Big Obvious Link

This is a match between Chowdown/Dalzk vs Obscenitor/Kingslet and I think is one of the best I've seen for learning how to play at a high level.  While Pacov and others have supplied a good mix of replays, this one has the advantage of showing off a lot of different facets to the game all at the same time.

I think the biggest thing to learn from this is how to use Teleports, and how to rely on them. I have literally never seen a better teleport gank than the one at 4:50 into the game. I am going to dissect this because it had a lot going on:

Key Players:

Kingslet and Obscenitor

Chowdown

Prologue: No player has returned to base yet on this side, so both Chowdown and Obscenitor are using their initial gear, which equates to a Banded Armor for Obscenitor (He already consumed a Universal Gadget) and monks for Chowdown. Kingslet grabbed some teleport scrolls early on.

Event 1: Up until this point, obscenitor has been working his blade of the serpent/ooze combo to generate a lot of mana.  He's turned this into a torrent of spit in the direction of chowdown, his tower, and heck even one of his monks.

Event 2: Over the course of about a minute, obscenitor actually makes Chowdown, who has Blood of the Fallen, bite, and Monks retreat from his lane. Chow has to pull back behind his tower, and let IT get spit on for a while, while his monks heal him.

Event 3:  Chowdown now with large health and full roster of nightcrawlers starts harassing back against obscenitor, but is rebuffed from an all out assault by two consequetive Fake Teleports.  Kingslet is keeping a watchful eye on his allies lane from his own side, and wants Chowdown to know he isn't going to get away with anything.

Event 4: This is where Obscenitor triggers his trap.  He 'draws' his opponent accross the friendly health flag, by taking enough damage to look killable.  Erebus persues, but this time Kingslet does NOT show a teleport as soon as chow gets close. This is as much part of the ruse as anything else.  Erebus gets right to the other side of the flag, and then magic happens.  At the same moment obscenitor grasps Erebus, and Kingslet teleports in.  The 2 seconds of stun almost completely prevent Chowdown from making a move back to his towers before Kingslet shows up.

Event 5: The kill. Chow is hurt due to taking rank 2 ooze damage and a grasp for the last couple of seconds, it gets worse when Kingslet drops a Penitence on him, and Obscenitor follows it up with a rank 2 spit, and follows for a bit more ooze damage. Chow goes down.

It may be easy to wave a hand at this incident and think of it as just 'any other' telegank, but you need to realize the history that went into it, and why Obscenitor and Kingslet even had the CHANCE to get it in.  Consider: Kingslet *had* to go back and buy teleport scrolls fairly early. Obscenitor had to have the mana to keep up his constant barrage of spits. Chowdown is a pretty savvy player, so it was also vital that he be given as little reaction time as possible to save himself.

Consider: What if Obscenitor had started the match with blood of the fallen? How do you think this may have played out? How much did the base speed of ANY character involved have on this dance?

Other things to consider however when watching this game:

Notice that the Warscore is actually against the winning team (Kings/Obs) for most of the game.  But also notice how quick they are to pummel a tower, or cap a portal flag when the opponent gives them even a step.

Just in general I want to say that Obscenitor plays my favorite beast (blade/hybrid), but that I'd never seen anyone play Oak how Kingslet did.  Anyone else notice he doesn't get a HP item until a good deal into the game?  Yet he dances like a crazy fool. Very educational.

However, you won't learn things JUST from the winning team. Dalzk and Chow both play quite well, and only die due to their opponents simply having amazing coordination in combat. Alone, each was quite well played, but Chow + Dal just wasn't as good as Obs + Kings

I want to thank Lagwar for hosting this tournament , and all the players who played in it, so that we can all hopefully learn a bit.