MPL Qualifier Week 3 Recap
Counter picks abound in the final qualifier week’s matches
This article was written by Chise Alcantara.
UNITY GODZ vs OBS RAVEN 1-2
Farm simulator was the name of the first game between UNITY GODZ and OBS Raven featuring Fanny and OR Burning’s Helcurt. Even though Fanny was well fed the entire game, she couldn’t get near OR’s squishy members because of how many displacement skills OR had with OR Basha’s Chou, OR S4ngmu’s Saber, and Oy’s Jawhead, which cost GODZ the late game fights. Having trouble getting through tanks would be a theme in these matches. In the second game, GODZ’s Harley made quick work of OR’s heroes who didn’t get to farm well because of the consistent ganks and map control provided by the Johnson-Angela combo, which resulted in a one-sided game favoring Unity Godz. And after the really close deciding game, the OBS Ravens finally got through Unity Godz’s defenses, securing their spot in the regular season.
Vicous & Delicious vs Pentakill Gaming 2-1
Three minutes in and we already had some action brewing as Pentakill Gaming secured the Turtle in exchange for four of their members’ lives and an early triple kill for VaD a|Kevv’s Helcurt, which would prove to be their demise as he translated that lead into a 14-0-10 score by the end of the game. In the second game however, VaD a|Kevv’s Yi Sun Shin pick didn’t work as well as VaD had hoped in pairing with VaD a|Vino’s Angela because of the constant pressure provided by PK Goddess’s Johnson that drove circles around Vicious and Delicious.
Sometimes you’ll have final scores that don’t do justice to all the sick plays a player does and this was definitely one of those moments. The two game-changing flicker initiations from VaD a|ass’s Lolita were what really got her team ahead. Her AOE stuns stopped Pentakill Gaming right in their tracks, demolishing their dreams of having a spot in the regular season.
Solid Gaming Omega vs Digital Devils No Limit 1-2
The first game just proved that early snowballs can affect the game tremendously even if the early kills don’t go to your carries. The score was 7-1 three minutes into the game with SGOSolid:RBEH’s Diggy even having a killing spree. Thanks to Diggy’s defensive abilities, the heroes of DD couldn’t even get close to SGO’s SolidPepe who was free to deal massive damage from afar in team fights leading to a clean victory by SGO.
You knew Digital Devils No Limit wanted revenge after that stomp so DD|Jana brought her Kagura out for the second game. Showing off her really good kiting and support from the back line, which completely shut down the initiators of the other team bringing the series to a tie. An off-meta pick served DD well in the final match with Peace’s Hilda that isolated SGO’s carries in team fights, reducing their damage output and impact, which won her team their slot in the regular season.
OBS Pegasus vs DD Demon Kings 1-2
When you allot too many resources to stop one hero and still don’t manage to shut her down then you definitely have a problem. To counter DD>> YB420’s Fanny, three members of OP picked displacement heroes but the lack of follow-up from the damage dealers of OP caused them multiple team fights and eventually the first game.
Top Global player, OP Lard’s Grock holding everything down for his team in the second game. The insane picks he makes with his walls and crowd control provided easy sieging opportunities for OP, leading to an easy victory tying the series 1-1.
DD coming in strong and learning from their mistakes from both games. Seeing as they were having problems from OP Lard’s sets and initiations, DD>>Crypt picked Diggy to counter all OP’s crowd control and pick potential. One skill from Diggy countered Cyclop’s root, Acai’s displacement, and Jawhead’s toss, which lead to an easy victory for DD Demon Kings.
