Zephyr.Merlini 20-20 Answers! October 7th, 2014 19:07 GMT Text by CountChocula



Most remembered for his play with Zeus and Silencer, his competitive career dates back to 2006 and saw his first large-scale LAN victory at DreamHack Summer the following year. He's played with many of today's The International level contenders such as Puppey, Demon, Kuroky, and Fear, and has been on a range of teams including MYM, Ok.nirvana.int, and Evil Geniuses.





My grandma would have said he looks like such a nice young man



Most recently he has been playing with Zephyr for their run at Korean Dota League Season 3, and has been seen playing both mid and support. Here is an interview he did at TI4 about a lot of non-Dota things like how he met his girlfriend.









20 Questions

We asked Merlini your questions, and here are the answers. He's a man of the people and we took the very best in questions from





20 Answers



What has been your experience returning to the professional scene after a long absence? Comparatively, how would you describe your development into an established caster? Where do you think you would be today had you stayed playing competitively? [Bisu-Fan]



This was my first true venture back to the competitive scene since MYM's Dota 1 reign ended in 2009. An excellent infrastructure for developing successful professional Dota players and teams has finally been set, and that is the single starkest contrast. The monetary aspect has shifted greatly, but the one thing that hasn't changed one bit is that all professional players play for the love of the game as their primary motivating factor. You can tell in the way that they play and in their commitment, and that's an amazing spectacle to behold. Money doesn't change everyone.



As far as how things would've been had I stayed playing competitively, I'd like to think I'd be in the same position as some of my ex-teammates and on a successful Tier 1 team. Or even better, a successful jester like Pusher-Street! Either of those may be wishful thinking, but the option of switching to an English commentary/analyst would've been a rather simple transition for me at any period.



What were your favorite WC3 custom maps aside from Dota? Are there any new pros/semi-pros you think people should watch out for? What teams do you think will come out strong after the post international player swapping? When will your next bathtub interview be? [Phustus]



Favorite WC3 maps were Fufu Ninja All-Stars, Mazing Contest, Wintermaul TD (NOT Wintermaul Wars), YouTD, Skibi's TD, and Uther Party. I also enjoyed this custom mode in Dota 1 where you would enable cheats, enable multiple heroes, and have a 5 on 5 battle versus someone else. I would warm-up versus Pusher before matches using this mode. Needless to say, he got Tyrannosaurus rekt. Naga + techies. PA + mass auras + repel/GA. Silencer. We had to start banning heroes from the mode because he couldn't win.



To be honest, I haven't been keeping up too much with the non-SEA/Korean scene post-TI because I was heavily focused on KDL. Other people are more knowledgeable than me as far as new up and coming players. Refer to Clairvoyance.



Bathtub interviews are more dead than 6.82 tinker. Sorry.



What are some important Dota 1 historical facts/stories that you'd wish more people know about? [lestye]



I shared some inside stories above, but mostly I'd hope that people would have a lot more respect for the people that have been around forever. They know this game inside and out, and people are too quick to lose faith in legendary players. Loda and Burning to name a couple. A few others come to mind.



Can you describe how your Zephyr teammates contribute to the draft/pre-game strategy? Are there any heroes you are experimenting with or believe to have potential, particularly for your team's play style? Which one(s) and why? [Aisikle]



Bamboe usually requests a ridiculous mid hero (Visage, Earthshaker, etc.). Everybody else is fairly standard in what they like to discuss & run. Blitz will occasionally advocate for something like Huskar. We had a lot of success with solo mid Skywrath in heavy aggression strategies and Lone Druid/Nature's Prophet/Enigma push strats.



If you have to nerf Skywrath, what would you want to do about him? What about Void as well? (asking this because of his Skywrath plays at kdl) [HammerKick]



6.82 just hit. The only additions I'd like to see are 15/25/35/45% magic amplification scaling on Skywrath's Ancient Seal and small nerf to Void's base Agility or damage.



As a long time Dota player, you've seen a lot of new tactics and strategies used over the years (and introduced some yourself!) that have helped to make Dota as deep and complicated as it is today. What new tactic or strategy do you think was the most significant to the Dota 2 “metagame” of today? (e.g. the development of jungling, bottle crowing, double pulling, etc.) [Beirut]



Definitely jungling and double/triple pulling. It led to some serious yawnfests of tournaments (DH 2012 I think) due to tons of stacking, but most people don't understand how huge it was when it first hit. Everybody was running 3/1/1 or 2/1/2. The concept that a hero would be missing from the first five minutes of the game and doing something other than being in a lane was mind boggling. I can't imagine how perplexed our opponents were when we pulled out the Beastmaster jungle.



As a Dota legend who transitioned into a proverbial 'pub star', what has been your experience with ranked matchmaking? What, if any, improvements would you make to the ranked matchmaking system? What are your top 3 tips for increasing chance of victory in pub games? [MaZza[KIS]]







Stop blaming your teammates. Occasionally they'll play like they're on a touchpad upside-down, but you will never get better if you don't focus on your own mistakes and attempt to minimize them. Control the factors you can control (applies to real life, too).



Stop caring so much about your KDA. Deaths are okay if you can justify them. If you can't justify them, then figure out what went wrong so you die less in the future. Players overuse the phrase “creating space,” but that doesn't mean the term still isn't applicable. Deaths are a necessary part of Dota. Concentrate on winning, not looking good. I mean, just look at Maelk. He dies 20 times in a game, gets 0 kills, ends up winning, AND looks good!



Think outside the box. You'll only get so far copying what's popular. Some builds sound ridiculous. Radiance on Jugg? Orchid on Sniper? Atos on Doom? There's a time and a place for everything. Except for Vanguard. No Vanguard. Ranked matchmaking is a very good indicator for baseline of skill. Anybody below 4.5k is roughly where they belong (give or take 150 points due to standard variation). Above 5.5k is where it becomes an indicator of how often you picked Doom or Tinker.



I feel like I spend too much time farming and waiting for stuff to happen and not enough ganking and creating space when I support, but I don't know when and how to play aggressively. Do you have any advice about playing an effective support? [Rainling]



It's a very open ended question. What you should be doing depends on many different factors, including what your hero is (Abaddon and Skywrath have very different roles), strengths of your team and your opponents' team, time of game.



Having initially established yourself as legendary solo player, what's the position you find most difficult to play, and why? [Caladbolg]



Almost undoubtedly support. They have to do the most work in the first 15 minutes in the game with the least items. They set the framework for the entire game, from the laning phase to the 5th Roshan. Only the most experienced and skilled of Dota players will thrive in this position. They are the unsung heroes of Dota teams.





Do you feel the pressure to perform as a venerated player and commentator? How does the audience's treatment of your legacy affect your play? [Spicy_Curry]



In Dota 1, when I stream, and on Zephyr, I'm extremely focused on winning the game and taking every measure I can in game to maximize those chances . And to do that, it's necessary to compartmentalize and put the audience, expectations, stakes, and everything else on the backfoot. My real life friends would refer to that as me being “in the zone.”





Do you think that it's better to play (speaking from your personal preference) to play in a team of 5 superstars but not much synergy, or in a tightly knit 5-person squad where not all 5 players are superstars? [IntoTheheart]



To be a Tier 1 team, it's easier to become one as a team of 5 superstars without synergy. Almost no practice together required. To be a TI Champion though, a tightly knit 5-person squad is imperative. Obviously you'll need a superstar or two though.





What are your thoughts on the Korean competitive scene and how it has developed? What does it need to do to compete with top teams elsewhere and can the NA scene learn from it, and why/how? [Avs]



The Korean scene has come a long way since I first started casting them in prior season's Starladder. It was laughable at how low the skill level was. Now, there's serious money injected into the scene, and people go where the money goes. MVP Phoenix isn't a Tier 1 team yet, but they put up a good fight versus the other scenes, and more importantly, they have their own style and roll with it. I actually think other teams can learn from them and utilize unique picks that work for their own team, not just pick what's popular.



The NA scene is still a long way off. It has a bit of catch up to do, mostly due to maturity level. A lot of players think they're Arteezy 3.0. I was there once, too. Then I played against Europe and got humiliated until I developed into a true top-tier player, not just an “NA good” player. And once I got there, I got humiliated by the Asian scene. Reality hit, and it hit hard. Then I learned again. And improved again. It's a neverending cycle, which is a good thing! There's always more to learn, which is what I love about Dota.





Are you having more fun playing competitive dota now compared to in the Dota 1 era? Why do you think so? [mcalma09]



Nothing will ever compare to playing with Maelk, Mania, Pusher-Street, and Hanni. That team was the most fun I've ever had playing Dota. Each and every one of those players are ludicrous in their own right. I'm having fun now, but some bonds you just never forget. Similar to Loda/Akke, Puppey/Kuro, etc. Dota creates bromances. They could make a romantic comedy out of Dota teams.





How has the return to competitive been from your pub play? Is it a bit of a shock, or are you playing about as much as you were on your own? Have you had to adjust your playstyle at all to fit the Korean pro scene, or have your habits from those Sunday Cup Series been enough to keep you going strong? What all has changed since you were at the top of the scene? Anything surprising, or do you feel comfortable returning to it? Good luck to you and the rest of the Power of Friendship! [Acritter]



There's something that triggers mentally for me when I'm playing competitively as opposed to pubbing. I'm not a turbo feedlord (usually), and my senses are heightened. That's not something that I'm used to from streaming or from playing SECS, but that peaked awareness was usually enough to compensate for years of being away from the scene.





In your recent CNN interview, you talked about choosing Dota over more "traditional" career paths. Have you ever considered picking up a side job to supplement your Dota career? if you weren't playing Dota right now, where would you see yourself? [BluemoonSC]



I tried juggling my finance job and streaming at the same time, and that was too exhausting. Working a side job again would be nice for the extra money, but I would simply be stretched too thin to consider doing it in the future. If Dota were never to have entered my life, I would hope to see myself doing medical residency like a lot of my college buddies or working some sort of tech job, programming-related preferably. Or maybe resident bumscout at the gay bar (inside joke).





What is your passion outside of gaming? What is the best book you've read recently? [Omigawa]



My passion is making the people around me happy, including my girlfriend. I'm a nerd through and through though so I don't enjoy too many non-gaming passions. Best book I've read recently is Ender's Game. Movie didn't do it justice though.





In the recent CNN article it said you picked up the name "Merlini" from middle school. What's the story behind the name? [The Almighty Loaf]



Taken from my Reddit AMA: StriderFury - “How did u get ur name, Merlini? Is it based off of Merlin the wizard from stories of King Arthur?”



Me - “Kinda. I came up with the name when I played Everquest in 7th grade (female DE magician for those interested) and I've used the name ever since.”





What tips can you give to a soon-to-graduate university student for excelling in today's job market? [Steelavocado]



Generic advice: Do an internship or something productive during your summers. Yes, you probably need some time off between semesters, but the amount of return that you'll get for that time invested is incredible. You won't regret it.



Specific advice to diddle-daddlers like me: Explore as many career options as you can early on (freshman/sophomore year) so that you can pick the best option and not waste important time deciding on a career option later when opportunities have passed.





If you could play Dota with any two people, living or dead, who would you pick? [3d12]



Maelk & Pusher. I hope they'd list me as their answer to the same question after I died from laughter from overexposure to these two clowns.





Does South Korea have good cheese? [Dubzex]



Kevin aka Purge, King of Dairy products, Official Cheese Herald of Wisconsin, Professional Ice Cream Connoisseur, Curator of All Things Made of Cream, would give it a 2/10 would not slay Roshan a third











Graphics: Heyoka

Editor: Heyoka, CountChocula

Photo: From : Heyoka: Heyoka, CountChocula: From NeoDota We asked Merlini your questions, and here are the answers. He's a man of the people and we took the very best in questions from our previous thread We're happy to bring another player to the 20-20 hot box, and this time it's none other than the old legend himself, Merlini. Player turned caster turned player once more, he's here to talk to his fans and tell about his illustrious career.Most remembered for his play with Zeus and Silencer, his competitive career dates back to 2006 and saw his first large-scale LAN victory at DreamHack Summer the following year. He's played with many of today'slevel contenders such as Puppey, Demon, Kuroky, and Fear, and has been on a range of teams including MYM, Ok.nirvana.int, and Evil Geniuses.Most recently he has been playing with Zephyr for their run at Korean Dota League Season 3, and has been seen playing both mid and support. Here is an interview he did at TI4 about a lot of non-Dota things like how he met his girlfriend. 我会让他们连馒头都吃不到 Those championships owed me over the years, I will take them back one by one.