WPC-ACE League Grand Finals: Match Analysis – Part 2

After giving you a blow-by-blow recollection of the first half of the World E-Sports Professional Classic-Association for Chinese Esports (WPC-ACE) League 2013 Grand Final between Team DK and Invictus Gaming (iG), it’s time to give you the second half.

After the first three games, there was a three hour break to give the players enough time to eat and rest. This would also be enough time for both teams to reflect on their previous three games. As mentioned in the previous article, all iG needed was one more win. On top of that, Team DK —the favorites of this tournament — probably had their morale crushed after losing three in a row in a best of seven series. Seeing how this is currently the biggest tournament outside of The International, I’m sure Team DK was feeling the pressure as they went into the second half.

Although we know how the tournament ended, let’s take a look at how Team DK pulled off a reverse all kill in these series. Again, we have the VoDs from BeyondTheSummit embedded in the posts as well as match analysis and insights.

Game 4: Aggressive DK is aggressive

At first glance, DK’s picks may initially seem like a greedy quad-core lineup. During the first few stages of the draft, it was unclear whether it was going to be a carry or solo mid DK and a solo mid or support Kunkka. Both heroes can be tanky, can deal massive damage in team fights, and are very effective when pushing lanes and towers. The Shadow Demon’s Disruption can set up Torrents when ganking with Kunkka, can save other heroes, and can even help in pushing lanes and towers. Nature’s Prophet can be pesky with his all-around presence and pushing power. Clinkz, on the other hand, is great for picking off heroes and pushing towers, that is if he can get enough space to farm.

Over at iG’s lineup however, we see fighting potential, but also a need for farming time and space, since the Spectre meant having a farming carry. The rest of the four heroes are great for team fights especially with Magnus’ game-changing Reverse Polarity. Elder Titan’s Natural Order is also great in team fights because it makes enemy heroes easier to take down. And since Spectre has Haunt, the hero can join team fights anywhere across the map and can easily chase down heroes if necessary.

Both teams decided on safe lane trilanes. DK’s Clinkz, Shadow Demon, and Kunkka went top against iG’s offlane Elder Titan. At bottom lane, iG’s Spectre, Visage, and Rubick went bottom against DK’s Nature’s Prophet. This left iG’s Magnus to face DK’s Dragon Knight at mid.

Checking three minutes into the game, two of DK’s cores —Dragon Knight and Clinkz —were ahead in net worth, followed by iG’s Spectre and then DK’s Nature’s Prophet. At 15 minutes, DK’s cores including Nature’s Prophet were ahead of iG’s. In fact, BuRNing’s Clinkz was so farmed that it had twice the net worth of Hao’s Spectre. Clinkz continued to roam the map and made important kills that not only hindered the enemy team from getting gold and experience, but also made them cautious when moving around the map.

It became clear that iG’s lineup did not have enough to lock down the Clinkz, as all of them had short-range initiation. Although Ferrari_430 landed some good Reverse Polarities, there wasn’t any really solid follow up from the rest of his team. And since iG can’t get out of the base, DK’s Dragon Knight and Nature’s Prophet found it easy to push lanes. At around 20 minutes, there were no more outer towers for iG, while DK had all nine towers still standing.

Being ahead in kills, gold, experience, and lane control, DK kept the aggression up, but still decided to play it safe. Although DK decided to farm a bit more, BuRNing’s Clinkz made sure iG could not get out of the base. With the little space they had left, iG gave all the farm to Hao’s Spectre until he was able to get Radiance at the 23:30 mark. However, although iG’s carry was looking good, the four other heroes could not follow up or keep up in team fights. They lacked initiation from the Magnus and Elder Titan who both got destroyed before they could even do anything. IG eventually got so destroyed by Team DK that BuRNing even got double rampage, causing iG to call the GGs.