So, I've got some stats. I've been riding the NA 4 - 3 EMEA Stat for a minute now. Basically NA is 4-0 against not Fnatic EMEA teams. Fnatic is 3-0 vs NA. That's just masters. I wanted to look at lock//In to see again how that went. Here is what I found, stats are a combo of both Masters and Lock//In

AM 10 - 9 EMEA
AM 10 - 2 Not Fnatic EMEA (Navi over Lev, Kru)
NA 8 - 7 EMEA
NA 8 - 0 Not Fnatic EMEA

North America has not lost to an EMEA team that isn't fnatic, all of 2023. I just hope to God that this Stat is pounded at Champs or else that extra LCQ slot will be wasted. Fnatic is also 7-0 vs NA teams. Fnatic just owns NA. I'm cool with it, I'll call boaster daddy.

I barely even watched, I already knew EG had lost.

We all know that Champs will probably have a showmatch thing, so here is my idea for it.

In short, I think Riot will be showing off a new map. So, we would just want to see it once right?

My idea is that the Showmatch isn't a match but instead a series, the new map is played 3 times between 3 total teams. Those teams are the ascension winners. This will be a mix of a showcase of both the map and a chance for international viewers to witness the best of the former tier 2 teams.

This showseries would occur the day between the Lower Finals and the Grand Finals, I think the two teams will deserve an extra day to give the best Val possible.

I think it'd be a super fun event, and it let's these newly franchised teams get their 'lock//in' moment to play infront of a crowd against international competition. Plus, letting the map be shown in a competitive style will be a cool change from it being a lot of content creators recently.

TL;DR
The Ascension winning teams do a BO1 series on the new map in order to both show off the new map and show of these new teams to the world. It would happen the day before Grands to give the finalists an extra day to prepare.

I like the hobbit series, they are basically my go-to movies.

We are comparing a time when NA got 2 slots and EMEA got 3, just automatically. In both of the first tournaments, Optic BEAT the other NA team R1. It's hard to go out on the stage for the first time and lose to the team you beat 2 weeks ago. Then in Champs, XSet beat FPX. 100T beat Fnatic. It's not like these teams were bad, it's that these teams were put against the best of 2022 INSTANTLY.

Eeiu, Hazed, S0m, tex, and Ethan is a very good roster, but it really isn't the strongest. I think hazed is overhated, but he isn't quite on the level of most other currently franchised IGL's. Plus, we're having Tex be the Chamber one tricks against cryo, yay, and dicey. He's a much more aggressive oper than those 3, it was a rough Era for aggressive opers.

Wdym, How do you choke when you just never get a lead? RAAAAAAAA

It was Rossi's best game of his fucking career AND HE HAD TO HAVE IT THAT FUCKING WEEK? CMON BRO.

This might be the VLR post that pushes me over the edge.

SKRossi >>>> Scream

Cope

NA flag just throw Pujan's face up there.

Brother.

Your team lost to Karmine Corp.

Quiet.

I have a very sensitive mouth, I always burn it on hot foods so I have just come to prefer lurkwarm things.

I actually prefer room temp coffee or just slightly cold coffee, but you can only really get scalding hot or frozen coffee around, ans frozen is closer to warm than scalding is.

EMEA won masters over NA, that's a fact.

Masters was the equivalent of having a smurfing Jett drop 45 to boost his friends. EMEA went 3-4 against NA, all 3 of the wins were by Fnatic. The rest of EMEA went 2-6 through masters. Fnatic are the smurfs.

EMEA gets the RR, aka the bonus slot. The comparison fits so well.

So, do you guys prefer coffee or tea? Or do you dislike both? Iced or hot versions? I'm a iced coffee, warm tea type of guy.

Best part of Deadlock is that my Ranked teammates may actually learn to shoot utility.

Yes. I agree. As a Gen.G fan, I need every moresol of chance. I just want them to play well, like, once.

EMEA has multiple good teams, but all of them - with exception of Fnatic - are weaker compared to same seeds of AM.

Fnatic is 3-0 vs AM teams at Masters.
Rest of EMEA is 0-4.

When you are supposed to be the best region, you need to show that the WHOLE region is the best. That isn't being accomplished by EMEA.

I am just here to bring some facts, logic, and genuine insight to bait threads.

Why are we in 2023 ranking regions based off their top percentile team and not their average. Was Brazil the best region in 2022 or did it just have the best team?

I'd vote but I've never actually played attention to the Grand Finals of any international lan. Like I had M2022 open on the other monitor, but I didn't care at that point.

This masters bro. Context clues.

NA was 4-0 vs Non-Fnatic EMEA teams at Masters Tokyo. Good luck to Giants and Navi, cause I am going to keep this Stat in mind when Champs comes along.

Let's see if an EMEA team can beat NA without daddy Fnatic.

Yeah, I'd agree. Fnatic definitely owns NA. I'm cool with that.

Fnatic record vs NA teams at Masters: 3-0
Rest of EMEA record vs NA at masters: 0-4

If they speak the braindead, look the braindead, and respond the braindead, we must treat them as the braindead.

They either leave in weakness or push through. Weed out the weak.

It's unfair to compare it to the past when EMEA got an extra spot at every event, and Optic took on The Guard and XSET round 1 of both tourneys before going to top 3.

And I'd like to clarify, I don't really think EMEA is a "One Team Region" I just think that - since the beginning - that they were the region with the least depth. The only surprises from the region was Navi and Koi underperforming since I expected fut to be top 4 from LOCK//IN. In Pacific, a ton of their lower teams like GE, Talon, and RRQ have shown great performances at random times, like any could shape into a threat. AM had C9 and EG going insane, and Furia showing a ton of promise.

Ban system goes brrrrrr

EG and Fnatic are basically 4-3, but ban the worst from Fnatic and the best from EG and we get a 3-0 :)

sheesh tho, might be wrong about KC.

there has only been one other time where Fnatic has had an even half on attack side lotus (all others were a winning half). That was against Karmine Corp. I'd guesstimate that EG is slightly better than Karmine Corp, especially on attack.

This is actually the first international grand finals without the #1 seed of a region.

M2 2021 - Sentinels
M3 2021 and Champs 2021- Gambit
Masters 1 - Loud
Masters 2 - PRX
Champs - NRG and Loud
Lock//In - Loud

EG and Fnatic as a 2 and 3 seed is kinda cool.

I like the advantage, I don't like banning the best map of the losers AND the worst map of the winners. I'd much rather see a series where either side either leaks their best maps in, or reveals their weakest in. Two bans for the winners is fine, just adding a map round in between seems like a better system imo.

Just what uppers get. Always has been. I've never been a fan of the ban system.

I think the grand finals bans is way too strong of an advantage. I understand that it is necessary to have an upper advantage, but it can literally take a 4-3 series to a 3-1. I think the best way to do it is just removing the bans of the lower team.

Example: Right now it is
Ban - Ban - Pick - Pick - Pick - Pick - Pick

I think it should be
Ban - Pick - Pick - Ban - Pick - Pick - Pick

In this scenario, it still lets through the weakest map of the losers team, but I denies the current system of permaban + ban the best map the opponents. I think it adds more interesting impact upon the map picks, and lowers the INSANE advantage given to the winner seed. You can then select either your second weakest map or huge swing maps with the second ban.

bro it's a 3-0 for Fnatic, I don't see EG winning the other maps.

there is none, they just banned pearl and fracture. Upper bracket is still way too strong. Should be ban-pick-pick-ban-pick-pick-pick.

New gimmick, you can only buy guns if you win the round.

Literally just soft confirmed an LA map. Look at the episode background, plus the Valorant head just said "look at where champs is" when talking about future content.

Loathar trying to nerf shit, when Jett is good because she can actually run the OP. Chamber was good because he could actually run the OP.

not because she is a GOOD agent, but because her utility will finally teach my ranked teammates to FUCKING SHOOT OUT UTILITY HOLY SHIT. Thank god it literally blocks you so those braindead fucks will do something.

Bro this my normal sleep schedule, I'm living good.

bro do you gotta wake up for the 8:30 mass on Sunday? What the fuck else you gonna do?

I think you are discrediting f0rsaken's ability as an entry player. He overextends a lot, but he's great at taking space. As a flex, he just takes space and overpushes less.

sure

If he wins, then you kinda got to call him it. Unless Leo pops off to win, then I'd give the crown to him. Leo literally went 89-68-32 with two 1v2 clutches at lock//in, if he is able to top his team in the Grand Finals then I'd give that to him over chronicle. I think Leo is a better player than Chronicle is, so if he goes HARD then he'd be my goat.

He is a way better flex player than duelist imo, that's the main addition Something gives to the team. Something is a slightly better duelist, but f0rsaken is genuinely a top 5 flex in the world alongside d4v41.

They just play aggressive. You don't get their game, you don't get their strats. Have a good day.

Sure buddy, have a good one.

From watching a lot of Pacific, I really do think that this PRX is really lacking what f0rsaken adds as a flex player. f0rsaken and d4v41 were, by far, the two best flex players in the pacific region. Jingg didn't have to carry regionally, if anything he tool a backseat between something and f0rsaken. That's why Master's seems like such an anomaly, but all it has been was Jingg performing. They weren't really challenged in pacific except for the grand final, aka, Jingg's best game with Something there. Jingg will elevate against better competition. I want to say, CGRS has been a great sub, but I am 100% positive that PRX with something there loses nothing on Jett and gains a TON in terms of flex with f0rsaken there. I don't doubt that, if we see this Paper Rex core at Champs with something, that they should remain a top 3 contender.

EG won't have fracture, I think it'll be super hard for them to win 3 other maps when Lotus will still be there.

Ethan is quite literally the best pure utility user in all of Valorant.