MLG Columbus Team Previews: A Clash of Cultures November 22nd, 2013 02:48 GMT Text by riptide Graphics by shiroiusagi Table of Contents

Team DK



Alliance



Na`Vi



Liquid



Fnatic



Team EG



Speed Gaming



Sigma.int



Pretty Boy Swag



Follow MLG Columbus on

Liquipedia



Focus Mode

Turn off Focus Mode [x] Follow MLG Columbus on



A Clash of Cultures





It’s been three and half months since TI3, and for the first time this season, we have Western and Eastern teams meeting at an extended LAN tournament. Yes, we're aware that DK and Alliance met last week at the Nexon Supermatches, but this is a bona fide LAN tournament, with a full roster of the best teams the West has to offer as well.



Thus, it’s with a sense of excitement that we look to this weekend. TI3, if anything, showed us that Western teams had evolved since the the thrashing they received in Seattle the year before. Their showing this August was exemplary: 1st place, 2nd place, and 50% of the Top 8.



MLG Columbus, however, will be more than just a East vs West battle.



In many ways, North America’s first Dota 2 LAN ever will also be the 2013-2014 season’s first clash of cultures. In other words, the 2012 - 2013 season that culminated in TI3 levelled the playing field in terms of skill, and showed everyone that it was no longer important if a team was from east or west of the Arabian Sea.



What matters now, and indeed what really stands out in this new arena, is your Dota culture, the way you approach the game itself. From Shanghai to Seattle, it no longer matters if you’re Chinese or North American or European, and indeed, those labels are becoming increasingly obsolete, even as more Western teams like SpeedGaming.int and LGD.int move to China to play there.



At MLG Columbus, the main difference between Dota cultures and backgrounds will be seen in how these teams clash, and that will be the main focus of these team previews. From DK’s beautifully choreographed teamfights to Alliance’s ultra-clean execution and Na`Vi’s out-there initiations, the way these teams play the game is fundamentally different, and that’s what will make MLG a LAN worth watching.





A picture is truly worth a thousand words here.



Dota is a game of war, but let’s remember that each of these teams approach the same battle in different ways! So, without further ado, let’s look more closely at these fighting units. After all, the battle itself begins in -











Team DK - The Flame of the East Goes West



iceiceice Mushi BurNIng LaNm X!!



Record (6.79)

24-18, 57.1%



Record (6.78)

55-24, 69.6%



24-18, 57.1%55-24, 69.6%





It is DK’s disciplined approach to warfare that will win or lose this tournament for them.



Firstly, and most obviously, this MLG means that we have Team DK in the West. This is their first trip to America after their 5th/6th place finish at TI3, and they no doubt have a lot to prove. Further, this is the new DK, a DK that is no longer limited to a single strategy, a DK that does not need to lean only on BurNing. (This is not to say that leaning on BurNing is a bad thing - he has averaged 246 last hits per game for as long as we have records, more than any other player in attendance this weekend - it's just that DK are now able to give him the support he needs to do farm up a storm.)



Moreover, this DK is the DK of Mushi and iceiceice, a truly trans-Asian team that has shown us over the past three months that they are well and truly the best the East has to offer. Further, while Mushi’s third place finish at TI3 may have been seen as a triumph by many of his fans, it was clear to everyone watching the aftermath of the tournament that he himself was displeased. This Mushi wants a world championship, and if the first quarter of the new season has shown us anything, DK just may be the team to take him there.



Some might say that DK’s form has dipped of late, and others might even tell you that the team has been slow to adapt to the new patch. The stats certainly support that argument; DK’s 18 - 1 run at the end of 6.78 was stellar, but their winrate has fallen to just 57.1% since then. In fact, having seen how easily Alliance handled them during the Nexon Supermatches last week, it looks very much as though DK may be in trouble this weekend. In fact, if you think about it, they have yet to win against a Western team in 6.79.



At its core, DK is a highly disciplined team, and even a flexible one. They are however, quite slow to adapt. When they are up in front and dictating the game, when they are pulling in unorthodox hero compositions and setting the tempo with their surgeon-like precision, then they are comfortable, in the zone and are able to use their high individual skill to deliver crushing defeats to even the most worthy opponents. However, when they themselves are in unfamiliar territory or have in some way been outdrafted or outlaned, they seem to find it difficult to adapt and play into the unknown. While they are one of the top contenders for the top spot here at MLG Columbus, the critics are right when they tell you that DK’s inadaptability may well be their undoing. Of course, there is a good chance that DK may just get to play the game the way they want, and if they do, if they get to rely on their pristine mechanics and decision making to outplay their opponents in the early and midgame, then there will simply be no stopping them. They will break you down, piece by piece.







Alliance - Economists and Executioners



Loda AdmiralBulldog s4 EGM Akke



Record (6.79)

39-11, 78.0%



Record (6.78)

127-40, 76.0%



39-11, 78.0%127-40, 76.0%





In battle, Alliance are as relentless as they are lethal.



It’s difficult to write about DK without talking of Alliance, its Western counterpart. Alliance burst on to the scene as team No Tidehunter in the first quarter of the 2012-2013 season, and by Dreamhack Winter they had bagged their first victory. Then, following a reorganisation in early 2013, they morphed into the Alliance we know today, an unstoppable wrecking machine that took G-1 League S5 away from LGD on their home turf and then went through the TI3 playoff bracket without dropping a single series.



They are without a doubt one of the most successful teams in Dota history now, and despite recent losses are here at MLG Columbus this weekend to prove a point: that they are still the champions. Indeed, they come into the tournament fresh off a 2-0 victory over DK at the Nexon Supermatches. Executing those games perfectly, Alliance last weekend showed us why they are such a strong team. They may not be as flashy as Na`Vi or have the same versatility that DK summons so easily, but their execution is perhaps unparalleled at the moment. They are really, really good at doing what they do, and if you give them an inch, they will likely walk away with the game, set, and match. Thanks to their versatile and resilient carry (Loda, who has by the way, only averaged 2.4 Deaths per match in the post-TI3 era, lowest among all players attending), specialist offlaner (AdmiralBulldog), two quality supports (EGM and Akke) and highly skilled drafter (s4), they have one of the strongest drafts in the world, and often emerge from the pick/ban phase with a significant lead.



Their real skill however, and perhaps the number one reason they can be called the best team in the world at the moment is that they know how to share their crops. With the passive gold changes in 6.79 placing more emphasis on economy, Alliance’s position in the Dota world is stronger than ever before. This is a team that instinctively understands how to give ample farm to their cores while letting their supports get the levels and items they need to be effective in the mid and late game. Thus, you will never find Akke or EGM walking around like peasants with boots and a TP scroll. In fact, we rarely see the two of them without a quick Mek or a Hex or even a Shiva. Alliance knows that it takes five to win a game of Dota, and they are not afraid to spread the wealth to make that happen. In fact, the fact that they are so economy-conscious means that they are also obviously doing well in the current patch, a fact that is seen quite easily when you compare their patch-to-patch winrate difference with that of DK’s. Above all however, Alliance is relentless, and that really is why they win so much: they do not rest until they do.







Na`Vi - They’re Taking the Hobbits To Isengard



XBOCT Dendi Puppey KuroKy Funn1k



Record (6.79)

30-21, 58.8%



Record (6.78)

108-44, 71.1%



30-21, 58.8%108-44, 71.1%





Some say XBOCT needs to be reined in. But does he?



For many people watching MLG Columbus this weekend, Dota 2 is synonymous with Na`Vi, the team that won the first The International and walked down that first livestream and straight into our hearts. It’s been two years since that first TI and yet Na`Vi remain the most popular team in the Western world, and for good reason.



Na`Vi wins games, but that’s not why the crowd at virtually every TI has been so biased towards them. Na`Vi wins games in style. Whether it’s a Dendi hook or a Kuroky Rubick lift, the way Na`Vi plays is as important as the end result of their matches. While the 2011-2012 Na`Vi squad were the original dream team, the new lineup that came together earlier this year has maintained the team’s standing as one of the most solid worldwide. In fact, TI3 is the only tournament they took part in the last 5 months that they did not win. They bagged a total of eight tourneys during this period, raking in a total haul of $779,370.



Thus, a few losses here and there notwithstanding, they are one of the strongest teams on the scene at the moment. They lost out to Alliance in TI3 finals by the narrowest of margins, and if their recent Starladder Finals win shows us anything, they are right up there with the Swedes in terms of individual skill.



Indeed, skill-wise they just may the most stacked team in the West. They have one of the most experienced captains and support players in Puppey, one of the most mechanically sound mids in Dendi and one of the best support players in Kuroky. To round them out, you have the offlane prowess of Funn1k and the XBOCT’s trademark #yolo carry skills. While a lot has been said about XBOCT and his decision making, the fact remains that it works for Na`Vi. He works for Na`Vi, and perhaps that’s why the team has stuck with him for so long. Critics of his play may feel that he could be less aggressive, but maybe XBOCT’s hyper-aggression is merely a mirror of his team, a team that plays best when the game is on the line and every play counts.



While it’s perhaps hyperbolic to say that everything will be on the line this week in Ohio, a $60,000 first place prize is certainly nothing to scoff at. Nevertheless, Na`Vi’s real goal here will be one that’s worth more to them than 60k: they will want to show the world that their Starladder win over Alliance wasn’t a fluke and that things have changed since their second place finish in Seattle this August. With their star studded line-up and devil may care attitude, Na`Vi is well poised to rumble through the Bo1s and smash their way through the semis. Wherever they end up though, we can be sure of one thing: they will fly by the seat of their pants, they will entertain us on their way there, and XBOCT will be out in front of them, crushing skulls.





FNATIC - Hon Eurotrash Superstars



Fly N0tail Era Trixi H4nni



Record (6.79)

26-19, 57.8%



Record (6.78)

91-60, 60.3%



26-19, 57.8%91-60, 60.3%





Fnatic’s greatest strength is being able to be everywhere at once.

You can probably beat them if you catch them. But can you catch them?



Fnatic haven’t had the best year. At one point last season, they were without a doubt one of the strongest teams in the West, and yet their record failed to reflect that until very recently. There is no question that they have what it takes to beat the best. The question is, will their brand of Dota, one that revolves around split-pushing with heroes like Nature’s Prophet and global ganks with Io help them versus the teams they are up against.



Most importantly however, they did go through teams like Alliance to make it through the G-League 2013 Western Qualifiers. The fact remains however that current Fnatic is best described as being erratic. On a good day, they are capable of outstanding games in which they used Io-Tiny to demolish their opposition. On a bad day, however, they are also completely capable of losing straight up to teams that they should be able to hold their own against.



Since they are a team with ultra-fluid positions, where a lot of them can play multiple roles, for a long time it looked like Fnatic couldn’t decide how best to allocate farm between their cores and their supports or even between their cores themselves. In any case, the last few weeks have shown us that the team may have sorted this out. If they come together in Ohio this weekend and really deliver as a unit, there is no question that they can go all the way. In fact, at their helm is Era, a capable player who currently averages 7.1 kills per game this season, more than any other player in attendance.



Finally, Fnatic has always relied heavily on the Fly-N0tail support combo, and for good reason. These two are the backbone of Fnatic’s favourite global strategy, and will no doubt play a key role in their run at Columbus. The question, then, is not so much can Fnatic get into the semis and even pull off a tournament win here. With Prophet or Io and Tiny, when Fnatic are everywhere, they cannot be stopped. The question then is, will they be everywhere or nowhere this weekend?





Liquid - Formless, Shapeless



FLUFFNSTUFF TC qojqva Waytosexy BuLba



Record (6.79)

26-15, 63.4%



Record (6.78)

66-40, 62.3%



26-15, 63.4%66-40, 62.3%





Liquid’s greatest strength is their adaptability.

Will they be able to fill and then break the vessels they meet this week in Ohio?



The darkhorse of TI3, Liquid’s run at the tournament put them on the map as the North American team to watch in the coming season. Of course, a post-TI3 roster shuffle also looks like it has fixed one of the problems that the team was criticised for in 6.78: farm allocation. In fact, if it feels like this entire preview is turning into an analysis of farm analysis, then there’s only one person to blame: IceFrog.



6.79 is all about passive gold, and Liquid has quickly adapted to the new patch. Their supports now get more farm than ever before, and thus they go into the mid and late game as a fighting unit. Their record this patch is good, and they come into MLG Columbus ready for their first big LAN with their new lineup. While their performance at the Nexon Supermatches this month was a little disappointing, history tells us that they are more than capable of causing upsets. When faced with the indomitable LGD at TI3, all it took was one BuLba Clockwerk for the team to rally and take the series away from the Chinese.



Of course, the Liquid that flies into Columbus this weekend is not the same team, and yet, in many ways they are. With one of the best carries in the West in the form of TC, Liquid is well positioned to make use of their thoughtful captain and support (Fluff) and daring mid/offlaner (BuLba). The addition of wayto and qojqva, if anything, has solidified their lineup. Qojqva’s GPM of 538 this season is the highest of any offlaner, and is even higher than TC's.



Finally, Liquid as a team have died only 16.8 times per match this season, lower than any team in attendance. They also have the lowest number of kills per game - 20.9. Make of this what you will, but the fact remains that if Liquid ever had a shot at a tournament since TI3, then this is it, and their fans, we’re sure, will be expecting them to go all the way. The only way they will go all the way, of course, is if they do what they do best: remain fluid and play reactively, and in the process make use of the fact that they know how to approach their opponents in many different ways.





EG - The American Dream



Fear MSS Jeyo UnIvErSe Fogged



Record (6.79)

22-32, 40.7%



Record (6.78)

96-69, 58.2%



22-32, 40.7%96-69, 58.2%





EG will fight hard this weekend. But will it be enough?



The perennial North American team, EG has been around forever, and yet both the 2012 - 2013 season and the 2013 - 2014 seasons so far have not seen them do particularly well (they finished 2nd at Dreamhack Winter 2012, but that was the exception). They’re a highly volatile team who are capable of pulling off an upset against pretty much anyone in the group stages at MLG, and the Bo1 format if anything should give them the setup they need to reach deep into their pockets and pull out those weird strats.



Their post-TI3 reshuffle doesn’t seem to be working yet for EG, and their winrate has dropped %17.5 after the new patch hit. Also, although they are 10 - 15 since moving Fear to the carry position, they have been able to take games of both Alliance and Na`Vi, which is no mean feat.



In the final analysis though, they’re still not a strong contender to progress deep in the tournament. While their lineup certainly has some individual talent in the form of established names like Fear, Jeyo and Universe, the fact remains that the team just hasn’t come together yet. In summary, though EG may take some games off more formidable opponents at MLG Columbus, they are unlikely to progress to the Semi-Finals. They are seasoned fighters, and yet, no matter how much battle you have seen, some fights are just beyond you.





Speed Gaming.int - Coming of Age



EternalEnVy SingSing Arteezy Aui_2000 pieliedie



Record (6.79)

23-7, 76.7%



Record (6.78)

26-17, 60.4%



23-7, 76.7%26-17, 60.4%





Speed Gaming is getting stronger everyday. Could this be their hour?



The newest top tier team in the West and indeed, the wildcard at MLG Columbus, Speed Gaming come into the tournament with a lot to prove. With the likes of Sing Sing and Aui_2000, they certainly have the individual skill to go around, and on paper are thus definitely one of the up and coming teams in the West.



Speed has only been around for a few weeks. Though 6.79 winrate is a staggering 76.7%, they are untested in recent weeks and their most impressive victories this patch came in their first half-dozen games. However, in a Bo1 format group stage that favours bold play, EE’s band of merry men will likely thrive. In their most recent LAN showing at the Nexon Supermatches in Korea, Speed went 3 - 1, and showed the world that they were indeed playing as a team.



An interesting fact about Speed is that Aui_2000’s 90.6 last hits per game this season is the 2nd highest among 4 position players attending MLG Columbus, behind only Puppey. In an arena where supports getting adequate items seems to be a crucial part of winning games, Aui's farming abilities may be just what his team needs at the moment.



The darkhorse of MLG Columbus 2013, they are the team that is most likely to cause an upset and knock out a top contender from a Semi Finals spot. In other words, Speed Gaming is not to be underestimated this weekend. If anything, Sing Sing and friends just don’t know their own strength yet. If they find out, and the way they’re going, they probably will soon enough, the opposition better be careful.





Sigma.int - European Union



FATA miGGel paS Sockshka 7ckngMad



Record (6.79)

7-1, 87.5%



Record (6.78)

11-10, 52.4%



7-1, 87.5%11-10, 52.4%





Sigma.int certainly have the firepower to do damage this weekend.

But the question remains: will they get it together?



Sigma.int has some big names. With 7ckngMad, Sockshka and FATA on the team, it's not like they’re some unknown pubstar team. Individually, these guys are all very influential European players. The team also boasts an impressive 75% winrate in 6.79, though to be fair, most of those 24 games they played were against second and third tier opponents.



While we’d never count them out completely, especially since the group stage is Bo1s, thus making anything possible, we have a hard time imagining that they will give the top teams at Columbus a run for their money. It is highly unlikely that Sigma.int will make the Semi Finals, and we’d be pretty surprised if they even managed to finish top six. If they really focus and avoid the LAN choke however, they may just leave us with a better impression of themselves than they have in the past.





Pretty Boy Swag - Rolling With The Punches



Sleisel, ima_sheep(sux), Cak3z, Jubei, RyuUboruZ



Record (6.79)

23-7, 76.7%



Record (6.78)

26-17, 60.4%



23-7, 76.7%26-17, 60.4%





PBS are going to be happy just trading punches with the big boys this weekend.



A team of North American pubstars, Pretty Boy Swag will likely treat this MLG as a way to get LAN experience against the world’s top teams. Indeed, getting the opportunity to play the likes of Alliance and DK is any pub player’s dream, and as such we’re sure it will be a wonderful weekend for them.



In reality though, these guys should just try and not get beaten up too hard at Columbus. They should of course do their best, but let’s be honest: their ultimate goal should be to just come back alive, if not in one piece.



To be fair, they did take a game off Dignitas at MLG Full Sail, and they did of course get through the online qualifier to make it to Columbus. If nothing else, these two reasons should give fans of North American Dota a reason to cheer for them!



Community Verdict







CREDITS

All stats from



Writers: riptide, phantasmal, kupon3ss, TanGeng, Vykromond, K-poptosis

Gfx: shirousagi, phantasmal

Editors: riptide, SirJolt, TheEmulator All stats from Dat Dota Writers: riptide, phantasmal, kupon3ss, TanGeng, Vykromond, K-poptosisGfx: shirousagi, phantasmalEditors: riptide, SirJolt, TheEmulator

It’s been three and half months since TI3, and for the first time this season, we have Western and Eastern teams meeting at an extended LAN tournament. Yes, we're aware that DK and Alliance met last week at the Nexon Supermatches, but this is a bona fide LAN tournament, with a full roster of the best teams the West has to offer as well.Thus, it’s with a sense of excitement that we look to this weekend. TI3, if anything, showed us that Western teams had evolved since the the thrashing they received in Seattle the year before. Their showing this August was exemplary: 1st place, 2nd place, and 50% of the Top 8.MLG Columbus, however, will be more than just a East vs West battle.In many ways, North America’s first Dota 2 LAN ever will also be the 2013-2014 season’s first clash of cultures. In other words, the 2012 - 2013 season that culminated in TI3 levelled the playing field in terms of skill, and showed everyone that it was no longer important if a team was from east or west of the Arabian Sea.What matters now, and indeed what really stands out in this new arena, is your Dota culture, the way you approach the game itself. From Shanghai to Seattle, it no longer matters if you’re Chinese or North American or European, and indeed, those labels are becoming increasingly obsolete, even as more Western teams like SpeedGaming.int and LGD.int move to China to play there.At MLG Columbus, the main difference between Dota cultures and backgrounds will be seen in how these teams clash, and that will be the main focus of these team previews. From DK’s beautifully choreographed teamfights to Alliance’s ultra-clean execution and Na`Vi’s out-there initiations, the way these teams play the game is fundamentally different, and that’s what will make MLG a LAN worth watching.Dota is a game of war, but let’s remember that each of these teams approach the same battle in different ways! So, without further ado, let’s look more closely at these fighting units. After all, the battle itself begins in -Firstly, and most obviously, this MLG means that we have Team DK in the West. This is their first trip to America after their 5th/6th place finish at TI3, and they no doubt have a lot to prove. Further, this is the new DK, a DK that is no longer limited to a single strategy, a DK that does not need to lean only on BurNing. (This is not to say that leaning on BurNing is a bad thing - he has averaged 246 last hits per game for as long as we have records, more than any other player in attendance this weekend - it's just that DK are now able to give him the support he needs to do farm up a storm.)Moreover, this DK is the DK of Mushi and iceiceice, a truly trans-Asian team that has shown us over the past three months that they are well and truly the best the East has to offer. Further, while Mushi’s third place finish at TI3 may have been seen as a triumph by many of his fans, it was clear to everyone watching the aftermath of the tournament that he himself was displeased. This Mushi wants a world championship, and if the first quarter of the new season has shown us anything, DK just may be the team to take him there.Some might say that DK’s form has dipped of late, and others might even tell you that the team has been slow to adapt to the new patch. The stats certainly support that argument; DK’s 18 - 1 run at the end of 6.78 was stellar, but their winrate has fallen to just 57.1% since then. In fact, having seen how easily Alliance handled them during the Nexon Supermatches last week, it looks very much as though DK may be in trouble this weekend. In fact, if you think about it, they have yet to win against a Western team in 6.79.At its core, DK is a highly disciplined team, and even a flexible one. They are however, quite slow to adapt. When they are up in front and dictating the game, when they are pulling in unorthodox hero compositions and setting the tempo with their surgeon-like precision, then they are comfortable, in the zone and are able to use their high individual skill to deliver crushing defeats to even the most worthy opponents. However, when they themselves are in unfamiliar territory or have in some way been outdrafted or outlaned, they seem to find it difficult to adapt and play into the unknown. While they are one of the top contenders for the top spot here at MLG Columbus, the critics are right when they tell you that DK’s inadaptability may well be their undoing. Of course, there is a good chance that DK may just get to play the game the way they want, and if they do, if they get to rely on their pristine mechanics and decision making to outplay their opponents in the early and midgame, then there will simply be no stopping them. They will break you down, piece by piece.It’s difficult to write about DK without talking of Alliance, its Western counterpart. Alliance burst on to the scene as team No Tidehunter in the first quarter of the 2012-2013 season, and by Dreamhack Winter they had bagged their first victory. Then, following a reorganisation in early 2013, they morphed into the Alliance we know today, an unstoppable wrecking machine that took G-1 League S5 away from LGD on their home turf and then went through the TI3 playoff bracket without dropping a single series.They are without a doubt one of the most successful teams in Dota history now, and despite recent losses are here at MLG Columbus this weekend to prove a point: that they are still the champions. Indeed, they come into the tournament fresh off a 2-0 victory over DK at the Nexon Supermatches. Executing those games perfectly, Alliance last weekend showed us why they are such a strong team. They may not be as flashy as Na`Vi or have the same versatility that DK summons so easily, but their execution is perhaps unparalleled at the moment. They are really, really good at doing what they do, and if you give them an inch, they will likely walk away with the game, set, and match. Thanks to their versatile and resilient carry (Loda, who has by the way, only averaged 2.4 Deaths per match in the post-TI3 era, lowest among all players attending), specialist offlaner (AdmiralBulldog), two quality supports (EGM and Akke) and highly skilled drafter (s4), they have one of the strongest drafts in the world, and often emerge from the pick/ban phase with a significant lead.Their real skill however, and perhaps the number one reason they can be called the best team in the world at the moment is that they know how to share their crops. With the passive gold changes in 6.79 placing more emphasis on economy, Alliance’s position in the Dota world is stronger than ever before. This is a team that instinctively understands how to give ample farm to their cores while letting their supports get the levels and items they need to be effective in the mid and late game. Thus, you will never find Akke or EGM walking around like peasants with boots and a TP scroll. In fact, we rarely see the two of them without a quick Mek or a Hex or even a Shiva. Alliance knows that it takes five to win a game of Dota, and they are not afraid to spread the wealth to make that happen. In fact, the fact that they are so economy-conscious means that they are also obviously doing well in the current patch, a fact that is seen quite easily when you compare their patch-to-patch winrate difference with that of DK’s. Above all however, Alliance is relentless, and that really is why they win so much: they do not rest until they do.For many people watching MLG Columbus this weekend, Dota 2 is synonymous with Na`Vi, the team that won the first The International and walked down that first livestream and straight into our hearts. It’s been two years since that first TI and yet Na`Vi remain the most popular team in the Western world, and for good reason.Na`Vi wins games, but that’s not why the crowd at virtually every TI has been so biased towards them. Na`Vi wins games in style. Whether it’s a Dendi hook or a Kuroky Rubick lift, the way Na`Vi plays is as important as the end result of their matches. While the 2011-2012 Na`Vi squad were the original dream team, the new lineup that came together earlier this year has maintained the team’s standing as one of the most solid worldwide. In fact, TI3 is the only tournament they took part in the last 5 months that they did not win. They bagged a total of eight tourneys during this period, raking in a total haul of $779,370.Thus, a few losses here and there notwithstanding, they are one of the strongest teams on the scene at the moment. They lost out to Alliance in TI3 finals by the narrowest of margins, and if their recent Starladder Finals win shows us anything, they are right up there with the Swedes in terms of individual skill.Indeed, skill-wise they just may the most stacked team in the West. They have one of the most experienced captains and support players in Puppey, one of the most mechanically sound mids in Dendi and one of the best support players in Kuroky. To round them out, you have the offlane prowess of Funn1k and the XBOCT’s trademark #yolo carry skills. While a lot has been said about XBOCT and his decision making, the fact remains that it works for Na`Vi. He works for Na`Vi, and perhaps that’s why the team has stuck with him for so long. Critics of his play may feel that he could be less aggressive, but maybe XBOCT’s hyper-aggression is merely a mirror of his team, a team that plays best when the game is on the line and every play counts.While it’s perhaps hyperbolic to say that everything will be on the line this week in Ohio, a $60,000 first place prize is certainly nothing to scoff at. Nevertheless, Na`Vi’s real goal here will be one that’s worth more to them than 60k: they will want to show the world that their Starladder win over Alliance wasn’t a fluke and that things have changed since their second place finish in Seattle this August. With their star studded line-up and devil may care attitude, Na`Vi is well poised to rumble through the Bo1s and smash their way through the semis. Wherever they end up though, we can be sure of one thing: they will fly by the seat of their pants, they will entertain us on their way there, and XBOCT will be out in front of them, crushing skulls.Fnatic haven’t had the best year. At one point last season, they were without a doubt one of the strongest teams in the West, and yet their record failed to reflect that until very recently. There is no question that they have what it takes to beat the best. The question is, will their brand of Dota, one that revolves around split-pushing with heroes like Nature’s Prophet and global ganks with Io help them versus the teams they are up against.Most importantly however, they did go through teams like Alliance to make it through the G-League 2013 Western Qualifiers. The fact remains however that current Fnatic is best described as being erratic. On a good day, they are capable of outstanding games in which they used Io-Tiny to demolish their opposition. On a bad day, however, they are also completely capable of losing straight up to teams that they should be able to hold their own against.Since they are a team with ultra-fluid positions, where a lot of them can play multiple roles, for a long time it looked like Fnatic couldn’t decide how best to allocate farm between their cores and their supports or even between their cores themselves. In any case, the last few weeks have shown us that the team may have sorted this out. If they come together in Ohio this weekend and really deliver as a unit, there is no question that they can go all the way. In fact, at their helm is Era, a capable player who currently averages 7.1 kills per game this season, more than any other player in attendance.Finally, Fnatic has always relied heavily on the Fly-N0tail support combo, and for good reason. These two are the backbone of Fnatic’s favourite global strategy, and will no doubt play a key role in their run at Columbus. The question, then, is not so much can Fnatic get into the semis and even pull off a tournament win here. With Prophet or Io and Tiny, when Fnatic are everywhere, they cannot be stopped. The question then is, will they be everywhere or nowhere this weekend?The darkhorse of TI3, Liquid’s run at the tournament put them on the map as the North American team to watch in the coming season. Of course, a post-TI3 roster shuffle also looks like it has fixed one of the problems that the team was criticised for in 6.78: farm allocation. In fact, if it feels like this entire preview is turning into an analysis of farm analysis, then there’s only one person to blame: IceFrog.6.79 is all about passive gold, and Liquid has quickly adapted to the new patch. Their supports now get more farm than ever before, and thus they go into the mid and late game as a fighting unit. Their record this patch is good, and they come into MLG Columbus ready for their first big LAN with their new lineup. While their performance at the Nexon Supermatches this month was a little disappointing, history tells us that they are more than capable of causing upsets. When faced with the indomitable LGD at TI3, all it took was one BuLba Clockwerk for the team to rally and take the series away from the Chinese.Of course, the Liquid that flies into Columbus this weekend is not the same team, and yet, in many ways they are. With one of the best carries in the West in the form of TC, Liquid is well positioned to make use of their thoughtful captain and support (Fluff) and daring mid/offlaner (BuLba). The addition of wayto and qojqva, if anything, has solidified their lineup. Qojqva’s GPM of 538 this season is the highest of any offlaner, and is even higher than TC's.Finally, Liquid as a team have died only 16.8 times per match this season, lower than any team in attendance. They also have the lowest number of kills per game - 20.9. Make of this what you will, but the fact remains that if Liquid ever had a shot at a tournament since TI3, then this is it, and their fans, we’re sure, will be expecting them to go all the way. The only way they will go all the way, of course, is if they do what they do best: remain fluid and play reactively, and in the process make use of the fact that they know how to approach their opponents in many different ways.The perennial North American team, EG has been around forever, and yet both the 2012 - 2013 season and the 2013 - 2014 seasons so far have not seen them do particularly well (they finished 2nd at Dreamhack Winter 2012, but that was the exception). They’re a highly volatile team who are capable of pulling off an upset against pretty much anyone in the group stages at MLG, and the Bo1 format if anything should give them the setup they need to reach deep into their pockets and pull out those weird strats.Their post-TI3 reshuffle doesn’t seem to be working yet for EG, and their winrate has dropped %17.5 after the new patch hit. Also, although they are 10 - 15 since moving Fear to the carry position, they have been able to take games of both Alliance and Na`Vi, which is no mean feat.In the final analysis though, they’re still not a strong contender to progress deep in the tournament. While their lineup certainly has some individual talent in the form of established names like Fear, Jeyo and Universe, the fact remains that the team just hasn’t come together yet. In summary, though EG may take some games off more formidable opponents at MLG Columbus, they are unlikely to progress to the Semi-Finals. They are seasoned fighters, and yet, no matter how much battle you have seen, some fights are just beyond you.The newest top tier team in the West and indeed, the wildcard at MLG Columbus, Speed Gaming come into the tournament with a lot to prove. With the likes of Sing Sing and Aui_2000, they certainly have the individual skill to go around, and on paper are thus definitely one of the up and coming teams in the West.Speed has only been around for a few weeks. Though 6.79 winrate is a staggering 76.7%, they are untested in recent weeks and their most impressive victories this patch came in their first half-dozen games. However, in a Bo1 format group stage that favours bold play, EE’s band of merry men will likely thrive. In their most recent LAN showing at the Nexon Supermatches in Korea, Speed went 3 - 1, and showed the world that they were indeed playing as a team.An interesting fact about Speed is that Aui_2000’s 90.6 last hits per game this season is the 2nd highest among 4 position players attending MLG Columbus, behind only Puppey. In an arena where supports getting adequate items seems to be a crucial part of winning games, Aui's farming abilities may be just what his team needs at the moment.The darkhorse of MLG Columbus 2013, they are the team that is most likely to cause an upset and knock out a top contender from a Semi Finals spot. In other words, Speed Gaming is not to be underestimated this weekend. If anything, Sing Sing and friends just don’t know their own strength yet. If they find out, and the way they’re going, they probably will soon enough, the opposition better be careful.Sigma.int has some big names. With 7ckngMad, Sockshka and FATA on the team, it's not like they’re some unknown pubstar team. Individually, these guys are all very influential European players. The team also boasts an impressive 75% winrate in 6.79, though to be fair, most of those 24 games they played were against second and third tier opponents.While we’d never count them out completely, especially since the group stage is Bo1s, thus making anything possible, we have a hard time imagining that they will give the top teams at Columbus a run for their money. It is highly unlikely that Sigma.int will make the Semi Finals, and we’d be pretty surprised if they even managed to finish top six. If they really focus and avoid the LAN choke however, they may just leave us with a better impression of themselves than they have in the past.A team of North American pubstars, Pretty Boy Swag will likely treat this MLG as a way to get LAN experience against the world’s top teams. Indeed, getting the opportunity to play the likes of Alliance and DK is any pub player’s dream, and as such we’re sure it will be a wonderful weekend for them.In reality though, these guys should just try and not get beaten up too hard at Columbus. They should of course do their best, but let’s be honest: their ultimate goal should be to just come back alive, if not in one piece.To be fair, they did take a game off Dignitas at MLG Full Sail, and they did of course get through the online qualifier to make it to Columbus. If nothing else, these two reasons should give fans of North American Dota a reason to cheer for them! Administrator SKT T1 | Masters of the Universe