NRG strat = avoid G2

Because China is bad. That’s just a fact man.

Where we have the first Master’s final be NA vs. Korea again?

My prediction is G2 vs. NS

How did these guys even qualify? They throw every man advantage they get, with zero discipline; random, risky pushes for what?? Go home and send someone who can actually represent China’s best.

They’re overextending and gifting M8 rounds. So damn sloppy

Winner of G2/PRX
NS
BBL
T1

Teams that can warm up in Swiss will have the advantage of coming in hot for the playoffs. I don’t think the gap is big enough for the 1st seeds to have good chances while cold.

Not that dinosaur

Drop Tex for JonahP

Run Waylay, Yoru, Sova/Fade, Harbor, Viper every map. Fuck the meta, everybody on comfort agents only. You don’t need a sentinel when you can always retake with this comp and I could easily see a synergy with the Cove to unlock Aspas to entry without baiting his teammates.

See you guys at London!

Edit: missed a word

He's strong on Abyss. Pros prefer a mix of Astra/Viper/Omen on everything else.

They just have the highest floor of any team and it’s not really accurate to say they’re overrated. They should have won Bangkok but it all comes back to the fact that they’re chokers and play like pussies when the stakes are too high.

G2: meet NRG as many times as possible.

NRG: avoid G2 as much as possible.

What else am I missing?

G2 would have crushed either team that fell from the upper bracket ngl.

Every super team that has failed has done so because they lacked a good IGL. Think 2023 SEN, 2024 NRG and 2024 VIT. The calling is central to getting all your parts to coordinate and it’s better that one player sacrifice individual performance to set up the other four than for you to have five players trying split their focus on both their individual micro and the team’s overall macro.

Nobody can do Boaster’s job. He is the IGL that micros his team to the greatest extent and has been central to FNC’s relevance since the first Masters in 2021. They’ve won two international trophies, have three 2nd Place finishes (two were last year), and make Playoffs every Champions. They are the most consistent team out of EMEA despite multiple roster changes specifically because of his system and leadership.

I’m personally a bigger fan of Valyn but insinuating that there’s a replacement for Boaster on FNC is brain dead. HE is FNC.

All of these G2 flairs scared to jinx because they’re not true believers. Always shit talk before, double down if you lose, and triple down when you win.

Just don’t lose?

Watch us closely then cuz we’ll give you the blueprint

1000% They asked the impossible of him (entry + IGL) and then scapegoated him when they fell short. He put them down like the dogs they are so that we could send them down to the lower finals.

TGRD Tex and SEN Zekken would disagree with that.

It’s funny cuz none of our top rosters are lacking the ability to run double duelist but they’re just choosing not to.

Zekken should be on perma Yoru/Neon while NRG should have Keiko on Raze/Neon with Mada on Yoru/Waylay. Even 100T could try putting Asuna on Raze/Neon but they’re still on the double initiator because Americas doesn’t play enough Veto to punish it.

Got a roster that could easily run triple duelist but you’re settling for only one smh.

They’re just too slow in the retake and aren’t fighting early so FUR have utility for postplant.

Koala - (BigFry15) - Noob? Who is the MVP of this game?

Bring back Asuna Reyna Rahhhhhh

Makes me hope 100T change all their comps to double duelist + Veto just to counter NRG double initiator comps.

Like G2 winning an international trophy ;-;

Veto wrecks double initiator comps, especially Tejo.

Are we about to see a new BO5 kill record and the first 5-0 ever?

Man I didn’t wanna say it but that’s what I’m seeing too.

Back when Tenz was the best player in the world. Dinosaur era record

Why does it feel like neither of these teams know how to close it out? Kinda worried for whoever loses as they drop into the lower finals because that mental ain’t looking too good.

It’s a map that favors main defaults with mid lurkers. This means that your best options are either Sentinels that can contest the mains early, cover the mid lanes with passive info, and/or help with retaking. Chamber and Veto are seeing play for the first option while KJ covers the latter with her ult and mollies helping her flush out players on retake.

Kj is just the most popular right now because her value also translates to attack since vision denial isn’t as important like on a map like Split. This means she’s still a competent lurker while having the added benefit of post-plant mollies and a decent attacking ult.

Makes me wonder who picks him up after M8 miss Santiago

It’s always been bad but this is a new low. Why am I seeing two Cyphers in your Upper Final??

Watching G2 slap NRG around was pretty entertaining ngl.

He might have a spot in Americas like Keiko.

I think it’s just because he’s an IGL/support player. Makes me wonder how he’d perform without the IGL Debuff.

The team that loses the upper final is disadvantaged in both the mid and lower finals because they have less prep time and rest but also more pressure.

Underestimated. Both M8 and BBL look quite strong but people doubt because the rest of the teams in the league looked quite unsteady with the old guard not quite adapting to the meta. It’s entirely possible that both of those rosters flop like TH in 2024 though given they lack BO5 experience.

I’m just excited that the top seeds are all adopting the double duelist metas and playing more explosively. Might be the fastest paced Masters we’ve ever had.

Glyph is a North American Player who rocks that flag for his heritage. His first official match was in First Strike and his more recent showing prior to M8 was on WU in Americas Ascension.

Horses are mostly made of liquid?

Please don’t put my goat Rarga on Team Horrible

You’re high key a monster for preding that FUR, M8, and NS lose all three BO5s and miss Santiago.

High peaks but inconsistent. Honestly think people would easily rated him over Riens if they won Bangkok or made top 4 at champs though. I’ve got really high hopes for him this year though if G2 keep with the double duelist.

No I think G2 will stick with the double duelist just because it gives them a new facet. They can always fall back into a more disciplined playstyle even on these new comps.

Makes me wonder if the strat when playing against NRG is just to change your comps so that Bonkar has no impact and Ethan is on his own.

It’s a telegraphing issue with your macro. You’re a defense heavy team but we’re just better at what you guys do because we love abusing offbeats between utility defaults to find space. That’s why G2 runs so much Chamber/Yoru that allows for explosive aggression without prior setup.

IGL diff

Keep in mind that the teams in the lower brackets will have a rest advantage compared to the loser of the BO5 above them. NRG might not actually be that disadvantaged if their opponent ends up being the consecutive loser of the matches before them.