Eight of Americas best teams fought for $6,200 in cash and prizes, but only Cloud 9 and Murloc Geniuses were able to make it to the grand finals. Cloud 9 decisively beat Murloc Geniuses, showing just how powerful they are going into Blizzcon.
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After three weeks of vigorous round robin matches, just Tempo Storm, Cloud 9, Team Blaze, and Murloc Geniuses were able to make it into the first HTC Heroes Brawl’s playoffs.
Tempo Storm vs. Team Blaze – aka “Wait, did they really draft that?”
Most expected the usual Cloud 9 vs. Tempo Storm grand finals. However, after Tempo Storm got knocked into Losers Bracket by Cloud 9, they were stopped dead in their tracks by Team Blaze. While this match was not broadcasted, it stirred controversy based on the drafts alone. Blaze’s performance was completely defined by their use of meta-breaking heroes. Their use of Diablo in both games, paired with a three tank composition in the second game, inspired terror in Tempo Storm’s hearts. Team Blaze ended the series in a 2-0 victory.
Huh… you don’t see that every day.
Murloc Geniuses vs. Team Blaze – aka “How to dominate as a melee assassin”
Game 1 VOD | Game 2 VOD | Match Page
The rematch of the underdogs found its way to Losers Finals. Neither of these teams were favored to make it into the playoffs, never mind Losers Finals. While Blaze drafted very creative compositions, Murloc Geniuses’ Equinox proved why he is to be feared as a melee assassin. Game 1 as Kerrigan led to him getting pick after pick after pick early game, snowballing the game uncontrollably in their favor. Game 2 as Illidan, combo’d with a Brightwing, made it so nobody on Blaze was safe. Blaze’s mispick of Heroic abilities didn’t help them, either. Game 2 had Johanna accidentally picking Falling Sword, and Zagara accidentally picking Nydus Network.1 In the end, Murloc Geniuses solidified a 2-0 series.
Cloud 9 vs. Murloc Geniuses – aka “Why Cloud 9 dominates the Americas”
Game 1 VOD | Game 2 VOD | Match Page
Murloc Geniuses came into Grand Finals with a hefty burden on their shoulders – beating America’s HotS juggernaut. They took some risks in their draft, grabbing Lt. Morales game 1 (her first showing in the tournament!) and the Illidan/Abathur combo in game 2. However, Cloud 9’s team coordination caught them off guard. Even when behind, Cloud 9 was able to create opportunities and snowball them. Their dominance of late game teamfights were icing on the cake, as they secured full team wipes against Murloc Geniuses a total of 4 times during the 2 game series. Cloud 9 ended up steamrolling through Murloc Geniuses’ defenses, crowning themselves HTC Heroes Brawl champions.
The resurgence of some less played heroes
If there is one thing we learned from the end of this tournament, it is how volatile the Lt. Morales patch meta is. Tyrande, Tassadar, and Sonya were some of the most hotly contested picks throughout the playoffs. While Tyrande and Tassadar were used situationally before the patch, their contention rate skyrocketed due to their buffs. Other heroes also gained some recognition. Abathur, Sylvanas, Chen, Brightwing, and Diablo all saw a fair share of play after being panned by many teams previously. This begs the question – what haven’t we seen going into Blizzcon? What secret techs are the Blizzcon teams holding out on? Personally, I’m waiting for a Grav-o-Bomb, Xplodium Charge, Lunar Flare combo.
1: Yes, these picks were confirmed as accidental.
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