Eight of the best teams from Europe will compete tomorrow in Katowice for a $100,000 prize pool. The top two teams will move on to the main event in Soth Korea on April 1. Our staff weighed in on how they think the weekend will go.
Nick “Dorazion” D’Orazio
- 1st Place: Na’Vi. The Enter the Storm Champions have already shown a strong grasp on the current meta and it’s hard to overestimate just how comfortable they are when playing against other EU teams. Na’Vi has faced all of the major threats at Katowice before and, unless there are any major upsets, I think Na’Vi is a clear winner.
- 2nd Place: Dignitas has the best chance to beat Na’Vi and in EU, that is what it comes down to. During the qualifiers, They took a convincing game off of Na’Vi and only lost the match due to, in my opinion, poor drafting. If Dignitas can focus their strategies and remember what it is they are skilled at (double warrior pick off style compositions) I think they might be able to take the whole thing.
What to watch for: I’m hoping Xul will be allowed but I don’t think he will be. The most important thing to note in this tournament is that Rehgar nerfs are live. This means less Illidan, less Cho’gall, and less Warriors in general. I predict Malfurion and Lt. Morales to be strong support picks this tournament, as I think the poke style of defensive play will be on display.
Also, Tyrande is going to be a big deal this tournament. She is positioned favorably with Rehgar nerfs and no Kael’Thas around.
Jacob “ManMode” Godfrey
- 1st Place: Natus Vincere. After EU’s roster shakeup, Na’Vi came out incredibly strong and they have the results to back it up. Currently the top ranked team in the region, their results in Enter the Storm EU 4 speak for themselves.
- 2nd Place: Team Liquid. To me, Team Liquid brings a picture of esports nobility. An ancient and sacred lineage that can be traced back to the beginning of time. Although they are a strong team still, the Team Liquid of today bears little resemblance to the one of last year and I don’t think the roster has it in them to finish first.
What to watch for: Wildly different pockets strats from NA. Although global competition has been happening, each region’s meta shapes largely independently of each other. Because of this, what teams have been practicing in secret will be much different based on the region. Comparing how each region drafts when backed into a corner is going to be a real treat.
Robbert "Broeder "Troost
- 1st Place: Na’Vi, they’ve been doing great with their new roster and they seem to have a good mentality
- 2nd Place: TL is a little less consistent to me, but they have the talent and teamwork to win
What to watch for: Two of the participating teams are so new, most people have probably not even heard their original names: GoogleIshezont and Team Nom. Luckily they both got signed, so you better be ready to start hearing Epsilon Gaming and Reason Gaming!
To me, this event is again all about the rivalry between TL/Fnatic/Na’Vi and Dignitas. They 4 teams have all taken games from each other over the past month, and are all ready to bring good matches this weekend. I’m hoping to see a lot of creativity from these teams, strategies to put themselves in the advantage versus the other top teams.
Matthew “GLPhoenix” Hunter
- 1st Place: Dignitas. They have a strong lineup and have been showing some strong performances. This may be a bit bold considering the strength of the other teams coming in, but I think they have what it takes to go all the way.
- 2nd Place: Na’Vi. There is no denying their strength, being a consistent front runner in the EU scene. Of these two picks, I feel that Na’Vi is more likely out of the two to make the finals, but if Dig does make it through to the end, I think they’ll have an edge over Na’Vi.
What to watch for: Jumping from region to region, I always like to look at the differences in how the game is played, whether it be a playstyle or specific heroes. I’m looking forward to seeing what we can see that distinguishes the EU meta from the rest, and how that may match up come the global finals.
It’s easy to look at the four dominant EU teams(TL/Fnatic/Dig/Na’Vi) and say that they will be the teams with the best chance of making it to the finals. If some of the lesser known teams start managing to take some games from the big 4, you can expect a lot more attention thrown their way.
Matt “Snufalufugus” Trovalli
- 1st Place: Just like most of the other editors, I think Na'Vi will come out on top. Sure they didn't qualify in the first qualifier but they're one of the most consistent teams in Europe. I can easily see them coming out on top and moving to Korea if they come out and play their absolute best.
- 2nd Place: Second place is hard, but I've got to go Team Liquid. Historically they've been a very solid team, and even though they've had roster changes I still think that if they perform their best we could easily see them in Korea.
What to watch for: Similarly to Los Angeles, I think we'll see Li-Ming contested in every single game. She's easily one of the top mages right now, especially with the KT nerf. Her ability to put out massive damage, adapt her talents and even her mobility puts her over Jaina in my mind, so I wouldn't be suprised to see her a lot. That being said, however, there's always been some interesting differences in the NA and EU meta, so it'll be interesting to see how the EU meta looks this weekend.
As far as the top teams go, I think we've got a very even playing field for TL, Fnatic, Dig and Na'Vi and whoever comes out ready to win it all will come out on top. There's a lot at stake this tournament and it wouldn't be totally suprising if we saw some upsets.
Alex “Sarcophaguy” Kiratzis
- 1st Place: Na’Vi. This time, as always, has been incredibly consistent. Most people would gravitate towards picking Dignitas over them, based on the two team’s tournament history. However, this past weekend’s results show that roster changes prior to a tournament do not necessarily favor a team. Na’Vi is the only top 4 team (according to GosuGamers ratings) that has not had any recent roster changes, and they were the winners of ETS EU #4. Na’Vi, like NA victor Cloud9, has always shown that they are comfortable enough in a tournament setting to make obscure drafting choices and execute them perfectly.
- 2nd Place: Fnatic. Since the new year, and especially in the weeks leading up to Katowice, these guys have improved their play spectacularly. While they have undergone roster changes just like other prime competitors, the changes are minimal, and they resulted in a trade for a seasoned pro (Atheroangel). It is a close call, but Fnatic’s roster and recent performance alone lead me to believe they will be able to handle Team Liquid and Dignitas.
What to watch for: Fairly standard drafting choices. This past weekend, some pretty obscure compositions were assembled, and they often saw some success. However, team’s that deviated too far from the norm suffered from it. Even Cloud9 who played near perfectly in L.A. still lost to Team Blaze when they decided to enter the storm without a proper warrior. Na’Vi is known for getting funky with their strategies, but teams with less practice at that style will probably opt for more reliable choices.
Li Ming. Oh of course Li Ming just had to be mentioned. But seriously, I was surprised to see that she was not contested in 100% of the games at the beginning of the NA Regionals. The teams that moved on to the finals last weekend used her as often as possible. Interestingly, people tend to respect her most for her assassin capabilities, but where she really had the most impact was in unfettering pressure she provided through siege.
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