TeamLiquid Dota 2 Power Rank - June 2013 June 5th, 2013 20:37 GMT Text by Heyoka Graphics by shiroiusagi TeamLiquid Dota 2 Power Rank June 2013



June already, and that means it is time for the next TeamLiquid Dota 2 Power Rank. Each month we will continue going through the games and deciding who is the best among both Eastern and Western Dota. We have assembled a team of great Dota experts who have pooled their opinions together to give you the finest rank we could muster.



This month we see quite a few changes, as the former Eastern #1 was knocked off their pedestal with a disappointing G-1 performance, and the Western teams look closer than ever. For the first time we had two ties in the ranks, which is why you will see two teams listed at #4 in the East and two at #3 in the West.



Kipsate is a staff writer at TeamLiquid who not only plays Dota well, but manages to watch every game for most of the leagues out there. His knowledge of team tendencies and play styles is unparalleled.



Kupon3ss is our Chinese correspondent at TeamLiquid, and he knows the Chinese scene better than anyone and firmly believes in the study of the game in pursuit of an ever-deepening understanding.



Flamewheel is not only our original Chinese Dota reporter, but the man who led our



Purge is a superstar on



shostakovich, "the other Bruno", is our personal stat man here at TeamLiquid who keeps track of the numbers in all their glory. Bruno has experience in analyzing and reporting on Dota going back many years.



Finally, I am Heyoka, TeamLiquid's director of Dota 2, and a man of such fortitude that I wear shorts and sandals in January. Every month, I will poll community figures and compile a Power Rank so we can argue about it until next time.



China/SEA Power Rank





1. LGD.cn





Kipsate: The strongest team in the East and one of the contenders of The International 2013. They fell to Alliance in G-1 but apart from that have a strong record. They dropped to The International qualifiers when LongDD left, but showed that they deserve the invite regardless. Destroying everyone in their path with coordination, strategy, and 5 man Dota, they are the strongest in Dota 2.



Kupon3ss: LGD is certainly the most solid and the only member of "the big three" to consistently play at a high level. Dominating The International 2013 Eastern Qualifiers and putting up a decent showing in both G-1 and DSL makes the team out to be the tentative leader of a Chinese scene that's looked shaky of late. DD's return to the team, with LongDD as coach, seems to have had an overall positive effect as the team's utilization of Visage and Kunkka, the new darlings of Eastern Dota, have been superb. However, the team's core weakness in the field - adaptability on the fly - was quite well highlighted by Alliance.



Flamewheel: The only marring of LGD's record this month came at the hands of Alliance at G-1. LGD showed that it was prepared for the tournament, but not for Alliance (come on guys, if you're going to ask us which heroes to ban, you obviously haven't studied the Swedes enough). That being said, if you asked me right now to name the top team in the world, I would still say Lao Gan Die. Silencing naysayers who said they'd have trouble in the TI3 Eastern Qualifiers, LGD rolled through all other teams to regain their invitation to Seattle. With slightly more preparation in drafting (at G-1 xiao8 seemed to have no cohesive plan for the final games against Alliance) LGD will be back at full strength.



Purge: LGD is looking stronger now than they have in a long time, and I think the addition of DD back to their roster makes them look fantastic. I was seriously impressed by their play constantly during the TI3 Eastern Qualifiers, and I am completely confident that they are the best team in the East now that iG has taken such a hard fall.



shostakovich: Right now the strongest team on China. In G-1 League, they gave signs that they went prepared for the tournament and crushed everyone between them and the TI3 invite.



2. TongFu





Kipsate: In second is TongFu, who had a month ranging from losing to NeoThailand, to beating teams left and right and placing second in their DSL group. With the addition of KingJ while retaining the ever so present Hao-Mu dualcore, they have always had the potential to overtake the big 3, but never got there. They showed that Valve did not make a mistake by inviting them to The International 2013 directly after LGD's roster change was announced.



Kupon3ss: The integration of KingJ with Hao and Mu has finally led to the anticipated effect and created a monster. The team is now capable of playing its trademark multi-core midgame aggression with a much wider margin of error than before with KingJ on the three to anchor the midgame and reel in Hao's more YOLO tendencies. In the current meta, TongFu play with lineups based on 2 the top 3 carries of Gyro, Naix, and LD better than perhaps any other Chinese team, and are the only Chinese team to offlane LD with a decent amount of success. While looking very strong at the moment, the nerfs to all 3 of those heroes, other teams slowly adapting to the team, and the always-present chance of Hao throws lead to some doubts on whether they can maintain their form.



Flamewheel: The addition of KingJ pushed TongFu from being a "good" team to becoming an extremely powerful one. The roster is populated by strong players of the early generations of Chinese Dota, so lack of experience is most certainly not an issue. From their dominating play in the finals of the AMD Premier League against Zenith to the dominating wins over other Chinese teams in DSL, TongFu is showing us why they deserved that direct invite to TI3.



shostakovich: With KingJ, TongFu has become a very strong team. Their wins against iG and many other top teams have resulted in their direct invite to TI3. Special mention to Mu for playing well.



3. Orange





Kipsate: The strongest SEA team had a decent showing at G-1, and though eventually they fell to LGD.cn they seem to have fixed a lot of the holes in their game. The Mushi factor is still ever so present but other players such as Ohaiyo and kyxy pick up the slack if Mushi isn't up to par.



Kupon3ss: Another G-1, another 3rd place for Orange. The team's play looked good, but not exceptional in China despite edging out iG, DK, and Liquid. What's important is that the players held up under pressure with Mushi's factor of midgame uncertainty minimized on LAN - lessons that, along with DSL, will serve the team well as they prepare for TI3.



shostakovich: Another team that demonstrated in G-1 League that they did their homework on bans/picks. Mushi, kyxy and Ohaiyo are a force to be feared, but they need to work out a way to not allow their two support heroes to lag behind in gold and experience, which happened in several matches during G-1 League.





4. Invictus Gaming





Kipsate: From the heavens they fell. It seems iG is no longer immortal - they are not even demi-gods. Beaten by everyone left and right they are but a shell of what they once were. Yet they still are iG, they are still the same team that won The International 2012, and they are still the team which was ever so dominant in G-League. If iG solves their internal team struggles they will still be one of the strongest teams in Dota, perhaps even the strongest.



Kupon3ss: Suffering a series of crushing defeats not seen since, ironically, the last G-1, iG has been in a strange place of late. The team looks as though everything is going wrong, playing a poorly organized Dota in laning, coordination, and lineups not present since right after the team's creation nearly 2 years ago. After the wake up call, it's really up to the players to come back together as individuals and as a team to snap out of their state of complacency on their way back to the top.



Purge: I think we were all pretty surprised to see just how stomped iG got during the G-1 League finals, and it was actually kind of fun to watch the previous global rank 1 powerhouse lose games. Whether their showing was because of iG's failings or other teams' successes, I am not completely sure, but it would appear to be more of iG's fault due to their players' individual lacklustre play compared to the past. Regardless of their weak performance, I still think they are better than almost every other team in China, and they surely have the talent. It'll be interesting to see if they can pull it together in 2 months for TI3.





4. Team DK



Kipsate: DK always were the weakest of the big 3 and they somewhat still are. They did reasonably in G-1 but rOtk remains a volatile factor and their constant reliance on Burning to carry is no longer the way to win this game. They will need to improve and come up with a more diverse play style if they are to win The International 3.



Kupon3ss: Aside from the opening game where they put up a very good fight despite a beautiful pocket strat from Alliance, DK's run in G-1 was rather lackluster, losing out even to Orange in the 3/4th position matches. Defeating a still-struggling LGD.int convincingly in the DSL indicates that the team isn't out of contention quite yet, but time is quickly running out for the team to find its groove and adapt to the multi-core midgame meta.





Close But No Cigar









Kipsate: Vici Gaming is a strong team that everyone expected to take the wildcard in the Eastern Qualifiers; they have the players and the skill, but they lack strategic vision and drafting prowness. On the other hand Rattlesnake has some of the most insane drafting ever to grace the Chinese scene; basically Luo spins the Wheel of Fortune every match and picks from that. Their drafts are odd, strong, weak and above all else unpredictable.



flamewheel: The younger Chinese teams were somewhat put to the side in light of the superstars at G-1, but these three teams all did "decently enough." If CBNC were limited to one team, that slot would be Rattlesnake, the team that secured itself a wildcard match in Seattle for the last TI3 slot.





Individual Ranks Kipsate Kupon3ss flamewheel Purge shostakovich









European/North American Power Rank







1. Alliance



Kipsate: Above all they reign - and they do so with an iron fist. Destroying everyone from both the Western and Eastern hemispheres, their strategies are not only well executed but also diverse, leading to 5man teamfight, splitpush and level 1 Roshan attempts. With strategy, vision, drafting prowess, and individual skill this team has it all and if they keep this up, they will surely be one of the strongest contenders at The International 2013.



Kupon3ss: Having crushed the strongest teams of the East 7-0 after dominating the Western scene, Alliance is certainly one of the strongest, if not the strongest team, in the world. Using a masterful combination of extremely solid play and innovative pocket strategies to dominate almost all opposition, the team is emerging as a favorite for both the upcoming DreamHack and The International. Yet there remain some doubt as to whether the team will maintain its current form among the attention of all the world and a post G-1 hangover.



flamewheel: Should be pretty universal that Alliance is the best team in the West, contending for top in the world. Though I don't think they're world champions yet, Alliance has demonstrated time and time again that they are the team to beat. Whether they're pulling out completely new strategies (see:



Purge: Alliance looks like the best team in the world right now, after showing up in China and winning every single game versus some of the best teams in the world. We knew they were the best team in the West recently, but we weren't sure if they were the best team in the world. EGM continues to show consistent talent, and Loda has really proven recently that he isn't the weak link on Alliance. They did lost a bo3 1-2 versus mousesports this week, but I think that could be more mouz playing well and gaining ground.



shostakovich: As written in our recap, Alliance right now is playing a style that is a perfect mix of solid and strategical Dota with unpredictable pocket strategies. Right now it's really hard to pick and ban against them because they're really good at reaching the objective marks at which point certain heroes (Phantom Assassin, for example) becomes really powerful. Above all they reign - and they do so with an iron fist. Destroying everyone from both the Western and Eastern hemispheres, their strategies are not only well executed but also diverse, leading to 5man teamfight, splitpush and level 1 Roshan attempts. With strategy, vision, drafting prowess, and individual skill this team has it all and if they keep this up, they will surely be one of the strongest contenders at The International 2013.Having crushed the strongest teams of the East 7-0 after dominating the Western scene, Alliance is certainly one of the strongest, if not the strongest team, in the world. Using a masterful combination of extremely solid play and innovative pocket strategies to dominate almost all opposition, the team is emerging as a favorite for both the upcoming DreamHack and The International. Yet there remain some doubt as to whether the team will maintain its current form among the attention of all the world and a post G-1 hangover.Should be pretty universal that Alliance is the best team in the West, contending for top in the world. Though I don't think they're world champions yet, Alliance has demonstrated time and time again that they are the team to beat. Whether they're pulling out completely new strategies (see: DK vs Alliance in G-1 ) or beating LGD in a farming game (note that Chinese commentators were calling Loda "more solid than the Chinese carries"), Alliance has both the skill and the drafting unpredictability to keep opponents on their toes. While criticisms such as Bulldog+4 and Throwda are sometimes still valid, one cannot argue with results. Alliance has become the first team to take a tournament against the Chinese on yellow soil, and in two weeks' time they'll be playing on their own home turf at DreamHack.Alliance looks like the best team in the world right now, after showing up in China and winning every single game versus some of the best teams in the world. We knew they were the best team in the West recently, but we weren't sure if they were the best team in the world. EGM continues to show consistent talent, and Loda has really proven recently that he isn't the weak link on Alliance. They did lost a bo3 1-2 versus mousesports this week, but I think that could be more mouz playing well and gaining ground.As written in our recap, Alliance right now is playing a style that is a perfect mix of solid and strategical Dota with unpredictable pocket strategies. Right now it's really hard to pick and ban against them because they're really good at reaching the objective marks at which point certain heroes (Phantom Assassin, for example) becomes really powerful.



2. Natus Vincere



Kipsate: While first place is easy to determine the other ones are not. Na`Vi is still an excellent team in its own right but lacks a certain vision and the ability to utilize some heroes. With Dendi not being as good on Magnus as others, Na`Vi is lacking one of the most important heroes in the current meta. This coupled with our most favorite carry XBOCT's tendencies to overextend it seems that they have a while to go before they can beat the Alliance or the Eastern teams at TI3. Nevertheless they are still Na`Vi and the bootcamp in China, while short, will allow them to train in a solid setting which has only one goal: winning The International 2013.



Kupon3ss: The team has appeared to finally nearly the completion of the restructuring process. The transition from the old, dual-core play style to one that effectively utilizes Funn1k and Kuro to their full extent and allowing Dendi to play more "tempo" based heroes is beginning to pay off. The team looks like a whole new beast as it prepares for the last blitz of preparation in China.



Flamewheel: As a team, they finally seem to be solidifying their plans and intent, acting as a cohesive unit instead of five individuals. Their While first place is easy to determine the other ones are not. Na`Vi is still an excellent team in its own right but lacks a certain vision and the ability to utilize some heroes. With Dendi not being as good on Magnus as others, Na`Vi is lacking one of the most important heroes in the current meta. This coupled with our most favorite carry XBOCT's tendencies to overextend it seems that they have a while to go before they can beat the Alliance or the Eastern teams at TI3. Nevertheless they are still Na`Vi and the bootcamp in China, while short, will allow them to train in a solid setting which has only one goal: winning The International 2013.The team has appeared to finally nearly the completion of the restructuring process. The transition from the old, dual-core play style to one that effectively utilizes Funn1k and Kuro to their full extent and allowing Dendi to play more "tempo" based heroes is beginning to pay off. The team looks like a whole new beast as it prepares for the last blitz of preparation in China.As a team, they finally seem to be solidifying their plans and intent, acting as a cohesive unit instead of five individuals. Their bootcamp in China , while short, should grant them much-needed experience against Eastern opposition for TI3. I've said it before and I've said it again: until Na`Vi disappoints on LAN, I cannot write them off. Though they've fallen off the radar a tad, look for Natus Vincere to come out swinging at DreamHack. Their two most recent wins against Liquid and Alliance seem to be the start of "LAN Nav`Vi as we know them".





3. Mousesports



Kipsate: For a while the team didn't work together and they looked to be in poor shape in the Western Qualifiers. However, they rose in the face of adversity and went on to win the entire competition to secure a playing spot in Seattle. Each of the members seem to have found their drive as new signature heroes arise, Fata's Puck is one of the Faerie dragons to fear.



Kupon3ss: Adding new multicore dimensions to the Four-Protect-Black playstyle and the successful integration of an experienced captain in Synderen has made mouz a significantly bigger threat in the West. While Qojqva on a core still feels rusty and Fata occasionally gets a bit over-excited, the team fast becoming a complete package around the #1CarryWest after their victory at the Western Qualifiers.



Flamewheel: Mousesports seems to have found their ground. The Western Qualifiers for TI3 started somewhat poorly for them, but they rebounded and managed to fight their way to the invitation slot. Black^ is, as always, a very solid carry. For the longest time, he has defined mouz. But now, with tactical man Synderen joining the roster as captain, Qojqva maturing as a player, and Fata showing his potential, mouz is looking scary.





3. Liquid



Kipsate: A bit of a volatile team. In the G-1 they left with a 1-4 record but gained new insights in their problems and some valuable LAN experience. However ever since they returned from China the team hasn't performed as well. DreamHack summer is their platform to prove for once and for all that on equal grounds, in a LAN environment, they are one of the West's strongest.



Kupon3ss: G-1 was, as Korok described, "a learning experience", but beating iG and coming home with valuable knowledge will certainly help the team as it prepares for the summer with revelations in both the field of individual play and team coordination/composition. Recent results seem to have suffered a bit due to the post G-1 hangover both Western teams appear to be experiencing, but the team now is certainly stronger than the one before G-1.



flamewheel: We've written to no end about Liquid's performance in G-1. While the results were lackluster, I've seen a lot of potential for growth as well as proof that they aren't necessarily weaker than the big boys. Still, they performed well enough in Shanghai, and returned home with new foreign fans, new heroes to try (Boatman), and newfound determination to take it to the next level. They've had two disappointing losses since come back, but I expect to see great things out of Liquid as they head for Sweden in mid-June.



Purge: Liquid is still having some consistency problems against EG (albeit a bo1), and they've also lost a bo3 vs mousesports 1-2. I still think they are one of the better Western teams, but Alliance has been consistently winning almost everything, and mousesports is on a major hot streak at the moment. Their play had a bit of rockyness at the G-1 LAN in China, so that impacted my ranking of them.



5. Virtus Pro



Kipsate: The last spot is up for grabs but I will give it to Virtus Pro. Unfortunately they were not present at G-1 but they embody all we love about CIS Dota - controversial players, aggression, and of course 5man Dota. At DreamHack Summer they get to prove that it is them, not Na`Vi, that are the kings of CIS Dota, but it won't be easy.



Kupon3ss: The Bear seems to be in a comatose state of semi-hibernation. Occasionally waking up to swipe down an annoying fly, the team is reasonably low-key as it conceals its strength for the road ahead. The main concern of the team is probably the fact they're also in the middle of adapting to the new meta heralded by 6.78, TI3 Qualifiers, and G-1.



flamewheel: Were Virtus.Pro at G-1, I think they would have placed quite highly. VP defines Russian Dota, with strong and swift aggressive movements tempered by the experience of NS. They haven't had any finals or truly notable matches to play in May, but VP may be one of the scariest teams going into DreamHack Summer. Best not underestimate Russian Dota, lest you be rolled by its power.



shostakovich: Traditional Russian Doto, very strong in clutch moments. Also, they have NS, with tons and tons of experience. Right now they're performing well.





Close But No Cigar









Kipsate: Second in the international qualifiers, the three musketeers and the CIS brainpower are a force to be reckoned with. They will play Rattlesnake for the final spot in The International 3 and right now they have a good shot at it. Goblak is one of the most ingenious captains to grace the world of Dota 2.



Kupon3ss: Always a breath of life into the scene, Quantic's overall "standard game" remains doubtful. As teams begin to see the newly-sponsored team as a major threat past the honeymoon period, Goblak is going to need to come up with some new tricks of the trade.





Individual Ranks Kipsate Kupon3ss flamewheel Purge shostakovich



June already, and that means it is time for the next. Each month we will continue going through the games and deciding who is the best among both Eastern and Western Dota. We have assembled a team of great Dota experts who have pooled their opinions together to give you the finest rank we could muster.This month we see quite a few changes, as the former Eastern #1 was knocked off their pedestal with a disappointing G-1 performance, and the Western teams look closer than ever. For the first time we had two ties in the ranks, which is why you will see two teams listed at #4 in the East and two at #3 in the West.is a staff writer at TeamLiquid who not only plays Dota well, but manages to watch every game for most of the leagues out there. His knowledge of team tendencies and play styles is unparalleled.is our Chinese correspondent at TeamLiquid, and he knows the Chinese scene better than anyone and firmly believes in the study of the game in pursuit of an ever-deepening understanding.is not only our original Chinese Dota reporter, but the man who led our Brood War Power Rank until the leagues were no more. He comes to us with both incredible knowledge of Dota as well as power ranks in general.is a superstar on youtube where he is known for making insightful videos that give tips on the finer points of Dota. A man able to distinguish individual play at a glance, he brings a new level of analysis to the rank., "the other Bruno", is our personal stat man here at TeamLiquid who keeps track of the numbers in all their glory. Bruno has experience in analyzing and reporting on Dota going back many years.Finally, I am, TeamLiquid's director of Dota 2, and a man of such fortitude that I wear shorts and sandals in January. Every month, I will poll community figures and compile a Power Rank so we can argue about it until next time.Vici Gaming is a strong team that everyone expected to take the wildcard in the Eastern Qualifiers; they have the players and the skill, but they lack strategic vision and drafting prowness. On the other hand Rattlesnake has some of the most insane drafting ever to grace the Chinese scene; basically Luo spins the Wheel of Fortune every match and picks from that. Their drafts are odd, strong, weak and above all else unpredictable.The younger Chinese teams were somewhat put to the side in light of the superstars at G-1, but these three teams all did "decently enough." If CBNC were limited to one team, that slot would be Rattlesnake, the team that secured itself a wildcard match in Seattle for the last TI3 slot.Second in the international qualifiers, the three musketeers and the CIS brainpower are a force to be reckoned with. They will play Rattlesnake for the final spot in The International 3 and right now they have a good shot at it. Goblak is one of the most ingenious captains to grace the world of Dota 2.Always a breath of life into the scene, Quantic's overall "standard game" remains doubtful. As teams begin to see the newly-sponsored team as a major threat past the honeymoon period, Goblak is going to need to come up with some new tricks of the trade. @RealHeyoka | DreamHack StarCrafty Man