Ascent is a big problem right now.
Pearl is somewhat okay rightnow. the use of pheonix keeping it interesting
The big hope is that teams have been praccing on this patch for a while. so hopefully they have found niche surprise comps to pull out in lock-in
i mean this format is where surprise comps work the best?
only need 2 map wins to progress to the next round (until the semis)
if you know you wouldnt beat a team on one of these maps that are "solved" like ascent why not try throw a spanner in the works?
playing a unique agent can really break the structure and theory that the opponent has practised.
the issue with a suprise comp from my experience running them with my team as well as watching pro matches is that the match is almost never close. Either the suprise comp will catch them off guard and they cant deal with it leading to u stomping them or u they will quickly adapt and the lack of meta util and agents will stop u from playing more towards the default way most teams play a map with the meta comps. Its a high risk, high reward type tactic that is very risky to use in a single elim bracket. My team only pulled out some suprise comps when playing on our worst few maps against teams that we knew liked those maps in hops of getting a cheese win where the risk is lower since were likely losing that map anyways and we have the rest of a bo3 or a lower bracket to fall back on.
its quite funny that bind was one of the only maps to not have a high presence of jett/kayo.
italy are playing some bonkers stuff right now.
Well atleast GMT , they have a player bipo whos played yoru in 5/6 of their matches. Also GMT have played a few double smokes (astra+brim and harbor+viper) maps though they havent been too successful yet.
But honestly they should revert the killjoy lockdown change. lower the hp again.
Its kinda forcing teams to play sova over fade as he can comfortable break the ult with his ult.
And if fade gets higher pick rate it would probably lead to raze having a increased pick rate.
i think the problem is the dominant comp on ascent was already jett, kayo, sova, killjoy and omen. Loud and Optic played it at champs as did a ton of other teams. Then Riot's balance changes just made the comp better.
-Chamber got pummeled so the few teams that played him over jett before nerfs now don't becuase how bad he is now.
The few teams that played the other comps were already playing off meta, now its even more of a challenge to find another comp that could work. I think the killjoy buff and Chamber nerfs were too much, omen needs a tiny nerf or astra and brim need a little of a buff, and kayo could get a nerf or tweak.
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