OWL Pellets semifinals: best of the rest

The OWL Pellet challenge is simple: can you create a theoretical Overwatch League team that would place highly in season one using only leftover players?

The OWL Pellet challenge has almost reached its conclusion, with four rosters already eliminated from the competition. Yiska, Sideshow, RadoN, and Barroi remain with their chosen squad of Overwatch League rejects, representing some of the best talent available outside of Overwatch's premier tournament.

In case you missed the teams and the rules, check out our previous piece to see the rosters and links to original arguments from the creators.

In the quarterfinals, Beijing Imperials beat Detroit Defiance four votes to two, with most of our pundits favouring the proven ability of the Miraculous Youngster core and the wealth of potential talent in the Chinese scene over the X6 core with a few additions. Both rosters were formidable options and the latter has even claimed a tournament victory in the Nexus Cup Annual Finals -- albeit with a large improvement in the form of Architect.

Sejong Greats beat the Toronto Tyrants five votes to one, as the first Western roster fell despite its name value. The solid core of Element Mystic along with formidable additions was felt to have more potential than the proven but individual nature of the Tyrants who would have to start from scratch.

OWL Pellet bracket

The second of the Western rosters fell as Gangnam Magpies beat Amsterdam Blaze four votes to two. Despite the Blaze’s solid roster with top Western talent, most of our pundits felt the Magpies’ Korean talent would carry them through, even with Decay and Hoon permanently on the bench for OWL S1.

Finally, in the battle of the coast, Busan Beach Boys beat San Diego Surf five votes to one. Busan’s rigorous selection criteria and planned style, as well as their strong individual talent, put them ahead of San Diego’s roster based on Challengers team Seven.

Beijing Imperials vs. Sejong Greats

Argument from Yiska, creator of Beijing Imperials:

Yan "creed" Xiao (Support)

Yan Xiao (Support) Wei "jiqiren" Yansong (Tank)

Wei Yansong (Tank) Ma "Lateyoung" Tianbin (Flex Tank)

Ma Tianbin (Flex Tank) Zhang "YangX1aoLg" Zhihao (DPS)

Zhang Zhihao (DPS) Huang "leave" Xin (Flex DPS)

Huang Xin (Flex DPS) He "zhufanjun" Junjian (Flex Support)

He Junjian (Flex Support) Qiu "Zod" Zengzhi (Tank)

Qiu Zengzhi (Tank) Yang "BBcat" Jiawei (Support)

Yang Jiawei (Support) Zhou "LanDo" Zilin (Flex Support)

Zhou Zilin (Flex Support) Zhou "S1mpfall" Tigao (DPS)

Zhou Tigao (DPS) Ou "Eileen" Yiliang (DPS)

Ou Yiliang (DPS) Zheng "Shy" Yangjie (Flex DPS)

Zheng Yangjie (Flex DPS) Jeong "ArHaN" Weon-hyeop (Pet)

Now that the biggest opponent is out of the way, there is no grounds to argue I shouldn't be winning this round either. Sideshow's roster is overall built on a much worse core without tenure and mere potential. Even if we go off potential, surely the x6 core would have to be valued higher as they won the only relevant tournament Element Mystic has ever participated in. If judges want to be self consistent and they voted for the Imperials in round one, they have to vote for them here as the Sejong Greats are simply a worse version of the Detroit Defiance in every regard and have proven to be so. I promised you heads on a spike Crushed Korea and Western "giants" alike I already thrashed Joe A superior Sideshow I smashed seven flies in one strike.

Argument from Sideshow, creator of the Sejong Greats:

Lee ”Jecse” Seung-Soo (Support)

Lee Seung-Soo (Support) Park ”iDK” Ho-Jin (Support)

Park Ho-Jin (Support) Park ”Bazzi” Jun-Ki (Flex Support)

Park Jun-Ki (Flex Support) Kim ”Rapel” Jun-Geun (Flex Support)

Kim Jun-Geun (Flex Support) Lee ”fearless” Eui-Seok (Tank)

Lee Eui-Seok (Tank) Bong ”republic” Geung-chan (Tank)

Bong Geung-chan (Tank) Seo ”daco” Dong-Hyung (Offtank)

Seo Dong-Hyung (Offtank) Bae ”diem” Min-Seong (Flex)

Bae Min-Seong (Flex) Cheon ”Ado” Ki-Hyun (Flex DPS)

Cheon Ki-Hyun (Flex DPS) Song ”SASIN” Sang-Hyeon (Flex DPS)

Song Sang-Hyeon (Flex DPS) Lee ”Guard” Hee-Dong (DPS)

Lee Hee-Dong (DPS) Park ”Architect” Min-Ho (Substitute Flex DPS)

Though Yiska’s Chinese roster has potential to be a top team, Miraculous Youngster had only one style that they could play effectively; though their unknown status and their opponents’ hubris helped carry them to victories in Nexus Cup and to a respectable loss in the Seoul Cup, this team would be read and dismissed more quickly than Yiska’s poor attempt at a limerick. On the other hand, the Sejong Greats have not only built on a team with a great teamwork and tactical foundation, they have also added excellent star talent from elsewhere. Sejong Greats is more than the pure potential of Element Mystic -- do not be fooled -- it has added another star tank and DPS player from a championship-winning roster and top five team in the world, Ardeont, as well as the clutch power of Bazzi and the strength and stability of iDK. That is all not to mention the biggest star on the roster, the player who elevated X6 to the tournament victory that had previously eluded them. Sleep on Architect at your peril, voters. He is the strongest flex DPS, and certainly the strongest Genji, available to be picked in OWL Pellets and his derrière is placed firmly and exclusively on the Sejong Greats’ bench until he is unleashed in stage two of OWL. God have mercy on all your souls.

Gangnam Magpies vs. Busan Beach Boys

Argument from RadoN, creator of Gangnam Magpies:

Jeong "Recry" Taek-hyun (DPS)

Jeong Taek-hyun (DPS) Ha "Sayaplayer" Jung Woo (DPS)

Ha Jung Woo (DPS) Kang "Void" Jun-woo (Offtank)

Kang Jun-woo (Offtank) Jeong "NoSmite" Da-un (Tank)

Jeong Da-un (Tank) Lee "Panker" Byung-ho (Tank)

Lee Byung-ho (Tank) Yoo "Lucid" Jun-seo (Flex Support)

Yoo Jun-seo (Flex Support) Choi "Kris" Jun Soo (Support)

Choi Jun Soo (Support) Jeong “ArhaN” Weon-hyeop (Substitute DPS)

Jeong Weon-hyeop (Substitute DPS) Jang “Decay” Gui-un (Substitute DPS)

Jang Gui-un (Substitute DPS) Lee “Twilight” Joo Seok (Substitute Flex Support)

Lee Joo Seok (Substitute Flex Support) Choi “Hoon” Jae Hoon (Substitute Offtank)

Choi Jae Hoon (Substitute Offtank) Se-yong "DNCE" Kim (Substitute Flex)

Se-yong Kim (Substitute Flex) "Gambler" (Coach)

(Coach) "Bubbly" (Coach)

The BBB have great selection of players, when it comes to said players' nationalities. However, once we get past that, the roster is quite underwhelming. I understand that everyone felt the need to grant them a win in the Ro8, due to Barroi's great contributions to the scene, but, now that this is over, they don't stand a chance of advancing further. The roster simply lacks the experience on winning at the highest level to do well in Overwatch League. In fact, the roster is so inexperienced that it comes out as something that a robot would design based on the ratings individuals had on Winston's Lab. I don't know about you, but that seems like a silly way to design teams and, more importantly, I don't want to give robots and AI the opportunity to do humans' work. Today, it's designing OWL Pellets teams, tomorrow it's taking over the world and looking to exterminate human kind! A vote for the Gagnam's Magpies is a vote for humanity's future! Go #teamHumans!

Argument from Barroi, creator of Busan Beach Boys:

Cho “Hyeonu” Hyeon-woo (Support – Mercy/Lucio)

Cho Hyeon-woo (Support – Mercy/Lucio) Kim “Fuze” Tae Hoon (Support – Lucio/Mercy)

Kim Tae Hoon (Support – Lucio/Mercy) Lee “Twilight” Joo Seok (Support – Zen/Sombra/Ana – aggressive)

Lee Joo Seok (Support – Zen/Sombra/Ana – aggressive) Kim “DNCE” Se-Yong (Flex – Flex-Support/Off-Tank)

Kim Se-Yong (Flex – Flex-Support/Off-Tank) Bong “Republic” Geun-chan (Tank – Winston/Rein – aggressive)

Bong Geun-chan (Tank – Winston/Rein – aggressive) Gye “rOar” Chang-hoon (Tank – Winston/Rein – passive)

Gye Chang-hoon (Tank – Winston/Rein – passive) Song “SASIN” Sang-Hyeon (Flex – Off-Tank/Projectile DPS – aggressive)

Song Sang-Hyeon (Flex – Off-Tank/Projectile DPS – aggressive) Cheon “Ado” Ki-Hyun (DPS – Genji/Tracer – passive)

Cheon Ki-Hyun (DPS – Genji/Tracer – passive) Ha “Sayaplayer“ Jung Woo (DPS – Hitscan – aggressive)

Ha Jung Woo (DPS – Hitscan – aggressive) Jeong “Recry” Taek-Hyun (DPS – Hitscan – passive)

Jeong Taek-Hyun (DPS – Hitscan – passive) Cho “Bubbly” Yoon-ho (Mascot)

Cho Yoon-ho (Mascot) Cho “yy0shi” Young Tae (Mascot)

What do penguins and Gangnam’s DPS players have in common? They can’t fly! The obvious lack of a (non-Genji) projectile player in the roster with 4 DPS players is a limitation that will make exploiting the Magpies an easy task. To emphasize the lack of a Pharah player I want to cite a famous poem: Monkeys can climb Crickets can leap Horses can race Owls can seek Cheetahs can run Eagles can fly Recry can try But that’s about it. Similar to the Beach Boys, the Magpies have a great mix of aggressive and defensive players. They even have mascots (only that RadoN decided to call them coaches). The flaw in the coaching staff compared to the moon face mascots, though, is that every player will want to buy a brand new stapler to staple their coaches mouths into a position that prevents them from laughing all the time. You destroy your enemies - they laugh, you barely squeeze out a win - they laugh, you get utterly dumpstered - they laugh, no person can have the patience to keep up with that horrific torture. Since RadoN’s roster also has an unusual amount of fat Koreans there is probably only one way to decide who is superior head-to-head. We will see the peak of competition in a sumo match between yy0shi + Bubbly (Busan) vs Panker + ArhaN (Gangnam), but with yy0shi being the heaviest player to ever compete in APEX there is little doubt that the Busan Beached Whales will come out on top once again.

The writers not involved in each match will cast their votes to decide the winners. In the case of a 3v3 draw, public votes will decide the winner -- so cast your votes in the comments section below. Who do you think would make a better team over the whole course of Overwatch League Season 1?