joinDOTA SM II: Empire at War November 11th, 2012 12:04 GMT Text by riptide Graphics by shiroiusagi

Recap: joinDOTA Special Masters II Table of Contents





Empire at War

The Rematch We Wanted







Tournament Recap

A Complete Rundown







Games to Watch

Doto you don't wanna miss







New, New, New, New

Roster Changes





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The Rematch We WantedA Complete RundownDoto you don't wanna missRoster ChangesMore on Liquipedia Empire at War

A juggernaut, a challenger, and a rematch featuring two of European Dota's biggest names. Can a fan of this game ask for much more than that? It was an exciting three days of play as some of the game's biggest names went head to head online.



The tournament was a story of teams - some old and established, some fresh faced and ready for their first challenge. Though Na`vi and Empire were obvious favourites coming into this, and though it's clear that a rematch between them was what we many people wanted, this jD Masters was also a chance to see several new rosters in action. See what we make of them in A juggernaut, a challenger, and a rematch featuring two of European Dota's biggest names. Can a fan of this game ask for much more than that? It was an exciting three days of play as some of the game's biggest names went head to head online. Find out exactly what happened in our recap , or jump straight into some VODs with our Games to Watch feature.The tournament was a story of teams - some old and established, some fresh faced and ready for their first challenge. Though Na`vi and Empire were obvious favourites coming into this, and though it's clear that a rematch between them was what we many people wanted, this jD Masters was also a chance to see several new rosters in action. See what we make of them in Tephus' analysis of the new lineups

Tournament Recap by TheEmulator

Just a few weeks ago, we saw two of the strongest European teams in Dota 2 go head-to-head in



It was with some excitement then that we watched them move towards a rematch in the JD masters cup, cruising swiftly through their opposition to meet again in the finals. Empire wanted a rematch, and that's exactly what they got. Before I spoil any results though, let me take you through how these two talented teams got themselves into the finals.



Day 1

The quarterfinals were played out on Day 1 of the tournament, plunging us straight into the action and yet also deciding very quickly who stayed, and who went home. All in all, the results were what we expected. First up, Na`Vi took out Pulse Esports with a score of 36-8. In the next game we saw Team Dignitas defeat No Tidehunter in what was another one-sided match. Empire also defeated mTw, which was expected, as they are beasts when it comes to online play. For the last match of the day, compLexity Gaming took on Zero for the last spot in the Semi-Finals. In the end complexity gaming came out on top, knocking Zero out of the tournament.



Day 2

It was expected that Day 2 of the JD Masters would bring us better games. In the first series of the day, Na`Vi defeated Team Dignitas 2-0. Even though Na`Vi won 2-0, these games were fairly close. Game one in particular was fun to watch, with Dignitas showing some excellent Templar Assassin play. However, in the end it was not enough to take out Dendi’s Pudge, which led Na`Vi to the victory. For the second series, Team Empire took on complexity Gaming in what was the best series of the tournament. After losing game 1, and being down by 12 kills in the early game, Empire came back to take the match. They then went on to win game 3 and advance to the Grand Finals, where they would face Na`Vi.



Day 3

We expected Day 3 to be amazing, and with good reason too - this was the long awaited rematch between Na`Vi and Team Empire. Unfortunately these expectations were not met, and Team Empire easily went 2-0 against Na`Vi in what were some of the quickest games of the tournament. In the end this did not feel like a true rematch, as Na`Vi played with two standins. Not to take anything away from Empire, of course. They played well, and more than deserved their victory. As fans of European Dota, however, we hope that they will meet again soon and show us another great series.



In the end, Team Empire showed us that Na`Vi are certainly not the default rulers of the Western Dota scene.

With this win, they have well and truly established themselves as one of the top teams in the scene, and we at TL Dota look forward to seeing more of them in the months to come.



Congratulations to Team Empire, the champions of the joinDOTA Special Masters II! Just a few weeks ago, we saw two of the strongest European teams in Dota 2 go head-to-head in the Starladder finals . In one corner, we had Empire, the powerhouse team who crushed their way through the online part of Starladder. In the other, there was Na'Vi, the most accomplished team in Western Dota, and the fan favourite. It was these two teams that battled it out in the Starladder S3 Grand Finals just under two weeks ago, and what a battle it was! Of course, as you all know, Na'Vi eventually emerged victorious.It was with some excitement then that we watched them move towards a rematch in the JD masters cup, cruising swiftly through their opposition to meet again in the finals. Empire wanted a rematch, and that's exactly what they got. Before I spoil any results though, let me take you through how these two talented teams got themselves into the finals.The quarterfinals were played out on Day 1 of the tournament, plunging us straight into the action and yet also deciding very quickly who stayed, and who went home. All in all, the results were what we expected. First up, Na`Vi took out Pulse Esports with a score of 36-8. In the next game we saw Team Dignitas defeat No Tidehunter in what was another one-sided match. Empire also defeated mTw, which was expected, as they are beasts when it comes to online play. For the last match of the day, compLexity Gaming took on Zero for the last spot in the Semi-Finals. In the end complexity gaming came out on top, knocking Zero out of the tournament.It was expected that Day 2 of the JD Masters would bring us better games. In the first series of the day, Na`Vi defeated Team Dignitas 2-0. Even though Na`Vi won 2-0, these games were fairly close. Game one in particular was fun to watch, with Dignitas showing some excellent Templar Assassin play. However, in the end it was not enough to take out Dendi’s Pudge, which led Na`Vi to the victory. For the second series, Team Empire took on complexity Gaming in what was the best series of the tournament. After losing game 1, and being down by 12 kills in the early game, Empire came back to take the match. They then went on to win game 3 and advance to the Grand Finals, where they would face Na`Vi.We expected Day 3 to be amazing, and with good reason too - this was the long awaited rematch between Na`Vi and Team Empire. Unfortunately these expectations were not met, and Team Empire easily went 2-0 against Na`Vi in what were some of the quickest games of the tournament. In the end this did not feel like a true rematch, as Na`Vi played with two standins. Not to take anything away from Empire, of course. They played well, and more than deserved their victory. As fans of European Dota, however, we hope that they will meet again soon and show us another great series.With this win, they have well and truly established themselves as one of the top teams in the scene, and we at TL Dota look forward to seeing more of them in the months to come.Congratulations to Team Empire, the champions of the joinDOTA Special Masters II!



Games to Watch by TheEmulator



Empire's Comeback







In game 2 of Empire vs Complexity, we saw Empire make the biggest comeback of the tournament. After having a 12 kill deficit in the early game, Empire played perfect for the rest of the match, eventually evening out the score and taking the win over Complexity.



More Empire vs Complexity







Since Empire vs Complexity was the most interesting series of the tournament, we thought it fitting to feature another great game from this amazing series. This is game 3, where Empire solidifies their spot in the Grand Finals. In this match you can see some solid Chaos Knight play from blowyourbrain - he goes 17-3 very convincingly. In game 2 of Empire vs Complexity, we saw Empire make the biggest comeback of the tournament. After having a 12 kill deficit in the early game, Empire played perfect for the rest of the match, eventually evening out the score and taking the win over Complexity.Since Empire vs Complexity was the most interesting series of the tournament, we thought it fitting to feature another great game from this amazing series. This is game 3, where Empire solidifies their spot in the Grand Finals. In this match you can see some solid Chaos Knight play from blowyourbrain - he goes 17-3 very convincingly.



New, New, New, New by Tephus

The Post-TI2 Great Reshuffle appears to continue, as four of the eight teams invited showed off their new rosters for the first time in this tournament. This is what we make of them!



Mortal Teamwork



mTw on Liquipedia

The lone syndereN has rebuilt his team, bringing back his old mTw teammate of Matrim, along with the ex-SGC brothers of Tulex and Warlog and joinDOTA tournament admin Dutch_Freak. Tulex will be playing the hard carry position with his aggressive style, and although Matrim is slotted in the 5 position, don't be surprised to see his brother babysitting him in lane. This will be Dutch_Freak's first permanent place on a high teir team, although he has stood in for coL earlier this year, and played with LowLandLions alongside the likes of SexyBamboe. The lack of big names means syndereN will have to show his robust drafting and leadership abilities combined with strong performances from the rest of the team to be able to play with the big boys.



No Tidehunter



No Tidehunter on Liquipedia

With Black^ deciding to stick to playing for only one team, and the departures of Quix and Kizzles, nth needed to replenish their ranks. It was expected that Akke and Loda would be playing together given their celebrated history together, and it appears they have found a spot with the fellow Swedes (and 1 Canadian). While they exited the tournament early, they played a fairly strong game against Dignitas, and have been consistently moving up the ranks of competitive Dota 2. The addition of the highest placing non-Asian player outside of Navi from TI2 in Loda, and his best bud Akke, gives this squad some real star power. This is definitely a team to look out for in the coming months. (Fun fact: Akke recently won the Swedish Nintendo Championship, a title he has held for a few years.)



compLexity (now "The A-Team")



compLexity Gaming on Liquipedia

coL has come out of their brief period of inactivity with a very strong temporary lineup, but this appears to be their last tournament playing for the NA organization. Replacing Jeyo and HANNAHMONTANA are fellow Americans BuLba and Korok. While BuLba has filled in for coL after Jeyo left, the additions seem at least a little permanent with their strong showing here and appearances elsewhere in the scene. While TC and Korok, two of the most talented carry players in North America, seen to be constantly exchanging the #1 position, the rest of the team seems to have settled into a pattern, with Bulba soloing offlane and FLUFF and ixmike in their customary roles. Of the four new rosters, FLUFF's new gang should be the strongest, and had the best showing by taking the only game off of the eventual victors, Empire.



Zero



Zero on Liquipedia

Fan favourite SingSing's departure was quickly amended with the addition of FATA- from We haz Asian, and Black^ appears to have chosen a single team to play for. While the team has some amazing talent, they have been plagued by inconsistency. According to SingSing, this is due to lack of practice, and Zero's first few games highlighted a lack of coordination and strategy. Whether this is simply a symptom of the team adjusting to the roster change, or a deeper issue, the team will need to create better scenarios to let their skill shine through. The Post-TI2 Great Reshuffle appears to continue, as four of the eight teams invited showed off their new rosters for the first time in this tournament. This is what we make of them!The lone syndereN has rebuilt his team, bringing back his old mTw teammate of Matrim, along with the ex-SGC brothers of Tulex and Warlog and joinDOTA tournament admin Dutch_Freak. Tulex will be playing the hard carry position with his aggressive style, and although Matrim is slotted in the 5 position, don't be surprised to see his brother babysitting him in lane. This will be Dutch_Freak's first permanent place on a high teir team, although he has stood in for coL earlier this year, and played with LowLandLions alongside the likes of SexyBamboe. The lack of big names means syndereN will have to show his robust drafting and leadership abilities combined with strong performances from the rest of the team to be able to play with the big boys.With Black^ deciding to stick to playing for only one team, and the departures of Quix and Kizzles, nth needed to replenish their ranks. It was expected that Akke and Loda would be playing together given their celebrated history together, and it appears they have found a spot with the fellow Swedes (and 1 Canadian). While they exited the tournament early, they played a fairly strong game against Dignitas, and have been consistently moving up the ranks of competitive Dota 2. The addition of the highest placing non-Asian player outside of Navi from TI2 in Loda, and his best bud Akke, gives this squad some real star power. This is definitely a team to look out for in the coming months. (Fun fact: Akke recently won the Swedish Nintendo Championship, a title he has held for a few years.)coL has come out of their brief period of inactivity with a very strong temporary lineup, but this appears to be their last tournament playing for the NA organization. Replacing Jeyo and HANNAHMONTANA are fellow Americans BuLba and Korok. While BuLba has filled in for coL after Jeyo left, the additions seem at least a little permanent with their strong showing here and appearances elsewhere in the scene. While TC and Korok, two of the most talented carry players in North America, seen to be constantly exchanging the #1 position, the rest of the team seems to have settled into a pattern, with Bulba soloing offlane and FLUFF and ixmike in their customary roles. Of the four new rosters, FLUFF's new gang should be the strongest, and had the best showing by taking the only game off of the eventual victors, Empire.Fan favourite SingSing's departure was quickly amended with the addition of FATA- from We haz Asian, and Black^ appears to have chosen a single team to play for. While the team has some amazing talent, they have been plagued by inconsistency. According to SingSing, this is due to lack of practice, and Zero's first few games highlighted a lack of coordination and strategy. Whether this is simply a symptom of the team adjusting to the roster change, or a deeper issue, the team will need to create better scenarios to let their skill shine through.



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