one of them advancing but it’s still unlikely. Hearthstone might be a game of chance, but that’s not all it is. On a $25,000 stage, experience, preparation and cool-headedness are just as important, if not more.
6. Victor "Nias" Shelstad 
A common strategy in Conquest is to build an entire line-up to hunt and kill a particular deck or class. Pioneered by players like Chakki in the early days of 2015, this take on the format grew in popularity over time and although it didn’t quite replace the “bring the best three decks of the meta” approach, it was nonetheless seen to bring success to the players using it.
That was the case with Nias during the Top 40 qualifier. A complete unknown up to that point, Nias had brought a strong anti-Patron line-up – which was at the same time weapon-less to counter other Patron counters – expecting the oppression of the Warrior build. He ended up crushing through the lower bracket, ending the tournament life of Protohype, Justsaiyan, Fibonacci and Muzzy.
Now that Nias is on the precipice of the Americas Championship, however, he might need more than a good anti-Patron strategy, as there are a multitude of factors that can be seen as a hindrance. He has a full-time job outside esports. He’s not as well-practiced as the other players. He has a child on the way, and while this can be seen as extra motivation to win, it’s also something that will likely occupy his mind more than a card game.
Photo: Twitter
5. Victor "Vlps" Lopez
Vlps is the very definition of dark horse when it comes to the Americas Championship. The FollowEsports players is right on the verge of breaking-out, posting fantastic results at the recent NA vs CN tournament by going 4-2 against the likes of MieGod and Chaoshen to kick-start his televised career. Beating Justsaiyan and Firebat in the Top 40 qualifier further caught the attention of Hearthstone experts.
An information of the group seeding would give a better idea about Vlps’ changes but overall he fits right in the middle – with enough tournament experience to not be considered bottom tier but still lacking the reputation or career of the likes of Trump or Purple. If he does well in San Francisco and makes it to Blizzcon, however, he’d certainly be a good contender for a break-out player of the year nomination.
4. Dylan "Hotform" Mullins 
Even though he’s not the most popular name to the wide community, Hotform deserves all kinds of respect. The Canadian of ROOT Gaming comes to San Francisco as an upper bracket winner from the Top 40 qualifier, partially responsible for the eventual eliminations of Tempo Storm’s Hyped and Archon’s Amaz. Over the course of the year, Hotform also became one of the most entertaining and educational streamers, gathering a sizeable fanbase while crushing the ladder.
But what’s most impressive about Hotform is how he pilots unorthodox decks even in the highest levels of the game. He would play Pirate Paladin, or control Paladin without Quartermasters. He would hit #1 legend with a combo-less Druid and then do the same with Bloodlust Shaman. Of course, he’s no stranger to meta decks either, his victorious line-up from the online round featuring a Patron Warrior, Tempo Mage and Midrange Druid.
While I’m pretty sure we won’t be seeing Pirate Paladins or Hobgoblin Mages from Hotform this weekend, his unpredictably is something his opponents have to be careful about.
3. Jeffrey "Trump" Shih
It’s been a great year for the Mayor of Value Town. Previously “just” an Arena player and a means to high viewership ends, Trump has grown to become one of the best players in North America. Currently placed #3 in the world and #1 in NA on the GosuRankings, Trump is showing a rapid improvement compared to his 2014 form.
Trump has more to show than any other player in the Americas finals. His two championships at Vulcun Deckmasters and HTC Recharged are supplemented by a multitude of top 4 finishes, including ONOG Summer Finals, Xfinity Invitational and ATLC.
Looking from above, Trump comes out as a lock for Blizzcon and he will have to be dealt a real group of death for his chances to be shaken but he should feel confident otherwise, especially knowing that he had to beat the reigning world champion to earn his spot among the best eight.
2. Justin "JAB" Black
In several ways, JAB is very similar to someone like Ostkaka. The Hearthlytics player is one of the most respected by his peers professionals. He’s been playing since the first days of the beta, he’s been always around, he finished high in the final HWC standings and is an excellent ladder player. And he’s still lacking a tournament championship, despite coming really close this weekend at the Esports Arena Invitational.
Players like JAB can never be counted out but they also have flaws, and for him that’s his love for Hunter. Class favoritism is a dangerous condition that has cost numerous players their tournament lives and it can very much happen to JAB this weekend. Take a look at Hoej and the European Championship, for example. Like JAB, the Dane is famous for his Rexxar affection, which ultimately cost him his Blizzcon spot, losing him two games in the decisive series against Ostkaka.
1. Ryan "Purple" Murphy-Root
Purple has a fantastic opportunity to write one of the best stories in professional Hearthstone. In 2014, the Canadian was an instrumental part in forging the world champion that Firebat would grow to be. This year, he could very well step out of the shadows, get in the driving seat and win it all himself.
Purple isn’t the player with the most active tournament life, but when he does get out to play heads start rolling. His run through the Top 40 qualifier ended on a 12-1 score, including the clean sweeps of Trump and former team-mate Zalae. He finished second in the HPL regular season, just one win behind Dog and left a lot of the Hearthstone elite behind. He has acquired the reputation of one of game’s most distinguished tutors which landed him jobs at Team Archon and later at GamersOrigin.
There isn’t really anything holding Purple back. He’s shown that translating his theoretical knowledge to practical results comes naturally to him. He has a good recent track record against two of the strongest players coming to the Americas championship (3-0 against Trump in the online qualifier and 3-0 against JAB in HPL) and has consistently showcased that big names are no obstacle.
