Curse

dansamy · Dec 11, 2006, 04:31 PM // 16:31

As in the title, who are your favorites for the Winterfest Tournament? Post valid reasons why you think they'll do well or why your least favorites will do poorly. (No "OMG!! They pwn!1!!!1!!1" posts.)

Drewfense · Dec 11, 2006, 04:56 PM // 16:56

It will be interesting. The tournament is Euro heavy and Europeans literally have only two builds. Shadow Prison caster spike and Shadow Prison caster spike with gank. The latter is unviable in the tournament, the former is one of the few builds that is almost completely core/nightfall. Other teams being able to plan for euro shadow prison spike will make it very hard for them to have success on the second day (some will get to the second day just because of numbers). There are several other one build teams that I suspect will flounder in the tournament because of their predictability.

Funniest team to watch: Necro Raiders
Best pregame tactics: Team Everfrost
Surprise team: Ominous Latin Name
Final: iQ vs QQ rematch

Edit: I ignored maya's post and didn't even say why I made those 4 last predictions. Necro Raiders plays very non-meta builds, mainly 6 caster hex teams. They are entertaining builds and tbh they have a ton of experience at hex builds and are just good running them. Hex builds lose a lot of crucial skills in the tourny and again falls under predictability, but it will be fun to watch. Team Everfrost has a ton of tournament proven players and consistantly out smarts the Euro meta. Tag is an interesting one. Right now they are very unproven. They play during a very uncompetitive time and atm are not using the greatest build, but they have a lot of really good players and I think they will stand out.

iQ and QQ are simply the best teams on the ladder. iQ is the most flexible team out there and will exploit the core/nightfall skill set. QQ has great players and coordination. I think QQ will be offset slightly because their two main build styles (2 man gank and edenial) are tourny illegal, but it isn't like they are one hit ponies.

bashar pvp · Dec 11, 2006, 05:08 PM // 17:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drewfense

Funniest team to watch: Necro Raiders

Agree! I'm glad to see them in the playoffs, even though they spiked to come here

I can't wait to see what eF can do vs iQ or QQ. My three biggest favorites.

I dunno what the celebrities, or the detained, gonna do, versus people building against them.

Bankai · Dec 11, 2006, 05:11 PM // 17:11

Agreed. NR matches are always fun to watch.

Northrog · Dec 11, 2006, 05:28 PM // 17:28

Spike (mesmer based or whatever) are never fun to watch. But their first build hex based with the necro dismember was a thing I loved a lot.

Burton2000 · Dec 11, 2006, 06:08 PM // 18:08

I think Clan Detained definatly look strong there spike is extremely good.

Warskull · Dec 11, 2006, 07:33 PM // 19:33

iQ is most likely going to take the #1 slot and QQ most likely #2. Regardless about how you feel about iQ's tournament tactics they are one of the most experience and best tournament teams out there. They understand tournament play very well, they understand what they have to do to win, and they aren't afraid to go in no holds barred in a tournament situation.

The euro guilds will probably fair well against the american gimmick guilds (like FS.) However, I expect most of them to finish in the middle. The euro metagame is basically always 1-2 builds and that doesn't foster flexibility. ICE and eF are notably better than the other euros, but not enough to favor them over the top american guilds.

FS is going to beat some weak japanese guilds and get smacked around by any of the half-decent guilds.

phasola · Dec 11, 2006, 08:09 PM // 20:09

I can't wait to see how guilds that didn't play after para nerf will perform...
I hope QQ wins.

Thom Bangalter · Dec 11, 2006, 08:18 PM // 20:18

I'm guessing the final four are ICE, QQ, iQ, and PnH.

The Dark Horse is clearly Necro Raiders.

tomcruisejr · Dec 11, 2006, 09:23 PM // 21:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burton2000

I think Clan Detained definatly look strong there spike is extremely good.

their build was raped by blood spike ran by [shiv]. so other teams can just run bloodspike and toss them out of the playoffs.

Theli · Dec 11, 2006, 09:39 PM // 21:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomcruisejr

their build was raped by blood spike ran by [shiv]. so other teams can just run bloodspike and toss them out of the playoffs.

Playoff = NF/Core Skills only
No blood spike

Drewfense · Dec 11, 2006, 10:45 PM // 22:45

Ravenous gaze spike!....

JR · Dec 11, 2006, 10:50 PM // 22:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomcruisejr

their build was raped by blood spike ran by [shiv]. so other teams can just run bloodspike and toss them out of the playoffs.

We run a simmilar build to dT, and I believe our match against [Shiv] lasted all of 4 minutes untill their Guild Lord dropped. It's not the build, it's how you run it.

Guillaume De Sonoma · Dec 11, 2006, 11:03 PM // 23:03

1. iQ
2. eF
3. QQ
4. ICE

I think iQ has the best method of using skills to the best of their abilities. eF has strong players and eurospike will do well in the tourney. QQ has the best teamwork imo, and is headed by two incredibly strong warriors and monk synergy. ICE is a good team, their eurospike tears apart teams like the celberties, but I don't think they can beat eF, iQ, or QQ. Maybe iQ, but it is not anticipated.

Drewfense · Dec 11, 2006, 11:17 PM // 23:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guillaume De Sonoma

eF has strong players and eurospike will do well in the tourney. ICE is a good team, their eurospike tears apart teams like the celberties

I know you are speaking favorably about both of these teams, but I think many people attach a very negative connotation to eurospike. I know eF does not run eurospike at all. Their recent ladder push was done using a pressure build. The few times I have seen ICE play, they have also been playing pressure, but I have not seen them play that much so I could be wrong.

Otherwords, eF and ICE are very good teams that will be at the top of the tourny. They aren't eurospike nublets.

tomcruisejr · Dec 11, 2006, 11:18 PM // 23:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by JR-

We run a simmilar build to dT, and I believe our match against [Shiv] lasted all of 4 minutes untill their Guild Lord dropped. It's not the build, it's how you run it.

i agree. im just pointing out the weakness of dT. :P. they can't handle bloodspike well. or maybe they were having an f'ed up day when i watch them get raped.

i should've put "they" instead of "their build". my bad.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Theli

Playoff = NF/Core Skills only
No blood spike

arg. maybe feast of corruption spike (less the rit, filled by something else). or the old school bloodspike.

Billiard · Dec 11, 2006, 11:23 PM // 23:23

You know I always wonder about iQ. They seem to come up with really creative strats and this type of format seems conducive to that. They also seem to just play enough to position where they want to be, so it makes me wonder if they'll be a little rusty compared to other folks who have been really active the entire season like say QQ, who has looked really sharp.

Also the majority of the top 20 finishers are from Europe, which suggests the EU teams have been playing pretty well lately and against pretty high competition, so dT or ICE probably have to be thought of as favorites here since they'll be more familiar with a lot of the teams they'll be facing.

But I think the real dark horse is Moa Birds - they have a secret weapon in Maya that is just going to cause other guilds to swoon and fold!

Relambrien · Dec 11, 2006, 11:55 PM // 23:55

As for the number of guilds from each region, the percentages are REMARKABLY similar to the total number of guilds from that region on the ladder.

America is almost exactly the same, Europe is about 1% more, and Japan is 3% more.

As an American, I'm hoping to see either iQ or QQ win, they're my favorites without a doubt. But it'll be fun seeing what the other guilds bring to the table and how each guild is handled. I'd have to pick QQ or eF to take it all due to their massive amounts of experience this season, but iQ has shown they can pull incredible strategies out of nowhere to win matches.

I'm really looking forward to this weekend.

Tortoise · Dec 12, 2006, 01:03 AM // 01:03

With the koreans out my money is on QQ. I can't imagine iQ sneaking away with a victory again, but then again, they're iQ... Who knows what crazy tactic they'll pull out now.

.defekt · Dec 12, 2006, 01:08 AM // 01:08

Can't wait to see Necro Raiders play. Should be a laugh. Personally I'm cheering for eF.

Next season keep your eyes out for The Sunshine Band.