Chexx Profile Joined May 2011 Korea (South) 5348 Posts Last Edited: 2013-11-15 02:17:50 November 15 2013 01:50 GMT #1



It’s that time of year again. After the conclusion of the Season 3 World Championship, we Team Liquid staff have sat through weeks upon weeks of amateur tournaments, various qualifiers, and a few (still upcoming) minor international tournaments. While it is absolutely amazing to see Riot and other organisations support the competitive League of Legends scene even in the downtime between official seasons, we cannot help but feel empty. Like something is missing, like there should be something that is deserving of attention. And as the days on our calendars are crossed off, that miraculous day approaches, that day where we can resume our duties as a Team Liquid contributor as we research, analyse, cover and celebrate the most competitive and most exciting League of Legends tournament in the world - OnGameNet’s Champions.



OnGameNet have stepped it up as the year comes to a close, continuing to pit sixteen teams against each other, and bringing PANDORA.TV on board as the title sponsor of the tournament. There are plenty of storylines to pay attention to coming into Champions Winter, and more storylines to come as the tournament is played out. Both old favourites and new challengers collide in four highly competitive groups (incidentally making Champions history as this is the first time two consecutive Champions tournaments have had identical formats), after which only eight will remain.



Now, as Champions Winter 2013-14 is nearly upon us, I hope that you - whether you be a regular here, someone who stumbled across the link, or someone curious about League of Legends - will join me and the rest of the Team Liquid crew as we dive into the Winter season, and a new year of Korean League of Legends.

Signing off,

Manisier



It’s that time of year again. After the conclusion of the Season 3 World Championship, we Team Liquid staff have sat through weeks upon weeks of amateur tournaments, various qualifiers, and a few (still upcoming) minor international tournaments. While it is absolutely amazing to see Riot and other organisations support the competitive League of Legends scene even in the downtime between official seasons, we cannot help but feel empty. Like something is missing, like there should be something that is deserving of attention. And as the days on our calendars are crossed off, that miraculous day approaches, that day where we can resume our duties as a Team Liquid contributor as we research, analyse, cover and celebrate the most competitive and most exciting League of Legends tournament in the world - OnGameNet’s Champions.OnGameNet have stepped it up as the year comes to a close, continuing to pit sixteen teams against each other, and bringing PANDORA.TV on board as the title sponsor of the tournament. There are plenty of storylines to pay attention to coming into Champions Winter, and more storylines to come as the tournament is played out. Both old favourites and new challengers collide in four highly competitive groups (incidentally making Champions history as this is the first time two consecutive Champions tournaments have had identical formats), after which only eight will remain.Now, as Champions Winter 2013-14 is nearly upon us, I hope that you - whether you be a regular here, someone who stumbled across the link, or someone curious about League of Legends - will join me and the rest of the Team Liquid crew as we dive into the Winter season, and a new year of Korean League of Legends.



Table of Contents

Champions Winter Primer





OGN Champions Winter Primer

By: Manisier The Fantastic Four

In most sports, there will always be a few players or teams that stand out above the rest. Korean League of Legends is no exception. Korea’s competitive scene has produced the best team to currently play League of Legends in SK Telecom T1 K, as well as many other monstrously powerful teams. The level of these teams absolutely cannot be understated. Given the multiple roster swaps in China’s top teams in the aftermath of the Season 3 World Championship, it may not be too much of a stretch to say that Korea’s Fantastic Four are the best four in the world.



SK Telecom T1 K

Starters: Impact (Top), bengi (Jungle), Faker (Mid), Piglet (AD), PoohManDu (Support)

Substitutes: N/A

Last Finish: 1st

Player(s) to watch: Faker



SK Telecom T1 K are a team that hopefully need no introduction. After all, they took home the Summoner's Cup at the Season 3 World Championship, crushing Royal Club in three games that weren't even close, and earning the adoration of fans worldwide. Though Season 2 was meant to be Korea's season, the Korean ambassadors Azubu Frost fell short at the last hurdle, falling to an incredibly disciplined and well-practised Taipei Assassins. Yet, few would deny that the start of Season 3 heralded the reign of the Koreans.



And if there was any team to represent Korea, it would be SK Telecom T1 K. The team represents all of Korea's strengths and almost none of its weaknesses. First, the team has a deep respect for competitive experience. Coach KkOma, top laner Impact and support PoohManDu were all recruited from unsuccessful teams, but their talent was clearly recognised as the three are considered among the best in their positions. Secondly, the team knows talent when it sees it. bengi, Faker and Piglet were all solo queue heroes before being recruited and trained by SK Telecom T1. Thirdly, the team understands efficient practice. For years and to a lesser extent now, solo queue was mostly derided by Western players as a form of practice due to the amount of trolls at higher levels of play. Yet, the Korean server's solo queue is highly competitive, and only a small minority of players do not try their best to win each game. Teams are therefore able to incorporate solo queue in tandem with scrimmage in their training schedules.



In their play, SK Telecom T1 K have almost no weaknesses. They have matured from relying on Faker, to entrusting both Faker and Piglet with carry duty, to adding Impact into the mix. As a triple threat team, junglers struggle to make any noticeable impact on them, even with early ganks. bengi's favouring of Oracle's Elixir and controlling vision also serves to guard SK Telecom T1 K from early game disaster, and allows the team to transition well into a strong roaming mid-game phase. On top of this, each of SK Telecom T1 K's three carries are skilled enough to put the entire team on their backs if something goes wrong. Though the reigning world champions are certainly not invulnerable (their recent 0:2 loss to Samsung Galaxy Blue being of special note), few would deny that they are the favourites to not only win Group A, but possibly the entire tournament.



NaJin Black Sword

Starters: Expession (Top), watch (Jungle), Nagne (Mid), PraY (AD), Cain (Support)

Substitutes: SSONG (Mid)

Last Finish: 9-16th

Player(s) to watch: Nagne, PraY



Although it may be strange that the team that failed to make the bracket stage of the last Champions tournaments, NaJin Black Sword's semi-final finish at the Season 3 World Championship (their defeat being at the hands of the eventual winners SK Telecom T1) dispelled doubts and silenced critics, as they put up the best fight against Faker's squad since MVP Ozone's victory in Champions Spring. With the promotion of substitute mid laner Nagne to the starting roster, NaJin Black Sword looked alive for the first time since MakNooN's departure, employing their classic aggressive, objective-focused play and playing to their strengths rather than worrying about their weaknesses. Against the less aggressive SK Telecom T1, they were able to take two games through overwhelming force and great play from Nagne.



NaJin Black Sword were greatly hyped last season, but failed to deliver as they ran into the same old issues that even MakNooN's Swordsmen struggled with - confused playcalling and uninspiring mid lane play. Yet, their playcalling has improved with practice as Expession has shown increasing comfort in his position, and few would deny that Nagne is a great improvement over SSONG due to his mastery of the popular assassin picks of the metagame. With Season 4's changes on the horizon, we may see a return to power for SSONG, but as things stand, the young talent of Nagne combined with the masterful play of PraY will be the main talking point for NaJin Black Sword as a strong contender of Group B.



KT Rolster Bullets

Starters: inSec (Top), KaKAO (Jungle), Ryu (Mid), Score (AD), Mafa (Support)

Substitutes: N/A

Last Finish: 2nd

Player(s) to watch: inSec



Prior to the Season 3 World Championship, the KT Bullets were considered to be the world's second best team. Some even went as far as to declare the final match of the Korean qualifier to be the true Season 3 grand final, due to the large disparity in skill existing between Korea's top teams and the rest of the world. After witnessing SK Telecom T1 K cream the rest of the world, that declaration may not have been as rash as most thought it to be. Though the KT Bullets have not made much noise in the lead-up to Champions Winter, they remain one of the world's best teams by virtue of their incredible ability and confident play.



inSec's debut season as KT Rolster Bullets' top laner could be viewed as either hugely successful, or nothing special. Though his jungle abilities transferred over well (as evidenced by his great initiations and teamfighting), his play was only spectacular on popular tanks Shen and Zac, though there were elements of good carry play in his Jayce. inSec will have had to broaden his champion pool in the off-season, lest the KT Bullets fall victim to slow adoption of the metagame. Their play will likely not be affected too greatly by Season 4 changes, as Riot tends to reward aggressive play in the way they balance the game. Expect more aggressive initiations from the KT Bullets' dive squad of inSec, KaKAO and Ryu, and more stalwart, conservative play from Score and Mafa. Though the KT Bullets did not have an easy road to second in Champions Summer, their attempt at their first victory will be met with great opposition, as they find themselves in Group B, the group of death, alongside NaJin Black Sword and Samsung Galaxy Blue.



Samsung Galaxy Blue

Starters: Acorn (Top), Spirit (Jungle), PawN (Mid), Deft (AD), Heart (Support)

Substitutes: N/A

Last Finish: 9th-16th

Player(s) to watch: PawN



There is something to be said about the Samsung Galaxy teams. Like their parent company, at some point in time they were the fastest upward-moving teams in the world. After seasons upon seasons of failure, and countless resources invested in a top laner who constantly failed to deliver, MVP Ozone reversed their fortunes to win Champions Spring in a shutout against the dominant CJ Entus Blaze. And now, it would seem that it is Blue's turn to step up. Samsung Galaxy Blue is currently the most talked-about team among speculators, and for good reason - with just one position change, they have gone from imp's punching bag to top Korean team. The replacement of easyhoon (who, paradoxically, was considered Blue's strongest player) with ex-MiG mid laner WonSeok was highly baffling, and with the recent slump of Ozone, the acquisition of the MVP teams by Samsung seemed to be an absolute disaster.



Blue, on the other hand, had different plans. Three of their players changed their names, ushering in a new era for the team that had been in agony for so long. PawN destroyed Faker to lead his team to a 2:0 win against incumbent world champions SK Telecom T1 K, and stamped Samsung Galaxy Blue's name on the world stage. Although they fell to the revitalised CJ Entus Blaze in the final of the WCG qualifier, they achieved more than any of us could ever imagine by shaking off past failures to knock down the iron door of Korea's elite. As a team, they play more aggressively than their Ozone brothers, with early roams from both Acorn and PawN to apply pressure on global objectives. Acorn and Spirit tend to favour team-oriented champions, while PawN and Deft (the latter of which considered close to imp's equal in terms of mechanical ability) are left to do the carrying. While they do not do anything out of the ordinary, they are certainly one of the most important teams to watch coming into Champions Winter. Should they win, Samsung Galaxy will join CJ Entus in fielding two Champions.

In most sports, there will always be a few players or teams that stand out above the rest. Korean League of Legends is no exception. Korea’s competitive scene has produced the best team to currently play League of Legends in SK Telecom T1 K, as well as many other monstrously powerful teams. The level of these teams absolutely cannot be understated. Given the multiple roster swaps in China’s top teams in the aftermath of the Season 3 World Championship, it may not be too much of a stretch to say that Korea’s Fantastic Four are the best four in the world.Starters: Impact (Top), bengi (Jungle), Faker (Mid), Piglet (AD), PoohManDu (Support)Substitutes: N/ALast Finish: 1stPlayer(s) to watch: FakerSK Telecom T1 K are a team that hopefully need no introduction. After all, they took home the Summoner's Cup at the Season 3 World Championship, crushing Royal Club in three games that weren't even close, and earning the adoration of fans worldwide. Though Season 2 was meant to be Korea's season, the Korean ambassadors Azubu Frost fell short at the last hurdle, falling to an incredibly disciplined and well-practised Taipei Assassins. Yet, few would deny that the start of Season 3 heralded the reign of the Koreans.And if there was any team to represent Korea, it would be SK Telecom T1 K. The team represents all of Korea's strengths and almost none of its weaknesses. First, the team has a deep respect for competitive experience. Coach KkOma, top laner Impact and support PoohManDu were all recruited from unsuccessful teams, but their talent was clearly recognised as the three are considered among the best in their positions. Secondly, the team knows talent when it sees it. bengi, Faker and Piglet were all solo queue heroes before being recruited and trained by SK Telecom T1. Thirdly, the team understands efficient practice. For years and to a lesser extent now, solo queue was mostly derided by Western players as a form of practice due to the amount of trolls at higher levels of play. Yet, the Korean server's solo queue is highly competitive, and only a small minority of players do not try their best to win each game. Teams are therefore able to incorporate solo queue in tandem with scrimmage in their training schedules.In their play, SK Telecom T1 K have almost no weaknesses. They have matured from relying on Faker, to entrusting both Faker and Piglet with carry duty, to adding Impact into the mix. As a triple threat team, junglers struggle to make any noticeable impact on them, even with early ganks. bengi's favouring of Oracle's Elixir and controlling vision also serves to guard SK Telecom T1 K from early game disaster, and allows the team to transition well into a strong roaming mid-game phase. On top of this, each of SK Telecom T1 K's three carries are skilled enough to put the entire team on their backs if something goes wrong. Though the reigning world champions are certainly not invulnerable (their recent 0:2 loss to Samsung Galaxy Blue being of special note), few would deny that they are the favourites to not only win Group A, but possibly the entire tournament.Starters: Expession (Top), watch (Jungle), Nagne (Mid), PraY (AD), Cain (Support)Substitutes: SSONG (Mid)Last Finish: 9-16thPlayer(s) to watch: Nagne, PraYAlthough it may be strange that the team that failed to make the bracket stage of the last Champions tournaments, NaJin Black Sword's semi-final finish at the Season 3 World Championship (their defeat being at the hands of the eventual winners SK Telecom T1) dispelled doubts and silenced critics, as they put up the best fight against Faker's squad since MVP Ozone's victory in Champions Spring. With the promotion of substitute mid laner Nagne to the starting roster, NaJin Black Sword looked alive for the first time since MakNooN's departure, employing their classic aggressive, objective-focused play and playing to their strengths rather than worrying about their weaknesses. Against the less aggressive SK Telecom T1, they were able to take two games through overwhelming force and great play from Nagne.NaJin Black Sword were greatly hyped last season, but failed to deliver as they ran into the same old issues that even MakNooN's Swordsmen struggled with - confused playcalling and uninspiring mid lane play. Yet, their playcalling has improved with practice as Expession has shown increasing comfort in his position, and few would deny that Nagne is a great improvement over SSONG due to his mastery of the popular assassin picks of the metagame. With Season 4's changes on the horizon, we may see a return to power for SSONG, but as things stand, the young talent of Nagne combined with the masterful play of PraY will be the main talking point for NaJin Black Sword as a strong contender of Group B.Starters: inSec (Top), KaKAO (Jungle), Ryu (Mid), Score (AD), Mafa (Support)Substitutes: N/ALast Finish: 2ndPlayer(s) to watch: inSecPrior to the Season 3 World Championship, the KT Bullets were considered to be the world's second best team. Some even went as far as to declare the final match of the Korean qualifier to be the true Season 3 grand final, due to the large disparity in skill existing between Korea's top teams and the rest of the world. After witnessing SK Telecom T1 K cream the rest of the world, that declaration may not have been as rash as most thought it to be. Though the KT Bullets have not made much noise in the lead-up to Champions Winter, they remain one of the world's best teams by virtue of their incredible ability and confident play.inSec's debut season as KT Rolster Bullets' top laner could be viewed as either hugely successful, or nothing special. Though his jungle abilities transferred over well (as evidenced by his great initiations and teamfighting), his play was only spectacular on popular tanks Shen and Zac, though there were elements of good carry play in his Jayce. inSec will have had to broaden his champion pool in the off-season, lest the KT Bullets fall victim to slow adoption of the metagame. Their play will likely not be affected too greatly by Season 4 changes, as Riot tends to reward aggressive play in the way they balance the game. Expect more aggressive initiations from the KT Bullets' dive squad of inSec, KaKAO and Ryu, and more stalwart, conservative play from Score and Mafa. Though the KT Bullets did not have an easy road to second in Champions Summer, their attempt at their first victory will be met with great opposition, as they find themselves in Group B, the group of death, alongside NaJin Black Sword and Samsung Galaxy Blue.Starters: Acorn (Top), Spirit (Jungle), PawN (Mid), Deft (AD), Heart (Support)Substitutes: N/ALast Finish: 9th-16thPlayer(s) to watch: PawNThere is something to be said about the Samsung Galaxy teams. Like their parent company, at some point in time they were the fastest upward-moving teams in the world. After seasons upon seasons of failure, and countless resources invested in a top laner who constantly failed to deliver, MVP Ozone reversed their fortunes to win Champions Spring in a shutout against the dominant CJ Entus Blaze. And now, it would seem that it is Blue's turn to step up. Samsung Galaxy Blue is currently the most talked-about team among speculators, and for good reason - with just one position change, they have gone from imp's punching bag to top Korean team. The replacement of easyhoon (who, paradoxically, was considered Blue's strongest player) with ex-MiG mid laner WonSeok was highly baffling, and with the recent slump of Ozone, the acquisition of the MVP teams by Samsung seemed to be an absolute disaster.Blue, on the other hand, had different plans. Three of their players changed their names, ushering in a new era for the team that had been in agony for so long. PawN destroyed Faker to lead his team to a 2:0 win against incumbent world champions SK Telecom T1 K, and stamped Samsung Galaxy Blue's name on the world stage. Although they fell to the revitalised CJ Entus Blaze in the final of the WCG qualifier, they achieved more than any of us could ever imagine by shaking off past failures to knock down the iron door of Korea's elite. As a team, they play more aggressively than their Ozone brothers, with early roams from both Acorn and PawN to apply pressure on global objectives. Acorn and Spirit tend to favour team-oriented champions, while PawN and Deft (the latter of which considered close to imp's equal in terms of mechanical ability) are left to do the carrying. While they do not do anything out of the ordinary, they are certainly one of the most important teams to watch coming into Champions Winter. Should they win, Samsung Galaxy will join CJ Entus in fielding two Champions.

Stopping the Bleeding

The bitterness of defeat can drive some players to avoid playing out of fear of losing, but for some, it can notivate them to achieve greater heights. A tournament as diverse as Champions will contain teams that are currently in agony, teams that are in the midst of solving their problems, and teams that have successfully overcome hurdles to achieve success. The majority of teams choose to jump these hurdles through roster changes - and indeed, the Korean scene is incredibly pragmatic with roster changes, as any player who does not bring a popular, marketable personality to a team will usually be kicked or benched for underperformance. The following teams have all attempted to stop their bleeding to some extent, and time will tell as to whether or not they have ultimately succeeded.



CJ Entus Blaze

Starters: Flame (Top), Daydream (Jungle), Ambition (Mid), Emperor (AD), Lustboy (Support)

Substitutes: BaeMe (Mid), Cpt Jack (AD)

Last Finish: 5th-8th

Player(s) to watch: Daydream, Emperor



In the aftermath of Champions Spring 2013, CJ Entus' coaching and management staff were presented with an important issue - how could they get their teams back on track? Blaze tore through Champions Spring with a nearly invincible split push strategy, revolving around Flame and his ability to outlane virtually every other player, and grow to the point where he could not be dealt with one-on-one. Yet, they faltered at the last minute when MVP Ozone crafted a strategy to not only mitigate Flame's impact on the game, but also to capitalise on Blaze's weak duo lane. As more teams adopted MVP Ozone's approach to dealing with Blaze, their performance relative to other teams fell greatly. However, instead of stubbornly trying the same strategy three seasons in a row, Blaze found a solution in jungler Daydream and AD carry Emperor.



Daydream has always been notable for incredibly aggressive early jungling, even daring to play Smite/Ignite Yorick against elite jungler DanDy (and taking first blood against him at that). One of the fastest adopters of Aatrox in Korea, Daydream's play will remind many of OMG's LoveLin, as he seeks kills early. Similarly, Emperor's aggressive laning perfectly complements Lustboy's mechanical ability and aggression in lane. Though Blaze have lost Helios' strong vision control and Cpt Jack's incredible teamfighting, they have gained an entire toolbox of opportunities in the more aggressive, kill-oriented playstyle of their new players. On top of this, their old standards have not been thrown out the window, with Ambition regaining form, seen most directly in the WCG Korean qualifiers. CJ Entus' one-trick pony, with two position changes, has become more like an elite warhorse, with limitless plays at its disposal. In Group A, 'Neo Blaze' will be tested from the get-go, and will have no time to rest as their new roster is thrown straight into the deep end against reigning Korean and world champions SK Telecom T1 K.



CJ Entus Frost

Starters: Shy (Top), Helios (Jungle), RapidStar (Mid), Space (AD), MadLife (Support)

Substitutes: Ganked by Mom (Mid), MakNooN (Mid)

Last Finish: 4th

Player(s) to watch: Helios, MakNooN



CJ Entus Frost may well be the only professional League of Legends team in the world with three mid laners on their roster. Yet, the decision to acquire MakNooN for the mid lane is not a surprising one, when Frost's mid lane has been the wound that has been bleeding for the last few seasons. While Frost are very, very far from a weak team (their lowest finish in any Champions season being fourth), it's clear that there's something missing in the team that is preventing them from reaching their former glory and come out on top of Korea once again. In Champions Summer, Frost's hopes were on Ganked by Mom, their rookie mid laner. Despite a great performance in the group stage, his limited champion pool and nervousness under the spotlight made him a temporary fix more than anything.



With the acquisition of MakNooN, however, Frost has been thrown on its head. Some speculate that CJ Entus' acquisition of MakNooN is simply an attention grab, while others believe it is a polite way of telling RapidStar to retire after two weak seasons. Yet, no one can deny MakNooN's immense game knowledge and shotcalling ability in-game. With the loss of CloudTemplar, the last strong voice remaining in the team is Shy, who does not seem to be entirely comfortable in the shotcalling role. Frost have been quiet in the off-season, especially with the WCG roster lock (MakNooN has not played any tournament games with Frost due to this), but with one of Korea's best teams as a scrim partner, they are sure to have prepared something for Winter. If Winter is coming, then Frost are the perfect team to blow open some doors.



Samsung Galaxy Ozone

Starters: Looper (Top), DanDy (Jungle), Dade (Mid), imp (AD), Mata (Support)

Substitutes: Homme (Top)

Last Finish: 3rd

Player(s) to watch: Looper, Dade



If there's anything to be said about Samsung Galaxy Ozone, it is that they are unpredictable. After a mediocre group stage in Champions Spring (all wins carried by imp, of course), they shut out KT Rolster B in a shocking sweep and moved on to show SK Telecom T1 K their place as rookies. Even after this, they were not given much of a chance by audiences as they faced season favourites CJ Entus Blaze. Yet, despite all odds, they swept the in-form Blaze to take a Champions title. As SK Telecom T1 K won Champions Summer, Ozone's spot in the Season 3 World Championship was locked in, where they performed the worst out of any Korean team, not even making it to the bracket stage. The switch-in of Looper into the top lane seemed like a good idea, but he did not bring anything to the table other than a disrespectful Singed. The biggest shock of all was the incredibly poor performance of mid laner Dade, who missed Gragas barrels left and right, as well as feeding in multiple games.



After being crucified online by Korean 'fans', Samsung Galaxy Ozone needed to find a way to stop the bleeding. It would be fair to say that so far, they have not succeeded. Falling to their sister team Blue 2:0 in the WCG qualifiers (though Blue are by no means a bad team), they have not recaptured the spark they had in seasons past. Though their stubbornness in the past paid off as Homme raised his level of play dramatically, their reluctance to change players may be their downfall in winter. If they are able to make Dade improve his play and discipline imp's champion selections, there is no reason why they cannot be the first team to take two Champions titles. But for now, Ozone fans will need to trust that the team knows what they are doing, and as they find themselves in the less competitive Group C, they will have more time to do so.

The bitterness of defeat can drive some players to avoid playing out of fear of losing, but for some, it can notivate them to achieve greater heights. A tournament as diverse as Champions will contain teams that are currently in agony, teams that are in the midst of solving their problems, and teams that have successfully overcome hurdles to achieve success. The majority of teams choose to jump these hurdles through roster changes - and indeed, the Korean scene is incredibly pragmatic with roster changes, as any player who does not bring a popular, marketable personality to a team will usually be kicked or benched for underperformance. The following teams have all attempted to stop their bleeding to some extent, and time will tell as to whether or not they have ultimately succeeded.Starters: Flame (Top), Daydream (Jungle), Ambition (Mid), Emperor (AD), Lustboy (Support)Substitutes: BaeMe (Mid), Cpt Jack (AD)Last Finish: 5th-8thPlayer(s) to watch: Daydream, EmperorIn the aftermath of Champions Spring 2013, CJ Entus' coaching and management staff were presented with an important issue - how could they get their teams back on track? Blaze tore through Champions Spring with a nearly invincible split push strategy, revolving around Flame and his ability to outlane virtually every other player, and grow to the point where he could not be dealt with one-on-one. Yet, they faltered at the last minute when MVP Ozone crafted a strategy to not only mitigate Flame's impact on the game, but also to capitalise on Blaze's weak duo lane. As more teams adopted MVP Ozone's approach to dealing with Blaze, their performance relative to other teams fell greatly. However, instead of stubbornly trying the same strategy three seasons in a row, Blaze found a solution in jungler Daydream and AD carry Emperor.Daydream has always been notable for incredibly aggressive early jungling, even daring to play Smite/Ignite Yorick against elite jungler DanDy (and taking first blood against him at that). One of the fastest adopters of Aatrox in Korea, Daydream's play will remind many of OMG's LoveLin, as he seeks kills early. Similarly, Emperor's aggressive laning perfectly complements Lustboy's mechanical ability and aggression in lane. Though Blaze have lost Helios' strong vision control and Cpt Jack's incredible teamfighting, they have gained an entire toolbox of opportunities in the more aggressive, kill-oriented playstyle of their new players. On top of this, their old standards have not been thrown out the window, with Ambition regaining form, seen most directly in the WCG Korean qualifiers. CJ Entus' one-trick pony, with two position changes, has become more like an elite warhorse, with limitless plays at its disposal. In Group A, 'Neo Blaze' will be tested from the get-go, and will have no time to rest as their new roster is thrown straight into the deep end against reigning Korean and world champions SK Telecom T1 K.Starters: Shy (Top), Helios (Jungle), RapidStar (Mid), Space (AD), MadLife (Support)Substitutes: Ganked by Mom (Mid), MakNooN (Mid)Last Finish: 4thPlayer(s) to watch: Helios, MakNooNCJ Entus Frost may well be the only professional League of Legends team in the world with three mid laners on their roster. Yet, the decision to acquire MakNooN for the mid lane is not a surprising one, when Frost's mid lane has been the wound that has been bleeding for the last few seasons. While Frost are very, very far from a weak team (their lowest finish in any Champions season being fourth), it's clear that there's something missing in the team that is preventing them from reaching their former glory and come out on top of Korea once again. In Champions Summer, Frost's hopes were on Ganked by Mom, their rookie mid laner. Despite a great performance in the group stage, his limited champion pool and nervousness under the spotlight made him a temporary fix more than anything.With the acquisition of MakNooN, however, Frost has been thrown on its head. Some speculate that CJ Entus' acquisition of MakNooN is simply an attention grab, while others believe it is a polite way of telling RapidStar to retire after two weak seasons. Yet, no one can deny MakNooN's immense game knowledge and shotcalling ability in-game. With the loss of CloudTemplar, the last strong voice remaining in the team is Shy, who does not seem to be entirely comfortable in the shotcalling role. Frost have been quiet in the off-season, especially with the WCG roster lock (MakNooN has not played any tournament games with Frost due to this), but with one of Korea's best teams as a scrim partner, they are sure to have prepared something for Winter. If Winter is coming, then Frost are the perfect team to blow open some doors.Starters: Looper (Top), DanDy (Jungle), Dade (Mid), imp (AD), Mata (Support)Substitutes: Homme (Top)Last Finish: 3rdPlayer(s) to watch: Looper, DadeIf there's anything to be said about Samsung Galaxy Ozone, it is that they are unpredictable. After a mediocre group stage in Champions Spring (all wins carried by imp, of course), they shut out KT Rolster B in a shocking sweep and moved on to show SK Telecom T1 K their place as rookies. Even after this, they were not given much of a chance by audiences as they faced season favourites CJ Entus Blaze. Yet, despite all odds, they swept the in-form Blaze to take a Champions title. As SK Telecom T1 K won Champions Summer, Ozone's spot in the Season 3 World Championship was locked in, where they performed the worst out of any Korean team, not even making it to the bracket stage. The switch-in of Looper into the top lane seemed like a good idea, but he did not bring anything to the table other than a disrespectful Singed. The biggest shock of all was the incredibly poor performance of mid laner Dade, who missed Gragas barrels left and right, as well as feeding in multiple games.After being crucified online by Korean 'fans', Samsung Galaxy Ozone needed to find a way to stop the bleeding. It would be fair to say that so far, they have not succeeded. Falling to their sister team Blue 2:0 in the WCG qualifiers (though Blue are by no means a bad team), they have not recaptured the spark they had in seasons past. Though their stubbornness in the past paid off as Homme raised his level of play dramatically, their reluctance to change players may be their downfall in winter. If they are able to make Dade improve his play and discipline imp's champion selections, there is no reason why they cannot be the first team to take two Champions titles. But for now, Ozone fans will need to trust that the team knows what they are doing, and as they find themselves in the less competitive Group C, they will have more time to do so.

Middle of the Pack

What do the Jin Air Falcons and the Los Angeles Lakers have in common? Aside from the fact that their shortest players are also their best playmakers (though Steve Nash would crush Reapered in one-on-one street ball), the Falcons and the Lakers are both long-time fan favourites that have not enjoyed much recent success. It isn't just the Jin Air Falcons, though. Season after season, a few teams have been able to qualify for Champions, but not see much success. Yet, MVP Ozone were the first to break the mold in Champions Spring, blowing the gate wide open for any amount of possibilities. These teams have valuable experience in competitive play, and are not to be underrated.



NaJin White Shield

Starters: Save (Top), NoFe (Jungle), GGOONG (Mid), Zefa (AD), GorillA (Support)

Substitutes: N/A

Last finish: 5th-8th

Player(s) to watch: NoFe, GGOONG



Though NaJin White Shield consistently win their groups, they have always failed to make it past the quarter-final stage of Champions. They are by no means a bad team, but they have historically been outclassed. Yet, they remain a popular team due to their pedigree as one of the oldest teams in Korean League of Legends (though none of the original NaJin e-mFire players remain). After multiple roster swaps, NaJin White Shield are making history by coming into Champions Winter with no changes in their starting roster. Save's top lane play has been consistently improving since coming into the position, while GGOONG has adjusted very well to competitive League of Legends after his switch from StarCraft 2.



On the other hand, the veteran jungler NoFe has hit a wall in his play. Though very respected for his aggressive jungle play and uncanny ability to track the enemy jungler through the fog of war, his play showed cracks in Champions Summer against newer junglers. Shield fans will have to hope that he does not go the way of CloudTemplar in being unable to keep up with younger junglers. Should he switch gears, however, we may see a NoFe that may not have as great of an impact from his position as before, much like CloudTemplar and his uninspiring carnivore play. Yet, he has Sword's watch to practise against, and his shotcalling ability will be a great boon in the upcoming, volatile Season 4 metagame. NaJin White Shield's low-economy, objective-focused gameplay will be an interesting addition to Group C as they try to swat off two young teams.



Jin Air Greenwings Stealths

Starters: TrAce (Top), MuMu (Jungle), HooN (Mid), Mystic (AD), IceBear (Support)

Substitutes: RealFoxy (Jungle), Utan E (Jungle)

Last finish: 9th-16th

Player(s) to watch: HooN



Despite being picked up by the new KeSPA team Jin Air Greenwings, HooN's team will always be known as HooN's team, and for good reason too. The enigmatic mid laner, despite being incredibly skilled, is still regarded by most as a completely average Korean mid laner. Despite this, however, he commands a certain aura that his team rallies around, and it may be for this reason that the Stealths have enjoyed success in various off-season tournaments. The Jin Air Stealths put up a good fight against NaJin White Shield in the WCG qualifier, and with the acquisition of a talented AD carry (on top of three junglers) in Mystic, they have a lot to look forward to as they ride their momentum into Champions.



As they find themselves in Group D, the Stealths have a good shot at making it to the bracket stage over their Falcons counterparts. With lots of experience against top teams, their improving team chemistry should reach greater heights in Champions Winter. Like NaJin White Shield, their improvement has been slow and steady, focusing more on solid, aggressive macro play rather than their individual strengths as players. If TrAce ever gets to play his treasured Rengar, the Stealths will surely not disappoint. No one is holding their breath for a total victory, but if any mid-tier team is to generate whispers and speculation this season, it will be HooN's Stealths.



Jin Air Greenwings Falcons

Starters: Miso (Top), ActScene (Jungle), Reapered (Mid), Roar (AD), StarLast (Support)

Substitutes: N/A

Last finish: 5th-8th

Player(s) to watch: Reapered, Roar



With Reapered playing three positions in three seasons, it's hard to be optimistic about the Jin Air Greenwings Falcons, as he appears to have regressed in ability with the difficulties that come with a change in position. Yet, two favourable position changes should offset the downside of moving Reapered once again. With ActScene moving into the jungle, the Falcons' weak early game is bolstered by his aggressive carnivore play. Roar moving back to AD is a huge boon for the Falcons, as his synergy with StarLast ranks him high among Korean AD players. Ultimately, the performance of the Falcons this season will come down to the solo laners Miso and Reapered. After an uninspiring summer season, the two will not be able to get away with lackluster play again, and must do their best to keep up with other players in their respective positions.



Since his MiG Blaze days, Reapered's greatest strength has always been his incredible analytical skills and willingness to try new strategies. As one of Korea's most respected playcallers, Reapered's leadership means that the Falcons should not have many problems adjusting to each other and playing on the big stage. Though they have slowly declined and moved in the opposite direction to the Stealths, the Falcons somehow manage to win their group season after season. By the blessings of the League of Legends gods, they find themselves in Group D, where there are no clear winners. While it would not be surprising to see them win their group and bomb out in the round of 8 again, it would hardly be surprising to see the Falcons struggle this season as they prepare for the long-term.



Incredible Miracle #2

Starters: PLL (Top), Reign Over (Jungle), kurO (Mid), BetKyo (AD), Ondal (Support)

Substitutes: N/A

Last finish: 9th-16th

Player(s) to watch: kurO, BetKyo



Despite losing their title sponsor, Incredible Miracle #2 are still training and working hard, and have managed to make it into two consecutive Champions tournaments. Regarded as a talented amateur team, they have a wealth of competitive experience under their belts after two decent NLB seasons and a good show in Champions Summer. Audiences are still excited about Incredible Miracle #2, especially after the acquisition of a new AD carry in BetKyo from public tryouts. Through history, Incredible Miracle has always been a particularly frustrating team, due to their talents in solo queue and prowess in the amateur scene being unable to translate over to the Champions level of play. Not everyone can be a winner, though, and if nothing else, Incredible Miracle #2 are doing well for themselves.



Even with the addition of BetKyo to the roster, kurO is still the main player to watch as the mid laner that made Incredible Miracle #2 a name to begin with. Displaying masterful play of safer, team-oriented carries such as Orianna and Gragas, kurO has outplayed top-level mid laners in the past and will certainly have his mettle tested against his Group B opponents in Ryu, Nagne and PawN. If anything, this is a fantastic opportunity for the team to develop their strategy against top-level opponents. Should Incredible Miracle #2 manage to tighten their playcalling and take a win in their (very competitive) group, they could very well pull an Ozone and ride the momentum to a top finish.



Xenics Storm

Starters: GimGoon (Top), Swift (Jungle), CoCo (Mid), Arrow (AD), Piccaboo (Support)

Substitutes: N/A

Last finish: 9th-16th

Player(s) to watch: GimGoon, CoCo



With three position changes this season, Xenics Storm cannot really be considered a veteran of Champions, but with the long history of the team and the fact that each Storm player has a reasonable amount of competitive experience, they are certainly not as inexperienced as some of the debut teams this season. The replacement of 'Crazy' Ragan (who left for mandatory military service) with young top laner GimGoon has been a bit of a controversial one, mostly because of GimGoon's notoriety on the Korean server. Despite his toxic leanings, however, GimGoon is an abnormally talented player who finds himself in the shadow of his SK Telecom T1 S counterpart MaRin. Hailed as the next MakNooN due to his highly aggressive, dive-oriented playstyle, GimGoon failed to qualify for Champions Summer but has made it into Champions Winter through Xenics Storm. He will almost certainly raise some trouble in Group D, especially with how tight the group is.



In the jungle, Swift has replaced Daydream (who moved on to greener pastures in the form of CJ Entus Blaze), acting as a spiritual successor to his predecessor with aggressive early jungling, with a strong focus on kills. His synergy with mid laner CoCo is praiseworthy, as he often gives CoCo an early lead to snowball the game with through mobile assassin picks. Filling in support is Piccaboo, who has shown a rapid adoption of new support flavour of the month Annie. With a preference for early roaming, Piccaboo has shown promise in assisting Swift in snowballing the early game. While Xenics Storm do prefer strong early game compositions, their late-game may be lacking as they still lack the disciplined playcalling of more experienced teams. Nevertheless, with this much young talent on the team, they should be a blast to watch (unlike, of course, their sister team Blast).

What do the Jin Air Falcons and the Los Angeles Lakers have in common? Aside from the fact that their shortest players are also their best playmakers (though Steve Nash would crush Reapered in one-on-one street ball), the Falcons and the Lakers are both long-time fan favourites that have not enjoyed much recent success. It isn't just the Jin Air Falcons, though. Season after season, a few teams have been able to qualify for Champions, but not see much success. Yet, MVP Ozone were the first to break the mold in Champions Spring, blowing the gate wide open for any amount of possibilities. These teams have valuable experience in competitive play, and are not to be underrated.Starters: Save (Top), NoFe (Jungle), GGOONG (Mid), Zefa (AD), GorillA (Support)Substitutes: N/ALast finish: 5th-8thPlayer(s) to watch: NoFe, GGOONGThough NaJin White Shield consistently win their groups, they have always failed to make it past the quarter-final stage of Champions. They are by no means a bad team, but they have historically been outclassed. Yet, they remain a popular team due to their pedigree as one of the oldest teams in Korean League of Legends (though none of the original NaJin e-mFire players remain). After multiple roster swaps, NaJin White Shield are making history by coming into Champions Winter with no changes in their starting roster. Save's top lane play has been consistently improving since coming into the position, while GGOONG has adjusted very well to competitive League of Legends after his switch from StarCraft 2.On the other hand, the veteran jungler NoFe has hit a wall in his play. Though very respected for his aggressive jungle play and uncanny ability to track the enemy jungler through the fog of war, his play showed cracks in Champions Summer against newer junglers. Shield fans will have to hope that he does not go the way of CloudTemplar in being unable to keep up with younger junglers. Should he switch gears, however, we may see a NoFe that may not have as great of an impact from his position as before, much like CloudTemplar and his uninspiring carnivore play. Yet, he has Sword's watch to practise against, and his shotcalling ability will be a great boon in the upcoming, volatile Season 4 metagame. NaJin White Shield's low-economy, objective-focused gameplay will be an interesting addition to Group C as they try to swat off two young teams.Starters: TrAce (Top), MuMu (Jungle), HooN (Mid), Mystic (AD), IceBear (Support)Substitutes: RealFoxy (Jungle), Utan E (Jungle)Last finish: 9th-16thPlayer(s) to watch: HooNDespite being picked up by the new KeSPA team Jin Air Greenwings, HooN's team will always be known as HooN's team, and for good reason too. The enigmatic mid laner, despite being incredibly skilled, is still regarded by most as a completely average Korean mid laner. Despite this, however, he commands a certain aura that his team rallies around, and it may be for this reason that the Stealths have enjoyed success in various off-season tournaments. The Jin Air Stealths put up a good fight against NaJin White Shield in the WCG qualifier, and with the acquisition of a talented AD carry (on top of three junglers) in Mystic, they have a lot to look forward to as they ride their momentum into Champions.As they find themselves in Group D, the Stealths have a good shot at making it to the bracket stage over their Falcons counterparts. With lots of experience against top teams, their improving team chemistry should reach greater heights in Champions Winter. Like NaJin White Shield, their improvement has been slow and steady, focusing more on solid, aggressive macro play rather than their individual strengths as players. If TrAce ever gets to play his treasured Rengar, the Stealths will surely not disappoint. No one is holding their breath for a total victory, but if any mid-tier team is to generate whispers and speculation this season, it will be HooN's Stealths.Starters: Miso (Top), ActScene (Jungle), Reapered (Mid), Roar (AD), StarLast (Support)Substitutes: N/ALast finish: 5th-8thPlayer(s) to watch: Reapered, RoarWith Reapered playing three positions in three seasons, it's hard to be optimistic about the Jin Air Greenwings Falcons, as he appears to have regressed in ability with the difficulties that come with a change in position. Yet, two favourable position changes should offset the downside of moving Reapered once again. With ActScene moving into the jungle, the Falcons' weak early game is bolstered by his aggressive carnivore play. Roar moving back to AD is a huge boon for the Falcons, as his synergy with StarLast ranks him high among Korean AD players. Ultimately, the performance of the Falcons this season will come down to the solo laners Miso and Reapered. After an uninspiring summer season, the two will not be able to get away with lackluster play again, and must do their best to keep up with other players in their respective positions.Since his MiG Blaze days, Reapered's greatest strength has always been his incredible analytical skills and willingness to try new strategies. As one of Korea's most respected playcallers, Reapered's leadership means that the Falcons should not have many problems adjusting to each other and playing on the big stage. Though they have slowly declined and moved in the opposite direction to the Stealths, the Falcons somehow manage to win their group season after season. By the blessings of the League of Legends gods, they find themselves in Group D, where there are no clear winners. While it would not be surprising to see them win their group and bomb out in the round of 8 again, it would hardly be surprising to see the Falcons struggle this season as they prepare for the long-term.Starters: PLL (Top), Reign Over (Jungle), kurO (Mid), BetKyo (AD), Ondal (Support)Substitutes: N/ALast finish: 9th-16thPlayer(s) to watch: kurO, BetKyoDespite losing their title sponsor, Incredible Miracle #2 are still training and working hard, and have managed to make it into two consecutive Champions tournaments. Regarded as a talented amateur team, they have a wealth of competitive experience under their belts after two decent NLB seasons and a good show in Champions Summer. Audiences are still excited about Incredible Miracle #2, especially after the acquisition of a new AD carry in BetKyo from public tryouts. Through history, Incredible Miracle has always been a particularly frustrating team, due to their talents in solo queue and prowess in the amateur scene being unable to translate over to the Champions level of play. Not everyone can be a winner, though, and if nothing else, Incredible Miracle #2 are doing well for themselves.Even with the addition of BetKyo to the roster, kurO is still the main player to watch as the mid laner that made Incredible Miracle #2 a name to begin with. Displaying masterful play of safer, team-oriented carries such as Orianna and Gragas, kurO has outplayed top-level mid laners in the past and will certainly have his mettle tested against his Group B opponents in Ryu, Nagne and PawN. If anything, this is a fantastic opportunity for the team to develop their strategy against top-level opponents. Should Incredible Miracle #2 manage to tighten their playcalling and take a win in their (very competitive) group, they could very well pull an Ozone and ride the momentum to a top finish.Starters: GimGoon (Top), Swift (Jungle), CoCo (Mid), Arrow (AD), Piccaboo (Support)Substitutes: N/ALast finish: 9th-16thPlayer(s) to watch: GimGoon, CoCoWith three position changes this season, Xenics Storm cannot really be considered a veteran of Champions, but with the long history of the team and the fact that each Storm player has a reasonable amount of competitive experience, they are certainly not as inexperienced as some of the debut teams this season. The replacement of 'Crazy' Ragan (who left for mandatory military service) with young top laner GimGoon has been a bit of a controversial one, mostly because of GimGoon's notoriety on the Korean server. Despite his toxic leanings, however, GimGoon is an abnormally talented player who finds himself in the shadow of his SK Telecom T1 S counterpart MaRin. Hailed as the next MakNooN due to his highly aggressive, dive-oriented playstyle, GimGoon failed to qualify for Champions Summer but has made it into Champions Winter through Xenics Storm. He will almost certainly raise some trouble in Group D, especially with how tight the group is.In the jungle, Swift has replaced Daydream (who moved on to greener pastures in the form of CJ Entus Blaze), acting as a spiritual successor to his predecessor with aggressive early jungling, with a strong focus on kills. His synergy with mid laner CoCo is praiseworthy, as he often gives CoCo an early lead to snowball the game with through mobile assassin picks. Filling in support is Piccaboo, who has shown a rapid adoption of new support flavour of the month Annie. With a preference for early roaming, Piccaboo has shown promise in assisting Swift in snowballing the early game. While Xenics Storm do prefer strong early game compositions, their late-game may be lacking as they still lack the disciplined playcalling of more experienced teams. Nevertheless, with this much young talent on the team, they should be a blast to watch (unlike, of course, their sister team Blast).

Walking the Royal Road

A long and revered tradition of the OnGameNet Starleague in years past, the Royal Road yet to be walked by any Champions rookies (though SK Telecom T1 K came incredibly close in their debut season, falling 3:1 to MVP Ozone, the tournament's eventual winners). As such, the first Champions Royal Roader is still highly anticipated by fans. This season, we will see four teams which (mostly) consist of players completely new to the Champions tournament. There is something said to about young talent, and SK Telecom T1 K are living testament to the power of taking solo queue heroes and turning them into true competitive players. When all is said and done, rookie teams in Champions tend to enjoy success afterwards, as sponsors and audiences begin to notice their play. Look forward to these four teams, as they have not had much broadcasted play to date.



Team NB

Starters: LongPanda (Top), minijam (Jungle), Elf (Mid), asd (AD), MyLittlePony (Support)

Substitutes: N/A

Last Finish: N/A

Player(s) to watch: LongPanda, asd



Not much is known about Team NB, apart from two key points. Firstly, LongPanda, the top laner in constant agony, is back in Champions. Though often mocked for being a subpar player, he has gained somewhat of a cult following for his lovable personality and in-game antics. Team NB is a promising amateur team, and under the leadership of an experienced player such as LongPanda (who has shown some improvement since his dark days), they have a lot of scope to improve. AD carry asd is of special note and is easily the highlight of Team NB due to his incredible mechanics on hypercarries such as Vayne.



Should Team NB win a game in the absurdly difficult Group A, it will be through their disciplined teamfighting and asd putting the team on his back. Against beasts like SK Telecom T1, however, their overall weak laning could make reaching the teamfighting stage too difficult for the amateur team. As long as LongPanda has his Panda Note, however, defeat is never an impossibility.



Team Dark

Starters: Chop (Top), Savila (Jungle), Plls (Mid), It Now (AD), Gi BaO (Support)

Substitutes: N/A

Last Finish: N/A

Player(s) to watch: Chop



It seems any mention of Team Dark is incomplete without mention of their former captain Apdo. Indeed, the team formerly known as We Came To Slay The Peasants (rough translation) will not be fielding the infamous solo queue hero Apdo in Champions, drastically decreasing their stock in the eyes of audiences and overall making them a less exciting team. However, Team Dark is not without its notable players - top laner Chop played for NaJin Black Sword after MakNooN's departure from the team, and was relegated to a substitute position when Expession joined the team. Seeking a starter spot, he found his way onto Team Dark, where his competitive experience has carried the team to eventually qualifying for Champions Winter.



Chop's play is said to rival that of other elite top laners such as Shy and Impact, and as such he will definitely be the focus of Team Dark's compositions. Team Dark, like the old NaJin Sword, play a low-economy game with a focus on grouping for early objectives. Unfortunately for them, however, they will meet NaJin White Shield in Group C, who have more experience against this kind of play than any other team in the world, by virtue of being Sword's scrim partners. Fans of Team Dark will need to cross their fingers for Chop to carry, and continue supporting the #FreeApdo cause on social media.



Alienware Andromeda

Starters: Gamsu (Top), Nova (Jungle), Pera (Mid), Kite (AD), Jelly (Support)

Substitutes: Zoony

Last Finish: N/A

Player(s) to watch: Pera



Alienware Andromeda are one of the more promising amateur teams debuting in Champions Winter this year, with an air of professionalism not quite matched by Team NB or Team Dark (owing in part to their sponsor). The only team in Champions Winter with a roster containing no players with true competitive experience, they have looked fairly good despite their lack of pedigree. Like many amateur teams, Alienware Andromeda's focus is on their mid laner Pera. Favouring strong assassin picks such as Kha'Zix, the team gives him as much farm as possible to allow him to carry. Alienware Andromeda focuses on using the presence of an assassin to force objectives throughout the early to mid-game, but could fall to more disciplined map play.



Outside of Pera, none of Alienware Andromeda's members are spectacular. However, what they lack in star power they make up for in great teamwork, though their playcalling tends to fall apart when games go too long. In Group D, they will have the opportunity to play against a few weaker teams, which may act as a springboard for their professional careers. Overall, Alienware Andromeda have a lot of potential, which is being nurtured well by their professional coaching staff



SK Telecom T1 S

Starters: MaRin (Top), Beelzehan (Jungle), easyhoon (Mid), Bang (AD), Wolf (Support)

Substitutes: N/A

Last Finish: N/A

Player(s) to watch: MaRin, Beelzehan



The Dark Lord Beelzehan has risen from the ashes of SK Telecom T1 Terminator to create a team of loyal minions, and with three previous Champions players, this 'rookie' team is by far the strongest of the lot and a very strong candidate for walking the Royal Road. When it comes to SK Telecom T1 S, MaRin will inevitably come up in the conversation, and for good reason - he is widely considered to be the Faker of top lane. MaRin's origins are almost exactly the same as Faker's, reaching first on the Korean solo queue ladder and being scouted out by an organisation. For a while, MaRin was merely training in the SK Telecom T1 house, but when easyhoon, Bang and Wolf were recruited, he suddenly became the leading man of a monstrously scary rookie team.



The S in the team's name stands for speed, and SK Telecom T1 S exemplify the concept of speed in everything they do. When their sister team made their Champions debut, they were known for high-octane, aggressive play centred around Faker's roaming. In many ways, SK Telecom T1 S is a mirror of the SK Telecom T1 Judgment Day that turned Champions Spring upside down. MaRin plays a high-roam style, creating picks for his team to push objectives on. Beelzehan is a control jungler much like bengi, focusing on vision control and enabling his team to achieve their early game objectives. SK Telecom T1 S are very opportunistic in their play, choosing not to play an overly active laning phase, but rather waiting for knowledge of the jungler's position before diving in. With a methodical plan for victory, SK Telecom T1 S' playstyle entirely revolves around one question: "Can we go in yet?". In Group A against huge teams such as SK Telecom T1 K, the rookie team is praying that they can answer "Yes.".

A long and revered tradition of the OnGameNet Starleague in years past, the Royal Road yet to be walked by any Champions rookies (though SK Telecom T1 K came incredibly close in their debut season, falling 3:1 to MVP Ozone, the tournament's eventual winners). As such, the first Champions Royal Roader is still highly anticipated by fans. This season, we will see four teams which (mostly) consist of players completely new to the Champions tournament. There is something said to about young talent, and SK Telecom T1 K are living testament to the power of taking solo queue heroes and turning them into true competitive players. When all is said and done, rookie teams in Champions tend to enjoy success afterwards, as sponsors and audiences begin to notice their play. Look forward to these four teams, as they have not had much broadcasted play to date.Starters: LongPanda (Top), minijam (Jungle), Elf (Mid), asd (AD), MyLittlePony (Support)Substitutes: N/ALast Finish: N/APlayer(s) to watch: LongPanda, asdNot much is known about Team NB, apart from two key points. Firstly, LongPanda, the top laner in constant agony, is back in Champions. Though often mocked for being a subpar player, he has gained somewhat of a cult following for his lovable personality and in-game antics. Team NB is a promising amateur team, and under the leadership of an experienced player such as LongPanda (who has shown some improvement since his dark days), they have a lot of scope to improve. AD carry asd is of special note and is easily the highlight of Team NB due to his incredible mechanics on hypercarries such as Vayne.Should Team NB win a game in the absurdly difficult Group A, it will be through their disciplined teamfighting and asd putting the team on his back. Against beasts like SK Telecom T1, however, their overall weak laning could make reaching the teamfighting stage too difficult for the amateur team. As long as LongPanda has his Panda Note, however, defeat is never an impossibility.Starters: Chop (Top), Savila (Jungle), Plls (Mid), It Now (AD), Gi BaO (Support)Substitutes: N/ALast Finish: N/APlayer(s) to watch: ChopIt seems any mention of Team Dark is incomplete without mention of their former captain Apdo. Indeed, the team formerly known as We Came To Slay The Peasants (rough translation) will not be fielding the infamous solo queue hero Apdo in Champions, drastically decreasing their stock in the eyes of audiences and overall making them a less exciting team. However, Team Dark is not without its notable players - top laner Chop played for NaJin Black Sword after MakNooN's departure from the team, and was relegated to a substitute position when Expession joined the team. Seeking a starter spot, he found his way onto Team Dark, where his competitive experience has carried the team to eventually qualifying for Champions Winter.Chop's play is said to rival that of other elite top laners such as Shy and Impact, and as such he will definitely be the focus of Team Dark's compositions. Team Dark, like the old NaJin Sword, play a low-economy game with a focus on grouping for early objectives. Unfortunately for them, however, they will meet NaJin White Shield in Group C, who have more experience against this kind of play than any other team in the world, by virtue of being Sword's scrim partners. Fans of Team Dark will need to cross their fingers for Chop to carry, and continue supporting the #FreeApdo cause on social media.Starters: Gamsu (Top), Nova (Jungle), Pera (Mid), Kite (AD), Jelly (Support)Substitutes: ZoonyLast Finish: N/APlayer(s) to watch: PeraAlienware Andromeda are one of the more promising amateur teams debuting in Champions Winter this year, with an air of professionalism not quite matched by Team NB or Team Dark (owing in part to their sponsor). The only team in Champions Winter with a roster containing no players with true competitive experience, they have looked fairly good despite their lack of pedigree. Like many amateur teams, Alienware Andromeda's focus is on their mid laner Pera. Favouring strong assassin picks such as Kha'Zix, the team gives him as much farm as possible to allow him to carry. Alienware Andromeda focuses on using the presence of an assassin to force objectives throughout the early to mid-game, but could fall to more disciplined map play.Outside of Pera, none of Alienware Andromeda's members are spectacular. However, what they lack in star power they make up for in great teamwork, though their playcalling tends to fall apart when games go too long. In Group D, they will have the opportunity to play against a few weaker teams, which may act as a springboard for their professional careers. Overall, Alienware Andromeda have a lot of potential, which is being nurtured well by their professional coaching staffStarters: MaRin (Top), Beelzehan (Jungle), easyhoon (Mid), Bang (AD), Wolf (Support)Substitutes: N/ALast Finish: N/APlayer(s) to watch: MaRin, BeelzehanThe Dark Lord Beelzehan has risen from the ashes of SK Telecom T1 Terminator to create a team of loyal minions, and with three previous Champions players, this 'rookie' team is by far the strongest of the lot and a very strong candidate for walking the Royal Road. When it comes to SK Telecom T1 S, MaRin will inevitably come up in the conversation, and for good reason - he is widely considered to be the Faker of top lane. MaRin's origins are almost exactly the same as Faker's, reaching first on the Korean solo queue ladder and being scouted out by an organisation. For a while, MaRin was merely training in the SK Telecom T1 house, but when easyhoon, Bang and Wolf were recruited, he suddenly became the leading man of a monstrously scary rookie team.The S in the team's name stands for speed, and SK Telecom T1 S exemplify the concept of speed in everything they do. When their sister team made their Champions debut, they were known for high-octane, aggressive play centred around Faker's roaming. In many ways, SK Telecom T1 S is a mirror of the SK Telecom T1 Judgment Day that turned Champions Spring upside down. MaRin plays a high-roam style, creating picks for his team to push objectives on. Beelzehan is a control jungler much like bengi, focusing on vision control and enabling his team to achieve their early game objectives. SK Telecom T1 S are very opportunistic in their play, choosing not to play an overly active laning phase, but rather waiting for knowledge of the jungler's position before diving in. With a methodical plan for victory, SK Telecom T1 S' playstyle entirely revolves around one question: "Can we go in yet?". In Group A against huge teams such as SK Telecom T1 K, the rookie team is praying that they can answer "Yes.".



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