OpTic and... and...
and...

It's a battle of Ghost (who look great), 100T (who CAN look great), C9 (who can be great), Xset (Cryo can be GREAT), and EG (wtf these guys are great).
If I had to Rank em' I'd say:

1. 100T
2. C9
3. Ghost
4. XSET
5. EG

Why tho?

1. 100T - All 5 of them can carry the team. None of them need to carry the team. They have coaching, they have cohesion. All they need is to not face TSM, and they'll get in at the 2 seed.
2. C9 - Regardless of Xeta vs Curry, they are still C9. They can still be a 2 seed. Slight edge over Ghost because of leadership.
3. Ghost - we all saw it. they'll have me sold once they win when it counts. V1 last quals, as a reminder why.
   --Lil gap--
4. Xset - They good, Cryo needs to go Mr.4k on their opponents and drop 20+ more consistently and they stand a chance.
5. EG - Edge out Luminosity here. They have a chance to squeeze through. Maybe, just maybe.

100T, GHOST, and C9 are all close. 100T have the most potential in my mind due to their similarity to optic.

Bang - Marved : Top controllers in NA.
Crashies- Derrek : Top Sovas NA.
Stellar is a WIP FNS.
Will and Asuna are a WIP fragging duo like Victor and Yay.

100T are the closest thing to OpTic that NA has. Bang can be as good as Marved (consistency, experience). Derrek is as good as Crashies. The other 3 will mold and by the end, I see 100T as a more offensive OpTic (Yay on Chamber vs Will on a duelist role).

That's it.

Basically, yes. They just gotta play for winning LCQ.

It should be 16 imo.
3 Slots NA
4 Slots EMEA (Riot will always give EMEA more)
2 SEA
1 KR
1 JP
1 BR
1 LATAM
1 Brazil / LATAM
1 Brazil / LATAM / NA -- Best remaining Brazil, Best remaining LATAM, seed 4 and 5 NA
1 Asian -- Best remaining 2 Japan, best 2 remaining Korea , Best 3 remaining SEA.

We lose a lot of the snuffs, and the (as ill call them) "Battle of the America's!" and the "Battle of Asia!" would be very fun to watch. With this system, more teams get international-ish competition, and we get less shit teams in the Masters regardless of the higher team amount.

The slot distribution is terrible, but what cha gonna do! Riot is run by European bias.

Fnatic with Alfajer look goooood. Loud is still looking great. OpTic is still OpTic.
I watched DRX play over the weekend, they can stand up to those 3.
I watched PRX whenever I can. The dominate while playing (seemingly) very trolly. But when they play, they play.

The Asian region has improved massively recently and that's even more visible in their top teams. I think it'll be really fun in Copenhagen to see :
Fnatic, OpTic, Loud - The established regions
vs
DRX, PRX and Xeta Division - The up and comers

Nice Ace man!

From how I see it, streaming relaxes Shaz + improves mental.

It's good gor him.

Me

Great idea to improve the current system. Good stuff.

Addition, Jobless reincarnation is like up with 5 and 6. It's so good, and I've enjoyed it more than any other Isakai by a decent margin. That is, when you factor out the perv scenes. I hateeee those scenes. Still very good though.

1 - One Piece
2 - Aot
3 - JJK or HxH (tie for now)

5th would probobly be 'Your Name' the 6 is Spy x Family (soon good)

.

-It's mid 2022 and Tenz is still the best mechanical player in the world, at the VERY least North America. He has not been in a proper position to perform at his peak, in comparison to the likes of other top tier mechanical players like Cned or Yay, as he is 40% of his teams fragging power and has the immense pressure to do so. If Tenz is feeling it, he's unstoppable and you can tell me anything different.
<sidenote> didn't include Derke with Cned and Yay, cause unlike those two, he's in a similar place with Tenz as 35% of his team's fragging power its just that Fnatic>Sentinals support. Derke is the only person I'd except as above Tenz at a purely mechanical standing

• I said Sick was interchangeable with Kanpeki, just the meta is heading more toward Kayo than skye, who Sick is more comfortable on. Just keep Sick over Kan, I don't really care.
• Sinatraa has stated he wanted to return to competitive, is close to or already cleared for it, and will only come back to Sen. Sinatraa brings an (at least) very solid Raze and Sova to a team lack a very solid Raze or Sova. He's, in this context, finally a good addition to this team.
• Zander. You compared the Zander buyout to Rawkas, so: Rawkas is a coach, and not an experience one. He is probably not worth any buyout Faze wanted for him. Second off, we are talking about the IGL, overall the most important position on the team. Your igl goes down and you're done. Zander is not only and IGL but an experienced AND extremely mechanically gifted and proven one at that. With how it's suspected Sen has some Shaz problems, Zander is a great investment to build with into the future of the team.

I said that Sick and Kanpeki are interchangeable realistically, I just felt going forward in the meta Kan would fit much better on the current trajectory. Outside of that, there is really no difference between keeping and tossing Sick or Kanpeki. I get his consistent, but there is another "plus" in dropping him in a development of a culture change I guess. But, if he can get better with Kay/o he's (as I said) already a T1 level player, so he'll still very well work.

While I agree that those player are insanely gifted mechanically, at am absolute peak I still hold the opinion that Tenz is the most capable in the world mechanically. Those 4 are surely more consistent, but they also have a more freeflowing format of team (except for Derke's current roster) that takes the pressure off them. They get 3 kills and pop off, cool. Is the pressure there that our team needs that? No, there isn't. There is for Tenz though. I think if you give Tenz significantly better mental and team wise conditions he could perform as well as Derke, who I hold as a close second in the world cause man's is different. But just base mechanics, there are shots only pros can hit, some that only cracked pros can hit, some only those for can hit, and then there are shot only Tenz can hit. I disagree that there are dozens on strictly mechanically better players than him, however. I'd say, other than yay, at a mechanical standpoint nobody in NA is close to him in that aspect - not leaf, not cryo, not anyone (except yay).

Fuck the formatting shat itself.

Clarification :

Lose Shaz and Sick

Gain Zander and Sinatraa

GO

Tenz
Dapr
Kanpeki

• Shaz

• Sick

• Sinatraa

• Zander

Lets discuss.
(1) - Why are we dropping Shaz? Why Zander?
Idk, Val likes dropping IGlLs and Zander is one of (if not he best) fragging IGL's in NA. He's great.
(2) - Why are we dropping Sick and not Kanpeki?
Valorant's competitive scene is very much heading towards a kay/o staple, and Kan on that Kay/o is better than a Sick on the Kay/o, plain and simple.
(3) - Why are we adding Sinatraa back?
To play what he's extremely comfortable on: Raze and Sova. Simple.
(4) - What would the common roster look like?

Tenz - Main fragger (i.e. Jett and Chamber)
Sinatraa - Secondary Fragger, info initiator (Raze, Fade, Sova)
Kanpeki - Entry initiator (Kayo, Skye, Sage)
Zander - Main Smoker (Brim, Omen, Astra, Viper)
Dapr - Main Sentinel, Secondary Sentinel (Killjoy, Cypher, Viper)

(4 pt2) Why these roles?
Tenz - Mechanically the best player in the world. Him on Jett on some maps is fine, but others would benefit more with him on a chamber (Like Bind or Icebox)
Sinatraa - He's a better Raze than Tenz, he's a better Sova than Shaz. Many, many teams are going to a frag heavy combo of Raze and Chamber and this allows Sen to follow.
Kanpeki - Kan is a very good Kay/o. Breeze, Icebox, Ascent, Haven and Fracture are all converting a little to a Kay/o and he's better at that role than Sick.
Dapr - Proven, good Sentinal player. Nothing much to say bout him.
Zander - The new IGL. Great aim. Great game sense. And i feel he will fit well on Sen. With a much more Chamber, no duelist comps and Chamber+Raze comps, he fits in much better to help those succeed.

Sick - He's great as a flex. He deserves to be on a T1 level. He's just not what a Sentinals team needs right now. They very well could get rid of Kanpeki instead, but i think kan fits in the role better.
Shaz - He's not off the team cause its better for the team, he's off cause he's not in the role he should be in. Shaz should be what Boostio is, and that can't happen on Sen. Shaz should be an oper. Shaz is still a T1 igl, he's just not in a position currently to succeed.

So thats another Sen roster change, but its the Wronghand take, so ya know its gonna be good. I think Sen can finally succeed with these changes, and I think they should do it in before the Faze game. Getting Sinatraa back into gear and getting Zander incorporated will need some real games to work out. This is how Sen returns to their former glory.

To end, I would like to say i'm not a sentinels fan. I like Team Vietnam! I cheer equally for FaZe and 100T ATM. I just genuinely think this is the best way to unlock Sen's real potential in all of the pieces they currently own. And I know this post has been made by 600 others, but i try, ok? Thanks.

Derke got 45 kills, impressive for 2 maps.

he did that on 30 rounds. That's insane.

Thats unfortunate.

Basically, I wanted to know what others would do to the underpowered agents in Valorant. Quick personal tier list of agents:

Great: Chamber, Skye, Kay/o, Raze
Good: Jett, Omen, Brimstone, Viper, Sova, Fade, Breach
Decent: Sage, Yoru, Neon
Underpowered: Astra, Phenoix, Reyna, Cypher, Killjoy.

I'm like 90% sure the underpowered agents are agreed on, so this is how I would buff them.
Note* some need more than others.

Starting from the easiest to the hardest;
Astra - just give her a star back, but differently.
This I'd the idea, she can have access to 4 stars at once, but has an extra star that comes at a cool down once one is used, basically the same as taking a star back. If you place and take back a star, the star you pulled will go in the extra slot, it's just 4 stars with 1 overflow for later.
why? It gives Astra a real place in postplants. Still the hhuuggee return cooldown, but she cab use 3/4 for a site execute and still have resources for a post smoke and/or suck. Gives her a reason to be picked really.

Omen - Yes he's in a good place, but his ult is still the worst in the game. Simple buff, give him a fake shadow for info. Here's how it goes: when ulting you left click where you want to go and right click for the shadow. Makes the same sounds and everything. Anything in the sound range of a shadow will show on your mini map, so you can tp heaven, and place a shadow on the stairs. Makes the ult worth it for once.

Killjoy and Cypher: these are quick. These two hold sites, let's let them do that.
KJ bot: Still free but you get 2. For a ballence they only shoot 2 bullets instead of 3. And increased range on KJ herself. This let's Killjoy cover 2 angles and not worry about an aggressive bot failing and screwing the setup a bit.
It's similar with Cypher, 1 more trip (2=>3). Double. Trip. Setups. You can cover 2 angles but it allows for viable double setups, they're not just a stupid little gimmick. Or you can cover the entrance onto the site as well as the extremities (like you can cover hooka, garden/octagon, and have elbow covered to protect you if you need to run back CT. Yhe other thing I'd do to Cypher is buff his ult. He's Mr. Info, so he'll get info, dammit! It's the sake reveal, but in addition to location it reveals traps, abilities, health, and (most important) where the spike is. It gives you round winning info, and makes it a useful ult.

Oh God is it time? Shit I got Reyna still to do -
Bitch can't entry. Ya know the reveal that Fade has? Make Reyna eye do that to A SINGLE, CLOSEST PERSON to the eye. She goes it, kills that guy, and has access to her kit instantly. Has entry power. That's all she needs.

Now. Him.
Phenoix. He's bad, really bad.
Give the fucker overheal. Make his flashes faster, and silent. Make his wall do more. Idk man this guy would still suck. Let's do it : Rapid-fire IN THE FIRE. He gets in site and holds it as a sentry turret. Molly can do less, but last longer. I think it'll give him a reason to be in the game lol.

That's it. All the other agents are in a good place. Difference between great-good-decent imo I'd just how useful they are. That's really it. But first 1 more:
Sage: Buy wall segments for 100 dollars each. Allows you to save a wall segment if a gap would be filled by 3 so you can block off something narrow or do a funny block up. Think it'd make sage more useful on like bind and haven.

I WASN'T TALKING ABOUT TSM. 100T GOT BETTER BETWEEN QUAL 1 AND 2. WHERE WAS TSM? QUALIFIED. TSM IS A TOP 8 TEAM NA. IM SAYUNG 100T HAVE SHOWN THAT FRON QUAL 1 AND 2 THEY HAVE GOTTEN BETTER. NOTHING ON TSM.

We talking Qual 2, and it's compared to the rest of the teams in it. Realistically, it was a decent run, but it was bar none the best in Qual 2. They did lose to TSM twice. But, since those loses they've looked like a MUCH better team. Gl TSM.

No, 100T lost 1 map. Every single other map was won by over double the rounds except for a 13-7. That's impressive.

The question: We getting Late EMEA playoff G2, Early EMEA playoff G2, or Masters G2. First goes 4-1, second goes 3-2, third goes 2-3.

M3C, is Deffo OK? He was dealing with a lot of backpain (literally back pain) and is Nats going to have a bad start again? If M3C steps up they go 5-0 without dropping a map. If M3C plays average, they go 4-1.

So, in short, EMEA most inconsistent region. They can be a best in the world contender, or tied fir the lowest placing region in masters. :P

I have no clue, maybe 400 hours? S3, first FPS game ever. I not that into games, so that's my excuse.

I love the guy, i do. He's so good! But Som is not great. I think when it comes down to it, Yay or Cryo or Leaf can just take his advantage away. And that's why I think they are a "so close, yet so far" type team.

My placing of SEN is strictly based on that if Kanpeki gets better, it rapidly improves the team. What Kan accomplishes by getting better, results in more space for Tenz. Tenz us still the top 5 fragger in NA thar we are used to, and what makes Kanpeki better results in more freedom for him. What results from these two being more comfortable allows Dapr to work the map more efficiently and effectively, and allows Shaz to manipulate that space much better too. My belief in SEN is just a belief that Kanpeki will improve into that "Victor" to Tenz "Yay". Victor and Yay support eachother do well by giving eachother freedom while not even needing to be together. That's what Kanpeki can to for Tenz, and that is a SEN team that can win.

Basically SEN can fulfill an OpTic build. High class fragger, uber-supportive flex, insane smoke player and great support from the rest of the squad. That's why I think SEN can get a top 2 spot in NA.

Oh yeah, easily. Hard agree.

What I saw from TSM (and in the same sense NRG) was a team no one knew could play that well. I'm not sold on TSM. I will push that they will do worse than SEN. For example, TSM has a basically brand new squad setup, an unknown map pool, and overall unpredictability. They have great, great potential, and in the same sense as Faze, it's a question of if that unpredictability was what won them the game or just an extra boost. When it comes to SEN, they had an overhaul of their system from this open qualifier from their VCT days. Kanpeki is going to get better and better. The more he does, the more freedom it gives Tenz. The more Tenz does, the more space he allows Shaz, Sick and Dapr to work. With Rawkus back on SEN, Shaz is going to play better and more lost. I only see an improved SEN coming in between now and the start of the next open. Finally, 100T. As you cab see from my team flair, I love Derrek. 100T can be the top of NA. Derrek us amazing, not only at his role, but in pure fragging power. Will is a great duelist, and Stellar us looking quite, well, Stellar. Bang and Asuna are critical though, but they definitely improved a LOT recently. Bang's consistently and versatility is amazing now. Asuna is still getting used to a flex role, but with how good he is, he'll be the head of a very potent spear that us 100T. Don't forget, they also have the (arguably) best management in at least NA, and some of the best globally.

I stand by my claims until I see it disproved by TSM (and faze).
I stand by my claims until Kanpeki either caps or flounders, causing another downfall of the Sentinals.
I stand that 100T has the ability to peak NA, even over the likes of OpTic one day.

They were supposed to be italicized.

1. C9 (I think their drive with push them over OpTic)
2. OpTic (They are OpTic.)
3. XSET (Cryo Clause)
4. Gaurd (Very balenced squad, want to see how they bounce back and deal with more focus from teams)
5. Luminostiy (Bdog and Mada Clause)
6. NRG (Just not the right comp to beat the best imo)
7. 100T (Too new, very well can go much higher or lower in my mind)
8. Sentinals(Sentinal's win and lose rounds in 2 seconds flat. They can still do things no other team can dream of.)
9. FaZe (How long does it hold out, that is the question. I don't think they'll last much longer)
10. TSM (Same as FaZe, i feel like their plays will just stop working)
11. EG (They can do good stuff, i just have them at a lower ceiling than Optic's floor)
12. Ghost(Same as EG. Can make a run with lower teams, can't do much further than that).

Bold is teams that can play at a 1 or 2 seed NA level.

Italics is for teams that can just have that one guy take over and push them there, unlike bold which is more team.
These players are:

• Cryo
• Tenz
• Mada
• bdog

Yay and Leaf, for example, are not here. Their teams do not need this from them, or else the team would be in such a place that it would affect the two of their play. Like if C9 needs Leaf to hard carry them, that's not a C9 that can win regardless of any Leaf performance. The 4 players above can operate dropping 40 with a safe team environment.
To reiterate: C9 is not a team that should have leaf dropping 30 kills. They are a balenced, multi-front team, with great strats and an overall equal spread that if leaf is dropping 30, it's way less likely to be a pop-off, and more of a rescue. C9 is built for the team, not for Leaf. In contrast, the Kanpeki pickup was meant to boost Tenz's overall ability, as well as adding to the team as a whole. Sentinal's is built now to have an critical aspect around Tenz. For example, in almost every single match in Open quals (1 and 2) Tenz has been top of his team in kills or ACS, all but like 3 or 4 individual maps. Even today, 27 on Icebox. That's expected of him in order for them to win. Leaf is a top of NA duelist/fragger, but he is not the focus of play for C9 like Cryo or Tenz is for their teams.

Slashed is teams i think don't have the peak to get a 1 or 2 spot NA. NRG, can prove me wrong, but i look at them and i see a team that gets 1, maybe 2, wins in playoffs and than is just outclassed.

Tenz is the best mechanical player in the world.

Tenz isn't just for the fans, he's statistically a top 5 duelist. Lets look at stats very important for your duelist to have:
#5 K/D ratio
#4 ACS
#4 ADR
Tied for #5 in First kills per round
#9 Clutch%
Got a team into groups.
Overall, he's very well a top 5 duelist in the NA scene.
Now lets look at a separate stat comparison for 4 different players.

Player: Saya Cryo Leaf Yay
ACS: 234.7(16th) 280.6(1st) 273.2(2nd) 246.1(8th)
K/D: 1.24(9th) 1.75(1st) 1.22(12th) 1.32(2nd)
ADR: 148.0(22nd) 172.1(1st) 169.9(2nd) 156.0(10th)
FKPR: 0.16 (T22nd) 0.21(T5th) 0.23(T1st) 0.18(T13th)

Yes Saya holds a lot of impact for his team, but I would argue that comparitivly in stats, he is at best #5 NA duelist.
This is also counting how his team sets him up a lot on set plays and such. This is just a piece for the guy who said cryo was just a ranked demon, nah, he's a regular demon.

I said M3C is inconsistent. They missed qualifying by 0.02 seconds THEN they got 2-0'ed (13-8, 13-10) by G2. They got second in champs but had close games to Team Secret and Kru (both OT). Aka, a worse loud and a team that tied for last in Masters 1. They don't show up ever game. That's their inconsistentcy. Another example us at the start of EMEA groups : Nats wasn't there. At the end, Deffo wasn't there. If they are all there all the time, then they are easily top 4, But they aren't.

I do have them top 3 global, I just wanted to see if others have them top 3. I just think they are just a smidge worse than Optic and Loud on a statistical sense, but in all reality a series with either the latter or former would be amazing and extremely close, similar to the Grand Finals we got from Masters 1. Once they prove Lan, I'll be much more certain on their position, but due to the poor show overall from G2 and Liquid. It's just hard to call a team that hasn't performed globally 'the best', but based on their results I feel they can be called top 3.

TBF, G2 played crazy good in EMEA playoffs, but Liquid was the best EMEA team in Iceland.

Yeah that's fair, I have M3C in the third tier of top teams. That tier is just for teams like Gaurd, Acend, and M3C, who at their peak can win a global tournament with rounds to spare, but if off their game they can lose at a regional level. M3C is great, but they are too inconsistent to be placed at Optic or Loud's level. Those 2 showed some of the most consistent play outside of groups, like stuff we haven't seen since Sentinals in Iceland.

M3C is great, and I love the team a lot. But because of how much I like them I'm very hypocritical of their inconsistencies. If the Iron that out, they can be a top team.

I just want more input. Where are these guys globally?

I'd say there is a 'Top 2' in Optic and Loud rn. Optic is just the toughest mental to break in the game, and the Loud roster is just as good. I'd say that Grand Finals goes for Optic 6/10 times, and Loud 4/10. They are top 2.

Is FPX there? Fnatic wasn't the team we saw, I'm not counting them. It's more a talk of G2 and Liquid. Both teams didn't perform as they were projected, for the most part. G2 beat a pre-NICE Zeta, and then floundered out after back-to-back 2-0's. Liquid, as always, surprised us early in the tournament and then settled down and lost 2-1 to Loud, and 2-0 to PRX.

FPX had a decent time against Liquid in EMEA, and then they beat G2 with 2 maps being a loss and an overtime.

It's undeniable that they are EMEA #1 and close to the top of the global rankings, but these performances are against a worse Liquid, but a better G2.

Personally, I have FPX in the second division of top tier teams, beside the big 3 of Asia : PRX, DRX, and Xeta.

Very, very well played series. Good job Brazil, Congrats NA.

It's yalls fault for letting the French participate. Thats the big problem.

We're here. Way above the EMEA teams lol. GG Brazil, yall are going to great in the Grand Finals.

NA o/ * \o Brazil
^that's supposed to be a high 5

Can we just hate on EMEA now? That'd be great.
P.S. I love Brazil, Sacy knifed a guy in a 1v1. We in NA love knifes more that winning.

As someone from North America : Good Shit Brazil. Very awesome to see how his LOUD team has played.

P.S. - I'm mostly glad EMEA is gone.
P.S.S - I cheered for LOUD because of Sacy's 1v1 knife. That was amazing.

Stop this NA, Brazil, LATAM drama. THE AMERICA'S ARE THE STRONGEST VALORANT REGIONS.

outplayed Saya to the extreme. Positive against every gaurd player. NA = No Accuracy

Just settle down everyone, the Gaurd has no experience against non-NA teams. They are not built and are not read for the approaches of other regions. Had they had the group stage to compete, i feel they would be in a better position right now. GG Gaurd, won't say I didn't expect this.

PRX supremacy.

https://www.vlr.gg/pickem/91a2de00
PRX Hopeium, i think it'd be funny for not only for NA to play twice again in the bracket but also for EMEA to go out by the second round (lower).

Nah, fuck this region teams talk. Which region got the best English Casters?
Personally, I got...
1 - NA
2 - EMEA
3 - Korea
4 - APAC

NA and EMEA are very, very close. Honestly, the Bren Sideshow combo is honestly the second best duo in the world. Vassilli and Riv are also very good. EMEA has their own great headliners. Pansy and Hypoc have great co-commentary and area great for a laugh and such. But, the best duo in the world, is what makes it close : Mitch and Tom. They are the best. Bren and Sideshow are close, but are just slightly beat out. What separates the two regions is the support cast. EMEA has less casters, but they do lack more depth compared to the 3rd and 4th string the NA offers. Doug, Ballaw, Upmind and Sully. All still great casters.

Haven't watched much Korea but I feel they are much more natural and flow better in their role compared to APAC. APAC has good casters, but they just seem less great than everyone else as a whole.

Thank you, i will accept any input on your favorite casters. Yes I will complain if Bren Side-show doesn't make it to Masters one. They deserve it so much. If NA loses those two, we will really be doomed.

They Qualified for Iceland. I doubt they're gonna use anything before then.

2 - 0 : M3C vs Liquid

Unfortunate for Liquid honestly. M3C, FPX and Fnatic gonna be Euro repersentatives.

Upper Finals - Boom over Full Sense

Lower finals - Full Sense over PRX