Hope you're still there and excited as I am to play FFA in Reforged. I haven't played WC in a couple of months and I know it will probably be December until it's released, but you can bet I will be back to play FFA in Reforged and go for #1, stream actively and help promote/build the FFA scene!
Let me start with saying that I love to hear that Reforged is on the horizon. Patches always come with a lot of negative reaction, but I am pleased with these balance changes, especially pertaining to FFA.
Here are the most significant changes for FFA, as I see them:
Alchemist slightly nerfed across the board. Healing Spray now has a short cooldown, the first two levels of Acid Bomb reduced damage, and most importantly the gold conversion on Transmute has been reduced to 100% (down from 125%). While I would’ve preferred an increase in cooldown, the reduction in gold conversion is good too. Alchemist will still be a great hero, but not quite as OP.
Keeper of the Grove’s Tranquility has been nerfed to make the Keeper invulnerable for 1 second (down from 3 seconds). This is a great change for FFA as he can now be disabled or targeted much sooner and he still cannot use an AMS pot beforehand.
Pandarian Brewmaster’s Breath of Fire damage increased. Rejoice! Panda has been a staple in FFA since the beginning until the recent nerfs. I’m really happy that Breath of Fire damage has been increased and he should be seen more often again.
Blademaster’s Critical Strike has been reverted to factor in all damage again, while Windwalk has been reworked. I am also in favor of this change. BM crits in FFA were insane and will be again, but he will be more vulnerable now.
Undead’s new rod of healing was nerfed from the original PTR version. It’s now more like the Scroll of Regeneration of Human (it’s effect is over time and can be canceled with damage). It only heals 100 HP though (Human’s heals 225 HP). This item shouldn’t be very good now and hardly at all in FFA since it’s not a scroll of healing instant effect anymore.
Unholy Frenzy re-work and nerf. It now costs 175 mana and increases attack speed by 50% (down from 75%), still as AOE (similar to Roar), requiring a unit sacrifice. This is still going to be a great spell in FFA, but it’s been toned down and in combination with the nerf to healing rod, this is a fair change that should temper the worries of over buffing UD.
Gargs reduced gold cost by 10 and increased movement speed. I love this change, one I've called for a long time. Gargs were the most cost inefficient unit (almost 100g per 1 food) outside of Flying Machines, now their cost is more in line with their power. They toned down the original buff to movement speed from the PTR, so Hippogryphs still have a higher base movement speed. (400 vs 375)
Tauren and Knights were slightly buffed which is good for FFA. Most armies are air dominant; any buffs to heavy melee will make them more attractive and more so of a consideration to include in army compositions.
Orb of Fire has been reworked and slightly nerfed from the PTR; I believe it will still be effective in FFA but not overpowered.
Pretty much everything else looks good imo, I’m happy with the item changes as well. I would like to see a couple changes to the map pool (The Crucible w/ Taverns...?), but no complaints here. We have a lot to be excited for with Reforged and balance in FFA will improve with this patch. Long Live FFA!
The focus in making this map was to avoid having too much gold, and also avoid it from being too big of a map. I believe these goals were accomplished. The first play test ended in just over 2 hours and all of the gold on the map was drained. Since then, I have increased the gold slightly as well as increasing the health of the trees (more lumber per tree) since players were running out of lumber. I've also added to the middle.
Most 24 Player Maps are simply too large with too much gold. The layout of this map is similar in a sense to Marketsquare where each player has their own semi-enclosed base with an opening in the front. The creeps will be familiar as I used creep camps from some of the best maps (Marketsquare, Twilight Ruins, Lost Temple, etc.)
The first play test turned out to be a nice game and it felt surprisingly balanced for the first iteration. This time around should be even better and there will be a good turnout of FML/FFA players in this game!
Lastly, we picked a time that would interfere with FML games as least as possible. There should only be 1 FML game running which starts an hour earlier this Saturday. Come join us and look for the game to be hosted approx. 30 minutes before 14 EST / 20 CET this Saturday, OCT 14.
There are also 10x Waygates around the map, each porting to the opposite side. These are around a center ring in the map, helping to reduce the effective size.
I was having a very cool discussion regarding some of these topics. It's always interesting (and nostalgic) to discuss skilled players in the respective game (or sport) you compete in. I have a lot of experience with these players and hopefully can provide some insight as well. Without further ado, here are my lists for the best FFA players of all time, broken down by race.
[Lists are in no particular order]
HUMAN: Human is the best FFA race and it's no coincidence that this list has many incredible Human players.
htrt - Maybe the greatest FFA player of all time. He had elite micro and macro but also was extremely intelligent and understood the intricacies of FFA completely. He was the closest thing to a perfect Human player.
Target - The original Human powerhouse. He would often play only two heroes (MK/Paladin) and go fast 80/100 Gryphon/Hawk with a lot of pressure. He didn't play much after the beginning but makes this list for his (short) period of dominance.
Lightweight - My ultimate Rival! Lightweight was absolutely a top tier Human and Orc player. A fearsome player that was very well rounded in all aspects of FFA.
Noexxx - One of the best players of all time and arguably the best player from recent times. Noexxx has slick micro but also a unique and intelligent game. He could compete micro wise with some of the pro solo players from awhile back (yaws in Human mirror and Ludix against Orc) while still being balanced and playing an overall better game.
SuperCumulo - BNet solo pro turned FFA veteran. I met Cumulo around 2010 on BNet when he joined my custom FFA games. Our first game was on Twilight and I was Orc with DR/TC/SH. He was quickly interested in FFA and now has become one of the best Human players without question. High level of Micro and a developed sense for FFA and making the right decisions makes Cumulo a threat in any game.
Soso - Soso is another very strong Human player that started out playing with me for some time. He picked up FFA quickly and had a passion to improve. Great micro and strategy as well as decision making. He was a cerebral player that could compete with anyone. He and Noexxx were the best humans for a stretch of time.
RebbatS - Old school player, best known for winning strategic games and long 3 ways. He was the first version of a j33. type of player. He had good enough micro to compete in battle but he was really good at winning games against players with superior micro as well (think Eshan). RebbatS had some incredible finishes that made him unique.
Battle.Suck - The definition of aggression as a Human FFA player. He understood FFA enough and had top level micro. He was absolutely relentless; one of the most difficult players to fight against because he was non-stop. He also had crazy mixed armies that he managed to micro together and effectively. Gryphons, Hawks, Gyros, Breakers, Priest, Sorc, Mortar, Knight while using Tanks at your expos. He would quickly go 100 food and fight to the death!
Humans7ar - Humans7ar rounds out this list of top Human players. He didn't have elite micro but definitely good enough to compete. More than anything, he understood the ins-and-outs of playing Human and how to utilize them. He was able to adapt to any situation and rarely made mistakes. He loved to fight and hardly ever manipulated.
ORC: Orc is a lost race. Back in the day, Orc was one of the dominant races (if not the most dominant) regarding the number of skilled and high level Orc players. The best Orc players were well-rounded and absolutely dominant.
Invincible_Rice - Rice was the best FFA player in the beginnings of FFA. He played all ground (headhunters/casters/tauren/kodo) 100 food. No wyverns and no bats and he had insane micro and macro. His army controls were unmatched and he would often 1v2 or 1v3 players. He played FS/TC/SH with Orc Ground and had dominating ladder records. He was compared to Starcraft pros because of his macro and multi-tasking.
DarknessCallsMe - The master of DR/TC/SH Orc. Darkness skill was unreal and his hero combo was the absolute best fighting combo of any race. It's too bad that no one plays DR anymore. Silence adds to Stomp and Hex for a triple-disable that could lock down an opponent completely with good micro. I remember watching a FRAPS video (before the days of Twitch) of Darkness and seeing his 300+ APM. It seemed like a ton of unnecessary actions but he was as dominant of a player as anyone in his prime.
DasElend - BM/TC/SH in it's purest form. DasElend had it all... high level micro, macro and FFA sense. But what stood out to me the most was his BM use was the best ever. You were always scouted and his BM control was top tier. The knock on DasElend was that he was a true fighter and wasn't as effective of a player when losing the advantage early or forced into a scrambling situation. Regardless, DasElend was one of the very best Orc players to ever play.
Lightweight - LW's second mention on this list. LW was DarknessCalls' protege, and he was an incredible Orc player with BM or DR. He was pure, aggressive, and very tough to beat. His Orc was absurd and he would often 1v2 and in battles and come out on top.
y.zenchenko (y.z) - y.z. was the cookie cutter Orc FFA player played at the highest level. He abused Hex/Stomp as well as anyone. He had elite ward usage! The map was always dotted with Sentry Wards. He understood army composition perfectly at all food counts. y.z. was especially scary because he would frequently find times to hoard and knew how to get the most value out of situations.
Plush - I only played about 5 games vs Plush, but he makes this list because he was simply incredible with Wyvern micro. He would rarely play bats but rather focus on mass Wyvern/Caster with insane Hero micro. He would fight 50 vs 80 and force TPs or gain huge value trade. There was no better Wyvern micro Orc player. He was an Orc player that had the potential to be the best ever. On a downside, Plush was easily manipulated and didn't always respond well to getting teamed.
Nline - Nline was awesome! The consummate FFA pro. He would play DR and BM, but he was known for Alch/TC/SH. Nline had almost top tier Micro while having an amazing FFA sense and knack for winning games. Always a scary fighter, he would stay in fights instead of TP and literally fight his way out of them for what seemed like minutes. Notably, his Walker usage was incredible and always played a very cool style that was easy to root for.
ELF: Night Elf is a cool FFA race that can be played in many ways. It is quite versatile and that is evident with the various styles of players that made this list.
F-L-Y - The original best FFA player. He played in an era with a lot of skilled opponents and would consistently beat them. He played DR/Panda/Potm elf and incorporated Dotts and Lore units too. F-L-Y's micro was good, but his macro was the best ever. He would engage you in battle while having Chims siege your main base and expansions. He would split his army up and play strategic battles. He was also relentless; once you were in a 1v1 with him you had to expect to be sharp and control multiple groups and bases or else fall to the constant pressure.
Nooblex - Panda/Potm/Kotg. Nooblex was one of the best Elf players ever without having top tier micro. He was extremely smart and understood how to win games and how to have the advantage vs his opponents. One of his philosophies with Elf was to either be 50 or 100 food, rarely 80. He was elite at managing gold, building bases, and choosing his spots. His bases were beautiful and he was patient in his actions.
Wrecktify - The most successful FML player of all time, Wrecktify was also a very smart player. He didn't have elite micro but definitely could compete. Most importantly, he knew how to win games. He had a knack for making the right decisions and putting himself in a position to win better than anyone else. He understood how to communicate with others and utilize a specific in-game situation to his advantage. He was also a high level Human player.
Lost.Ancient - My favorite Elf player when I first started, he played Warden/Kotg/Panda with excellent micro and a decisiveness that was unmatched. It seemed like he knew exactly what he needed to do and went straight for it. He played Lore units primarily (MG/Dryad) and would tear up Human and opposing Elf players. His hero combo stood out more than anything and he had incredible control of each of his heroes. He was insanely good with Warden blinking and FoK and DR silencing and eventually charming units into his army. He also built great bases and loved to fight + not manipulate.
Under.StA - The original solo pro turned FFA player. Under.Sta played DH/Panda/Kotg and had incredible micro. As he learned FFA army compositions and how to manipulate he quickly became the best Elf player for a period of time.
j33 - One of the most clever players to ever play. He famously won an FML title against me when he hid a Tree of Life on the one cliff/spot on Harvest of Sorrows. I couldn't find it for the longest time and he eventually destroyed my last building with Treant summons from his Kotg after I killed it! It was arguably the most epic finish of any FML final (I can think of one other one on Twilight). In addition to that game, j33 also had a knack for winning games. I remember j33 the most for being the most skilled at navigating through a 3-way.
Renaud - Renaud! Renaud was obviously a brilliant wc3 mind. I used to love talking strategy with him. He was a very good Human player before he turned to Elf. Renaud would hoard gold better than anyone and he also made great decisions and didn't tilt. His micro was never top tier, but he maximized Chippo's effectiveness and could definitely win any game he was in. He was also famous for not having wood. Namely not spending any gold that wasn't absolutely necessary (including additional wood wisps :icon_lol)
Trunkz - Trunkz has been playing for the last couple of years. He likes to talk shit and thinks he is the best player to ever play but he can back up a lot of it through his micro. He plays DH/Naga/Potm and Hippo Riders/Dotts, but never Chimeras. He is the most dominant fighter in today's era and would be one of the best fighters in any era. He even manipulates now when he has huge advantages which is unfortunate. The knock on Trunkz is that he is the definition of a one-trick-pony. He only plays that race, hero combo and strategy. In fact, he emphatically declined to play an epic 12-way on Divide and Conquer recently because it didn't have a tavern. His lack of a well-rounded FFA game is made up for by his skill with the strategy he plays, he is a very tough fighter. He innovated with Naga as a second hero and uses Cyclone better than any other elf I've faced.
UNDEAD: Undead is the weakest race in FFA. UD can compete and surely win games but they are given weak bases and poor healing mechanics. In addition to that, their main unit (gargoyle) is overpriced. Chims, Bats, and Tanks all own Undead. Still, Undead has the potential to be great if you can fight well and take advantage of opportunities. The following players get a little bit more respect from me due to the fact that they played Undead. As you can see, there have been few top tier Undead players.
Magadansky - Aside from LW, Maga was my other fierce rival for a long time. He was The O.G. In my opinion, he was the best FML player of all time. He is right behind Wrecktify in FML titles. To quote Lightweight, Magadansky "played great in every single game and could win any game he was in". He was an Undead player that had the best FFA sense combined with high level micro and manipulation. The most prominent thought that I have when it comes to Maga is his consistency. He would always perform at a high level no matter what.
Tyrant - FML Champion, he won the final game against j33 and Magadansky and outplayed Maga in UD mirror. Tyrant had near top tier micro and understood FFA as well. He still plays now but never was a huge part of the scene.. However, when he played he was always one of the best Undead players and one of the most recent ones.
DV - DV is one of the best player's in today's game and he was also a top competitor in PlayFFA times. He won one of the seasons during it's most competitive time (seasons 1-5). Very good micro and awareness of other players, plus he will fight first and foremost before chat. Recently he plays cool combos like DL/Panda/DK or DL/Alch/DK.
Yane - Yane could have an argument for the Best FFA player ever. He was on a completely different level microwise. Yane had the best micro of any FFA player... even better than the likes of htrt, Cechi, and Yaws in my opinion. Plus... he played Undead! He would famously dual-tech by using a Banshee to possess opposing races workers. He had a sick army one game of Wyrms/Tanks with Inner Fire Priests . He was often teamed hardcore and didn't stay in the scene for too much, but was an active FFA player for about a year.
PencilWarrior - PencilWarrior was the original best Undead player, on the same level as F-L-Y and Lost.Ancient skill wise. He often played DL first and had ridiculous micro with gargs, stone form and scrolls. A common thought I had when thinking of Pencil is..."Oh shit, level 6 DL"
RANDOM: I give the most respect to a player that can play all races. I feel that is the ultimate testament of skill and a well-rounded game. Some players can play 2 races well, others can play all decently, but the following players could play all races at near equal levels and compete with anyone.
Persuade - Persuade was one of the best FFA players and excellent with all races. He always played Random and could compete at the highest level with any race. I think Orc was his best race, but they were all really close. His Orc could be on the Orc list also. Persuade and I played together for a lot of our "prime" and were rivals as skilled Random players. Persuade (along with LW) are two of the best players to never win an FML title. In fact, Persuade was in that FML final game I mentioned before with myself that j33. and j33. ended up winning.
Alien - One of the few players still playing today to make these lists. Alien was not as good back in the day, but he always played and eventually became a top tier player. He is also excellent with all races and never backs down from a fight. Alien is kind of similar to Persuade in a lot of ways. Skilled with all races and always a threat in any game he is in. Alien is one of the best players now and would compete at a high level in any era.
Brain.Man - Brain.Man aka TheThroneIsMine was a super talented player that was always on the fringe. When he played WC3, he said he would ruin his life because he wouldn't work or hang out with his girlfriend or family. He would often sell his PC to prevent himself from playing... but would come back for periods of time. As for his skills... he was a top tier Random player and especially good with Human or Orc. His Human and Orc would make the above lists too. He was absolutely unique in his play style. I remember him most when bitterly competing with him for the FML ladder titles 2012 and 2013. Really he was a cool (and strange) guy that was one of the best FFA players.
Eshan - Eshan makes this list with probably the worst micro of anyone mentioned. And I say that as a compliment. Eshan was the original manipulator and not just crying in chat but also playing a clever game that often won him games against opponents with better micro. Eshan was the "Legend Killer" because he would beat the best players in matches through other means than battles which was impressive. He knows how to stay in a game, survive, and end up winning maybe better than anyone else. Eshan also played Random and is/was good with all races.
F-L-Y - F-L-Y is mentioned under Random players because he was truly great with all races as well. His Undead was phenomenal and he actually won his FML title playing Orc and choosing DR/TC/SH .
I jumped in one of the fml twitch streams and my stomach trembled with nostalgia. Red said there may be a spot still available as it is still early in the season.
FFArena is almost ready to launch its first season, as Ugri has updated in the progress thread. The main issue I see now is that FFArena's forum sucks and that community element is all but missing without an active chat and forums.
We have the running games here (awesome), curious to see what you guys think of having the error reporting thread here on FML (or is it just better on w3arena?). Regardless, an official announcement for the start of FFArena Season 1 here would be great (with links to the ladder, top players, map pool, and error fixing thread). Maybe WorpeX, Maga, or Pinball could help with that?
I cannot see anything but positive results going forward for FFA with both the popularity of FML and (re)emergence of competitive ladder in FFArena.
I will do my best to promote both platforms as before. I also plan on revamping the FFA guide to be even bigger and better based on the feedback/suggestions I received from everyone.
Well, I'll start off with my introductions and predictions for this Season 21 Grand Final!
Map: Harvest of Sorrow
I really like the map choice for this season's final. Typically, I am not a huge fan of Harvest (at least with 4 players). It is a huge map that may have too much gold for a 4-way, often leading to long and drawn out games. However, with this final being 6 players, I like the map a lot more with each spawn being filled. It has almost everything you'd want in a FFA game (many creeps, expansions, markets, shops, goblin labs). It will be interesting to see how each player's style meshes with this bigger map full of FFA goodies.
Introductions:
First off, representing Peru, we have Zs.SuperCumulo. He is actually a long time FFA player. I am happy to see him in the finals. Some may not know this, but I actually introduced him to FML after playing many custom FFA games on BNet years ago (long before the start of PlayFFA). He has always been a good solo player, and an aggressive FFA player using mixed armies with strong micro. He is not afraid to push the pace in attempt to dictate the game in his favor, even using unconventional second hero choices like Naga or Beastmaster to streamline his game. I am interested to see how he will adapt his strategy on a bigger map with the highest stakes.
Next is Renaud, the other player representing the Americas in this season's finals. Hailing from Canada, he is the only one with an FML season title under his belt. His manner is cool and calm, often passive and non-confrontational. His style has proven successful, as he doesn't start feuds (unless you creep jack him) and chooses his actions wisely. It is often this type of player (smart, very good macro and scouting, but with less than top level micro) who wins FML games. Those who fight the best often find themselves being teamed, same as those who are too aggressive or dominant. Renaud finds himself in a nice spot where he can battle with the best while still staying under the radar. He may conserve his gold better then anyone, and this map should suit him well.
Moving on to the Europeans, from Denmark we have zTsoso. Soso has improved from a raw but talented player to one of the top FFA players we have today. He has taken his craft seriously and steadily put up impressive performances to get him to the finals now. I would say he is one of the hardest working players in our community. His game is solid in all facets. If I can point out a flaw, it may be his ability to conserve gold is not always consistent. But he likes to fight and take control of the game, especially once his heroes are high level. Harvest should be a good map for him as well, and it may just be his time for victory.
Our first Orc representative in this season's finals is Nline, from the Ukraine. Nline is one of the true old school players. He has played in multiple finals yet never taken one down. Part of that reason is the fact the he plays the almighty Orc race that has been doomed in FML finals so far. I've played with Nline for years, and I can say that he is almost always a pleasure to compete against. Well mannered and skilled, he will surely be an entertaining factor in this game. I am looking for him to play a solid game from start to finish, scouting will be key as well as conserving gold to be able to compete against the Humans and Elf in the late game. If he gets rolling and escapes early game trouble he may be an unstoppable force in the later stages.
Our next contestant is none other then the almighty Fetta_Ook, from Sweden. (Does that mean cheese Orc?) His road to the finals was probably the least expected, but he has improved as a player and is almost always underestimated. As we know, those who are underestimated, but with the capability of winning often do so. I see him as a likely tome for one of the other players, but the map is big and gold a plenty. If he can survive the early to mid game, look for Fetta to be crafty and be a contender in the end. One thing that Fetta does have going for him is a train of supporters! Can he keep his momentum going? We will soon find out.
Last but not least, also from Sweden is Junkerzam. Junker is a cool player, with a unique style. He can play random and enjoys fighting before talking. Also a bit of an underdog in this game, look for Junker to exceed some expectations and fight well, using cunning tactics to advance himself into the late game. It will be interesting to see if he plays Random or chooses a race, and which hero combo he goes with. Always entertaining, I believe he is the wild card in this game. At times he can play extremely well and is unpredictable.
Lastly, the fact that XoZ_Magadansky is not a part of this season's finals has to feel like a golden opportunity for these contestants. Renaud took him out to earn his spot in the finals. Maga is one of the most dominant FML players ever, so his exclusion probably makes the road to victory seem a little bit easier. The competition is still stiff however, these players are very talented and the game will surely be tough. I'm looking forward to what should be a great and exciting game.
Predictions:
This game could really go any way, each player has a unique style that should mesh well and provide thrilling drama. Cumulo, Soso, and Nline can all fight at the highest level, while the other's are no slouches either. I predict that Nline will play really well and use his experience to be one of the final contenders. I also believe Soso will be in it at the end. I would like to see Cumulo be there too, but I am not sure how his game will go. Unfortunately for Junker and Fetta, I believe they will be the first two eliminated. But remember that the under dogs have a distinct advantage in being over looked or possibly underestimated. I see the power houses duking it out and ultimately Renaud taking the win with proper macro and timely scouting for his second FML title! Of course this prediction is far from certain as any one of these players can take it down. It's nice to see a 6-player final, and we are all excited to see how it plays out!
Underdog pick, Tyrant can fight well and will find a way to win this one.
Q16 LifeForRent Nline Junkerzam WorpeX
Nline is here to remind us how to properly represent Orc in FFA.
Q17 AJIKAIII CallMeImba Audigy Seksi
gl
Q18 Lord-Vova Spielman FAiL.Life Valefort
Human fighting will prevail.
Q19 WarchiefRich SteppinRazor Mr.Sparkle Kpect
Your time is now!
Q20 XoZ_Magadansky Red7z7 bRain.Man Ponty
I'd like to see Brain.Man play well but that is uncertain. Red is playing better and Ponty can hold his own. Maga will pull through with a strong performance. Q21 Ostone Nooblex Letshavesomefun j33.
Nice game. Rooting for Nooblex to put together a strong game after a dismal first round. Q22 htrt Vyvanne qwest AlienWareOwnZ
Game of the round with 4 capable contenders. Htrt will play with a cool head and prevail with all players playing well in a long one.
Q23 noexxx screpi PLZLEAVEDUCK SweeT
Sweet wins as the underdog, putting together a more complete game in this round.
Q24 KenoStrikesBack Tleilaxu FML_Renaud fow
A set up generous to the friendly Canadian.
Q25 Malboy i-never-smile fetta_ook Lightweight
LW buddy!!
Q26 Dovekie Eshan Wrecktify NoMercy2
Nice, but where has Dovekie been? Inactive on both sites ever since he missed his first game.
Q27 Ludix Hudkraem Prometeus Sub
Until the players are reminded enough how strong Orc can be in the hands of a good player.
Red7z7 may be this seasons Most Improved Player when it's said and done, however I don't predict him to qualify this round. I've played a few games with i-never-smile and his style is unique to say the least, I think he will do well but may have some speed bumps along the way. I don't know much about Spielman. I will vote for SteppinRazor who ends his not-so-long hiatus from FFA - he has always had the potential to perform well and in this game will give him a running start.
FML Q2 Nooblex noexxx qwest Nline
Sweet game. All 4 races with threats at each corner. Nooblex will play a strong game here, as well Nline, but I will go with noexxx who has shown a gritty style last season and anxiously awaits a chance to redeem last season's finals performance. I'd like to see qwest put on a solid game without his usual antics. Looking forward to this one
FML Q3 Pinballmap Eshan Ponty Prometeus
Ponty, aka FFAPractice will be come through this game with a great performance after being one of the most frequent goers on my stream . Prometeus will be aggressive early with fiends and ruin someone's day, most likely Eshan who will random Elf and be disappointed. The 'keeper of the replay' PBM is here and always capable of a strong game.
FML Q4 fetta_ook Mr.Sparkle NoMercy2 j33.
Ah, the ever crafty j33. makes his presence known. NoMercy has improved into an FFA player and fetta_ook I don't know as much. j33. knows how to win FFA games, but what other way could FML kick off without Sparkle winning in epic fashion with 130 food armies?
FML Q5 SweeT Wrecktify Audigy Ludix
I look for Ludix to remind people he is an Orc to be feared. His best chance is to take Wrecktify out early and shouldn't have much problem fighting with high level heroes from there. If this scenerio doesn't happen, advantage to Wreck. Sweet is new but learning and I'm interested to see how his game goes. Audigy, while predictable, can be a force if he gets rolling. However, I don't see anyone but one of the two favorites winning here.
Brain.Man is back (hiding in the shadows playing WC3 by secret). Always one of my favorite competitors to face. Looking to see how the others perform.
FML Q7 Malboy LifeForRent DV- TorpedoBuster
DV- is one of the better Undead players and I see him cleaning this game up.
FML Q8 Ostone Lightweight Vyvanne KenoStrikesBack
I wonder of LW will play Orc, or Human? Or Undead and fail at a ghoul rush? Who knows. All I know is I hope he plays well and wins this game. Elsha can compete as can Ostone. I haven't played much with Keno but I know he could take the victory as well - Another anticipated match.
FML Q9 Randumb. Mog[skynet] Seksi fow
U.S.A.
FML Q10 htrt PLZLEAVEDUCK Tleilaxu Dovekie
Interesting cast. Whenever I see Duck and Htrt together I can't help but think of Duck's very first FML game where he massed fiends against Htrt and was lost trying to fight Htrt's Paladin/Alch/Panda tier 3 Rifle/Caster. He has learned since then, and believes himself to be the best undead in the world at fighting Human. Dovekie is a much improved up and comer trying to prove his worth amongst the top players. Tleilaxu just might be over matched here, but we will see. Hope to see Dovekie play Alch/Panda/Kotg.
FML Q11 XoZ_Magadansky Kpect Valefort zTsoso
Don't know the middle players, Maga is back and Soso also looking for redemption after a semi-finals to forget. I like Soso as one of the best human players today.
FML Q12 WarchiefRich screpi CallMeImba Hudkraem
Haven't seen the bottom 3 play much FFA, looking for Rich to finally translate his solo skills into FFA after a rather unimpressive start relative to other solo players. If he can, I don't know if we have ever had a better solo player successfully convert to FFA.
FML Q13 AJIKAIII FML_Renaud FAiL.Life Lord-Vova
FAil.Life will play a good game yet miss a decision or moment somewhere and eventually lose to Renaud.
All 4 players played well enough to win their round 1 games. Giving Renaud's tendencies to punish Orc players, I predict zTsoso to win here.
M9 qwest Mog[Skynet] Yaws WarchiefRich
While Mog has a knack for winning these kind of games, I foresee one of the solo pros winning here and Yaws having more FFA experience he takes this one.
M10 PwNu.Wan NoMercy2 Red7z7 Sk2Flash
One of the very best Russian players looking to put on a better performance then Round 1.
M11 Persuade MattiasG Meeds Seksi
Looking forward to this game. Will be interesting to find out the 'secret map'.
M12 AJIKAIII SteppinRazor Lightweight Pinballmap
With no strong elves or humans in the game, Lightweight should have a favorable situation here.
M13 Ashalar Noexxx Ludix DNIWE-VOVA
Ludix has cooled down from his hot start, still strong micro with a developing FFA sense will bode well for him here. Looking for Noexxx to play a strong game.
M14 yaodintakoi Re-Chavez DV- Sub
DV- is a solid FFA player. Re-Chavez was a no show, and I don't know much about yao.
Hey everyone, I am withdrawing myself from this season due to some unfortunate turn of events in life. As much as I would love to play it wouldn't be fair to FML to stick around since I won't be able to schedule games on a regular basis. I'm sorry to the admins for the trouble this causes. Hopefully since the first match hasn't even been played yet you can find a suitable sub for the remainder of the season.
I will follow the games when I can, wish you all the best of luck. If all goes well I would like to be back for the next season but I don't know..
A couple of very nice games make up our Semis for this season. While I have been away from WC3 for some time I am looking forward to playing (and watching) in these semi-finals. It is cool that they are both on the first Sunday possible and on a classic map.
S1 Magadansky Ludix Persuade Svedirko
Some epic combination of styles and skills in this game. This is Ludix's biggest FFA game yet - playing in the Semi Finals in his first FML season. While he has picked up the game type quickly with impressive micro, I believe experience is the most important factor in these games thus leaving Calypso short of the victory. Svedirko is the underdog that is probably still underestimated. After playing well in last seasons Final he has made it back quietly and surely ready to put on another strong performance. Magadansky is the most successful and consistent player in FML. He almost always plays well and knows how to stick around until the end, even in dire circumstances, for a chance at the win. Persuade is one of the all time best Random players, capable of beating anyone at a given time. I think the key for him here is to be patient and use his knowledge and experience to his advantage. Tough to bet against Maga in these type of games, though I see facing another skilled veteran (Persuade) and a strong fighter (Ludix) may prove difficult. I like Persuade here to put together a complete game and not exhaust his resources too early. Plus, it must be time for probably the best player yet to play in a Final to go. Excited for this one, good luck, hf!
S2 Wrecktify Meeds Renaud Seksi
Interesting cast here, I'm up against two of the best elves and Meeds who has improved much and has a good understanding of the game type. I don't think Renaud would play human, but we'll see! Twilight is a good map for Elf, but I don't think there will be a massive hoard fest like with some other casts. I am not too sure how Meeds will play, but he can not be disregarded. Renaud is a great player in all games, but maybe will have a little bit more trouble against players with strong micro. Still, his understanding of the game and economic macro is second to none which makes him always a threat. The artist formerly known as DFM has been active and in great shape. In the last wc3 game I played he outplayed me on this map with a very solid creep order and clever use of illusions. He puts in a lot of preparation for games, practicing creep orders over and over and mentally as well. This in combination with good micro, macro, experience and tenacity makes him the favorite to win this game in my eyes. For myself, I haven't been playing recently and lost some of the edge I once had. I will try to put together a strong game and hopefully come out on top! Good luck and hf, gg
Looking forward to this game, a nice blend of styles and players.
P16 DarknessCalls j33 Kpect brodo
Darkness is one of the strong Orc players and Orc's love Deathrose. Although he lied and manipped so much in the first round that my opinion is a little deflated after seeing his game. j33 can be dangerous if he plays his cards right. I don't know about the other two players.
P17 Infifan DarkFlameMaster Audigy FML|Persuade
Also excited about this cast. I like Persuade here but it's anyone's game.
P18 XoZ_Magadansky y.zenchenko Ado125 Dovekie
Can't bet against Orc on Deathrose. y.z also is in that same category of strong Orcs. I would like to see Maga with a well macroed 80 or 100 food rush applying pressure where he could be successful in the tough task of eliminating a skilled Orc on Deathrose. Dovekie has been active on the ladder and seems to know his FFA game but may be outmatched micro wise. I don't know about Ado, should be a good game. However, If y.z and Maga kill each other too much I could see Dovekie playing smart for the win.
P19 Elessar Kodos_Forsaken A-r-m-a Lightweight
This game could possibly be four Orcs. I feel Lightweight will have a strong showing here.
P20 l3f Humans7ar 7hp.Lai-Lai Ente
Interesting. I'll go with Humans7ar but would not be surprised if another took it.
P21 PLZLEAVEDUCK BeastModeyz Steppinrazor Eshan
Eshan didn't show for round 1, haven't seen him around. I hope he does play, he was originally a great manipulator when manip was more then just lies and crying. I don't know much about Beast, Duck will have the edge in micro and depending on how the early game goes should decide his fate. Going with my Orc picks, SteppinRazor with a much needed win.
P22 Nline NoMercy2 Uniden FAiL.Life
. With Nline, y.z, and Darkness back the list of strong Orcs continues to grow. Look out.
P23 Ashalar Ludix KenoStrikesBack FML|Mage
Somewhat of an upset pick, Ludix would most likely be favored although Ashalar has more FFA experience and I think he will use that and pull out a nice victory. I haven't seen Keno play too much and I fear Mage's chippo will be batted to hell.
P24 sH0Wt1Me Yaws FML|Renaud aT_om
Looking for this one too. aT_om played rediculous but in a way made the first round game more interesting as it was not a traditional hoard, fight and peace kind of game. Yaws proved he could play a good FFA game but still inexperienced and raw. Haven't seen showt1me much. I predict Renaud to win as the experienced veteran on a classic map.
P25 PwNu.Wan Mog[Skynet] Meeds SheepCanFly
Sick cast. Meeds and Mog the underdogs but both smart and capable of winning. Wan looking for his first win after a weird situation that gave him 10 points in round 1 and y.z the win. To be fair, all signs pointed towards y.z winning if not for a disc. Target, the old school pro still has plenty of game and I predict a strong showing from him saying hi to the new FFA world.
P26 FML|Pinballmap Reflekkt Qwest tS.Enex.
I don't know Reflekkt or Enex much. I don't see Qwest's style winning games against smart opponents. I'll take PBM, , bringing it home.
P27 Hurry FML|Worpex Mr.Sparkle FiRel)rAgOn
Any player could take this game but isn't it about time we saw some 130 food human ownage?
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. He was often teamed hardcore and didn't stay in the scene for too much, but was an active FFA player for about a year. 
Zs.SuperCumulo
Renaud: 
ztsoso
Nline
Fetta
Sub
. Prometeus will be aggressive early with fiends and ruin someone's day, most likely Eshan who will random Elf and be disappointed. The 'keeper of the replay' PBM is here and always capable of a strong game. 
