Preliminary Matches

The Damn Nation Vs Zeroskill

"Bans: Thor, Hercules, Sobek, Ne Zha

The Damn Nation: Loki, Athena, Bacchus, Neith, Isis

Zeroskill: Freya, Possidon, Guan Yu, Apollo, Ymir"

Man of the Match

Round 2

SK Gaming Vs Touch Me

"Bans: Hercules, Athena, Sobek, Thor

SK Gaming: Freya, Apollo, Ymir, Guan Yu, Poseidon

Touch Me: Bacchus, Agni, Ra, Neith, Hun Batz"

Man of the Match

Semifinals - Game 1

Touch Me Vs Bipolar Method

"Bans: Hercules, Athena, Agni, Sobek

Bipolar Method: Ra, Apollo, Odin, Hades, Zeus

Touch Me: Thor, Bacchus, Isis, Vamana, Neith"

Man of the Match

Special Mention

Semifinals - Game 2

COGnitive EU Vs Exposed Secrets

"Bans: Isis, Athena, Hun Batz, Hercules

COG: Sobek, Apollo, Ra, Fenrir, Anubis

ExpS: Bacchus, Thor, Vamana, Freya, Poseidon"

Man of the Match

Finals – Bipolar Method Vs Exposed Secrets

Game 1

"Bans: Hercules, Athena, Isis, Hun Batz

BM: Sobek, Agni, Apollo, Loki, Vulcan

ExpS: Bacchus, Thor, Ra, Freya, Poseidon"

Man of the Match

Special mention

Game 2

"Bans: Hercules, Athena, Isis, Hun Batz

BM: Sobek, Agni, Ra, Fenrir, Cupid

ExpS: Thor, Bacchus, Anhur, Odin, Zeus "

Man of the Match

Game 3

"Bans: Athena, Agni, Odin, Sobek

BM: Ra, Thor, Neith, He Bo, Hades

ExpS: Hercules, Anhur, Bacchus, Freya, Poseidon"

Man of the Match

The recent patch has clearly affected picks and bans this week, with Hercules banned in almost every game this week and being instrumental when he was picked. Interestingly, Ra has also seen a renaissance, with his solo lane strength being recognized throughout the later rounds.There were three teams absent this time, with byes awarded to COGnitive EU (formerly Denial eSports EU ), SK Gaming and Bipolar Method.Unfortunately matches from the second round onwards were dogged once again with DDoS issues, with SK Gaming and COGnitive EU being eliminated very early despite the addition of the pause functionality. Despite these issues, there have been some excellent games of Smite this week, with some glorious highs and crushing lows.The Damn Nation had a very strong field of gods this round and used them to great (if eccentric) effect, with a bruiser-specced jungling Athena teamed with a sololane Loki. DaNa also pulled off some excellent teamwork and rotations, picking off the potentially dangerous Poseidon early to give their mid Isis a strong start. Killing sprees from the Loki and Athena lead to a Goldfury at 16 minutes, spiralling into a Fire Giant and right phoenix take down at 18 minutes. Zeroskill surrendered while dead at 19 minutes while DaNa were in their minotaur room.goes to NaTa on DaNa's jungling Athena for quirky plays and highest farm with a 7/0/10.The other matches in the preliminary rounds were not broadcast, but the advancing teams were Exposed Secrets, Random 5, TOUCH ME and FeedMeMore.SK Gaming had a thrilling start to their match, with Suntouch quite literally touching the sun as he utilized his Kraken minion to score a first blood on Epindrary's Ra, despite the God of the Sun taking refuge under the tower. TOUCH ME fought back, scoring three kills at the three minute mark. Unfortunately Ghortak was disconnected at 9 minutes, causing the game to be paused. Despite five minutes of grace being given by the tournament admins, SK Gaming were forced to forfeit as Xaliea was also disconnected during the pause.goes to Suntouch for his valiant Poseidon and his gentlemanly conduct in stream chat afterwards.The remainder of the second round matches were not streamed, but the advancing teams were COG EU, Exposed Secrets, and Bipolar Method.The first semifinal was one full of area of effect spells, with Bipolar Method's Odin/Hades/Zeus picks setting up a very interesting match, full of death inside a wall of spears. A particularly memorable kill occurred early on, with Zeus and Odin trapping and zapping TOUCH ME's Isis to gain an early kill.Just as fascinating was the dunk duel between Youngbae's Apollo and ProxyQQ's Thor, who caused the caster Drybear to coin the phrase "dunkception". Swift responses to teamfights from both individuals showed great map awareness and earned both a good number of ganks, including one that involved ProxyQQ dunking Bipolar Method's Hades, triggering a response dunk from Youngbae's Apollo.These early skirmishes were followed by tower kills and a 20 minute Goldfury for Bipolar Method, with their superb plays netting them a neat 5,000 gold advantage heading into the midgame.Bipolar Method dominated the remainder of the game, scoring a second Goldfury around 25 minutes and taking down TOUCH ME's Vamana and Bacchus as they tried to contest the point. A minute later Bipolar Method engaged and destroyed the Fire Giant in a mess of colourful AoE, taking down TOUCH ME's Thor and Neith in the process. Bipolar Method then made quick work of the enemy phoenixes and towers, pushing TOUCH ME's Minotaur to death at 28 minutes.: Youngbae's Apollo for insane structure damage, survivability and perfectly executed ganks.: Spooh for his healing on Ra, Hyrrok for his perfect support ratio on Odin and to Bipolar Method for using a pause to aid in getting TOUCH ME's Epindrary back in game.COGnitive's team setup was immediately a fan favourite, with the Twitch chat loving the unusual Anubis pick. It seemed like Sprayarn was on a winning streak as he dominated ziimP's Vamana on lane, but unfortunately connection issues began to damage COG's chances of advancing, with a pause at 10 minutes as Sprayarn was DC'd. He returned 2 minutes later, only to have additional issues and leave Qvofred's Fenrir to secure an easy kill on ziimP's Vamana. At 12 minutes the game was looking very close, with both teams on roughly equal gold and kills.Further issues began to plague COG at this point, with Qvofred and Trixtank disconnecting within a short time of each other at 13 minutes, triggering a pause which apparently caused some problems server side, kicking the remaining players from the game. Deamonmachine, the admin of the tournament, eventually ordered a rematch as there wasn't a clear victor and the match could not be resumed.The rematch required substitutions from COG, as Trixtank and Qvofred could not reconnect. Mugiwawa stepped up as the Sobek, and Enviun took up the mantle of Fenrir as the game was resumed. The difference was apparent as the early engagements went in the favour of Exposed Secrets, with early deaths from Apollo and Sobek putting COG at a disadvantage. Sprayarn disconnected once more at three minutes, causing a pause and a few minute wait as he reconnected.ShadowNightm4re did a fantastic job roaming with Poseidon's increased movement speed and highly effective rotations to push the advantage further in Exposed Secret's favour. Apollo and his animal friends fell once again at 10 minutes, allowing Exposed Secrets to take COG's tier one mid tower, followed in quick succession by the demise of the Goldfury and the right tier one tower in the favour of ES. Sprayarn began a surrender vote at 13 minutes, which was successful shortly afterwards.: Sprayarn for his innovative Anubis play, and ShadowNightm4re for excellent Poseidon mobility and map presence.The finals were a rollercoaster of adrenaline and unbelievable plays, with the first round perhaps being one of the best spectator games of smite I have had the privilege of witnessing. Exposed Secrets took an early advantage, with an overextended Sobek falling to Bobykopf's Thor just as the timer hit one second. Youngbae's Apollo replied to the early strength of ExpS by taking a double kill in his left lane – he had the moves, and it was beautiful!The midgame was dominated by trades, with most of the kills in ExpS's favour. By 20 minutes, ExpS had a 6,000 gold advantage and were slightly ahead on kills, with the BM's towers soon falling to the relentless onslaught of ExpS. However, BM did not give up and by 25 minutes they had eliminated the right and left towers of ExpS, sacrificing Hyrrok's Loki in exchange. ExpS fought back by destroying BM in teamfights at Goldfury and Fire Giant a minute later, before taking the final tier 1 tower and two tier 2 towers. BM Youngbae's Apollo orchestrates a recovery in the form of a double kill, which leads swiftly to a third death for ExpS.Things were looking grim for BM as ExpS score a series of deaths against them, culminating in a deicide, three Fire Giant buffs and two Phoenixes falling to ExpS. However, as the Fire Giant respawned a fourth time, BM were in a stronger position, and secure the Fire Giant buff, followed by a thrilling quadrakill on ExpS! But BM's Minotaur is under attack as their newborn phoenixes fall to fire creeps. Sobek returns to defend, as the rest of BM secure the deicide, take down ExpS's mid phoenix and astonishingly take down the minotaur for the win! The moral of this battle is clear – never surrender!goes to Lawbster for his masterful farm, map awareness/rotation and sheer damage on Agni!: MVPBadger for coming back from 10 deaths and becoming unkillable while still drawing all the aggression.Round two of the finals started with very interesting picks from Exposed Secret, with the quirky combination of Odin and Zeus appearing for the second time in this tournament. Other than the rather eccentric picks from both teams, game two began in much the same way as game one, with both teams securing kills and establishing their map presence. By 20 minutes into the game, both teams had lost a tower apiece and were vying for position at the Goldfury, who survived as the two teams brawled in midlane. BM won the fight and took the Goldfury's prize, rotating to take down a second enemy tower. The third ExpS tower fell in exchange for the life of BM's Cupid and Fenrir, who take down ExpS's Bacchus with them.Advancing into midgame, the advantage slowly moved to ExpS, who began using the trap and zap combination of Odin and Zeus's ultimates to great effect, eliminating key player Agni and securing Goldfury in the process. Pushing their advantage, ExpS secured Fire Giant and a second trap and zap kill on newly-respawned Agni. ExpS seem to be spiralling out of control as they pick up more tower kills and god kills, with BM's touchstone Agni being swiftly picked off by the enemy team.The game then fell back into the usual pattern of Fire Giant attacks followed by Phoenix attacks, with ExpS pushing their advantage. This time, BM were forced to allow ExpS to take the Fire Giant as their Minotaur was attacked by two waves of Fire Minions. ExpS then rotated to destroy BM's newborn phoenix on midlane, with the trap and zap combination once again securing the area advantage and forcing BM to retreat via combat blink. The death of the Minotaur was sealed as Fire Minions once again took down the left phoenix and ExpS pushed their advantage, with the superior area of effect damage simply destroying BM's Minotaur.goes to Funball this time for daring to take two stacking items and managing to keep all his stacks throughout the game.Picks and bans were very interesting this round, with BM banning Odin and Sobek while ExpS respect banned on Agni, fearing Lawbster's teamfight changing damage. Most notable was BM's failure to ban newly-buffed Hercules, which was followed by ExpS immediately first-picking the powerful bruiser.Early game was dominated by ShadowNightm4re's ravenous Poseidon, who picked up BM's He Bo and Hades within the first two minutes. Hercules's powerful initiates and natural tankiness seemed impassable for Spooh's Ra, who also suffered from an early death. Superior team play and powerful rotations from ExpS, including a superb gank which took down BM's Thor, He Bo and Ra in one fell swoop set the tone for the final game in this tournament.Goldfury fell uncontested at 16 minutes to extend ExpS's lead, followed in quick succession by BM's tier one towers falling and the Fire Giant being steamrollered by ExpS at 25 minutes. ExpS destroyed their enemy's tier two middle tower as well as exchanging two of their team for a deicide on BM. The two deaths were enough to prevent ExpS from pushing the minotaur, and their careful play resulted in another Goldfury and Fire Giant falling to the dominant ExpS by 31 minutes. Shortly afterwards the mid and left BM phoenixes fell, and despite valiant play from BM, their minotaur fell shortly afterwards, securing the win for ExpS.: ShadowNightm4re, for his early game domination with the legendary Kraken!*******An interesting week, with a lot of different gods being picked up, like Sprayarn's Anubis and Youngbae's Cupid. It was a shame that once again connection issues were plaguing the scene, but refreshing to see the newer Exposed Secrets doing work against older, more experienced teams.Source: http://esports.smitegame.com/tournament.php?id=39