by Jt 'Ribbwich' Egbert
Halfway to worlds, the leagues are all ready for a chance to take a warning bite out of each other. As
the All-Star hype train reaches critical mass, let's look at how these five
teams have earned their invitations. We start with the kings:
Why They Can Win: Mechanics, Mechanics, Mechanics. All of
the pros in this region are 100% entrenched in their teams. This makes their
personal mechanics match their team play mechanics. They time things to the
millisecond, and outplay opponents on a large scale. Even the most solid teams
end up tilting after experiencing SK T1 K's abuse.
How They Can Lose: Overconfidence is a weakness most Korean
teams share. If their opponents remain calm and poised and stick to what they
know (instead of going on a tilt trying to counter them,) any team has a chance
of beating the god-kings.
We had our first taste of China
in the World Finals, when we got to see Royal Club's Tabe drop bears on people's
heads. This time, we'll be seeing the Chinese team, OMG.
Why They Can Win: Aggressively striking from the shadows
with fearless precision, the deadliest Chinese team is the unseen one. This
team could take the win from nowhere, and you won't even see them coming...at
first.
How They Can Lose: Vision. Other teams can pressure them out
of their comfortable, unseen presence if they have a well-warded map. Get them
on a tilt and the "W" is yours.
Garena:
The surprise winners of the Season Two World Championships, the
Taipei Assassins are going to this years All-Star challenge as well, and
they're riding the momentum of an undefeated spring season.
Why They Can Win: This region is always an unexpected treat
- mixing Korean mechanics with Chinese aggression - but their best shot at
winning lies in the fact that other teams are coming in crippled. SKT is
slumping. C9 doesn't have Hai. OMG is playing with a rusty Cool, etc.
How They Can Lose: They don't really posses any team-fighting
skill, so they need a lot of practice. Considering they'll be up against the
best players in the world, the answers to this question are pretty much
endless.
Why They Can Win: Fnatic have great potential if they wear
their amazing pants to these games. Fast reflexes, excellent mechanical skills
and good rotations can lead Fnatic to victory.
How they Can Lose: By not bringing those pants. Fnatic has
shown many times that they will attempt to try new things and push the meta as
far as it will go. If their picks are bad and their play inconsistent, it might
not be an impressive showing by Xpeke and the boys.
Who can say no to apple pie? Undefeated playoff contenders
and double split winners, Cloud 9 HyperX, face their first Korean challenge in
SKT T1k, and look to exact revenge against EU rivals, Fnatic.
Why They Can Win: Cloud 9 will come into this series
prepared. They have done the legwork. They know their enemies...and LemonNation's
legendary notebook has something in store for every one of them. Early Jungle
pressure and superior rotations should keep even the best opponent on their
toes - as long as they can synergize with Hai's replacement, Link.
How They Can Lose: C9 might have trouble keeping their
collective cool under the immense competition these teams are sure to bring
them. If they get out-pressured and over-aggressed, places where C9 has shown
weakness before, it will spell the end of the red white and blue at All Stars.
That's all I have, thanks for the read, I will see you all
in Paris
League of Legends : Ushering in World Peace
