#1 - Tempest (KR)

Current HGC Ranking (KR): 1st

Last Week's Ranking: #1

Current HGC Record: 5-0

Current Map Score: 15-2 (+13)

This has been quite the surprising year for Tempest. They are now the #1 team in the world, no argument. They not only have beat KSV Black in a 3-0 win, but have now followed it up with a 3-1 victory over Ballistix. Oh yea and they also dropped a map to Feliz this week? Huh?

As for the upcoming week in HGC Korea they have a match vs ACE, which I'm sure is all but a foregone conclusion. Maybe they drop a map randomly again like vs Feliz, but more than likely expect a brutal and quick 3-0 vs an outmatched opponent. They have an intriguing match vs Blossom to end the season. All signs point to a 7-0 series finish for Tempest and the status as favorites heading into Eastern Clash.

#2 - Dignitas (EU)

Current HGC Ranking (EU): 1st

Last Week's Ranking: #3

Current HGC Record: 4-0

Current Map Score: 12-0 (+12)

Dignitas looks amazing this season. EU HGC has been having one of it's most competitive seasons ever with every team able to beat the others and underdogs winning impossible matches. Not when playing vs Dignitas. Right now Dignitas makes the rest of the EU HGC seem a level below them, and they look like a true world class Tier 1 team. If Blizzcon was coming up instead of the clashes, I'd be putting Dignitas as the only team that could stop Tempest.

This week for DIG was done before it started, as they 3-0'd Leftovers in predictable fashion. Next week DIG plays Team Liquid, and finally we get to see Dig vs Fnatic in what should be the series to watch for Week #4. Fnatic is the one team that can be struggling and still beat anyone in the world, a rampaging Dignitas included and Team Liquid is going to be hungry to lock in a Western Clash seed. While I would favor Dignitas in both matchups, the map scores I think will give us the true story on the top of the EU scene. If DIG 3-0's both, then they are going to be a force to be reckoned with. If they struggle and end up with close 3-2's, then maybe they aren't as far ahead as everyone seems to think right now.

#3 - KSV Black (KR)

Current HGC Ranking (KR): 2nd

Last Week's Ranking: #2

Current HGC Record: 4-1

Current Map Score: 12-4 (+8)

KSV is all over the place this season (for KSV). A 3-0 loss to Tempest can now more easily be wrote off now that Tempest beat Ballistix, but dropping a map to Blossom was unexpected and out of form for KSV. KSV wrecks everyone in HGC KR that's not Ballistix and Tempest, every time. They don't get ROFLstomped by the #4 regional team, even if it's just one map. Little flaws keep showing up in the armor that is KSV Black, and for the first time since last Mid Season Brawl they look mortal. I could see a #2 EU/NA team taking a map off them in a BO5. I could see them not making the Grand Finals of Eastern Clash or Mid-Season Brawl. This is long unexplored area for KSV.

The good news is they have time to work on this. The rest of the season is pretty much not important for them, as some insane scenarios happening (like Miracle beating KSV) for them not to qualify for Eastern Clash. They can take this time and steady themselves to win the event that really matters. Getting #1 seed in Korea involves Tempest losing to both ACE and Blossom, so they really can't aim for that. Really right now the only match that matters is vs Ballistix, which will all but lock in the #2 seed for the region.

#4 - Ballistix (KR)

Current HGC Ranking (KR): 3rd

Last Week's Ranking: #4

Current HGC Record: 3-1

Current Map Score: 10-3 (+7)

Not the best week for Ballistix. Losing to the #1 ranked Tempest is not the end of the world, but they looked shaky doing it. This is pretty uncharastic for Ballistix, and could be troubling for times to come. Ballistix has always been a team that could be down 0-2 and come back and win 3-2, they didn't seem to tilt, losses were always the other team being better/drafting better at that time. However there was more pressure on this match then usual, both entering with perfect 9-0 map scores and the winner booked a ticket to the Clash in Taiwan, and sometimes nerves just happen.

The great news for Ballistix is they basically just have to beat Miracle this week and they book that Taiwan ticket. If they hold that win then they have tiebreakers on Blossom/Miracle/Feliz/Ace. This means they would be guaranteed Top 4. However Ballistix follows up the Miracle match with KSV Black, a match I am sure the team will want to win. It's going to be a interesting week for Ballistix, I'm excited to see how they close out this two game week.

#5 - Fnatic (EU)

Current HGC Ranking (EU): 2nd

Last Week's Ranking: #5

Current HGC Record: 4-1

Current Map Score: 14-5 (+9)

This week was a much better week for Fnatic. They look like a team renewed and although they dropped a single map, they were able to clean up both Tricked and Diamond Skin. They are now all but guaranteed to qualify for the Western Clash, and can now focus on fixing the issues that showed up earlier in the season.

In the post game interview Quackniix discussed that they will be changing their in game shot caller heading forward and this change helped Quackniix perform this week. I am always cautious about these changes, and they seem feast or famine. The new shot caller either is a natural and the team immediately sees a surge, or it's just not to the same level as before and they fall off quickly, and end up putting the original back in. Quackniix is a proven shot caller with experience shot calling his team to 2nd place in two Blizzcon's and a 1st in last year's Mid Season Brawl. Improving on that is a tall task, but they have time to figure it out.

#6 - Team Freedom (NA)

Current HGC Ranking (NA): 1st

Last Week's Ranking: #6

Current HGC Record: 4-0

Current Map Score: 12-4 (+8)

Team Freedom is looking fantastic this year. With another 3-0 victory over LFM this week, they are now just one series win away from 100% locking in a slot to Western Clash, and their next match is vs Spacestation Gaming. In other words, they are going to Western Clash. I'm actually intrigued to see how they perform at the Clash, as they haven't looked stand out like DIG, but they just keep getting the W's. I think they could be a possible threat to #2-#4 seeds from EU.

They did not go up in the rankings because beating LFM doesn't quite get you there. They will find themselves struggling to rise until Western Clash too, as all the teams above them have LAN experience with their current rosters, most at a global level. That's something that's a bit different from wrecking NA in an online HGC season. I have high hopes for this squad, and while they haven't done anything that has blown me away, they seem to be a solid consistent squad and NA so rarely breeds those.

#7 - Tempo Storm (NA)

Current HGC Ranking (NA): 2nd

Last Week's Ranking: #7

Current HGC Record: 4-1

Current Map Score: 14-7 (+7)

This week was a nice bounceback from Tempo. They started off with a quick 3-0 over Simplicity and followed it up with a 3-1 over Spacestation Gaming. They now only need a win over LFM (see TF vs SSG) to qualify for Western Clash, so yea they are going. This is great for the squad as failing to qualify would have been such a blow for a squad with this much talent that I doubt they could recover from it. Luckily they have cruised through most of the season, and are walking away with W's.

The 1 map loss to Spacestation sticks out to me. Combine it with the other 6 map losses, and we are not seeing the "superteam" that this team was supposed to be. They seem like any other Top NA team. They should be able to take maps off any team, but in global play will they beat DIG or Tempest? At this time, I think they would get obliterated, and be lucky to have a 10% map win rate. They have all the skill, talent, and power to be a global wrecking ball, it's just still not there.

#8 - Method (EU)

Current HGC Ranking (EU): 3rd

Last Week's Ranking: Unranked

Current HGC Record: 3-2

Current Map Score: 10-6 (+4)

What a week for Method. From unranked last week to an easy #8 this week, they took their destiny in their own hands. Start the season rough with a 1-2 record? Well why not 3-0 both Zealots and Team Liquid to bring it back? That's what Method did and they beat up their opponents pretty good.

While they aren't as locked into the Western Clash as some other teams, they do have only Leftovers and Tricked remaining on their schedules. This puts them in a great spot to close out the season with 2 wins and take the free trip to Katowice! I'm looking for 3-0's in these sets if they want to compete with the best NA has to offer (or DIG/Fnatic) come time for the Western Clash.

#9 - Team Liquid (EU)

Current HGC Ranking (EU) - 4th

Last Week's Ranking - #10

Current HGC Record - 3-2

Current Map Score - 11-9 (+2)

This is a scary time for Team Liquid. They won this week 3-1 vs Tricked and then got pummeled vs Method. Even worse they got both Dignitas and Fnatic coming up to close out the season. They are still likely to qualify for for the Western Clash, but coming in riding a three series losing streak and qualifying with a 3-4 series record (and negative map score) would not be what any team wants. A win in either series would basically lock in Western Clash, but most importantly give them some momentum coming into a international LAN.

#10 - HeroesHearth (NA)

Current HGC Ranking (NA): 4th

Last Week's Ranking: Unranked

Current HGC Record: 2-2

Current Map Score: 8-7 (+1)

Top 10 in your first split, not bad HeroesHearth. A win vs Team Twelve this week showed why this team looks like the first crucible team that will have a real impact on the NA HGC scene. McIntyre looks fantastic, the team work is terrific, and HeroesHearth is looking like a strong candidate for the #3 or #4 seed for NA in the Western Clash. They have a light rest of the season with Simplicity, GFE, and LFM left. Realistically only the match vs GFE presents real issues, and they don't likely HAVE TO win that series.

They need to bring 100% however, if they win all 3 series in the next two weeks they are 100% locked in for the Western Clash. Drop even one and there's (unlikely) scenarios where they can not qualify. I'm a big believer about putting your own destiny in your control. HeroesHearth can do that with wins over both Simplicity and GFE this weekend. If they stumble they can come crashing down as fast as they have rose. I think this team has some very talented players and will finish out the season in a strong manner and book their tickets to Katowice!

NOTES:

HGC China and minor regions is not included in these rankings.

Chinese teams are plagued by visa issues for international and global events that make speculating on their strength a moot point as they often have incomplete teams for these events. Until this is resolved (see: never) they won't be included in weekly power rankings.

The minor regions are also not included. Minor regions are hard to gauge in strength as typically they have one team that is always leaps and bounds above the rest, but fails to perform at an international/global event. Taiwan seems to be the only exception, and it's typically been in situations where major regions are underperforming (see: NA 2016). These events are also pretty hard to follow and between a full time job it's hard enough keeping up on KR/NA/EU.

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