Tier 2 — The Militant

It’s quite interesting how the Tier 2 relationships have turned out. With the buffs to their gas damage and the rise of Lizards/Toads in compositions, Skunks have become a prime pick. The gas they spread can easily decimate hordes of Tier 1 units and even the bulkier Tier 2/3 units running through it. This was exemplified most in game 3 of the Bronze Match when AV ran his entire army (composed of two Wolves, two Badgers, and a lot of Tier 1 units) into an opponent’s Mill, but forgot to take into account the lingering Skunk gas (and some Toad explosions). Thus the Skunks and Ferrets’ ability to zone out the opponent made them top picks.

The AFB sends their regards to AV Ultima

With the rise of Skunks and the everlasting presence of Ferrets and Toads, Falcons are almost a must in many drafts. With a very simple buff to their attack power, Falcons began to see more relevance in battles, although they can still be rather vulnerable to mass hordes of Tier 1 units. This pick is especially useful if an early Skunk timing is scouted out, allowing players to easily transition into Falcons without fearing Skunk gas. The Grand Finals of Deadbones vs Zeno Akoop were indicative of this trend, as they were needed to counter Owl/Skunk picks in the draft while providing Flying vision to units.

Sadly, with this meta, Snakes and especially Chameleons saw some irrelevancy. Snakes were most definitely a surprise. Xiniu was able to show their prowess in sniping out kills on structures and units as seen in his match against Zeno Akoop in the Top 8 where he was able to use them to break Zeno’s contain against him. However, while suited to hit-and-run styles of play, Snakes just don’t output enough damage in massive fights. The prevalence of Pigeons also meant that the poison tick damage could almost always be out-healed. These combined have put Snakes in a similar position to Moles, relaying them to situational (but game-winning) picks.

Xiniu dances with his Snakes to kill a contain

While Snakes did see some usage, Chameleons were effectively invisible to players in the drafting menu. Yes, they are still the bulkiest Tier 2 unit at 35 health. Yes, they have high attack damage. Yes, you can still surprise opponents with a sudden ambush. But their single-target nature, melee range, and slow attack speed often meant they were outmatched in fights, especially against hordes of Toads. In previous iterations Chameleons were often picked for their much bulkier nature, allowing them to tank enough shots from the opposing army. But when a meta has shifted to an AOE-oriented focus, Chameleons just can’t do enough.

Even their ability to ambush enemy units took a hit when the ability for Commanders to take reduced damage in battle was removed. This meant it is now extremely hard for Commanders to run around with invisible units without dying, especially when the enemy has built up a sizable army or has a lot of Skunk gas laid onto the field.