Game changers will be more fun to watch without Florescent. Just too good for that level of play. Although SR just fixed Flor moving to t1 by signing the 2nd best duelist in GC in Dodonut...I think as GC players keep moving into t2 and t1 GC in general will be more fun to watch

Maybe. But maybe it's just SEN are trying to abuse solo Yoru when Zekken isnt fully comfortable with it. But even on the bind match- it looked like he struggled to entry a lot. With a secondary entry- he doesn't have to have those decision problems as much. I agree with you and almost left the Zekken rant out of it- but I think SEN just need to use him better.

3 very similar players with a style that specializes on slow calm. All very mechanically talented but with a flaw of struggling on entries. With all due respect, playing a hard entry duelist is probably the hardest role possible. Your basically expected to make room, maybe get a kill. All these players (except Zekken) shined in the chamber meta because of this, you can get in, get out and get kills, but still able to lurk, and play a more supportive role. Even on XSET days, Cryo and Zekken shared entries and even Bcj to do that. But after that it got shaky. I think the only reason demon1 was able to do well in 2023, was because of Jaw and Boosti- taking a lot of these entries, and even putting him on Astra and brim which were able to get a lot of value off the site, and allowed him to lurk. If you look at the vods, demon1 barely entries for EG. And even when he does, it's quickly followed or used as a distraction for a flood. He acted as the perfect decoy on EG. But the problem is how NRG used him last year and how LEV are using him this year. Putting him exclusively on hard entry, which he has struggled on before. The team comps, lev and NRG used/are using, are based around setting demon1 up to entry and make space for the team, which is just not where Demon1 shines. Demon1 needs an Initiator, Omen or secondary duelist to do that job for him and for him to just find timings and get kills. Imo that's what won them Champs. If Jaw or Boostio weren't on that roster to entry for demon1- I just don't think demon1 would've done well in 2023 either. I think Zekken is also facing a similar problem. Sentinels style last year, was for him, tenz, and John to poke around and lurk to get timings while Zellsis and Sacy held extremities, and off that they would shift back and forward based on information. But now it just seems like sentinels can't do that as effectively. Zekken is either stuck as a hard entry or a fully supportive duelist. He doesn't have Tenz to make those crazy tp plays that John would call around. Bang is just not that kind of player that would go for those things as often as Tenz. Sure Narrate is an great entry and has proven he could be a solo entry well, but he just can't really play those kind of agents on SEN except for Gekko (it's almost like they had a good attack on bind because of it) on map 1 and 3 of 100T v SEN he was basically stuck in util jail, since they needed the fade and breach utility forcing him to be unable to entry since they need the util later and they need him alive. With all due respect, if JohnQT didn't look like one of the best Tejo players so far, they wouldn't have won map3. But on the other side of the coin 100 thieves was the only org to fix the duelist. Moving Cryo exclusively to flex or Jett and having Zandar and Asuna make most of the plays. 100T rn look a lot like EG 2023 to me, mad respects to Boostio to be able to use Cryo effectively. It's like what they did with Tenz but not really since I think he just lost that ability to entry as the meta changed. The agents 100T are putting Cryo on, allow him to go for aim duels when you run out of util, or be that secondary entry for asuna. I think if 100T can change more comps, put Eeiu on Tejo more, they can be the best 100%. SEN as well, if either using Bang more like Tenz or putting Narrate on agents that can secondary entry more like Gekko, the SEN formula from last year can be used. As for Leviatan, I think it will work out eventually since King is already doing a lot on Omen, they just need to click.

Thanks for listening to my tedtalk.

It's supposed to be 5 after loud and SEN I just can't count lol :x

Don't come at me. Just in my opinion. ONLY BASED OFF KICKOFF MATCHES.

1. G2 (self explanatory)
2. 100T. I know they lost to SEN but that match was so fucking scrappy that idk if I can say SEN is better.
   3/4 Loud and SEN- i got loud winning but that's honestly only because DGZ, Cauazin and Vinny are becoming God (and theyre way more consistent) I don't know where to place SEN just because against 100T it was just too weird to judge properly.
3. LEV - DEMON1 WAKE TF UP. But yea Kking and Com look really good
4. NRG - ik they lost to C9 but I spent more time that match laughing at FNS than thinking that they were playing bad
5. C9- only under C9 due to inconsistency in their play. 1 day they are best in region, 1 day they are a HS val team. C9 locked imo could upset 100T
6. EG- just got diffed by loud
7. KRU- lowkey just feel bad for Keznit
8. Furia- i thought they actually looked good....for a bit
9. MIBR- how you gonna have the best duelist in history and be so bad at the game
10. 2G- how you gonna do so bad against one of Americas worse teams.

I miss you sscary 💔

Just saying- for the first time, EDG could not be going as Chinas reps for an event, I argue Xi Lai look just as good or even better and both are in the lower bracket. Or even after that they have to face the loser of BLG v TE. And also Xi Lai beat EDG the last 2 times they played....is EDG cooked or no

Bro just nerf tejo util against other utility. All this shi- just fix the problem- don't ask riot for something they never gonna do lol

Not a banger necessarily, but exciting ig- actually was tripping out watching it- lowkey thought both teams lost all braincells for a bit

I think the only bangers so far have been (no order)

1. BLG v XLG closest in power I've ever seen- best China match I've seen in a minute

2. VIT v KC- map 3. Map 3. Map 3. That OT finish was actually exciting as hell. But my goat Derke on top.

3. SEN v 100T - either thinking "WTF IS HAPPENING", "...ZEKKEN WAKE TF UP" or "lol boostio". (Edit) Scrappy Bullshit of a match. I don't think it was a "banger" just a genuinely nail biting match (for a bit) (I think it was only fun to watch because I genuinely thought that both teams were fucking horrible for a min

4. Forgor to add BBL v Fnatic- honestly just funny. So scrappy but was a good match. Felt like watching t2 but with better aim for a bit (edit end)

Waiting for these games to be good. But T1 v prx and Nongshim v Drx bout to be some bangers (hopefully)

True tho- forgot to mention- give me back old blastpacks 🙏🙏

I didn't know power creep could happen in a fps but here we are

Raze-
Nerf boom bot sight line but make it last a bit longer to balance that
Chamber- Just give this man 2 trips back. Make head hunters have (very little) more delay
Reyna- I'm fine with her for the most part- but either shorten dismiss but keep speed, or nerf speed and keep length
Jett- have her smokes last for 3.5 over 2.5
Neon- either give her 2 shocks- or give her 2 slides but same accuracy during slide as run n gun
Skye- give her recharge back BUT make it take like 45 seconds
Fade- less delay on fade eye and make it quicker to gain hp back for ult
Clove- either give her Reyna speed dismiss for ult- or give her like 5 more seconds before dying in ult
Gekko- nerf wingman hp- buff mosh to do more dmg before big blast
Cypher- either half wind time- or make cages longer or honestly both
Viper- give her WAY more time on fuel- give her like 3-5 more seconds outside pit or honestly just rework her
Astra- either longer cooldown for smokes or back to 4 stars
Vyse- honestly just delete her- concept TRASH design TRASH or just make it harder to see rose and nerf resort vines to do less dmg
Iso- bring back old shield but make it recharge like 2 kills or something
Breach- make his fault line usable most cosmetic util in game- might become op in low elo but oh well
Sova- make drone quieter? Since tejo came out and can walk drone or get more distance we need Sova drone buff. Maybe even make it reveal 3 times
Tejo- delete. Just delete.

Nt cryo and friends

If banger as in banger for other regions since they now know Americas is cooked, then yes, a banger

He's not getting value because he's given them to much respect imo- just stop giving fucks and u win

The thing is, utility wise- he's making all the right choices, he's just unable to get impact because he's either in op jail or Kayo. His aim isn't even bad or anything- he's quite literally just in baby jail. Sure there have been questionable whiff and compared to Cryo he looks really lacking- but also in his defense- cryo is probably the 3rd best Jett player in the world (aspas? And kangkang)

Update 2nd half pistol happened- this shi is unsaveable wtf

Holy shii- a lot of these teams have fell off. I haven't seen KRU look this bad in a long time and even with the best player in the world, MIBR was sgtill an unorganized shit show but with aspas. The only match that was worth watching so far was C9 v NRG but Holy shii- get unc to the retirement home already- I love you FNS but we need that SOOP valorant league aim if you want to succeed this year. I'm hoping 100T v SEN will be a good match since it always is between these two teams, but if SEN or G2 don't preform- i genuinely will think that every region is cooked and PRX, EDG and VIT win everything.

Americas
NRG- this squad just looks too strong rn- how you gonna take Som and FNS- add VERNO AND MADA who are fucking insane- Fns actually hitting his shots too? Yeah-- I just can't see this team not making top 2.
Sentinels-- sure G2 and LEV are equally as likely based on a good or bad day from a team, but Sentinels is also the type of team to pull stuff from their ass and somehow always get an OT win and I'd like to argue Bang and Narrate is an improvement.
wildcard--C9- will always be my all or nothing Americas team, and Oxy finally has actual teammates

APAC-

PRX- hear me out, we've seen this team starting to lean into "meta" comps and GODDAMN do they look good doing them. The core PRX boys have such good synergy and have the advantage of staying together for so long. If they FUCKING CHOOSE TO STICK TO A LANE AND NOT SWITCH WHAT THEIR PLAYING EVERYDAY ahem i think they clear.
GenG- ok self explanatory. Munchkin, Karon and Texture just too strong.
wildcard -- T1. Holy shi is this team strong. They did really well in RBHG and I think if they keep it up and get just a bit better, they clear GenG

EMEA

TH- technically- i do think Vitality has a higher ceiling, but these guys have been playing together for a good bit, and everyone should be aware of how good they are.
Vitality- definition of a super team. I don't really agree of signing both Derke and Sayf, and Less is still getting used to English, but cmon everyone in this team is fucking insane.
wildcard - NAVI- alr who let them sign Koalanoob and hiro- should be illegal (Ruxic is good too but cmon)

CHINA (no wildcard since xi lai and wolves are tied in my book)

Xi Lai- I'm not confident they could beat EDG in a legit game- but I do think these guys got great upset potential- they look good
Wolves- who let them sign both Lysoar and Juicy- scary. These guys suddenly got really good but I'm not complaining.
EDG- pioneers of Chinese valorant, these guys are just cracked,KangKang Chichoo and Smoggy are some of the best at their respective roles and I'd be more surprised if they didn't make masters.

Ok 1st of all, who allowed prx into S tier. They good, no doubt. But them leading towards a more patient meta playstyle ain't it. Prx are a team where you think about them pulling out pretty buff neon and yoru into breeze with solo astra. Not playing default-y comps. Let them go full Joker arc and maybe S.

Loud and MIBR in A is outrageous. Loud is gonna be a worse team then before with a missing igl and a team of bunch of rough edges that need a aspas. Mibr have aspas, but what else. They'll be good considering they have the best player in the world but cmon.

I also think NRG could deserve S. The locked in newbies and a shooting FNS are too powerful.

Drx deserves better. They've beaten out the best of the best consistently and their only adding more to their star roster with former Korean superstars. Your not giving them enough credit.

BLG and EDG in D is honestly just rage bait

Give Nongshim red force a chance- I think they can actually upset.

Prx vs Dfm (x2)
For me personally, this is pretty much a coin toss, i think DFM in general, look like the better team...but they are also infamous chokers. I really like the roster though. If any teams gonna go zero to hero this season it's gonna be them (and NRG but...) . Meanwhile, I think PRX has to stay in their fucking lane. Stop trying to play the game honestly and good, your the team literally known for bringing fade, astra neon and yoru into breeze in a final game grand final. I don't think PRX will be able to go far with this style that isn't PRX. They need to go all in. They need the troll. But still, these group of players are insanely talented shooters, who are very good at making the most of what they have. I just think they just need to let their birds fly. Gonna be a good match either way. I personally lead towards PRX just because I've grown to love watching these goofballs, but without Bias- I think it'll be a 3-1 for DFM. This team and it's playbook is looking scary. Prx only have good graces if DFM chokes or they pull out a reyna instead of a neon.

Zekken, JohnQT, Zellsis, Zander, Seven (or Bcj)

Idk I was high

I doubt Zellsis, Zekken or JohnQT will choose to retire or change teams. Sentinels is already lacking a bit of an identity after the news...but the real question is what's next?

Possible initiators in my opinion
#1 seven-even though TSM bombed out of ascension, I think gMd was the most impressive initiator in the tier2 scene. Sentinels also won't have to change up everything too much since Sevens best agents are Sova and gekko. And great with Kay-o which is a icebox necessity.
#2 Eeiu- since 100T hasn't really said anything...I'd love to see Eeiu go to a more tactile and managed team. Always seen as the safe spot of 100t and probably the best fade player we've seen in 2024. I'd love to see him on SEN but prob not
#3 Victor or Trent- unlikely but would be heat
#4 COM- ngl I don't want to see him on this roster.

People sleeping on t2 initiators. IMO BcJ might be most likely. (Also bcuz m80 got some problems)

Shut up bruh- that speech was fire

I don't know if the game valorant will ever be the same without the face everyone grew to love. It felt not that long ago he was clowned on, a washed counter strike player who needed a home. But now, he leaves the battlefield as one of the best of all time. Tenz will always be a name valorant will remember. Even though I personally never was a huge fan of sentinels, I can't deny that this random Canadian asian man changed this community (even if it was for the worse lol). I believe that the game of valorant (competitively) is shifting. The game will never be the same. Watching these matches will never quite be the same. The beginning of an new era is beginning. The innovative and unique talents of tier 2. The ever changing cast of heros and villians, this fire still burns bright. And I doubt the community, and Tenz, and all the players that are leaving and joining this scene believe that. This fire will continue to burn.
Thank you for everything you've done for this community. (Even if the stans are not the most fun to talk to lol)
But it's about God damn time you take a nice deserved break.

Goodbye king. Enjoy your life.

I don't know if the game valorant will ever be the same without the face everyone grew to love. It felt not that long ago he was clowned on, a washed counter strike player who needed a home. But now, he leaves the battlefield as one of the best of all time. Tenz will always be a name valorant will remember. Even though I personally never was a huge fan of sentinels, I can't deny that this random Canadian asian man changed this community (even if it was for the worse lol). I believe that the game of valorant (competitively) is shifting. The game will never be the same. Watching these matches will never quite be the same. The beginning of an new era is beginning. The innovative and unique talents of tier 2. The ever changing cast of heros and villians, this fire still burns bright. And I doubt the community, and Tenz, and all the players that are leaving and joining this scene believe that.

Goodbye king. Enjoy your life.

I personally think PRX has to just stick to a lane. They keep trying to play more discipline or change between slow rounds and W gaming rounds. This is PRX, this is the team that pulled out Astra on breeze during Finals. They got to stop playing to win, and stick to what they are.

Its not that I'm really writing a team off in that regard- it's more that IF a team is in that situation, I don't know if A. Their map pool is good enough or B. I don't know if they can last that long/lose communication and overall game sense the further the game moves. I think Madrid was the perfect example of losing steam throughout a BO5- unable to keep momentum throughout the last 2 maps losing by more than anyone expected considering the former match up. It's not that I don't believe Team Heretics can win Champs, It's honestly more idk if I can trust miniboo for that long lol

I do believe TH are a strong team I'm just not very sure how they do in BO5 or against DRX, SEN, G2 or FNATIC- even if people say this Champs teams are a joke-- double Elim is a brutal format.

Fair points- I do believe Fnatic have a great chance at taking it-- but I just don't think they look as good as G2 or SEN atm- And TH are throw gods

It's obvious that this Champs playoffs teams ARE not what we expected or wanted. Top teams like GenG and PRX are out but we have Lev and even TE in the mix. Drx remain as Pacifics last hopes when Sen already proven they can beat Pacifics best. G2 are arguably the most consistent and well rounded team in the league (ok maybe except Icy) and while I believe LEV stand a decent chance, They have been choking in international events... As much as I hate the SEN glaze, I can't deny how good they looked against GenG finally getting all the wheels turning and working out agent comps. If SEN can keep it up...(and lose upper finals lol) I believe they got a good shot against G2 and LEV. BUT TRACE ESPORTS TAKING THIS WHOLE EVENT ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPT SO WHO CARES.

Ok I just love mindfreak :( Let me glaze my king. PRX are my pookies--But the rest are pretty correct (imo)

This aged like spoiled milk (js)

As long as they dodge G2 and DRX I think they fine

This aged like milk

Yeah.... I think G2 sweeps lowkey- BUT Sen are definitely a wild card with Sacy being back in Champs form and Sen putting him on comfy agents

I'm not counting out the other teams since I honestly wouldn't be surprised atp if Trace sweeps. But my Finals predictions is still Sen v G2. Both teams look amazing at the moment and will probably go to 5 maps. As well as Leviatan (probably) making playoffs, it's a brawl for 3 of the best America's, hell the world's best teams. The only other teams I think stand a chance is Fnatic (maybe) and Heretics (if the boothers don't throw) and DRX is probably the most likely to make it to Finals (in my opinion) out of the three. Is this year the year of Americas? What do you guys think?

These are my subjective opinion, don't come at me.

#1 mindfreak (this one biased but the rest aren't)
#2 Chichoo
#3 Valyn
#4 Tenz
#5 Karon
#6 Luoking
#7 Melser
#8 Lysoar
#9 Cender
#10 Woot

Real ones know it's neon 🚬 (nah it probably omen or gekko)

Only real fans are prx fans (because we never expect them to win lol- Team just funny)

Idk how yall support this team when you gotta be praying for them to not throw every game. SEN fans constantly pray on other teams downfalls and I think it's hilarious. Like I don't think they're a bad team but the fans are funny af- none of them know how to recieve hate and just blame things on external or un-related things. But yeah they probably getting 2-1d today- (and yall can't blame it on audio issues this time lol)

If Sen win Champs ill sell my left testicle

That's crazy 🚬💀- but as much as I like SEN...They're considerably less consistent compared to GenG. I do believe there's a good chance SEN will win that series, BUT- you can't deny GenG are the better team.

I wouldn't be surprised at all if FPX make it through their group. I'd honestly be more surprised if TH make it out. GenG is obviously gonna make it put and Sen is kinda the wild card. Never know if they gonna thrive or throw

TenZ, Zekken, Sacy and Curry are considered free agents after Champs. I definitely see a resigning of TenZ and Zekken, but do you think Sacy and Curry will be resigned?

On the bright side, TH looks like shit 😭🙏 (no problem for my Korean kings tho)

(Sen fans be praying (again))

Pretty obvious outcomes tho- Gen-G +Sen or Fpx make it out

That was honestly bias lol THE PROFFESOR ON TOP THO

#1 JonahP--called the professor for a reason (ik he tech a flex but cmon Jonah clears)
#2 Trent--honestly has been really impressive on Sova
#3 Crashies--form honestly just as impressive as last year. Just NRG is kinda....yeah
#4 Eeiu- maybe not anymore but was the best player on 100 thieves in stage 1 imo
#5 Com--honestly just not enough time to shine since LEV is just aspas and kinggg
#5 Ethan--wasn't able to decide whether he was better than com because again, lack of com moments but Ethan is cracked

Special mentions to Heat, Sacy and which are arguably in top 5