#1 - Xu "BurNIng" Zhilei - Carry

PLAYER STATISTICS

Chinese Dota’s most legendary carry, BurNing is one of the faces of Asian Dota. Known for his ability to farm consistently and play safe, Zhilei rose to prominence when he played for EHOME during their height of dominance in 2010. Often cited as the most dominant Dota outfit of all time, BurNing’s run with the team helped establish him as one of the most consistent carries in the Chinese scene, a title he took to Team DK in 2011, and a moniker he retains to this very day. BurNing is best known as being the most visible carry of the 4-protect-1 era, an age in which his incessant, and of course, very effective farming won his team many a game. Dubbed the B-god by his many Chinese fans, BurNing is one of the faces of Eastern Dota, and rightly so.



After the DK reshuffle of late 2013, BurNing built the new lineup around himself, hand-picking the very best in Asian Dota for one goal: to win a world championship. It’s been clear that BurNing has wanted nothing more for years now. DK could not make it to the first TI due to a roster reshuffle and passport problems. At TI2 they underperformed, and at TI3 they crashed and burned amidst rumours of his retirement.



But BurNing is back in 2014, and back for TI4. He has the individual skill to carry his team, and he now has the team to support him as he does. If BurNing has ever been close to a world championship, it is now. He will go into the tournament as the strongest Chinese carry on the field, and with the space created by Mushi and iceiceice will look to do what he does best: farm up a veritable storm. For in the end, if DK is a hurricane that is to be unleashed upon Seattle, then BurNing is its eye.

SIGNATURE HEROES

#2 - Chai “Mushi” Yee Fung - Core / Mid

PLAYER STATISTICS

Mushi was widely accepted as the MVP of TI3, and for good reason. Orange’s mid player at the time, he headlined throughout the tournament, both as an excellent captain and as a with hyper-aggressive mid player who could play a variety of different heroes, including his signature picks like OD and TA. His performance at the tournament was so impressive that he was signed by DK soon after, and has been playing very effective Dota for the team ever since.



Mushi is a veteran of SEA Dota, and has for years been the region’s most impressive player. Narrowly missing a world championship in Seattle last year, Mushi was visibly devastated after Orange’s Lower Bracket Finals loss to Na`Vi last year.



The feels, man. The feels.

If the sight of the greatest midplayer in the world sitting dejected on a Seattle sidewalk doesn’t awaken something within you, then you truly possess a heart of stone. You don’t need to be a fan of DK to root for Mushi. You just need to be a fan of Dota. Hailing from the heart of SEA, Mushi has for years represented the region in the game. Last year, he almost took it to a world championship, and this year, with the strength of DK behind him, he may finally go all the way, and bring the Aegis of Champions to the South of Asia.



Throughout the 2013 - 2014 season, Mushi has done what comes to naturally to him: win the middle lane. Along with iceiceice, he will be the space creator for DK, using his mid prowess to beat the opposition into submission in the early and midgame, in the process giving BurNing the time and space he needs to farm. With access to a score of different heroes, Yee Fun goes into the tournament of the year as the veritable face of Dota. There is no doubt that he will crack skulls this summer in Seattle. The question is merely how fast, and with what ferocity.

SIGNATURE HEROES

#3 - Daryl "iceiceice" Koh Pei Xiang - Core / Offlane

PLAYER STATISTICS

Since he is perhaps best known for his clowny, easy-going stage personality, it can sometimes be easy to forget that iceiceice is one of the, if not the most skilled offlaner in the world. On DK, his primary role is creating space in the early to midgame with aggressive offlane heroes like Clockwerk and Timbersaw. Known for his very effective control of the opposition jungle, iceiceice can meet and often neutralise some of the most stable opposition safelanes, in the process giving his own mid and safe lanes a huge advantage coming into the midgame.



A long time SEA veteran, Daryl was a vital part of Team Zenith for years. However, after a disappointing performance at TI3, the team disbanded, and he was promptly picked up by DK as they created their new lineup. Known for his out-there play at the time, he was thought of as a risky acquisition by some. However, over the course of 2013 - 2014 season, Daryl has reined it in somewhat, and it appears that his madness has been somewhat tempered by the method of BurNing. In fact, some would say that his time with DK has balanced him out, and given his creativity firm ground on which to stand.

SIGNATURE HEROES

#4 - Zhi “LaNm” Cheng Zhang - Support

PLAYER STATISTICS

LaNm became member of EHOME after BurNing left the team to form DK in 2011, and he remained there right through 2011 and 2012, playing for the team at the first two TIs. One of the most versatile players in the Chinese scene, LaNm has played every position at the highest level, as evidenced by his popularisation of Tiny as a carry via games like this.





Yes, you can’t stop the rock.

Known for his near-perfect execution of teamfights, it was thus no surprise when he was picked up by RattleSnake as a support player in 2013. Then, in the post-TI3 roster reshuffle, LaNm was hand picked for DK by BurNing, and took his place alongside X!! to form what is arguably the most effective support duo in all of Dota.



A masterful support, LaNm is known for playing micro-intensive heroes like Enchantress and Chen, and moreover, for getting a lot of farm and items on them. Teaming up with MMY, he rotates early and often, ganking when he can to make sure that his cores are winning their lanes. Though most of his work thus takes place in the background, LaNm can always be counted to make game changing plays when his team needs it.

SIGNATURE HEROES

#5 - Lei "X!!" Zhengrong - Support

PLAYER STATISTICS

Perhaps best known by his other moniker, MMY, X!! is a former top tier Chinese mid player now turned divine-tier support. EHOME’s mid player during the height of their dominance, MMY and BurNing go way back. A vital part of Team DK even in their former roster, MMY was the only player BurNing chose from his old squad when putting together his new team.



When close cooperation between a carry and a support is important for a game, MMY is usually the one to play the support role in that partnership. The BurNing-MMY Tiny-Wisp is now arguably the most feared Tiny-Wisp in the world. In short, MMY’s long-standing friendship with BurNing obviously plays no small part in the ease with which he can understand and play with his carry.



Though he is well known for his clutch Rubick plays, his signature hero, of course, is Lion, a hero he used to play as a carry on EHOME back in the day. In the WPC 2014 Semi-Finals vs Alliance, MMY wowed the world when he blinked in and killed one of their supports right in their own base and indeed, this play is a microcosm of his support play in general. While he is most well known for sitting back and setting up plays for his team, he is also more than capable of making his own plays when the situation demands it of him.

SIGNATURE HEROES