teams scaling for next year

Apollo__

teams that made changes coming into Stage 2, have shown potential, but need more time and can only realize it next year

Americas:
LOUD (pancada is back, saadhak duelist)
NRG (FNS is back)

EMEA:
-

Pacific:
DRX (Mako new IGL)
GE (benkai helping with calling)
T1 (stax)

CN:
JDG (new coach Anaks, ex-DRX Prospects)
Wolves (new IGL SiuFatBB, ex-NIP)

what do you guys think?

finnwithtwons

Frags

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some chinese team gotta get off their ass and collect the entire old RA squad so they can actually challenge for top 3 in china, or at least pick up yoman and stew and maybe ValAnalysis?
jdg kinda did it but they forgot yoman along the way somehow

Iquickscopei

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VCT import rule only allowed 1 import so it was Stew and not Yoman

finnwithtwons

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wait import rule restricts them from being on the same team??? its so cooked

someone wake up DRX

UkieVAL

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its been like that since 2023 iirc

#10

finnwithtwons

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that sounds right, just didnt realize they were both korean/koreans qualify as imports in chinese league
it makes sense just never clicked in my head

ButterflyEffect23

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in every league there's only one import allowed. JDG chose to keep Stew, so Yoman was gone

#11

finnwithtwons

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being forced to split up those two is so tragic, that rare atom team would lowkey be top 2 in china

#17

ButterflyEffect23

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Yeah, RA were great. Viva, Stew and Yoman were cooking hard

I think JDG will improve over time and they'll keep getting better tho

IonlywatchvcjXD

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That's just what happens when you rely too much on imports tbh 😅

UkieVAL

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ive heard usually that IGLs never really play duelist, is that wrong or is saadhak just the only one that can on the team???

heavensentsaint

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its saadhak he can cure cancer if he wants to

#12

ButterflyEffect23

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TEC had duelist-IGL for some time. His nickname is Abo

#13

UkieVAL

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so im guess its not that no one does, its just was rare to see a duelist IGL before??? (2023 was genuinely my first esports season and i didnt see any then)

#15

ButterflyEffect23

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I think IGL-duelists are rare because it's very hard to maintain a great level of individual mechanics and make good calls at the same time.

#14

finnwithtwons

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its generally disadvantageous but not impossible

#16

Apollo__

Frags

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tuyz can, but i think it's been decided that he'll play more supportive roles?

besides, saadhak used to play Raze alongside aspas' Jett, he can play the role decently

other duelist IGLs I know are Abo in TEC and Juliano in 2022 G2 Gozen