Ascent, The International 4

The International 4: The Noob Corner / Roshan Journal & Lore Oracles of the Crypt with MaNiA, Garter, & ComeWithMe

Artwork created by Valve

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Editor’s Word “We at Ascent Magazine hope that you love what we have done, just as much as we loved doing it.”

Shawn Ganz

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Ascent Magazine Team Writers Erin “Jiten” McDowell @JitenDotA2 Journal & Roshan Lore

Ricardo “Purple” Mota facebook.com/PurpleDogg Noob Corner

Joneleth “1337_n00b” Boon

Maxime Doucet-Benoit @ M4XDB

dev.dota2.com/showthread.php?t=35923

MJ Finch @Indiefinch YouTube.com/FlipSid3Tactics

Christopher Reynolds @nvrtrydota

Designers

Illustrators

Tom Bryant @93trb bryantthomas@hotmail.co.uk

Shelly Low @sheliloquy http://shelleylow.blogspot.com Noob Corner & Oracles of The Crypt

Adrian “Sinn” James-Morse

Matthew Oswald @ mattoswald http://mattoswald.com/ Cover Page, Journal, & Roshan Lore

 F 

@dsquaredmag

facebook.com/ dsquaredmag

dsquaredmag.net

dsquaredmag@gmail.com

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Table Of Contents 8

Noob Corner Journal

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Oracles of The Crypt MaNiA, CWM, Garter

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Roshan Lore

Signature Page & T.I Bracket

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The Noob Corner We’ll dedicate this space to you, fellow friendly Dota 2 noobs. Eager to learn to play the game?

Well let’s start from the very beginning:

Welcome to the First Ever Noob Corner!

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What is Dota 2?

Dota 2 is an ARTS, or Action Real Time Strategy, game with a splash of RPG that places two teams of five Heroes fighting each other to destroy the other team’s base and Ancient, hence “Defense of the Ancients”. Some have titled this genre Massive Online Battle Arena, or MOBA for short.

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Ranged Barracks Melee Barracks

Radiant Barracks & Top Lane The map has three lanes, each with their sets of barracks that produce armies to fight for you - ranged and melee soldiers - coming out in waves. The armies fight amongst themselves, and you gain gold every time you strike the killing blow (aka “last hit”) on an enemy soldier (aka “creep”). You also gain experience whenever an enemy creep dies near you. That gold and experience will help you fight (and hopefully beat) the enemy Heroes that stand in the way of your goal: the enemy Ancient.

comebacks facing Mega Creeps but trust me, you don’t want to face those.

Apart from these creeps - ranged and melee there are catapult creeps that spawn at 3:00 and then every 7th wave (3 min 30 seconds). And it doesn’t end there. Also, the wood areas of the map are crowded with “neutral” creeps, each with their own set of abilities and resistances you can take advantage of with certain Heroes.

They’re divided in three types of camps: EASY, MEDIUM and HARD. Then there are the ANEach lane also has three defensive towers that CIENT creeps, that are always immune to magic help defend the barracks. When those barracks and deliver quite a punch, while holding a good fall, the corresponding enemy creeps become prize in gold. Last but not least, the leader of the stronger in that lane, gaining more hitpoints and pack, the star of the show, the huge behemoth: rewarding less & experience when killed. When Roshan. all the barracks fall, the other team is granted “Mega Creeps.” And you don’t want to face those.

Seriously. You don’t. Not to say it’s impossible to win, because it’s not. There are indeed some epic

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Ranged Barracks

Melee Barracks

Dire Barracks & Mid Lane Dire Ranged

Dire Melee

Radiant Melee

Radiant Ranged

Dire Siege

Radiant Siege

Black Drake

Thunderhide

Hellbear

Hill Troll Priest

Mud Golem

Centaur

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A scene between Roshan & a bandit. Taken from Valve’s comic “Are We Heroes Yet?”

Roshan hides in a pit, has tons of hitpoints and pairs his punches with some occasional stuns.

He also occasionally negates magic (and is resistant otherwise), grows in strength every 4 minutes after creeps (+500 hp, +10 damage and +0.5 armor), and is an important strategic target within all Dota games.

The prize, however, is worth the fight, as every allied player receives 200 gold (the player who last hits Roshan gets an additional 150-400 gold) and Roshan will drop the Aegis of the Immortal. Whomever picks up the Aegis (which can be stolen) will be granted the ability to resurrect one time. When you are playing a game long enough to have 2 minute respawn timers (enough time for a game to be decided), you can see why that’s a big deal.

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Before we get into the gameplay, let’s discuss Heroes. There’s a list of over 100 Heroes and they’re separated into three Hero attribute categories:

Strength Heroes Agility Heroes Intelligence Heroes Now, don’t jump into conclusions here. A Strength Hero doesn’t mean “Tank”, nor does an Intelligence Hero mean “Caster.” These are their main attributes. Let’s go into some details:

Ogre Magi is an Intelligence hero that is a cross between a Tank/Caster

Strength

Agility

Intelligence

Every point in Strength increases:

Every point in Agility increases:

Every point in Intelligence increases:

Health by 19 points

Increased Attack Speed (IAS) by 1 point (Max IAS is 400)

Mana Pool by 13 points

Health Regeneration by 0.03 hp per second (+1 HP Regen every 33 strength)

Armor by 0.14 (7 Agility = +1 Armor)

Every point in a Hero’s main attribute grants them +1 attack damage. Different Heroes have different stat gains per level, so while others may gain more than 3 strength per level, some may only receive 1 - making them squishier targets as the game progresses.

All summed up, this has influence in certain aspects of your Hero: base attack damage, armor

Mana Regeneration by 0.04 Mana Per Second (MPS) (+1 MPS for every 25 intelligence)

(reduces the amount of physical damage you take per hit), movement speed or attack speed change from Hero to Hero. You’ll also feel something about the game that doesn’t quite happen in other similar games: there’s a noticeable turn speed. Some Heroes change directions faster than others. Some Heroes even affect their enemies’ turn rate, making them easier targets.

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Dust of Appearance

Bottle With Rune of Regeneration

Boots Of Speed

Moving on, every hero has a specialization, which fits them into a specific role; for example, some excel at initiating team fights. Some excel at surprise & assassination. Some excel in the early-game, while others, the late game. The role of each hero is suggested to you, and you may want to follow them during your first steps of the game.

One wouldn’t want Crystal Maiden playing as a Carry, and Sniper playing as a Support

Smoke of Deceit Eventually, you’ll end up playing the Hero as “the Hero”, instead of a specific and unchangeable role, but we’ll get there later.

Every hero has a unique set of abilities, tailored to have a special effect upon the game. For instance, Heroes can have abilities such as: Damage Heal Slow Stun Magic Immunity Lifesteal

There’s several more; and even more interesting, - though it could work, and hey, Heroes can have multiple combinations of said specializations. Many of these can either be pasthat’s the fun of Dota! sive (no activation necessary) or active (requiring you to press a button). Dota 2 is rich in its spells and abilities, which is what makes it so fabulous.

You’ll find a typical Support Hero being played Being new to the game, sampling different Heas a Carry or the other way around; but it’s not roes and learning their spells can be your best necessarily bad- so save your raging flame wars start to learning the expanse information sealed within the game. for later.

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Aghanim’s Scepter

Manta Style

Scythe of Vyse Lion

Divine Rapier Finger Of Death

However, two nuggets of knowledge for you readers: Dazzle

Shadow Wave

There are no bad Heroes NOR ARE THERE

Venomancer

Venomous Gale

Vengeful Spirit

Magic Missile

Omniknight

Repel

Lifestealer

Feast

Overpowered Heroes Sure, one might complain that Tinker & Mirana are overpowered, while Earth Spirit is bad. But, Tinker and Mirana each have their counters; some even in the form of items. Earth Spirit has a large skill-cap, and although he isn’t as strong as he used to be, he still is a decent hero. The game right now is considered the most balanced in Dota history. You only need to spectate a few professional matches to see the diversity of Heroes being played. You may find that a certain Hero is wreaking havoc in a certain game but, chances are, you’ll see them again failing miserably a few games later. It’s like a game of rock-paper-scissors, there are Heroes that can purely counter others - think of Slardar countering Riki.

We can all agree, there is much to study.

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Role Playing Hero Roles Carry

Jungler

Will become more useful later in the game if they gain a significant gold advantage.

“Can farm effectively from neutral creeps inside the jungle early in the game.”

Nuker*

Ganker*

Can quickly kill enemy heroes using high damage spells with low cooldowns.

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Will become more useful later in the game if they gain a significant gold advantage.

Initiator “Good at starting a teamfight.”

Disabler “Has a guaranteed disable for one or more of their spells.”

Durable* “Has the ability to last longer in teamfights.”

Escape* Has the ability to quickly avoid death.

“Can focus less on amassing gold & items, and more on using their abilities to gain an advantage for the team.”

Support*

Roamer* “Can focus on moving around the map instead of farming creeps early in the game.”

Lane Support Helpful during early-game laning protecting your team’s carry and allowing them to farm.

Pusher “Can quickly siege and destroy towers and barracks at all points in the game.”

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*I’ve used color to differentiate some of the roles whose symbols are similar for clarification.

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This mini-section explains the different types of Roles within the Dota 2 world. From Carry to Pusher, this list will provide you a basic understanding of the role. Below is a graphic where the outer rings (with the hero portraits) are example heroes to the inner ring with the role icons.

For instance, Anti-Mage is a well-known Carry and perhaps one of the first heroes to come to mind when one hears “Carry�. The same is said about Bristleback and his role of Durability; and so on, and so forth. There will be guides in the future to go more in depth with these hero roles.

The lines begin at a Role and pass through heroes who serve as examples to said Role.

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Positions Player Positions Positions range from numeral values 1-5, with each number indicating a specific position/role that is unique to all others. It’s basically a customary ‘layout’ for a balanced team. From professional atmospheres to your public games, each player will more then likely pick to fit this model. On the right contains the position numbers and descriptions, while below are some examples.

Position 1: The Hard Carry Position 2: Solo Mid / Semi-Carry Position 3: Solo Offlane / Semi-Carry Position 4: Secondary Support / Jungler Position 5: Primary Support

Positions

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However, there are many heroes who can play more than one (if not all) roles & positions. Below is a chart detailing some heroes who can fall under multiple position categories. For instance, Slark, mainly a carry, can be played as a Solo-Mid, Solo-Offlane, and a Safe-Lane Carry. Lich is a Support hero, however he can be played as a Solo-Offlane, Secondary Support, or Primary Support.

The more you play, the more you’ll learn about the different roles, positions, and heroes. Becoming familiar will help you understand what is the “best” way to play a hero. For instance, Shadow Fiend is usually Solo-Mid, but can Safe-Lane Carry. Then you have heroes like Mirana or Doom, who can play multiple, if not, all the roles/positions. The more you play, the more you’ll learn.

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4 3

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Farming Break Down Position 1: The highest farm priority on the team for both levels and gold. Because of their reliance on both gold and items, they are weak in the early game and require as much support as possible. They will be your primary damage dealer during the late game, if they have the proper levels and items.

Position 4: The Secondary Support has 4th farming priority. They will purchase the Smoke of Deceit and Sentry Wards at the beginning and work on getting items like Mekansm, Pipe of Insight, or Force Staff.

They are the ones who pull creeps for gold and experience, and should have a teleporation scroll (by 3 min) for global assistance.

Position 2: They are 2nd in farming priority and usually go mid. They often opt to either farm/push or gank from around the 4-6 min mark and up.

Position 5: The Primary Support and the lowest farming priority. At the start of the game, they will purchase Courier and Observer Wards, while also givrd Position 3: Takes 3 in farming priority, is usually the ing items, like Tangos & Wards, to players that need Offlaner and focuses on creating “space” during the it. Position 5 is in charge of babysitting Position 1, early-mid game (7-15 min) for the 1st and 2nd posi- and responsible for purchasing courier upgrade, invisibility detection, and wards throughout the game. tion to farm. Usually active after level 6.

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Next on our list are items. You can’t have Dota 2 without items. Gold allows you to purchase the items necessary to demolish your opponents and stomp on their Ancient. For that reason, you must try to kill as many enemy creeps as possible - also known as farming. You kill creeps, get gold, buy items, kill your foe - rinse and repeat.

Simple, huh? Well, not quite. Dota 2 has a plethora of items! Items that can range from 50 gold to a massive 6570 gold; and you have many to choose from. Apart from the enormous amount of possible combinations of Hero lineups, you also have an enormous amount of possible item combinations to equip on said Hero. Exciting, no?

Yes, but even more exciting is possibly the most crucial item within the game: The Courier, aka the Chicken/Donkey/Crow. Every team should purchase one of these adorable creatures at the start of the game. The Courier fetches your items from your ‘stash’, purchases items from shops, basically acting as your team’s runner. There are 6 shops in total throughout the map - every fountain has one, then there are two side-shops and two secret shops, near the Ancient camps on each side of the river.) The main importance of the Courier is to allow you and your team to stay in lane to farm that gold and experience, while still being able to purchase and receive necessary items.

Within the Dota world, many people grow fond of their couriers. The default courier is a Donkey, though there are more than 50 couriers available for purchase and flaunt. Many players will spend an exorbitant amount of money (or time) to customize their couriers with particle effects and colors, making them a wonderful example of Dota 2’s platform for personal expression.

Careful though! That single courier (usually single courier) is a heavily utilized item, which means all your other teammates will often require its use as well. Also, it’s quite vulnerable, so if it happens to be caught out by the enemy

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creeps or Heroes, it dies quite easily… taking your precious items to the grave with it (should it be carrying any) and giving each enemy Hero 150 gold. Don’t worry, it’ll respawn three minutes later with any precious items it held; but, three minutes can make a huge difference. Just after the enemy team received 150g each, you now have to wait 3 minutes for your courier to respawn... Peachy, huh? Luckily, there are ways to make it a little less vulnerable, like upgrading it into a “Flying Courier”. It won’t be forced to the restrictions of the terrain (trees and such), instead it will fly over them. The courier also has the option to boost its speed for 20 seconds, enabling it to escape certain death or make a quicker return to base (which is the greedier option).

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Anyway, your team should have one, and usually the supports buy one. The reason the supports traditionally purchase the couriers is because they need less money to become effective in battles, while a carry relies a bit more on gold and items.

Supports also traditionally purchase both Observer & Sentry Wards. They serve as your eyes on the map and give you the strategic information necessary to aid your decision making; also, they might be your saving grace from potential attacks (ganks); provided you are keen enough to pay attention to the mini-map and ward locations.

There are two types of wards:

These are Observer Wards They cost 150g a pair and provide normal vision over a wide area (1600 range). They’re invisible to the enemy team, but they may be destroyed if the enemy team has true sight (i.e. shows invisible units). Like couriers, these wards are your friends (also customizable). Two wards refresh at the shop every two every 6 minutes; though, only on the condition one or none are available for purchase since the store has a cap of two pairs. When placed, the wards last for 7 minutes.

A successful ward can save lives and give you a strategic advantage over your enemy. A successful deward deprives you from precious vision and your strategic advantage‌

These are Sentry Wards They cost 200g a pair and they enable you to detect invisible units in a 800 radius. They grant 12 seconds of vision in an area of 150 units, afterwards, they will not grant any regular vision.

You will need both a Sentry Ward and vision (be it from a unit or ward) to gain eyesight of invisible units. They are a main component of the game, allowing you to deward enemy wards and detect invisible units. Although they cost 200g, they have an unlimited stock and are a great way of dealing with pesky invisible units.

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An example for the use of wards to block creep encampments. Another issue will cover warding.

You may use either ward to prevent jungle creeps from spawning, provided you place them inside the “spawn box” of that camp. This technique is used to hamper enemy jungle farm and/or to prevent enemy creep pulling. This is a more advanced feature, which we’ll address some other day.

The next big item on the list is the Town Portal Scroll (aka TP). It costs 135 gold, takes up a slot in your 6-slot inventory and is absolutely mandatory. Yes, you read that. Mandatory. Seriously.

It allows you to teleport to any friendly building.

Any! Whether it’s your fountain or a tower, you can teleport there in a few seconds to defend objectives; escape life threatening situationsso long as you don’t get stunned, save an ally & turn around an engagement, or sell it back for 67 gold. Basically, it’s a necessity to have. You rarely see pro gamers not have one neatly cushioned in their inventory. It’s only 135 gold guys, ONLY 135 GOLD (3 last hits)!

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a must have /

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Healing

Salve

Clarity

These are some of the most basic items you’ll find in a match. Things are pretty far from over when it comes to items. There are items that offer basic stat gains to items that can zap your opponent for 800 damage. There are items that can heal you for a large percentage of your health every second, to items that can heal your team.

There isn’t a straightforward answer to “what items should I buy?” Everything is situational.

Everything. There are items like Mekansm, for instance, that you can see built on either supports (Ex: Chen) or one of the carries (Ex: Viper).

Or items like a Black King Bar (grants magic immunity), which is often seen on carries (ex: Phantom Assassin), but can be regularly picked up by supports (ex: Enigma). We’ll look further into the available items later on. For now, try out the suggested builds within the game and learn about the items and see how they influence your Hero.

Like anything in life, after you learn the basics, it’s time to break the rules. See what Hero & items combinations suit your playstyle the most.

Potion

Tangos

We will now talk about regenerative consumables. These items help you stay within your lane, meaning you won’t have to travel back to your base. For instance, Tangos and Healing Salves grant you very much needed health points (HP). Tangos cost 125 gold, come in stacks of 4 charges and enable you to destroy (eat) a tree to gradually heal 115 hitpoints over 16 seconds. Yes, it’s strange to see a Hero grab a tree and munch it away, while an explosion of leaves bursts around the Hero as they heal... But hey, if salad is good for you, why not a pine tree or a decaying maple? Plus, eating a tree will can create new paths, giving you additional mechanics to work with. The Healing Salve costs 115 gold and will heal you for 400 hp in 10 seconds; but, any damage you take during that 10 second period will break the healing effect. For mana issues, you have Clarity potions. They cost 50 gold each and they provide you with 135 mana throughout 40 seconds. Similar to the Healing Salve, any damage will stop the process.

The Green are heroes you would expect to get the items in the Grey, but it’s also viable (or necessary) for unlikley heroes in Blue, to get said items.

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It is also quite useful to play the training missions. They’re quite nicely arranged so that you can gradually grasp a basic feel of the game; you know, so you’re not running around without an idea of what your supposed to do. The training missions teach you the art of last hitting, denies (which is an act of last hitting your own creeps, which both denies the enemy the chance for gold and experience), the shops, the courier and a few of the Heroes. It presents a Limited Hero Pool, with Heroes that are easy to pick up and play - this in no ways means they’re weak, mind you! You get to choose between 20 Heroes that are beginner friendly and go on training missions with increasing levels of complexity and difficulty. Remember:

Dota 2 has a large learning curve It doesn’t help if newcomers pick hard-to-play Heroes like Meepo or Invoker as their first Heroit’d be just outright frustrating and difficult for them to master both the Hero & basic game mechanics at the same time. The training missions help you concentrate on the basics first and the intricacies of Heroes later. The missions will start you off in games with preset Heroes to games where you get to choose your Hero. From being confined to one lane, where your objective is to destroy the first two towers, to regular games against bots. You can also play these with friends, which can prove to be greater fun. After the initial training section, you’ll be facing other similarly skilled trainees in Limited Hero matches. From then on, buddy, it’s up to you to decide what your own path will become!

 Right now, you’re probably as ready as you can be to enter the pub world; so endure and enjoy.

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 dsquaredmag@gmail.com Subject: I’m A Noob We’ll be glad to answer your noobish or not-so-noobish questions here in the Noob Corner, so feel free to drop us a line.

We’ll be glad to help!

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Roshan originally belonged to a race that far predates the great Cataclysm. Due to Roshan’s proximity to and involvement with the Ursae, many have posited that the race was an antecedent species to the Ursa themselves.

Only one specific record exists detailing Roshan prior to the fall of the Mad Moon, in the form of a suspected biologists journal found near an abandoned Ursine camp.

Tribe 2, Camp 4, Day 5: Observed a strange creature in the camp today. Only time outsider has been accepted into their midst, no territorial aggression directed at this beast. Will attempt closer observation in the morning when I have more time.

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Tribe 2, Camp 4, Day 7: This creature is truly strange. He wears many of the same vestments as the warrior caste, though he also appears to horde (assumedly) magical talismans. He is vastly larger than any Ursine creature I

have witnessed previously, nearly half again as large as even the matriarch. Does not seem to retain the same responsibilities as any previously denoted caste, seems to study his talismans very carefully and for extended periods of time. His studies differ from the shamanic caste sheerly by intensity and length of study, also never approached by other Ursae for traditional shamanic services. Very odd. He was allowed to directly approach the Denmother in the evening, an action which Ive seen even the most respected warriors slain for.

Denmother did not seem perturbed in any way, even treating the beast with something akin to reverence. Overheard an exchange between the two, Denmother addressed the beast with a roar that was very clearly pronounced ‘Roash-nnh.’ First time any semblance of organized speech has been observed in this tribe.

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Tribe 2, Camp 4, Day 10: I have followed this creature to the edge of the Ursa forest, and he appears to have studied the Mad Moon with great intensity nonstop for two full days. He seems bothered by it somehow, though it has always hung in the sky. Almanac lists no anomalous activity with the moon in the foreseeable future. Creature also took action against a small group of marauding kobolds, fully annihilating them with a massive stomp that shook the trees for nearly a mile in all directions. Must have access to some kind of magical ability for such an action, even with his considerable size.

Roashn, Day 3: I’ve abandoned my camp survey in pursuit of this beast. The beast wandered close by my camp today, and I was able to get a closer look at his specific physiology. Very similar in basic aspects to the Ursae of the camp, though much larger. Thicker fur, perhaps denoting a species from a more northern climate, though this is unlikely as no creatures such as this have been noted anywhere in the brotherhood’s scope. He lacks the distinct snout of his comrades, lacking almost any protuberance where a nose might be. May have slitted nostrils, though his height makes it difficult to see closely enough to be sure.

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He has the same basic anatomy of the Ursine warrior caste, demonstrating similar posture on a more robust though less agile form. He wears a much less ornate version of the war-masks of the warriors, with a large creature’s tusk to either side rather than the more traditional fangs/claws. No creature with such tusks has been noted to exist in this area for many hundreds of years. Is it possible this Roashn is an extremely old being The specific similarities in his morphology create suspicion that he may be a remnant of a forerunner race to the Ursae, as unlikely as it might be for a creature with such an extended lifespan to exist. I must look into possible sightings of such creatures when I return to the great library.

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Roashn, Day 5: The beast has become more agitated at the sight of the moon, and has set back on his path toward Tribe 2, Camp 4. His urgency seems to denote that he suspects something involving the moon is imminent, though I suspect it just to be the paranoid delusions of a highly primitive race. I must return to the library to report my findings and research any other great beasts of the region. Local Ursae are quite docile at the moment, so I suspect I will be able to pass very close to Camp 4 without incident. This should save me more than a day of travel. Jeroth will be very excited to see the Ursine treasures I have recovered.

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Roshan

O

n the battlefield of the Ancients, there is but one great being who can claim true immortality outside of the power granted by the Nemesis Stones. Even the seemingly endless death and rebirth of Death Prophet and the Wraith King’s ghostly reign pale in comparison to the singular power of this beast, the formidable and terribly cursed Roshan.

R

oshan was once a great and powerful warrior, a well-respected member of the Ursae. Despite not being a true Ursa himself, he was in high favor with the Denmothers that lead the great tribes, primarily due to his potent magical abilities, abilities which none of his Ursine brethren shared. He was the only of his race to ever approach a rank similar to a Magus, and his magic was far more powerful than any other being’s in the region. So far reaching was his potency, he even studied the mysterious Mad Moon before its breaking, and at one point had come close to recognizing its true lunar nature.

Roshan’s own Denmother was responsible for protecting one of the greatest treasures of the Ursa race, the great Aegis of the Immortal, which was said to contain the spirit of The First Bear, the progenitor of all Ursae. It was fabled to prevent its

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owner’s death, granting them effective immortality, and the Denmother guarded it fiercely though she knew it was only intended for her greatest warrior during the final combat of her den. The time or place of this combat was unclear, but she knew she would feel when it was needed most, just as her predecessor had.

Then came the great Cataclysm. Fragments of the Nemesis Stones rained down on the forest that the Ursae called home. Tribes near the larger clusters were slowly affected by the energies emitted by the Ancients’ shards, and unrest quickly followed. Roshan, subconsciously aware of the influence the stones were pushing into his brethren, did his best to keep his distance, observing from the fringes. Soon the Ancients became aware of this vastly powerful being that hovered on the edge of their influence, and both sought to take control of Roshan before the other.

Roshan

Lore

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ar broke out between the tribes, and Roshan was bound by instinct to protect the Denmother that had adopted him into her clan. She had become enamored with a particularly massive Radiant stone, and commanded her children to destroy any that had been corrupted by the clearly odious Dire energy. With Roshan’s help, she was able eradicate all Ursae that fought for the Dire, and her tribe became highly favored by the Radiant. Their tribe was granted the gift of structured speech by the Ancient (a gift not extended to Roshan for his lack of loyalty to the stone, though he slowly developed a small vocabulary in his own right), as a reward for their dedication and persistence in subduing their “infected” brethren. The Denmother demonstrated her new gift at every opportunity, and soon an oral history began to form for what remained of the Ursine race. Her boasts and stories of great power would soon prove problematic for the tribe, as both Ancients quickly learned of the Aegis the Denmother possessed. Such a tool would prove infinitely useful for their endless struggle, and they both sought to remove it from her possession.

The Dire sent a great force to the forest where the tribe resided, in an attempt to slay the Denmother for her treasure. Radiant conscripted the assistance of a great and powerful blacksmith (rumoured by some to be a disciple of the Demon-Smith Abzidian) to forge a veritable armory of equipment for the tribe, metal armour being something the forest-dwellers had no capability to create for themselves. The distribution of such goods was problematic for the Ancient, but a cunning Shopkeeper quickly made himself exclusively available to the Radiant forces.

With the armaments provided by the Shopkeeper, Roshan’s Denmother was able to easily rebuff the Dire forces. Interestingly, the the Radiant Ancient was not recognized by the Ursae for its efforts, and the Shopkeeper was credited for the victory. The tribe quickly came to revere the Shopkeeper, and in his cunning, he eventually was able to convince the Denmother he was a better protector of the Aegis of the Immortal than she.

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In secret, he was entrusted with the great relic, the Denmother’s loyalty to what she saw as an agent of the Radiant blurring the conditions of her sacred task to protect the Aegis herself. Knowing that the Radiant would never let him keep it, the Shopkeeper shrouded the artifact with magics that would hide it from both Ancients and Ursae. To all involved, the Aegis appeared to have vanished from the face of the earth.

Meanwhile, Roshan had begun to feel the effects of the Ancients’ conflict within his mind.

Even as a student of raw magics, this kind of influence was unlike anything else he had ever encountered, and it frustrated him greatly. In general, their equal pull in opposite directions each canceled out the efforts of the other, though it was clear that each desperately wanted to conscript Roshan their own cause. He was easily able to push their commands from his mind, though the effort began to wear at his patience, and he decided he would need to take in enough power to completely block them from his mind. He searched his collection for something that might shield him from the incessant poking and prodding, but nothing seemed quite powerful enough. In his search, he found that the First Bear had seemingly endless resistance to magics of all kinds, and Roshan suspected such abilities might be found in the now-dormant object that held the First Bear’s spirit, the Aegis of the Immortal.

Roshan went to the Denmother, and demanded the Aegis as a token of her gratitude for the services he had rendered in the tribal conflicts.

Out of shame and fear - emotions not normally expressed by a Denmother - she concocted a story of how the Aegis had been stolen from her during the chaos of the war, and that she had no idea where it might be. Not content with such an answer, Roshan made preparations to perform an ancient rite of divination. It was primitive, more of a supernatural means of enhancing his natural tracking skills than an actual scrying spell. The Shopkeeper’s safeguards, designed specifically to hide the Aegis from the energies of Ancient and Ursa, failed to conceal the relic from Roshan, and its hiding place in the Shopkeeper’s storehouse was quickly uncovered.

Roshan Lore

35

36

Roshan Lore

D

irect extortion of the Shopkeeper would not be possible. The man rarely left the entrance of his storehouse, and his small camp was constantly surrounded by Ursae of various castes seeking his services. Not wanting to draw the ire of his brethren, Roshan hid near the camp (no small feat for a creature of his size), and waited for an opportunity to make his approach. As night fell, and the Ursae returned to their dens or wandered off to keep their night watches, Roshan bespelled his feet to fall silently and entered the edge of the camp.

The Shopkeeper seemed to be deep in a one-sided conversation with a strange stone statue of stacked creatures, facing away from the entrance to his warehouse. Aided by the magics he had cast, Roshan was easily able to enter the massive tent, and made his way to where he sensed the Aegis was hidden. He lifted several large weapons from the top of a large chest, and greedily rent the lid from its hinges, the strength of his desire far exceeding the resilience of the magical seals placed on the container. The lid exploded outward in an explosion of magical energy, reducing nearby armor and weapons to ash. From the depths of the box, the Aegis careened into the now-smoldering Roshan. Knocked from his feet and badly injured, Roshan blinked hard to remove the ash from his eyes and saw his broken body quickly mending, the burns and open wounds closing as he watched.

Alerted by the distinctive noise of the seals’ breach, the Shopkeeper barrelled through the tent to where the chest had lay, and upon seeing the destruction Roshan had wrought, lifted a nearby pike in order to skewer the beast.

Instinctively, and out of a certain jealousy at the extent of the Shopkeeper’s hoard, Roshan drew a most ancient power into his lungs and bellowed out a powerful death-spell. The Shopkeeper was blown backward into a pile of his own wares, where he writhed in agony. He pulled a small amulet from the front of his shirt, and through his pain, spoke a series of runic syllables into the jewel centered in the pendant. His final breath came out as a whisper into the stone, turning the gem

to dust as the Shopkeeper’s hand went limp. The powder swirled into the air, surrounding and settling on Roshan. He tried to brush it off, but it was permanently affixed to his skin and fur, and spread like charcoal with each swipe.

Meanwhile, the Aegis had begun to lose its lustre, changing from gleaming metal to tar black. Roshan moved to pick up the shield, but found his limbs stiff and clumsy, his joints refusing to bend properly. His fur began to congeal as he watched, the coarse fibers joining into large stony plates that lined his arms and chest. His decorative headdress, holding the massive teeth of a great and ancient beast slain by his predecessors, fused to his temples. The tusks grew into large and terrible horns that hung painfully from his skull. His whole body began to grow, the bony ridges that protected his forearms slowly replaced by rigid carapace which locked his fingers into place. He sprouted a long and serpentine tail which dragged heavily on the ground behind him, and a great weight mounted on his back as large crag-like spikes grew from his back. These soon joined by a vile pair of wings that made him hunch and strain under their weight. In his gargoyle-like transmutation, he felt his body grow more and more solidified, and he desperately reached out for the Aegis in the hopes that it would protect him from this foul metamorphosis.

Just as his joints began to lock into place, his hand reached the shield. As he leaned forward, his claws ruptured the surface, and glowing energy poured from the Aegis into his body.

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T

he Aegis, corrupted by the greed and foul intent of its new owner, had been weakened until its physical form could no longer contain the energies within. The shield was able to stop further progression of the transformation, but unable to reverse it. His joints slowly loosened as the energy of the great relic filled his limbs, and he was able to lift the shield from the floor as the last of the energy siphoned out of its core. A searing pain suddenly struck at his forehead, and the skin bubbled from his skull, a small section of the bone slowly parting. Effervescent light gathered in the cleft, clotting into a solid crystal sphere that sat directly in the center of his brow. The once magnificent Aegis now found itself broken, combined with the truly terrible creature that Roshan had become.

The commotion had roused the attention of the Ursae sleeping outside, the first of whom only entered the tent in time to witness the final stage of Roshan’s transfiguration. He turned to explain himself, but all that escaped his maw was a terrible roar. His pain and confusion drove him into a rage, and he rushed the group of young Ursa warriors that stood in the entryway, ripping them to shreds with alarming ease. A warcry rose from the surviving few, and soon the camp was swarming with Ursae come to avenge the death of their beloved Shopkeeper. Roshan killed dozens of those he once called brethren, and soon the Radiant Ancient took notice and intervened.

Infuriated at the loss of both its most valuable follower and the powerful Aegis, the Radiant sent its most powerful warriors to slay the great beast.

They were successful, at first. A small number died to Roshan’s powerful claws, and most of their magics dissipated against his hide, but ultimately the hundreds of small wounds they inflicted were too many for the Aegis to heal, and Roshan lay dead at the warriors’ feet. They pried the Aegis stone from his forehead, intending to present it to the Radiant as proof of victory, but as night fell, the gem disappeared without a trace. Returning to Roshan’s body, the troupe found him very much alive, and

38

ready to crush them in their already battle-wearied state.

This cycle went on for some time, until the Radiant grew weary of losing good soldiers to the seemingly unkillable creature. Drawing on great stores of power gathered from its followers, the Ancient banished Roshan from its lands, making it impossible for him to ever set foot on Radiant soil ever again, as long as the Ancient held power.

Roshan, exiled from his homeland, rampaged angrily across Dire lands, laying waste to scouting parties, camps, and any creature that happened to stand in his way. After a large settlement was demolished by Roshan’s warpath, the Dire Ancient sent its own great warriors to end the beast. When much the same result was reached as with the Radiant’s efforts, the Dire devised its own plan to prevent further destruction.

The Radiant’s banishment was a problem, as all of the immediate area was controlled by the two Ancients. The Dire could not simply extradite the creature back to Radiant territory, for the opposing forces were too equally matched to overpower such a powerful decree set forth by the other. The only option that remained was for the Dire to forfeit a small portion of its own land, and bind Roshan to the area. A small tarn on the edge of Dire’s territory was chosen, and the beast was carefully bound, where he has remained to this day. Only the briefest of events can drain the Ancients of their power long enough to temporarily free Roshan from his home.

Rumor eventually spread that the power of the Aegis, while tainted and not remotely as lasting as its original form, could still be seized by any that slew Roshan. Many great warriors have sought this power prior to a great battle, but it often comes at the price of their comrades’ lives at the hands of the monster, or to an enemy taking advantage of a battle-wearied squad. Even with the promise of temporary immortality granted by the Aegis before its inevitable return to the beast’s pit, only the bravest of heroes dare to approach the doomed Roshan’s Tarn.

Roshan Lore

39

Oracles Of The Crypt

Oracles of the Crypt W

ith the tournament of the ages falling upon us at this very moment, many take to augury and other clairvoyant matters in their desire to know the winner before the dust settles. We are no exception - the gift of foresight is ever so useful to have in times like these. Luckily, we were given assistance by our benefactor in the universe of Dota, and his Oracles of the Crypt. Read on, and see what the one whom we call Clairvoyant Nyx has to say on The International 4.

41

Analysis The armorless shudder and skitter at their sight. So much strength in their fleshy bodies, I ponder if the goddess Nyx has seen fit to bless a chitinless being with her prowess. Immaculate one by one and in perfect synergy as a whole. But their fame spread so far, all the rest of the fleshling warriors want the glory of having brought their defeat. Nyx’s sacred blessings may trace them, but their path will be swarmed with eager enemies.

Dark Horse

Most Likely To Disappoint

Most Likley To Create Decisive Strategies

Old, seasoned warriors converged into one swarm. They are true zealots - they rampage and raid, they lay waste to all, and do so with ferocity that sees them impaled on their own pointy ends. The target suffers, but their lives so often come to an end by their own action. In lust of glory, in search of blood, they forgo the swarm and clash for their own sake. Should their zeal find a stronger vessel to contain itself, a vision of a red ichor-stained field develops.

They are intricate, so powerful, so unique. But something is amiss - their consciousness disperses, the pressure of ongoing battles affecting their prowess. Too complicated, too reliant on their own indecipherable fleshling strategies. They need a rhythm of their own, they need a resolution to their personal vendetta, they need to sate the chants of the blood-hungry crowd beside them - all too much, all too much.

It has happened before. A strategy so clear for one, gets burned and repurposed with all the same parts, but in different order. A Hero of destruction and strength, shifted into a position of other importance, or outright missing; a Hero others think to be food, taking up arms and reigning havoc all the way to the enemy colony. These five have the strength to stretch themselves to that end, and devour any opposition.

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Oracles Of The Crypt

Strongest Carry

Strongest Support

DK.Burning

Empire.Vanskor

Strongest Overall DK.iceiceice

A true legend through and through, this

Other workers may shine in their glory, but

is his time to elevate the glory up and be-

in this one I sense the most effect. Quick to

yond. Past battles are no longer a concern,

strike, quick to react. Never a low point. He

no matter how they went - this battle is that

has the power to sound his name through

of an eon, but more importantly, it is his. He

the web of thoughts.

crushed the old unity and built a new one, and in it he had prevailed. The skills of every sort of warrior there exists, intelligence sharp as a pincer and senses that rival those of a Nyx Assassin, he is a beast in fleshling form.

Strongest Mid

Strongest Offlaner

Alliance.S4

EG.Universe Another one whom I see fit to call a true assassin. Unique, skilled, versatile, inventive - he excels in his position and any other there is. His drive to dominate may lead him to wild lands where his legend begins to fade, but it is not his to land a crushing blow on his own swarm. The thoughts emanating from his head are those that the others can barely begin to comprehend, and in his role he is a prodigy. The work he put into honing his skills may well pay off.

Such haste, such bloodlust. This one’s de-

Weak, strong, warriors, workers. So little

sire to kill opens the path for the rest of his

for the utility. He is that utility - years of

congregation to take over all that the enemy

battle experience, peaking today. A veter-

has. Many can match the desire - but this

an’s mind sees the best opportunities to lay

one also has the skill and knowledge to per-

waste to those who oppose him.

form the kill. A true assassin.

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Power Rankings 1

2

3

DK

IG

Alliance

They are immaculate - one as much as the other. They have faced nearly all of the others, and emerged victorious.

Their purpose is clear, their targets doomed.

Formerly powerful, they reshaped themselves into what once was. No longer the burning dissatisfaction of last cycle. They reemerge now, bristling with power, tearing through the others with their steady calculation and diligent destruction. One by one, as a whole - it is all the same, they reach for glory for the second time.

These reigned victorious before, and they aim to preserve their relic. They refuse to fall, and will pince and stab at the enemy, crushing their sacred Ancient when all others would have long fled and burned. They have the means to bring any enemy down in a fight, their workers are swift and efficient, but their greatest strength is in their infiltration and destruction of the colony at all costs.

44

4

Oracles Of The Crypt

5

6

Newbee

Na’Vi

Empire

A seasoned core, lead by their former enemy. All of them mighty and developed beyond most warriors’ limits.

Their unity is in tune with the fundamentals of battle. They may not exhibit twisted strategic maneuvers, but the sheer power of their tested onslaught signifies burning talent.

Their trails have shone for so long, I can feel the imprints in Nyx’s tapestry.

The lifeline has been fading of late, but the sheer impact that has been caused more than once defies expectation. A single fell swoop of an aspiring enemy, however, and the journey of a star will be over.

These have felt at home in the bloodshed of the past moons. They run rampant yet collected - a sign of a developing outbreak. Time and time again their pillars have weathered deadly storms. It is consistency of their core warriors that will pave them a path to glory.

7

8

9

Evil Geniuses

Titan

Fnatic

Their spark is bright. They have strings of youth, broadened by ancient experience. Behind them is the spectre of their full strength, and it is what pushes them onward. Young as they are, they can bend to any enemy and wrap around them until their veins run dry.

It is only that this battle will define an eon - the scale sees their spark seem so much more dim.

Once before, they crawled over towering monsters and brought them down one by one. They were an Urna Swarm - explosive, quick, decisive, and so easy to underestimate. Now, they have the knowledge, and will fight to the bitter end - if only it was so easy to be forgotten again, and strike from behind.

Tumultuous, uncertain - that they are not. No matter what happens to one, the rest remould and reshape to compensate. Their perfect unity is a spectacle to observe.

45

10

11

12

Mousesports

Cloud 9

Vici Gaming

I sense them as my kin - zealots to the end. Fiery, jagged, aggressive - they strike fast and hard. If only the armorless did not have the burning emotions that debilitate them so much. To fight so passionately and so callously as to burn out, left as a crimson husk floating in the battlefield.

Once so strong, so powerful - now their thoughts sound arrhythmical. What is their unity? I do not see it. One time - a beacon of brilliance, the other - a burnt out, juiceless husk.

More fire and even more prowess to withstand the pressure. Too jagged, however, their scales are off balance. It is not the enemy that often deals the fatal blow, it is themselves.

13

14

15

LGD-Gaming

Na’Vi.US

Arrow Gaming

An age of glory is in their web of thoughts, but the shapes they fill today are not the same. There is little more than years of legend for them with which to show an edge over the rest.

Powerful one by one, but so uncertain as a unity. They skitter around, their immense strength losing focus. They have the shape of something great, but it takes much more seasoning not to crumble.

Few saw them taking part in this battle. Youth, power, arrogance. This is not their time to shine. They ran an impaling spike through the contestants, but it is not in them to take up arms against the giants before them. Sheer pressure will see their carapace crumble and shatter. For them, it is to recover and resurge once all is done.

46

16 Virtus.Pro My visions show them joining the fray.

Such peculiar life signs I have never seen - on one day, they blacken with sheer repulsion and dismay; on another, there is not a single fault under Nyx’s dark that I can possibly see. With the time they have had to hone their skills, this state may become permanent - a threatening sign to so many others. But how threatening? That I do not know.

We still have much more... nyxnyx... to speak of...

47

Power Ranking 1. DK

They have a strong roster with a lot of diversity and are always able to adapt during LAN events.

2. Newbee

The team has been dominant in the Chinese scene and they have a really well-rounded roster.

3. Alliance

Always bring out some surprise strategies and play really well from behind. They have great tournament mentality.

4. iG

They are finally getting stabilized playing with Luo. They have a really strong mid laner in Ferrari_430, who seems to always take over come mid game.

Plus their support duo makes huge plays.

5. EG

Talented roster, and always play really well-rounded lineups. Arteezy has been carrying games from the mid-lane and Zai has been shining at the 4th position.

6. Na’Vi

They could honestly win the whole tournament, but I’ve given them 6th position because of their lack of results during the season.

7. VG

Having been struggling to dominate lately, but were on top in the start of the season. Definitely have the players to excel, especially fy have been making big plays in their games.

8. Mousesports

Can pretty much lose or win against anyone. Have shown great results leading up to The International, even though they struggled to get a LAN win.

48

9. Fnatic

They have been showing strength leading up to The International, but having played all of their games with standin Xcalibur. Hopefully, they can be as strong without the standin’s signature heroes.

10. LGD

Hard team for me to see as top 3 at The International, since they lose most of their games to the other big Chinese teams. They haven’t played against the European teams, so they could surprise them.

11. Empire

Dominated the early-to-mid season, but have lately not been as dominant as they previously were. Top team in Europe for me, but it’s hard to see them stand out in a star-studded tournament like this.

12. Cloud 9

I really like watching this team play, but they have many facepalm moments during their games- especially from EternalEnvy, who often times falters to the tournament pressure.

13. Titan

One of the top teams in South East Asia, but have yet to see them make impressive results in the Chinese tournaments they’ve been participating in.

14. CIS

I predict this team to make it into the top 16. They have shown a lot of promise and are definitely a wildcard in every sense of the word.

15. Arrow

ddz has been a bright star on their team, but I feel like the completion is going too tough for them.

16. Na’Vi.US

Did well in the US qualifier, but then disappointed at The Summit and haven’t made a good impression ever since.

MaNiA

I

’ve chosen the Top 8 teams because of their results during the year and the momentum they have been building. Even though Na’Vi have been struggling in the early part of the year, they always seem to shine during the International.

Mousesports is also another team that was hard for me to top in the Top 8, but I chose them because of the high level of play they sometimes pull out in the hour of need. The rest needs no extra explaining.  @ 30MaNiA  ManiaDota

STRONGEST PLAYER

THE DARK HORSE IG.Ferarri_430 Fnatic

STRONGEST SUPPORT

MOST LIKELY TO WIN

DK.MMY

Team DK

STRONGEST MID

MOST LIKELY TO DISAPPOINT

Alliance.S4

STRONGEST CARRY Titan

Newbee.Hao

THE CREATORS OF DECISIVE STRATEGIES

STRONGEST OFFLANER

Alliance

Na’Vi.Funn1k

49

ComeWithMe

 @leCEWEME

 DotaComeWithMe ComeWithMe

1. Alliance

9. Fnatic

2. DK

10. Evil Geniuses

3. Na’Vi

11. Cloud 9

4. Invictus Gaming

12. Team Empire

5. Newbee

13. Arrow

6. Vici Gaming

14. Mousesports

7. Titan

15. Na’Vi.US

8. LGD.cn

16. WildCard Team

THE DARK HORSE

STRONGEST PLAYER

Na’Vi

DK.iceiceice

STRONGEST SUPPORT

MOST LIKELY TO WIN

DK.MMY

Alliance

STRONGEST MID

MOST LIKELY TO DISAPPOINT

EG.Arteezy

STRONGEST CARRY NA’VI.US

DK.Burning

THE CREATORS OF DECISIVE STRATEGIES

STRONGEST OFFLANER

Team DK

DK.iceiceice

50

51

L

Garter

argely considered to be the best player in the Balkan area, and the only pro player from Kosovo, Garter has played on a number of well-known teams. During the days of DotA1, he was a member of Team A with Russian legend Vigoss, and became a part of the DotA2 team Virus almost immediately after TI1, also standing in for Kaipi on a regular basis. His experience and tournament history qualify him more than most to speak on the results of the upcoming International 4.

Analysis

I

n my opinion, this tournament is going be the hardest and the most enjoyable one to watch, ever. As always, the Chinese teams are going to be the biggest threat because the versatility of their hero pool is extremely large and they are very unpredictable. This is exactly what we have seen from them during the previous tournaments throughout the year. The Chinese teams showed with their dominance because this versatility is very difficult to deal with for the other team.

 @garterdota2  garterdota2 garter1  user/garterdota2

formances and no changes in rosters, it goes without saying that they are still top contenders - these guys are capable of anything.

We also have the American buddies, aka EG, who recently beat DK 3-2 at The Summit showing everyone that they are something to be “Fear-ed” since they are quick to find ways to deal with Chinese. I actually think that the Chinese teams fear EG the most at the moment. As about teams like Arrow Gaming and Na`Vi.NA I don’t think they However, something to take note of is that during are going to have so much fun in this tournament these last 2 tournaments we also saw also how pow- since it will be the hardest one to date. Considerful European teams can be - such as Alliance, ering Na`Vi.NA just formed and despite the exEmpire and the same with Na`Vi. Empire showed perience their players have, they will not stand a us a strong performance at StarLadder Star Series chance because the opponents in this tournament Season 9. I don’t think Alliance and Na`Vi need a are extremely good individuals, teamplayers, exreview on their gaming, and considering they were perienced. Basically, they have all it takes. the previous TI winners with strong current per-

52

Power Rankings 1. DK

9. Vici Gaming

2. IG

10. Fnatic

3. Alliance

11. Mouseesports

4. NewBee

12. LGD gaming

5. EG

13. Titan

6. Empire

14. Na`Vi.NA

7. Cloud9

15. Arrow Gaming

8. Na`Vi

16. Wildcard Slot

THE DARK HORSE

STRONGEST PLAYER

Mousesports

DK.Burning

STRONGEST SUPPORT

MOST LIKELY TO WIN Team DK

MOST LIKELY TO DISAPPOINT

Alliance EGM

STRONGEST MID Na’Vi Dendi

STRONGEST CARRY NA’VI.US

DK.Burning

THE CREATORS OF DECISIVE STRATEGIES

STRONGEST OFFLANER

Fnatic

DK.iceiceice

53

The Inter

Tourname

Grand F Monday -

Upper Bracket

The Winner: 54

rnational 4

ent Bracket

Finals July 21

Lower Bracket

55

The Inter

Tourname

Grand F Monday -

Upper Bracket

The Winner: 56

rnational 4

ent Bracket

Finals July 21

Lower Bracket

57

Signatures

58

59

Ascent

@dsquaredmag www.dsquaredmag.net

facebook.com/dsquaredmag A Part of the Flipside Tactics Network July 2014 • The International 4