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Vici Gaming would take the crown today in Tychy, Poland, besting Fnatic three to one in the EMS One Fall Season finals. Vici Gaming wasn't even originally supposed to be at the event. The Chinese Dota team replaced DK, who had visa issues, earlier this month.
Vici Gaming are the passionate winners of the #EMS Fall Season! Congratulations! pic.twitter.com/adz4eHVi9H
— RaidCall EMS One (@RaidCallEMSOne) December 9, 2013
Game One Vici Gaming Bans: Venomancer, Nature's Prophet, Outworld Devourer, Dragon Knight, Puck
Game One Vici Gaming Picks: Alchemist, Bristleback, Bane Elemental, Clinkz, Storm Spirit
Game One Fnatic Bans: Crystal Maiden, Pugna, Leshrac, Weaver, Nyx Assassin
Game One Fnatic Picks: Elder Titan, Visage, Lifestealer, Enchantress, Invoker
Vici would run a tri-lane bottom with Alchemist and Bane supporting Clinkz. What I found really nifty was that they would run Bristleback off-lane. There's been some Bristleback love going around lately. Na'vi's XBOCT ran him in a safelane earlier this week, but this is the first time I recall seeing him in a solo offlane position (please note that I don't follow very much Eastern Dota).
The game would start with a bang, and there would be three kills on the board before the first minute of the game had passed. Fnatic would trade a tier one tower for any early smoked Roshan kill, and would play methodically from there to take a convincing game one win.
Game Two Vici Gaming Bans: Elder Titan, Nature's Prophet, Crystal Maiden, Leshrac, Outworld Devourer
Game Two Vici Gaming Picks: Clockwerk, Pugna, Shadow Demon, Dragon Knight, Sand King
Game Two Fnatic Bans: Visage, Alchemist, Venomancer, Night Stalker, Nyx Assassin
Game Two Fnatic Gaming Picks: Luna, Enchantress, Rubick, Windranger, Invoker
So, let's get it out of the way: Yes, everyone's favorite moment from this game was Fnatic's Johan 'N0tail' Sundstein repeatedly screaming, "Fuck him up. Fuck him up," during a team fight near Roshan.
Unfortunately for Fnatic, those demands could not be delivered on and Vici Gaming would take game number two. The big play makers, this game, were the Shadow Demon and the Sand King in my opinion. There were several disruptions from the Shadow Demon that changed the way team fights ended.
Game Three Vici Gaming Bans: Nature's Prophet, Enchantress, Timbersaw, Bat Rider
Game Three Vici Gaming Picks: Elder Titan, Rubick, Leschrac, Bristleback, Storm Spirit
Game Three Fnatic Bans: Visage, Pugna, Dragon Knight, Outworld Devourer, Puck
Game Three Fnatic Picks: Crystal Maiden, Alchemist, Io, Chaos Knight, Weaver
The two notable parts of the draft are that Bristleback would now be played as the carry instead of the off-lane and that Fnatic wanted to give their signature Io/Chaos Knight a try versus Vici Gaming. Bristleback's versatility was simply on display this series.
Again, unfortunately for Fnatic, the Chinese squad would prove just too strong and would take the game with a convincing 19/9. Vici Gaming didn't even lose a tier two tower in this game.
Game Four Vici Gaming Bans: Enchantress, Nature's Prophet, Outworld Devourer, Dragon Knight, Luna
Game Four Vici Gaming Picks: Alchemist, Crystal Maiden, Nyx Assassin, Weaver, Dark Seer
Game Four Fnatic Bans: Pugna, Elder Titan, Bristle Back, Chen, Clockwerk
Game Four Fnatic Picks: Visage, Venomancer, Night Stalker, Timbersaw, Clinkz
In game four both teams would get their supports, and great supports at that, early. This was the first time that Venomancer would make an appearance in the finals.
For a sub thirty minute game, game four was a bit of a blood bath. Vici Gaming's Xie 'Super' Junhao would play alchemist mid and would end up being the most farmed player on the map. He finished the game at level eighteen with big items while the closest Fnatic player was Kai 'H4nni' Hanbueckers at level fifteen. Fnatic's Adrian 'Era' Kryeziu, playing Nighstalker, was the only player on Fnatic to have a positive kill to death ratio.
Vici Gaming would end up the victor with a score of 40/19 over their opponents Fnatic. For their efforts in Poland they would walk away $12,000 richer.
Image Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/eslphotos