| Flag: | United States |
| Registered: | June 15, 2023 |
| Last post: | August 24, 2025 at 7:25 PM |
| Posts: | 949 |
TH were incredibly hot in Shanghai but they’ve seriously underperformed relative to the hype in Split 2.
LEV and G2 look incredibly dominant against revitalized teams in their region and only look improved since Shanghai. LEV fixed their postplant positions and spacing while G2 has overcome their slow starts.
I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s GenG, LEV, G2 in top 3 in no particular order. I worry that both TH and FNC will be very hot and cold between maps and the midrounding simply seems weaker.
I wouldn’t add a gun but I would add a suicide vest as a secondary for 500 creds that you can activate on a 3 second timer before obliterating everything in a 3m radius and damaging for 100 at 5m. I imagine it would be incredible for entry duelists and for thrifties.
TOP 8
While s0m might have more experience on Omen and Harbor, I’m confident that Demon1 has the higher ceiling given enough time to adapt. I see him adopting Tenz’s Omen while still shredding on his signature Brimstone and Astra. The Harbor might be a bit awkward to pick up but I’m sure he’d be able to with a full offseason.
You could argue to keep s0m as a flex but he’s not a measurably better Duelist or Recon Initiator than the two players I suggested. Ethan covers Flashes and FNS plays Sentinel. It’s a direct choice between Demon1 and s0m and I’m taking the Champions 2023 MVP — especially since the team needs raw firepower with FNS on the roster.
I don’t know how but I predicted this conundrum right before the news of Chet and Victor being dropped. I’m curious why they kept Crashies though — he’s been on an incredible decline since 2022.
While you’re technically right that Ascension doesn’t perfectly translate to T1, it’s not as clear cut when we’re talking about Americas.
The T1 scene was so restricted that there were at least 4 teams in T2 NA alone last year that would have fit right into the middle of the main VCT circuit: TGRD, M80, OXG, and Moist. G2 (TGRD core) placing top 4 itw should make this pretty evident to you.
Trent has been considered the star of the roster and a top 3 initiator in the region since 2022 for a reason. He’s already picking back up this split.
This could definitely work but I question the lack of a dedicated recon player. That’s why I think one of N4rrate or a T2 Recon is a necessary addition.
You should watch their Ascension run. You could also peep the tournament stats and see that he was the MVP by a massive margin.
I think NRG needs to unbench Demon1, swap him to full time smokes, and bench s0m. Pick up T2 talents like Mada and Brawk when they lose Ascension, and then get FNS an AimLabs coach. Drop Chet and try to get Potter.
NRG 2025 Roster:
Mada | Brawk | Ethan | Demon1 | FNS
This breaks the “clique” environment and brings in promising, hungry talent with a more experienced support structure to mentor them. It also has enough firepower to make up for FNS’s geriatric moments and Demon1 isn’t thrown to the wolves so he can actually close out rounds where utility is spent and raw mechanics are king.
None are “star” players but they don’t have weak links.
Trent was Ascension MVP.
Valyn carried Split 1.
JonahP and Leaf were monstrous at Shanghai.
Icy is building experience and will likely peak at Champs.
They all juggle the fragging burden and no single player feels the need to overheat to compensate. This results in the tightest teamplay we’ve seen this year and I wouldn’t be surprised if they win Champs in the same way EG did.
Governor was barely a top 20 player during NA Challengers last year. He was just high profile because he was a streamer.
Valyn is the Goat, Valyn in my throat.
Being stuck in EMEA as a flex almost had me forgetting that N4rrate was in the same conversation as Oxy and Tex. He’s looking real nice.
Appreciate it man.
I rated Derke highly because he’s stepped up quite a bit since Leo’s gone and looks quite good. He’s also got the tenure to prove his consistency.
I admit that I believe Americas has the majority of world class entries simply because of IGL role structures that results in EMEA fostering Initiators and Sentinels while APAC favors Flexes.
The following players are Top Tier Entries while the rest could be considered region farmers.
AMER: Aspas | Jawgemo | Zekken | Keznit
EMEA: Derke | Sayf
APAC : T3xture | Jingg
9th and 10th are up for debate but every list should include these 8 in some order.
Outer Wilds
It’s worth buying if it’s not on game pass. Avoid watching videos on it because all progression is knowledge based and spoiling it only ruins the experience.
Based on Current Form
I was tempted to include a TH player but Wo0t has been on the decline and back on flex while miniboo is looking like a “system duelist.” Jawgemo is the only one not to have made playoffs but he’s also got the weakest support system while still popping off — showing his championship Raze and Neon abuse. I’m pretty high on Sayf but he’s struggling with the same thing.
Praying Icy finds consistency with his form from yesterday because G2 would look like an absolute favorite at champs if he does.
Why not just make Scream your Igl duelist?
G2 would have role issues if they had Jingg. PRX literally have to flex all their roles all around him because of this issue.
Clutches only work because the other team plays sub-optimally or makes a mistake. G2 rarely got clutched against because their teamplay is a lot tighter.
Be mad that your team wasn’t good enough today, not because the other was better.
I cooked:
I wanna see the GOAT, c0m, as a two-time word champion.
Derke is already on the list. Reading isn’t difficult.
Sen has invested the most into the scene and has been there since the inception of T1. Valorant is their number 1 priority as an org and I can’t really say the same for FNC.
GenG would be considered more consistent in the same way 2022 Optic were but Sen would be considered the “best” of 2024.
The only duelist Tenz has played this year is Yoru.
Yeah, he’s the most accomplished duelist with a record beyond a single year. Also, I didn’t include any chamber merchants because most fell off.
T3xture, Jawgemo, and Ardiis are close seconds to Zekken right now and could easily replace him if they maintain a higher performance for another year. T3xture could also do it by placing higher at Champs this year.
Victor is the only caveat but he’s as much of a “system” player as Icy is.
Aspas
Benjyfishy
Chronicle
Demon1
Ethan
F0rsaken
Grubinho
Heat
Invy
Jawgemo
Karon
Less
Meteor
N4rrate
Oxy
Patitek
qRaxs
Riens
Something
T3xture
Urango
Valyn
Wo0t
xffero
Yetujey
Zekken
If you’re really wanna talk all time, you can’t include Karon because he’s in his rookie year and has weaker accolades than everyone on 2023 EG.
Here’s my list. Saadhak is the only one that appears twice and I placed Yay in the Sentinel role since he was only truly relevant on Chamber with Victor as the primary entry. I would have place Victor 5th in the Duelist category but he’s always been lackluster compared to his contemporaries.
As the game progresses, a number of these players will be cycled with Champions that maintain relevance going into future years. The names in Bold are definitely staying in the top 5 but the rest could fall out of favor if they disappear like 2021 Acend. Below is a list of players that I think have the potential to shift up by the end of 2025.
I might seem a bit low on GenG players but it’s very possible they have a single hot year and fall off like Optic post 2022. Mazino has a long history while Riens and Wo0t seem to have the same consistency as a Leo level player.
There’s no inconsistency in what I’m saying dude.
At Tokyo, EG was the only competitive team given PRX had a sub — and yes, EG was expected to be much weaker. They only fixed their map pool and comps going into Champs. FNC was the overwhelming favorite going into Tokyo, while there were 4 teams at Champs that looked like winning contenders.
Teams get stronger and weaker over time relative to their competition. Champs 2023 is the most competitive tournament thus far and EG was the best team there, with Demon1 having the most dominant performance.
This isn't complicated.
It’s easy to have high ratings when your team is dominating comparatively weak opponents. It’s like saying Mike Tyson beating a heavyweight challenger is unimpressive just because it looks less dominant than you smacking around a toddler.
Jawgemo
Demon1
Wo0t
Leo
JohnQt
Coaching: Potter and HSK
2023 EG is peak Valorant. No other team has yet exhibited the same level of coordination, explosiveness, flexibility, and clutch factor — although GenG is likely the closest. Demon1’s performance from Champs is also unmatched and his stats prove that; no other player has been as dominant outside of 2021 Tenz when the scene was in its infancy.
I think a duelist like Jawgemo would suit them better. He’s got the flare but he’s also extremely familiar with highly structured playstyles.
Most people are fans of players and not orgs. 4/5 players in G2 haven’t been in international conversations since 2022 and the lack of a star doesn’t help.
Some people are saying that G2 have a “boring” playstyle but it’s just mid-round heavy which means you don’t get the massive team fights like with PRX (defender sided aggression) or SEN (5-man retakes). They prefer skirmishes and re-clears and rarely full-invest in any single fight.
Jawgemo’s ethnicity is Cambodian but his nationality is American. The only ethnic Americans are the Indigenous and the rest of us are immigrants.
I would swap Furia with C9 and 100T with NRG. I agree with the top 5 though!
If you followed the TGRD Ascension run, you knew Tex was always good. He just needed time to adapt to the Sentinel role.
It could happen. They have a 3 point differential and G2 can potentially gain 4 between the last three groups matches and the playoffs knockout round. I can see 100T losing to EG and LOUD and missing playoffs. If they also lose to MIBR then it’s even easier for G2.
What does Demon1 even play here? He’s not an initiator or flex — maybe perma Iso or Sentinel while FNS moves to initiator?
No, any region. But you can only get 1 import. So it could be 4 APAC and 1 EMEA for example. I would personally include the coach in that restriction but you don’t have to.
Post your vision for a super team that would win all three internationals next year. You only get one import. Here’s mine:
Jawgemo
Wo0t (Import)
Cauanzin
Less
Valyn
Potter
EG take is based but FNC ain’t making top 4.
Top 3 will be between Sen, TH, and GenG with 4th in contention. It’d be great if it’s FPX so every region is represented but I could easily see a second Americas Team taking it.
Although JohnQT is counted as an import on the GCD (Non-Resident Status), the last game he played in MENA was over 3.5 years ago — having only 5 games on his record from that region. His first official in NA was 3 years and 2 months ago, right after the first domestic Masters, and before the first ever international. He’s been in the region ever since, playing in rosters from ez5, Soar, Ghost, M80, and now Sen.
His citizenship might be different but he’s an NA player through and through.
Icy gets sick and G2 sub in Jawgemo
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