Welcome to Week 5 of Samurai Gamers’ Weekly Takeaways from Kaisaya’s AOV Valiant Online Community Tournament. There were a number of Best-of-3 games held last week in the Upper Bracket, and each team were determined to continue their winning ways. Let’s recap all the action!
Little Room at the Top
With Kaisaya’s Tournament is nearing its close, both brackets are getting more and more cramped as the weeks go by. We’ve witnessed some intense and high-level competition from both brackets, and it is a shame that not everyone can claim the championship.
All eyes are on BrenEsports, as they have been demolishing their opposition in the Upper Bracket, being undefeated in the process. Most of their matches have been squashes, which is indicative of their experience and discipline in executing their strategy in high-level AOV.
As the odds-on favorite, BrenEsports still has plenty of competition in the Upper Bracket – EVO, Team Marksman, and Nova PH Ravenous are capable of tarnishing BrenEsports’ spotless record. We’ll just need to see which team will step up to the plate and defy BrenEsports’ dominance.
Second Chances don’t Come too Often
For teams that have been defeated in the Upper Bracket, the Lower Bracket offers them a chance of redemption. Some of the teams have interesting storylines as they battle to get another crack at the team who wins the Upper Bracket:
- Myth Esports broke Team Marksman’s undefeated streak when they clashed in the Upper Bracket and would have won their series had it not been for some misplays.
- Power Rangers are slowly getting their wins back in the Lower Bracket, and are hoping to ride their momentum back to the winners’ circle.
- EnemyE-Sports Gods might have a chip on their shoulder, as they fell to BrenEsports during their Best-of-3 Series. If given the chance, they would likely take a game or two against them.
- Kimochiii seemingly has got EnemyE-Sports’ number, as they recently defeated EnemyE-Sports Electric. However, they’ll now have to get past EnemyE-Sports Gods in order to continue their ascend in the ranks.
The Pick and the Banned (Week 5)
We had 11 games of AOV action last week, but did the picks and bans trend continue for Week 5? Let’s find out!
| HERO | PICK % (11 Games) | WIN % (11 Games) | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tulen
|
63.64% | 71.43% (Tulen)
71.43% (Lindis) 57.14% (Alice) |
The top three most picked heroes this week are Tulen, Lindis, and Alice. These heroes have made a mark in this tournament as they can fit to almost any team composition and provide a ton offensive and defensive power.
Tulen and Lindis all had a great win percentage with 71.43% apiece. This is due to the fact that both heroes deal a ton of damage and has a number of utility when it comes to engaging or disengaging in a team fight. Alice comes in at last place. This support hero has been a constant pick not just in the tournament, but worldwide. She has a lot of a abilities that can start team fights or help his team whenever they are in a difficult situation. |
| Max
|
54.55% | 50% (Max)
33.33% (Preyta) |
The second on the list are Max and Preyta. Max was a newly-introduced hero a few patches ago, since then many were already fazed with his global ultimate that can reach almost anyone who is trying to escape.
Preyta is also a strong mage that can be fairly dominant in the laning phase. He is hard to play, but very strong once he gets his core items. Both these heroes have been successful in previous weeks, so expect more of them in the playoffs round. |
| Arthur
|
45.45% | 60% (Arthur)
20% (Lu Bu) 20% (Xeniel) |
The three last heroes are Arthur, Lu Bu, and Xeniel. These three are also constant picks in tournaments due to their utility and survivability.
What sets off as a bit surprising in this week is Arthur. There is a rise of mobile heroes in the meta with the arrival of Liliana, and Arthur may just counter that with his first ability and ultimate. Lu Bu is also a strong laner/jungler that has the ability to win a team fight even when he is outnumbered. His mobility also makes him a huge pick especially against mobile heroes with crowd control. Xeniel is is surprisingly low on the list, considering that he was one of the top pick/ban priority in the first few weeks of the tournament. Regardless, his kit is still a game changer and has the ability to quickly turn the game around with his ultimate alone. |
Here are the bans for week 5:
| HERO | WIN% WHEN PICKED | # OF TIMES BANNED (11 Games) | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| Superman |
100% | 6 | Superman once again remains at the top of banned heroes despite the low win rate he has in the previous weeks. However, Superman saw a lot of success in this week as he garnered a 100% win rate to elevate him on top of the tournament.
|
| Lindis
|
71.34%
100% 50% 20%
|
5 (all four heroes) | Four heroes are tied in the second place, which can be attributed to the newly-implemented two hero ban per team this week. That said, it’s not surprising to see these four heroes on top of the ban chart since they have been dominating the past few weeks with their versatile kit and playstyle.
First on the list is Lindis, which is known to be one of the best marksman/jungle in the meta today. Her ability to traverse the jungle and destroy anyone with her auto attacks makes her a top priority in any team. Second is Maloch, a staple hero in almost any team composition. The nerf he had in his second ability may sway a few defensive Maloch players, but the damage increase on his first ability makes him a threat in the DS lane. Lastly, TeeMee and Xeniel finishes off the second spot. Both heroes are known to be effective supports that has the ability to shoulder the damage of enemy team in team fights. |
| Max |
50% | 4 | The last on the list is none other than Max. His global ultimate scares a lot of players, and a fed Max may spell disaster for the enemy team. A good Max is always a huge threat in competitive play, so it’s no surprise that he gets to be on the list. |
Match of the Week: EVO vs Forgiven United Game 3 of the Best of 3 Series
One of the more engaging battles of Week 5 was Game 3 of EVO and Forgiven United’s Best-of-3 Series ramped up the kill score and excitement.
Each team were quick to ban each other’s high-threat heroes, and threw down whenever it was time to secure objectives. Excellent positioning and timing from both teams had the team score see saw for most of the match, but eventually, EVO came out on top and had one of the most exciting matches so far.
Catch more of the AOV Valiant Online Community Tournament here:
Kaisaya’s Twitch Channel: Twitch.tv/KaisayaPH
Kaisaya’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/KaisayaPH
Kaisaya’s Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/kaisaya
Kaisaya’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/kaisayaph
You can also visit Kaisaya’s AOV Tournament Page to get the latest news, daily round ups and highlights of the matches!
About the Tournament:
Hosted by Kaisaya, one of the Philippines’ well-known shoutcasters, the AOV Valiant Online Community Tournament is a community-based online event which provides a platform for professional and amateur teams to showcase their skills and experience an esports-esque environment. This event also gives aspiring English shoutcasters the opportunity to hone their craft and build their portfolio for casting.
Leave a Reply