LoL eSports Discussion

[xRECKONERx]

EU is fucked.

[Nexus]

Looks like I won't be watching much of the LCS

[BROseidon]

EU is just the weakest region right now. Both EU and NA have a lot to learn from how the Koreans train, but I think C9 might be able to keep pace with the Korean teams right now. It's actually a little scary how quickly C9 has improved over the past year.

[TheIrishPope]

The lolesports website is so confusing; how do I know when the next match is?

[quadz08]

Currently it's a little wonky because their website setup for World Championships is pretty poor.

If you just go here http://na.lolesports.com/ and scroll down a tad, you'll see a list of Upcoming Matches. They have a date and time above each one.

The next set of matches is the qualifying stage for world championships, so it's 5 or 6 days straight of several matches per day.

[TheIrishPope]

That sounds super cool thanks quadz

[quadz08]

No problem.

[PJ.]

It's weird not seeing teams like IG, WE, either Taipei team, and no Frost or Blaze.

[quadz08]

I don't pay much attention to the asian scene; is this a case of a fall from grace by the traditional powers, or is there just a lot of parity over there?

[Lady Lambdadelta]

I don't pay much attention to the asian scene; is this a case of a fall from grace by the traditional powers, or is there just a lot of parity over there?

WE and TPA had some major roster changes that resulted in lower quality teams.

With Blaze, teams solved their strategy, and they haven't changed it in a long while.

With Frost, they're still a World Championship caliber team, but they just couldn't beat KT Rolster B or MVP Ozone.

Also, SKT 1 has only ever lost 1 best of 3/best of 5 series in the OGN ever, in the 2 seasons they've played in. That 1 series was to MVP Ozone.

So, that's just parity.

Taipai Snipers was just a case of an Upset by the Bears. I believe that TPS actually beat them earlier in the tournament to knock the Bears into the loser bracket, but they just threw so hard.

[Bub Bidderskins]

Also, Najin got a free pass thanks to the bullshit circuit point system in Korea that valued their win in the winter season greater than KTB's fantastic performance in the summer.

[Lady Lambdadelta]

Also, Najin got a free pass thanks to the bullshit circuit point system in Korea that valued their win in the winter season greater than KTB's fantastic performance in the summer.

KTB never won a OGN split.

Najin Black Sword was eliminated from the Spring and Summer splits, but went on to win the Gigabyte league each time, worth 100 circuit points each.

I don't think that KT Rolster Bullets or Frost deserved to go over Najin.

[Lady Lambdadelta]

As a matter of fact, look at the 3 split winners:

Winter: Najin Black Sword
Spring: MVP Ozone
Summer: SKT

And all 3 of these teams are going to worlds?

[BROseidon]

SKT T1 is probably going to win.

It's also a little jank that Black Sword gets to go over KT Rolster B, given that KT Rolster B is the much better champ right now. It's like a team starting a baseball season going like 70-30, then going like 20-42 for the remaining games. Still get your bye for doing well at the start, but you're probably still going to lose.

[KageLord]

What's the reward for winning the first split in NA?

[BROseidon]

You got into the second split.

[Tamuz]

Money

[GreyICE]

EU is just the weakest region right now. Both EU and NA have a lot to learn from how the Koreans train, but I think C9 might be able to keep pace with the Korean teams right now. It's actually a little scary how quickly C9 has improved over the past year.

They are easily the equal of NJBS. I've watched enough OGN to know that.

SKT1 and Ozone? I don't think so. C9 has a huge disadvantage in that there's no team that forces them to lose games. It makes it very hard to refine their strategies, because they haven't had the experience of playing 100%, their best, and getting beat.

I think they're easily #3 or #4 in worlds though.

[yessiree]

yeah the only reason c9 dominated in the NA scene is because every other NA teams sucked even more

I can't wait to see TSM and vulcan get crushed

[Bub Bidderskins]

EU is just the weakest region right now. Both EU and NA have a lot to learn from how the Koreans train, but I think C9 might be able to keep pace with the Korean teams right now. It's actually a little scary how quickly C9 has improved over the past year.

They are easily the equal of NJBS. I've watched enough OGN to know that.

SKT1 and Ozone? I don't think so. C9 has a huge disadvantage in that there's no team that forces them to lose games. It makes it very hard to refine their strategies, because they haven't had the experience of playing 100%, their best, and getting beat.

I think they're easily #3 or #4 in worlds though.

Wow, I wish I had the confidence in NA that you have. I mean, I'll be rooting really hard for all the American teams, but I honestly think the Chinese and Korean teams are stronger. I think we can be competitive with EU and SEA, however, so you never know. I just hope my Vulcun boys don't disappoint me.

[Bub Bidderskins]

holy fuck

[BROseidon]

Oh shit.

ggnore.

[GreyICE]

I don't pay much attention to the asian scene; is this a case of a fall from grace by the traditional powers, or is there just a lot of parity over there?

You should follow OGN, it's amazing.

Basically, Frost was fairly dominant, but Woong left. While woong was objectively not a great ADC (he was a top laner), Woong was the coach of MiG Frost before Locodoco left, and most people think Frost lost a good part of their versatility without him. Blaze became the foremost CJ Entus team with one remarkably good strategy (they were undefeated until the finals of the Spring season) but they got figured out, and haven't had a second successful strategy. Both CJ teams suffer from being studied too much - objectively they are amazing powerhouses, but they often lose in the pick/ban phase (the key turns out to be targeting Madlife for Frost, and just playing assassins against Blaze).

Instead three utter powerhouses have risen from Korea - KT Rolster Bullets, SG Ozone, and SKT1. They're insanely powerful teams that are immensely hard to beat. Sadly KT Bullets didn't go to worlds because Najin Sword got a bunch of points a long time ago (even though they are now mid-tier in Korea, and much weaker than any of the CJ teams, or the big 3). Korea is explosive though. Tomorrow the Jin Air Falcons/Greenwings or CTU could rise and the powerhouses fall behind.

China... it's just a case of WE falling apart. No one quite knows what happened there, but they went from completely dominant to just shaky. Part of it was targeting. When every team in China is studying you and trying to figure out how to take you down, someone will find a gap. Part of it seems to be a loss of confidence. World Elite was just not used to losing, and when they started losing they couldn't figure out how to stop. They've gradually fallen apart. Part of it is probably stress. Chinese fans are extremly passionate, but like most fans (this is worldwide) extremely assholish. From Weixiao's apology to the way they seem almost desperate to win at times, it seems like they're suffering from a need to prove themselves.

IG has XiaoXiao in the bot lane. That's gonna make your results really extremely random.

[GreyICE]

Wow, I wish I had the confidence in NA that you have. I mean, I'll be rooting really hard for all the American teams, but I honestly think the Chinese and Korean teams are stronger. I think we can be competitive with EU and SEA, however, so you never know. I just hope my Vulcun boys don't disappoint me.

It's not in NA, which is generally weak. It's in C9, which seem to have great team morale, good teamfighting, a fairly unique style of play, and decent adaptability. Everyone talks up China like China is so amazing, and OMG is amazing. Lovelin. Fucking Lovelin. But yeah, I've seen the games, and while China has some unique playstyles (roaming gank squad say what) I honestly don't feel their mechanics and teamfighting surpass C9's to any great degree.

NJ Sword have just been so mediocre for so long. Maybe they stepped it up. Maybe Prey picks Draven.

[BROseidon]

You forgot the part where faker is a god.