Heroes of the Storm, like all esports, has a unique equalizing effect. Pro players have access to the exact same characters and in-game tools as anyone. To the untrained eye, a Varian, Chromie, or Medivh looks exactly the same in a quick match as they do on the Blizzcon stage. That said, what makes the HGC truly special is the group of hard-working, passionate gamers fighting for the right to keep pursuing their dreams. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be taking a closer look at the men on the other side of the screen. It’s time for you to really get to know the Roll20 Esports Heroes of the Storm team. Check out previous interviews at the end of this article.

We’ve arrived at the final player interview in our series. Don’t worry though, we have more Roll20 content coming down the pipeline! Today, it’s time for the captain to share his thoughts. Glaurung has been interviewed and discussed more than any other member of the team, so I’ve attempted to give you something new, a slightly different perspective on Roll20’s most tenured pro.

Focus and Pursuit

Glau’s history in competitive HOTS has been well-documented. Prior to Heroes, he had never really pursued a competitive career. He explained that while he had always enjoyed competition and loved gaming, throughout most of his life the focus had remained on school. “I was studying physics and computer science,” said Glaurung. However, as esports rose in popularity, the career of a professional gamer started to sound much more appealing. Eventually, he left his studies behind to focus completely on becoming a pro player in Heroes of the Storm. At this point, Glau admitted that he has no clue what his life would be like if his pursuit of this dream had not worked out.

Initially, qualifying for the HGC wasn’t really about becoming a champion. “I wasn’t too happy about my last team’s performance at Blizzcon,” he explained. Rather than sign with an established team guaranteed to lock in an HGC slot, Glau instead chose to join Chu8 in building a team focused on having fun, and not taking the pro scene too seriously. Once the team qualified, however, the call to compete proved too strong. “Qualifying for HGC made the previous years’ worth of time investment worth it.” The rest, of course, is history. The team shattered all expectations, and is now the North American first seed as Glaurung returns to the Blizzcon stage once again.

Transitions

When Roll20 made its first roster change, many analysts were concerned how the addition of Goku would affect the team captain’s play. The two share similar hero pools, and some suggested that there might be struggles over who gets to play trademark heroes like Zeratul. “It took time to adjust, but we’ve been able to make it work,” said Glaurung. Focusing Goku as the team’s offlane specialist has provided much-needed clarity in their gameplay and draft strategy.

The draft was another key piece of the new roster’s success. Originially, Glaurung had been the team’s primary shotcaller as well as the lead drafter. Now, he has taken a back seat in the draft, with Justing taking the lead and others providing support. “It allows me to focus more on shotcalling.

Glaurung’s prowess as a shotcaller has been lauded by plenty of outlets (myself included). He mentioned that “this team dynamic is good for me as a shotcaller. Everyone is really good at feeding relevant information as well as navigating through small side skirmishes.”

Friendship and Free Time

Although most of his time is spent practicing and preparing, Glau has a personal passion that he stays committed to during the season. “I love to rock climb,” he said. “There’s a rock climbing gym near my house that I go to multiple times a week.”

In our interview with Buds, I had jokingly asked how the team might fare in a zombie apocalypse. Buds was quick to call out Glaurung specifically as the team member who would doom the rest of the group. “I would probably get bitten and end up biting everyone else to convert them,” Glaurung admitted. However, he did say that his reasons for doing so would extend beyond a mere hunger for brains. “Being a zombie is probably pretty lonely. That said, ever the captain looking out for his team, Glaurung did mention a clear plan of action for the team to survive an apocalyptic scenario. “Everyone can just set up camp at Justing’s ranch in Wisconsin!

Throughout the interview, Glau kept his answers concise and focused. In keeping with that, his message to all the team’s fans and followers was simple and clear:

Thanks for believing!

Thank you so much to Glaurung for taking the time for this interview, and to Roll20 for the opportunity to chat with these awesome players. Be sure to follow him on Twitter, and keep an eye on Roll20 Esports (and, you know, me) for our last player interview in this series.

Want to show your support for Roll20? Head to the R2E shop and pickup an official Roll20 Esports jersey!

Check out our previous interviews:

Prismaticism

Buds

Justing

Goku