PSG.LGD claimed back to back Major titles when they defeated VGJ Storm in the grand finals of the MDL Changsha Major. It was a comprehensive victory with LGD coming out on top with a 3-0 score line. VGJ Storm looked strong throughout the tournament and made it to the grand finals through the upper bracket. PSG.LGD decided to do it the hard way. After a disappointing group stage, they found themselves starting from the lower bracket. But with an impressive 9-1 lower bracket win-loss record, LGD took out five teams to make to the grand finals and challenge VGJ Storm.

PSG.LGD have made it to The International 8 with the points they received from this win (they were actually through when they secured a top-three finish). VGJ Storm, however, despite their impressive form, will have to go through the open qualifiers as they changed players after the roster lock. Here we try to analyze the thought process and the mind wars behind the drafts in the three games of the grand finals between the Chinese giants LGD Gaming and the upcoming North American surprise package VGJ Storm!

Stats for MDL Changsha

Total heroes picked in the tournament: 95 (97 contested – Techies and Huskar were banned but not picked)

Most played heroes: Gyrocopter (39 games, win rate 64.10 %), Clockwerk (32 games, win rate 65.62 %), Death Prophet (28 games, win rate 64.29 %), Kunka (28 games, win rate 64.29 %), Doom (27 games, win rate 59.26 %)

LGD Gaming

Total games played at MDL Changsha: 23

Games won: 17

Win rate: 73.91 %

Heroes played: 50

Most played heroes: Gyrocopter (8 games, win rate 87.50 %), Death Prophet (6 games, win rate 83.33 %), Bane (5 games, win rate 100 %), Jakiro (5 games, win rate 100 %), Clockwerk (5 games, win rate 100 %), Kunka (5 games, win rate 80 %), Razor (5 games, win rate 60 %)

VGJ Storm

MDL Changsha: 27

Games won: 17

Win rate: 66.67 %

Heroes played: 42

Most played heroes: Death Prophet (7 games, win rate 57.14 %), Gyrocopter (7 games, win rate 71.43 %), Clockwerk (6 games, win rate 83.33 %), Tusk (5 games, win rate 60 %)

Game 1

LGD won in 34 minutes (VGJ Storm: 13 – PSG.LGD: 32)

First Phase:

The first game started with LGD having first pick and VGJ Storm picking Radiant. LGD banned out Night Stalker, which was the most contested hero at MDL Changsha. It is a circular thing where teams suddenly realize the vision advantage NS can provide and he is a mainstay first phase ban. Probably at ESL Birmingham, he will be totally forgotten. The Luna ban was warranted as the hero has been doing really well of late and VGJ had a 3 games 3 wins record with it at the Major. Reso is a beast with it. Clockwerk is another one of those heroes who has seen a recent surge in prominence and MSS plays a mean Clockwerk. With the inability to pull the first creep wave, Clock’s Cogs come in really handy at ensuring the first wave meets a lot closer to the offlane tower. The Io ban from VGJ was a bit surprising. LGD aren’t big Io pickers (2 games at MDL Changsha with one win and one loss). They usually prefer to put fy on an offensive hero rather than Wisp. The PL ban was probably a reaction to Ame’s PL in the second game against Vici Gaming in the loser bracket final. The Lycan ban was a necessary one. Lycan has recently found a new home in the offlane. A safelane Lycan often falls off towards the later stages of the game. With longer games coming because of recent meta changes, a position 1 Lycan is maybe not the best idea. But with an offlane Lycan, he still has the pushing prowess and there is no threat of being run over in the late game! Also both, Chalice and Ame can play a decent Lycan which makes a ban worthy hero.

PSG.LGD opened with a Death Prophet, which should have ideally been the hero to be banned instead of the Wisp. LGD have had a lot of success on DP of late and Maybe is quite comfortable playing the ghost lady. VGJ Storm retaliated with a Gyrocopter and Tusk. Now, this isn’t a bad opening. MSS has shown that he is right up there with the best Tusk players in the scene. But one would expect to see an Ancient Apparition to counter the DP. But Tusk also serves as a block pick. fy is a great Tusk player and the hero works well with DP. VGJ probably also thought of the hero as a natural Spirit Vessel builder, which counters DP in many ways. LGD picked up a Naga, a hero most Chinese teams are good with as a position 4.

Second Phase:

In the second phase, VGJ targeted Ame’s heroes – Morph and Slark. Morph is good against Gyrocopter, especially as he can Morph into Gyro. steal the Flak Cannon and use it to demolish the opposition. Slark is a strong meta hero and who do you think made it popular? None other than Ame, with his exploits at Epicenter XL. LGD banned Medusa, a hero Reso had some great games on in the tourney. Additionally, VGJ like to pair up Medusa with Gyro. Gyro fights early while the Dusa farms and she takes over after the 25 minute mark. Medusa can also make life hard for DP in the mid lane after she gets the level 3 Mystic Snake. The Doom ban was something I couldn’t read too much into.

VGJ picked up a KotL, which surprised me a bit. They always put SVG on the hero, but that means lesser farm for Tusk. And Tusk is a hero who needs his Blink and Spirit Vessel. Seemed a bit greedy. LGD got the Jakiro, which is a strong laning hero. The high right click damage along with Liquid Fire and Dual Breath can keep most offlaners at bay and deny them XP. VGJ then went for the Enigma! Can it get any greedier? It is a good hero against Naga, no doubt. If Naga sleep sets up a gank for the opposition, Enigma can BKB Blackhole as soon as the sleep ends. We’ve all see Na’Vi do it against IG at TI 3! But with the draft they had, again, I’m a bit skeptical if this was the best pick. LGD snapped up the Nyx Assasin, who is a great counter to both, KotL and Enigma. Just turn on Spiked Carapace and stand in an Illuminate or Midnight Pulse and you stun em’!

Third Phase:

LGD banned out the DK, who is a lane winner, although I didn’t see the biggest impetus in banning him. VGJ banned the Faceless Void, which is one of Ame’s comfort picks and it complements DP really well.

LGD threw a curveball with their last pick – Spectre! A hero needing some love and finding it in the grand finals of a Major. VGJ Storm picked a hero which is not a typical Resolution hero – Visage. Visage can fight early and backed up by the Aghanim’s KotL blast, can push building very quickly and efficiently. This can work well against a Spectre, who takes time to come online. VGJ Storm’s draft had a timer, while LGD were gunning for the late game.

Game 2 analysis on the next page >>>

Game 2

LGD won in 45 minutes (PSG.LGD: 40 – VGJ Storm: 23)

First Phase:

It usually so happens that the team that wins the first game keeps the first phase bans the same. And why not?! LGD pretty much did the same thing. VGJ Strom threw in Naga Siren amongst the bans after losing to it in game 1 and added a Bane in there, a hero on which LGD had one 5 of the 5 games they played at MDL Changsha.

VGJ Storm did not bother banning Io as they had first pick this time around and snatched the Wisp up immediately. LGD went for a Gyro – Disruptor combo, one that works well in lane. Disruptor has multiple ways to ensure the enemy hero does not run away as Gyro goes to town with Rocket Barrage. VGJ Storm then picked the DP, which although a strong hero, does not benefit too much from the Wisp. I mean Wisp can always save the hero, but does not offer anything to accelerate DP’s farm and neither is it the best combination for a quick relocate kill.

Second Phase:

VGJ Storm got spiked by the Nyx Assasin once and they weren’t going to let that happen again. Nyx was taken out of the game. As LGD had the Gyro in their ranks, this time it was their turn to ban the Morphling. VGJ banned Kunka, seeing as to what Maybe’s Kunka had done to Newbee the earlier day! LGD then banned the Doom, which made more sense this game than the first game. Doom and Wisp can be a really troublesome lane for the Gyro. A Doom walking in with Scorched Earth, getting off multiple Infernal Blades as the Wisp tethers to him and keeps him healthy from a distance is not something you want to experience.

LGD picked up the Elder Titan, a hero losing popularity in the past few weeks. The Astral Spirit can help provide vision for a clutch Glimpse and is also good at finding Io in the backlines when a fight breaks out. VGJ got Jakiro and that made a bit more sense out of the Nyx ban. Nyx counters Jakiro in the same way he counters KotL and Enigma. LGD got Brewmaster, a hero which Chalice is really good on and provides initiation for fights. VGJ did not have an instant disable for the Brew Split and the hero seemed decent here. VGJ went for the Slark, which maybe was not the best pick here. Slark looks for support pickoffs in the backlines and both of LGD’s supports here can deal with a Slark. ET can stomp and Disruptor, even though he may die, can put down a Kinetic Field and Static Storm which is enough for the rest of the team to clear up! Also having a very high movement speed, a Glimpse can send Slark back a long way.

Third Phase:

VGJ got rid of the QoP, which Maybe had played to perfection against Vici Gaming. LGD banned the Batrider, who has a BKB piercing disable that can stop the Brewmaster from splitting.

Beastmaster was the call for VGJ Storm’s last pick. Beastmaster and Io is a very strong lane and just like Doom and Io, has a lot of harass potential. Beastmaster can keep spamming his axes in the lane. It also gave them a BKB piercing stun to stop the Brewmaster from blinking in at will and popping his ultimate. LGD rounded up their draft with Ember Spirit. Ember can easily clear the Beastmaster summons with Sleight of Fist. But more importantly, he can use Fire Remnant to go through everyone, find Io and take him out of the fight. Besides Primal Roar, VGJ didn’t have any means of keeping him in place. A Roar follow up into an Ice Path maybe. But it would require both, the Beast Master and Jakiro in well-hidden locations to pull it off.

Game 3 analysis on the next page >>>

Game 3

PSG.LGD won in 42 minutes (VGJ Storm: 31 – PSG.LGD: 40)

First Phase:

Come the third game, LGD slyly let Clock though as they had first pick. VGJ were too bothered worrying about Io, and didn’t ban Clock. They had lost against DP as well as with DP which sort of gave them a mental block and made them ban the hero.

With the Clock having gone through the first ban stage, LGD prioritized picking him first. VGJ went with the same opening LGD had gone within game 2 with Gyro and Disruptor. A lot better than Io and DP, I would say. However, Clock is good in lane against them. Even if he is Glimpsed or blocked with Kinetic Field, Battery Assault and Cogs can help him get away. LGD picked up the Jakiro, which is a great hero with Clockwerk If Clock traps an opposition hero in the Cogs, Ice Patch suddenly becomes a reliable stun. Then you can dump the whole arsenal of Dual Breath, Liquid Fire and Macro Pyre on the enemy hero!

Second Phase:

LGD banned the Medusa and Slark. Medusa, as it works well with Gyro for VGJ and Slark as the supports aren’t the best to deal with him. Slark can just Pounce out of the Cogs and dispel any and all spells Jakiro manages to get on him. Also, no reliable silence or stun. VGJ got ride of the PL and Morph, both strong Ame heroes with Morph having an advantage against Gyrocopter.

VGJ picked up the Rubick. All of Jairo’s spells make for decent steals. Somehow, VGJ forgot to ban Lycan in the first and second ban phases. LGD didn’t need an invitation and picked him. VGJ then went for an Omni. So the Rubik pick before that was maybe also a block pick to ensure LGD didn’t get their hands on Rubik, as not only is Rubik a good pick against Omni (as any spell stolen from Omni is a good spell), fy is one of the best Rubik players out there (in this scenario, Chalice would play an offlane Clockwerk). Usually, when a team is planning to go for an Omni pick, they ban Razor as the Static Link is undispellable and goes through magic immunity. It is the perfect counter to Omni. Also, a very versatile pick as Razor can go in all three lanes. LGD got the Razor.

Third Phase:

LGD banned OD in the last phase. I’m not too sure why, but maybe because Astral Imprisonment can really take off time from Lycan’s Shapeshift. Also. It serves as a good way to disengage when Razor links someone. VGJ banned the DK, another versatile hero which when combines with Lycan and Razor can turn into a scary death ball lineup.

LGD rounded their draft up with a Queen of Pain. Not that VGJ didn’t have answers to a QoP. Rubik lift into Static Storm is an assured kill on her. Also, VGJ had the last pick which meant they could pick a hero to deal with her. Maybe in another game, LGD would not have been too cocky. But riding the confidence wave, leading 2-0 in the grand finals, they thought they could go for it. VGJ Storm put Reso on the Storm Spirit, which gave them a win condition. If VGJ could stretch the game, Storm would own the game in the late portions. But LGD had three strong early fighting heroes which would look to gain steam early.