Weekly Vainglory 8 Discussion | August 12 - 13, 2017
Hello, and welcome to the fourteenth week of Vainglory 8 posts. Just to remind you, these eSport and Vainglory 8 discussion posts will be put up every Friday, replacing the weekly discussion, and will be taken down on Monday for the next weekly discussion. These posts will be an opportunity to catch up on last week’s results before the upcoming matches over the weekend as well as hopefully discuss the Vainglory 8 as it happens, updating you with the results as quickly as the moderator team can! As of now, the posts will only cover Europe and North America. This week covers the second week of the second split of the summer season for the Vainglory 8.
You can find relevant media concerning these matches below!
Needless to say that this post will contain spoilers for last week’s Vainglory 8 matches. If you would like to find those matches, you can watch the replays on the Vainglory channel, found here.
#Relevant Media
Final rosters for the summer season of Vainglory 8, found here, note that NRG was actually formerly Giraffes and that Echo Fox was actually formerly Los Baboons whereas this document lists otherwise
Fantastic rundown of the Challenge Battles results for the first split of the summer season, by Davina Rose, found here
#Europe
#Team QLASH vs. Calamity Reborn: Team QLASH Won
Team QLASH, once Rising Lotus, has had consistency issues in the past, but certainly have the potential for great success. Against the likes of Calamity Reborn, a strong Challenger team who showed up the weekend before, the matchup could have gone either way depending just on how QLASH was looking in terms of their play and whether Calamity Reborn was ready for them. Indeed, Team QLASH did show up and played very well against Calamity, showing the Challenger squad of all-stars that being all-stars isn’t everything in a pretty solid 2-0.
#Dynasty vs. Saltypotatoes: Saltypotatoes Won
Dynasty showed up last weekend, whereas Saltypotatoes, while doing alright, had some struggles against Fnatic and their fellow Challenger team Calamity Reborn, who Dynasty 2-0ed. As such, the matchup could definitely have been tight, but many would have predicted that Dynasty would eventually take it. Nonetheless, Saltypotatoes were having none of that as they took Dynasty to a game three and closed out the series 2-1, shutting out one of the more veteran Vainglory 8 teams.
#Mousesports vs. Fnatic: Mousesports Won
Mousesports is looking rather weak, even though they were absurdly dominant in the first two weeks of the summer season. In sharp contrast, Fnatic has never looked stronger, currently standing at the top of the rankings in terms of points for the season and smashing the competition in last weekend’s series. However, mousesports would rise up against one of the strongest, if not the strongest, European teams, beating Fnatic 2-1 and netting themselves some points this split.
#SK Gaming vs. G2 eSports: SK Gaming Won
SK Gaming still looks strong this split, despite being beaten by Fnatic the weekend before. In contrast, G2 eSports, despite surviving the Challenge Battles, has not looked nearly as strong since their brief return to power in week 3 of the first split. Given that, the matchup looked to go in the way of SK Gaming, and it did go as expected, with them taking it 2-0.
#Semifinal: Team QLASH vs. Saltypotatoes: Saltypotatoes Won
More than almost any other team currently in the European Vainglory 8, Team QLASH suffers from inconsistency, and it can send matchups that might normally be favored in one direction completely in the other. Saltypotatoes is a consistently good team, in contrast, which would generally indicate that they would be more likely to succeed. In the end, Saltypotatoes’ consistency would win out over Team QLASH, taking the series in a reasonably close 2-1.
#Semifinal: SK Gaming vs. Mousesports: SK Gaming Won
Despite coming back from their three week slump during this weekend, mousesports’ overall performance still leaves much to be desired when, not so long ago, they were almost inarguably the strongest European team. However, SK Gaming was basically the opposite of Mousesports, having a slump at the beginning of the season and showing steady improvement as the summer wore on. As such, the matchup was certainly expected to go towards SK Gaming, and it definitely did, with them taking the win 2-0.
#Third Place Series: Team QLASH vs. Mousesports: Team QLASH Won
A series reminiscent of some of the closest and hypest matches of the first split of the summer season, Team QLASH, then known as Rising Lotus, has never gotten to beat mousesports whenever facing them. However, with a better record than mousesports in recent weeks and with something to prove upon their rebranding, Team QLASH was able to close out the series 2-1.
#Finals: Saltypotatoes vs. SK Gaming: SK Gaming Won
Saltypotatoes has done well for two weekends in a row, presenting their case as a strong Vainglory 8 team and not simply another Challenger team looking to get relegated at the end of their split. Nonetheless, SK Gaming has likewise been performing consistently for more or less weeks on end, with few hiccups. Which way the matchup might go was somewhat unclear, as such, but SK Gaming made certain that we knew that they were the top dogs by the end of it, beating out Saltypotatoes cleanly in a 2-0.
#Notable Regional Hero Statistics
Catherine
Picked: 14% of all streamed matches
Banned: 42% of all streamed matches
Winrate: 50% overall
Notes: seeing a surprising amount of bans, perhaps a resurgence because of Idris’ popularity
Skye
Picked: 42% of all streamed matches
Banned: 27% of all streamed matches
Winrate: 66% overall
Notes: picked often against Grace as a counterpick, performs well when done as such
Lyra
Picked: 71% of all streamed matches
Banned: 29% of all streamed matches
Winrate: 50% overall
Notes: a very common captain pick that is versatile and strong against Grace, pairs well with Baron and mages
#Split 2 Rankings
| Teams | Points | Record |
|---|---|---|
| Fnatic | 28 | 7 - 3 |
| SK Gaming | 27 | 6 - 3 |
| Mousesports | 22 | 3 - 7 |
| Dynasty | 20 | 5 - 4 |
| Team QLASH | 16 | 5 - 5 |
| Saltypotatoes | 9 | 7 - 8 |
| G2 eSports | 8 | 0 - 4 |
| Calamity Reborn | 7 | 4 - 4 |
#This Weekend
#Day 1
#Team QLASH vs. Fnatic: Fnatic Won
Match 1: Fnatic Won
Match 2: Team QLASH
Match 3: Fnatic Won
Notes:
#G2 eSports vs. Calamity Reborn: G2 eSports Won
Match 1: Calamity Reborn Won
Match 2: G2 eSports Won
Match 3: G2 eSports Won
Notes:
#Mousesports vs. Saltypotatoes: Mousesports Won
Match 1:
Match 2:
Match 3:
Notes: off stream series
#SK Gaming vs. Dynasty: SK Gaming Won
Match 1: SK Gaming Won
Match 2: SK Gaming Won
Match 3:
Notes:
#Day 2
#Semifinal: Fnatic vs. G2 eSports: G2 eSports Won
Match 1: G2 eSports Won
Match 2: G2 eSports Won
Match 3:
Notes:
#Semifinal: SK Gaming vs. Mousesports: Mousesports Won
Match 1: Mousesports Won
Match 2: SK Gaming Won
Match 3: Mousesports Won
Notes:
#Third Place Series: Semifinal 1 Loser vs. Semifinal 2 Loser
Match 1:
Match 2:
Match 3:
Notes:
#Finals: Mousesports vs. G2 eSports: G2 eSports Won
Match 1: G2 eSports Won
Match 2: Mousesports Won
Match 3: G2 eSports Won
Notes:
#North America
#TSM vs. Immortals: Immortals Won
Indeed, TSM seemed to have experienced a major hiccup last weekend when they lost so utterly to Rogue, but most would have expected the powerhouse North American team to come back in force for the second weekend of the summer split. Even though Immortals is undeniably a strong team, both by Challenger and Vainglory 8 standards, they were definitely supposed to have a rough time of it this weekend by facing TSM right off the bat. Nonetheless, in a repeat performance of the weekend before, TSM would get 2-0ed and lose out to Immortals.
#Nova eSports vs. Cloud9: Cloud9 Won
With the frank failure of TSM for the past two weeks, it was up to Cloud9 to show their stuff just like they had the weekend before and take first place, despite not having been able to do so at all in the first split of the summer season. Nova eSports still suffers from some inconsistency, which can result in shocking upsets if the conditions are right, but Cloud9 were not willing to give against the less experienced team and would take the series in a reasonably close 2-1.
#Rogue vs. Hollywood Hammers: Hollywood Hammers Won
Rogue’s singular success against TSM the weekend before does not seem to have translated at all into success against other Vainglory 8 teams, with them struggling against even the likes of Nova eSports. Considering Hollywood Hamemrs were looking excellent last weekend and during the Challenge Battles, few would have expected them to lose to Rogue, and they didn’t disappoint, taking the series 2-0.
#Gankstars vs. Tempo Storm: Tempo Storm Won
A series that has been seen before, but with a different roster from Tempo Storm, both Gankstars and Tempo Storm have not faced off since the first weekend of the first split of the summer season. With both middling teams having something to prove and getting a chance to show the other how well they’d developed, the matchup was sure to be at least relatively close, and who the winner would be was rather unclear. Nonetheless, after a tight fight, Tempo Storm eventually pulled ahead 2-1.
#Semifinal: Immortals vs. Cloud9: Cloud9 Won
A matchup seen just the weekend before, even with Immortals sudden success against TSM, I doubt many would have predicted an Immortals win here, given how good Cloud9 is looking. Indeed, the series went as expected, with Cloud9 taking control and quickly winning 2-0.
#Semifinal: Tempo Storm vs. Hollywood Hammers: Hollywood Hammers Won
Tempo Storm is assuredly a middling team, especially considering they must still be adjusting to the loss of Selena and using Gaspy as his replacement. In sharp contrast, Hollywood Hammers has demonstrated the ability to be a top tier team, definitely shifting things in their favor for this series. While it ended up being a bit closer than expected, going to a game three, Hollywood Hammers ultimately took it home 2-1 in what has been a weekend of close matchups within North America.
#Third Place Series: Immortals vs. Tempo Storm: Immortals Won
Both teams looked pretty good this weekend, with Tempo Storm having beaten Gankstars and taken Hollywood Hammers to a game three and Immortals having defeated TSM and taken Cloud9 to a game three. Nonetheless, as far as level of opponents go, Immortals definitely had the edge, and it showed in the series. Tempo Storm were able to keep things somewhat close, but Immortals would eventually close it out 2-1.
#Finals: Cloud9 vs. Hollywood Hammers: Cloud9 Won
A series straight from last weekend, Cloud9 and Hollywood Hammers faced off once again at the top of the North American Vainglory 8. Considering how the last weekend did go and that Cloud9 probably had almost inarguably harder matchups coming into the weekend, the edge was definitely towards them. Of course, Hollywood Hammers kept it close for the most part, keeping to the story of the weekend, but they would eventually give out to Cloud9 who would take the series 2-1.
#Notable Regional Hero Statistics
Catherine
Picked: 40% of all streamed matches
Banned: 60% of all streamed matches
Winrate: 80% overall
Notes: seeing a lot of priority, picked or banned in every single match
Koshka
Picked: 27% of all streamed matches
Banned: 33% of all streamed matches
Winrate: 50% overall
Notes: picked or banned somewhat often, seeing use by some specific players, such as iLoveJoseph or Arkaik
Baptiste
Picked: 66% of all streamed matches
Banned: 7% of all streamed matches
Winrate: 33% overall
Notes: seemingly not considered particularly banworthy at this time, struggled this weekend to perform well
#Summer Season Rankings
| Teams | Points | Record |
|---|---|---|
| TSM | 32 | 0 - 4 |
| Cloud9 | 32 | 12 - 5 |
| Hollywood Hammers | 16 | 10 - 5 |
| Tempo Storm | 14 | 4 - 7 |
| Nova eSports | 13 | 6 - 5 |
| Gankstars | 13 | 1 - 4 |
| Immortals | 8 | 5 - 5 |
| Rogue | 8 | 3 - 6 |
#This Weekend
#Day 1
#Cloud9 vs. Gankstars: Cloud9 Won
Match 1: Cloud9 Won
Match 2: Cloud9 Won
Match 3:
Notes:
#TSM vs. Tempo Storm: TSM Won
Match 1: TSM Won
Match 2: Tempo Storm Won
Match 3: TSM Won
Notes: off stream series
#Hollywood Hammers vs. Immortals: Immortals Won
Match 1: Immortals Won
Match 2: Immortals Won
Match 3:
Notes:
#Nova eSports vs. Rogue: Nova eSports Won
Match 1: Nova eSports Won
Match 2: Rogue Won
Match 3: Nova eSports Won
Notes:
#Day 2
#Semifinal: Cloud9 vs. TSM: TSM Won
Match 1: Cloud9 Won
Match 2: TSM Won
Match 3: TSM Won
Notes:
#Semifinal: Immortals vs. Nova eSports: Immortals Won
Match 1:
Match 2:
Match 3:
Notes:
#Third Place Series: Cloud9 vs. Nova eSports
Match 1:
Match 2:
Match 3:
Notes:
#Finals: Immortals vs. TSM: Immortals Won
Match 1: Immortals Won
Match 2: Immortals Won
Match 3:
Notes:
What are your thoughts on some of the exciting matches in the second weekend of the summer season’s second split of the Vainglory 8? What are you looking forward to this weekend and do you have any predictions? Have some suggestions? Drop all of those in comments below!
Posted Aug 12, 2017, 8:31 AM UTC · edited