Masters takes

This Masters almost every region has levelled up and it could be any region's tbh.

EMEA weakened due to Putin lol, no FPX and FNC playing with a sub.
NA has two solid teams in OpTic and The Guard, really good fundamentals and work ethic.
APAC sent the best teams they could - XIA and PRX, both mechanically cracked with the strats to go toe-to-toe with EMEA and NA teams.
JP sending ZETA, a team that has levelled up ridiculously to the point of doubling, maybe tripling in firepower.
BR with their superteam LOUD, didn't drop a single game in VCT 2022 S1, even against VK, which gave World Champions Acend a run for their money, with NIP looking really good too.
LATAM with KRÜ and LEVIATAN, KRÜ having made the miracle run at Champs, LEVIATAN narrowly losing to KRÜ.

KR, realistically I don't see them doing as well. I also don't think they'll have the private rep of scrimgods like they did at Berlin and Champions, just because they look so weak compared to 2021. Different roster roles and players. I hope I'm proven wrong but as a DRX supporter they are the only team I am genuinely concerned for regarding even playoff qualification as they might even lose to the other Asian teams...

its not like fpx went undefeated, they lost to LDN UTD lmao so i think we can still see emeas best

Imagine if DRX get k1ng back from loan and end up using him in Reykjavik

Hello? G2 is still playing

sheahhhh [#2]

its not like fpx went undefeated, they lost to LDN UTD lmao so i think we can still see emeas best

true, but replacing your 1st seed with your 4th, with your 3rd playing with a sub obviously weakens the region's rep no?

VirajKnight [#4]

Hello? G2 is still playing

True, they are the only EMEA team unaffected by RUS-UKR but personally I'm not sold on their power ranking as they happened to face an exhausted FNC and M3C.

Sprouts [#3]

Imagine if DRX get k1ng back from loan and end up using him in Reykjavik

Honestly W, but that means Buzz would be the 6th man if K1ng would play for the starting roster

If liquid get their shit together, theyre going to be favorites for sure. G2 the favorites for now still. I feel like emea still is the most likely winner

Sprouts [#3]

Imagine if DRX get k1ng back from loan and end up using him in Reykjavik

would be nice but DRX have to have spent a lot of time adjusting their players to the new roles - they might be rusty when returning to their old ones. Plus idk where Zest fits with k1ng now that BuZz is in the roster..honestly I feel their best possible roster would be BuZz Rb Stax MaKo and Lakia. Maybe replace Rb with k1ng.

GLN321 [#8]

If liquid get their shit together, theyre going to be favorites for sure. G2 the favorites for now still. I feel like emea still is the most likely winner

yes ofc. It will be a major disappointment if any EMEA team does not make playoffs.

i just want to see upsets and KRU vs The Guard :D

archetype [#5]

true, but replacing your 1st seed with your 4th, with your 3rd playing with a sub obviously weakens the region's rep no?

wait till lulquid smacks DRX VS, mf really doesnt know the level of competiton in emea

did LOUD loss a few maps, or they had a clean run without dropping any maps?

Excalibur5 [#12]

wait till lulquid smacks DRX VS, mf really doesnt know the level of competiton in emea

???? I'm not saying EMEA is shit lol I'm just saying they've been weakened. Through no fault of their own lol I literally said Russia-Ukraine weakened EMEA and it did. Bozo. I wouldn't be surprised if TL beat DRX too I literally said DRX look the weakest they've ever been.

cheaterr [#13]

did LOUD loss a few maps, or they had a clean run without dropping any maps?

They dropped 2 maps the entire tourney last I checked. Pretty insane.

avepalto [#11]

i just want to see upsets and KRU vs The Guard :D

Hoping Asian teams do really well. I love XIA and PRX so I'm rooting for them as well as DRX and TGRD.

archetype [#16]

Hoping Asian teams do really well. I love XIA and PRX so I'm rooting for them as well as DRX and TGRD.

it would be so sick to watch an drx vs guard match

S0v4k [#7]

Honestly W, but that means Buzz would be the 6th man if K1ng would play for the starting roster

Unpopular opinion but I think rb should be the 6th man. He is a great player no doubt. But sometimes mid game, it just feels like he is trying to re-adjust his playstyle to the team. And they lose a couple rounds when that happens

honestly i dont see why many drx fans are saying they got weaker? no doubt buzz was inconsistent in international games and rb wasnt finding value on initiators. buzz still frags on sentinels and holds site cleanly and rb is playing much better back on the duelist role

Sprouts [#3]

Imagine if DRX get k1ng back from loan and end up using him in Reykjavik

is drx just vs changing org name, or is it a different org? just curious.

hitagicult [#20]

is drx just vs changing org name, or is it a different org? just curious.

It’s a different org, much larger than VS and are well known in LoL

GLN321 [#8]

If liquid get their shit together, theyre going to be favorites for sure. G2 the favorites for now still. I feel like emea still is the most likely winner

This is a pretty big fucking "IF"

my takes
possible groups and predictions
Group A:
OPTIC ✓ 2-0
Xerxia ✓ 2-1
FNC 1-2
KRU 0-2

Group B:
Liquid ✓2-0
DRX ✓2-1
ZETA 1-2
NIP 0-2

fadezis [#23]

my takes
possible groups and predictions
Group A:
OPTIC ✓ 2-0
Xerxia ✓ 2-1
FNC 1-2
KRU 0-2

Group B:
Liquid ✓2-0
DRX ✓2-1
ZETA 1-2
NIP 0-2

Woah woah woah

I love the xerxia guys, but no way in hell they beat FNC

jimjam789 [#19]

honestly i dont see why many drx fans are saying they got weaker? no doubt buzz was inconsistent in international games and rb wasnt finding value on initiators. buzz still frags on sentinels and holds site cleanly and rb is playing much better back on the duelist role

Zest

archetype [#25]

Zest

zest being on sova has allowed rb to perform better and provide more impact and buzz to basically frag the same but on a sentinel. not to mention rb wasnt even that good of a sova in the first place, and combined with zests superior utility usage, i dont see the sova role for drx being weaker at all.

sheahhhh [#2]

its not like fpx went undefeated, they lost to LDN UTD lmao so i think we can still see emeas best

LDN UTD underrated

Ultimate6989 [#24]

Woah woah woah

I love the xerxia guys, but no way in hell they beat FNC

That why its hot take :)

fadezis [#29]

That why its hot take :)

u are based af

archetype [#15]

They dropped 2 maps the entire tourney last I checked. Pretty insane.

damn, same like PRX(3 maps)

Sprouts [#3]

Imagine if DRX get k1ng back from loan and end up using him in Reykjavik

hopefully he doesnt end up like lakia

fadezis [#23]

my takes
possible groups and predictions
Group A:
OPTIC ✓ 2-0
Xerxia ✓ 2-1
FNC 1-2
KRU 0-2

Group B:
Liquid ✓2-0
DRX ✓2-1
ZETA 1-2
NIP 0-2

.

archetype [#15]

They dropped 2 maps the entire tourney last I checked. Pretty insane.

actually only one map which eas 13-11.
the other one technically wasn't on vct, it was on early quals

archetype [#14]

???? I'm not saying EMEA is shit lol I'm just saying they've been weakened. Through no fault of their own lol I literally said Russia-Ukraine weakened EMEA and it did. Bozo. I wouldn't be surprised if TL beat DRX too I literally said DRX look the weakest they've ever been.

It's okay I'll say it. EMEA is shit lol

nutab1e [#36]

It's okay I'll say it. EMEA is shit lol

NA at Champions :D

no_noise_979 [#37]

NA at Champions :D

liquid in general :D

nutab1e [#38]

liquid in general :D

2-1 sentinels
2-0 cloud9

kzeriar [#35]

actually only one map which eas 13-11.
the other one technically wasn't on vct, it was on early quals

which is a part of vct

no_noise_979 [#39]

2-1 sentinels
2-0 cloud9

liquid 0 international titles
sen 1 international title

TomiZubi [#41]

liquid 0 international titles
sen 1 international title

emea 2 international
na 1 international

no_noise_979 [#42]

emea 2 international
na 1 international

your champions team doesn't even exist anymore

no_noise_979 [#42]

emea 2 international
na 1 international

we are talking about liquid tho, emea getting carried by cis and tukish players lol

nutab1e [#43]

your champions team doesn't even exist anymore

ascend fluke

nutab1e [#43]

your champions team doesn't even exist anymore

its tough competing in the best region in the world

DRX feel like a big state of limbo right now,
they look stagnant to last year, while the role swaps are good its just that zest’s fragging is not very good, even if the players have said they prefer his igling to stax

plus the rise of breach internationally, while stax still holds off on playing him ln maps where hes seen a global rise in presence (split, ascent) granted, drx probably know what theyre doing but considering he’s coming back into the meta somewhat its something to note especially with his status as “the world’s best breach”
in addition, it just feels extremely hard to make changes to drx as a whole: buzz and mako are both extremely solid, stax is the poster of drx, which leaves rb and zest yet rb is still regarded as the best in korea, just tending to choke on the stages, and zest is their igl
if drx doesnt succeed here, theyre put into a choice where they keep going and try to sustain while the scene catches up or break the years of synergy between k1ng, stax, rb, and zest

top 4 at most if they play to their fullest, yet considering their luck with groups they might just go out in groups but time to hope, midrounding and readibility is their biggest weakness as of now :)

TomiZubi [#44]

we are talking about liquid tho, emea getting carried by cis and tukish players lol

and youre living in the past clutching onto sentinels victory

no_noise_979 [#48]

and youre living in the past clutching onto sentinels victory

who cars they aren't trent (batchest)

nutab1e [#49]

who cars they aren't trent (batchest)

⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠟⠛⠉⠁⠄⠄⠄⠉⠉⠛⠻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⠋⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⢀⠄⠄⠄⠄⠉⢻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠟⠁⠄⣀⣤⣴⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣤⣀⠄⠈⢻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡏⠄⠄⠚⠛⠛⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⠛⠛⠛⠂⠄⢸⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠇⠄⠐⠂⠄⠐⠂⠙⠻⢿⠟⠛⠄⠒⠈⠄⠒⠄⠄⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠇⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⢠⡀⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡏⠄⠄⢀⣠⠄⠄⠄⠄⢀⣿⣧⢀⣀⠄⢀⣆⣠⡀⠄⣹⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⡄⠄⢸⣿⣿⣿⣿⣟⣼⣿⣿⣜⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠃⠄⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⠄⠸⣿⣿⣿⣿⡙⠉⠙⠋⠉⣹⣿⢿⡿⡿⠄⢠⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡆⠄⠘⠛⠑⠋⠄⣀⣀⣠⣀⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⢸⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⠄⠄⠄⠄⡀⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⠄⢠⠄⠈⠄⠄⣼⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡄⠄⠄⠄⢕⠠⡀⠄⠄⠄⠄⣹⠄⠄⠄⢠⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡄⠄⠄⠈⠂⠄⠛⠯⠥⠒⠁⠄⠄⣀⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣄⡀⠄⠐⠄⢤⣤⢴⠚⠄⠄⣰⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣶⣄⣀⣀⠄⢀⣀⣠⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿

nutab1e [#49]

who cars they aren't trent (batchest)

we hecking love trent

HIGH ON LOUD HOPIUM

archetype [#5]

true, but replacing your 1st seed with your 4th, with your 3rd playing with a sub obviously weakens the region's rep no?

1st seed isnt liquid now its g2

Kiklop [#53]

1st seed isnt liquid now its g2

i think he meant that tl (4th seed) is playing instead of fpx (1st seed)

TomiZubi [#54]

i think he meant that tl (4th seed) is playing instead of fpx (1st seed)

^

fadezis [#23]

my takes
possible groups and predictions
Group A:
OPTIC ✓ 2-0
Xerxia ✓ 2-1
FNC 1-2
KRU 0-2

Group B:
Liquid ✓2-0
DRX ✓2-1
ZETA 1-2
NIP 0-2

xerxia over fnc? nah

nutab1e [#43]

your champions team doesn't even exist anymore

ur masters team doesn't exist anymore other than in streaming of course

Ultimate6989 [#22]

This is a pretty big fucking "IF"

not really I dont think. They still have almost two weeks to resolve their IGLing issue and even then, they're still top 4 emea as they stand right now, even beating G2 just a few days ago. I think people are overreacting about how good/bad they really are

trola [#56]

xerxia over fnc? nah

imo fnatic not that good against hyperagressive teams(which one is xerxia) + should be weaker without their prepared setups, plans, protocols, etc. They need time to prepare this stuff again on decent level, but they dont have enough time for it

fadezis [#59]

imo fnatic not that good against hyperagressive teams(which one is xerxia) + should be weaker without their prepared setups, plans, protocols, etc. They need time to prepare this stuff again on decent level, but they dont have enough time for it

actually yeah i just remember about brave

It's somehow looking even more competitive than champs last year. I really don't know who will take it. I'm rooting for EMEA, but would love to see LOUD and APAC put up a strong fight

fadezis [#23]

my takes
possible groups and predictions
Group A:
OPTIC ✓ 2-0
Xerxia ✓ 2-1
FNC 1-2
KRU 0-2

Group B:
Liquid ✓2-0
DRX ✓2-1
ZETA 1-2
NIP 0-2

obviously i don't have the same opinions as you but your hottest take is that nip make masters over leviatan ngl

not5kin [#62]

obviously i don't have the same opinions as you but your hottest take is that nip make masters over leviatan ngl

hahah its true, man but no matter levi or nip gonna make it i have feelings that they will not perform well