Warcraft III’s NGL-One Finals are underway, showcasing four top tier teams colliding and trading spells at the offline finals to prove their power.
The NGL format is unique, using a king of the hill format instead of WC3L’s individual match tally. Each team selects a player to play a match, with the loser being eliminated. The loser is replaced by a teammate to play, with the process repeated until a team loses four players.
What does this mean? Managers/team leaders have to be very selective of who plays when. Before matches even begin, captains have to strategize. Should they send a player for an all kill? Do they match players for each match, picking off the other team’s powerhouses with surgical selections? Multiple factors enter the process, putting more pressure on everyone.
NGL-One’s finals run today, Feb. 22 through tomorrow, Feb. 23.
Contending Teams
Meet Your Makers
An outstanding lineup of players that seems to take more second place finishes than first. Moon is the epic Night Elf hero, with more victories in each year than some pro players could make in a lifetime. His strategies revolutionize the game, but with his reported hiatus, will he be in shape to play in NGL? Lucifer rose up in 2006, but has yet to be in the same shape since. Susiria plays on par with Lucifer, meaning MYM might have to struggle to take the win.
SK-Gaming
SK’s roster overhaul finished with WE’s veteran generals. Between Lyn, Remind, and Soju, these players can take almost any player in the whole scene. Those who can beat one seldom can defeat two, and the third is just such a stretch away. In terms of team events, the triad consistently wins out and takes home the gold. Miou and Reign will probably get some play time too to open each set, players who also aren’t quick to go down.
Mousesports
These hopefuls have a long road ahead of them. Between MYM and SK, SaSe and Happy are going to have to make every game count. Mousesports biggest hope is in ToD. ToD’s level of play can match that of anyone participating, but consecutive games against strong players could take him down. Fly’s abscence doesn’t help much either, the lack of a strong Orc could make MYM’s Undead duo a problem if they play each other.
Mortal Teamwork
mTw will attend NGL-One in Four King’s stead. Their roster is a far cry from the other teams participating, but it wouldn’t be unlikely for them to upset here. Rainbow and Kiwikaki could potentially stir up a little trouble and give opposing teams a hard time, but Satiini needs to come and shake it up a little here if the team intends to go home with first. Expect the players to micro to the best of their ability.
