2014 Season 4 Promo Group Stage Tournament - Part 1

Today we'll be looking at the preview's of the Group Stage phase of the NA Challenger scene going through the rankings to get through here. 4th-6th (vVv, The Walking Zed, Quantic Gaming) and 3rd-1st (Cognitive, CompLexity, To Be Determined). Although the scouting has been limited with all the changes, especially with 3.14 determining alot of the play of the players. I'll still bring you what I are important points to the teams and there chances with moving on through!
It will be interesting to predict the success for each team, just cause there are a lot of unknowns even after seeing these competitors fight it out for a long time in the challenger scene.

Little explanation on the group stage, the 6 teams will fight it out for a spot to face the 3 LCS relegated teams (Curse, Velocity, Coast). The teams will fight it out in a round robin format with the top 3 moving on to be chosen to face the bottom 3 Summer LCS teams. The LCS teams in order from 6th-8^th pick who they will choose as there opponents and then duke it out in a best of 5 series to determine who will get the LCS spot.

Without further ado lets look into the first 3 competitors of the Group Stage.

6. vVv Gaming

3rd in #2 Season 4 NA Qualifiers - Got in due to Napkins in Disguise disbanding

Pictured (Godshu, PorpoisePops, CheeseBeluga, Tails)  via vVv-gaming.com

	Get Snuggled	Richard Pilkington	Top
	PorpoisePops	Braeden Schwark	Jungle
	CheesdBeluga	Linden Schwark	Mid
	Tails	Zixing Jie	AD
	Godshu	Alec Fichter	Support

A team based from really interesting backgrounds, and there own play style promotes the innovation. Highlighted by the teams AD Carry/Marksman Tails, with his innovative ways to get to a "standard" build. This University of British Columbia collegiate star now turned pro gamer has been playing for quite a while on many teams, finding his home with vVv he has set the consistent play with his top picks being Vayne/Ezreal. The lane synergy with recent picked up support Godshu (ex-Gold Gaming: LA member) they have kept up the aggression but will see if that will stand up to the biggest stage vVv Gaming has ever met. The team itself is reliant on its solo lanes to stay even, and PorpoisePops to gank early and play aggressively to take early objectives.

Honorable Mention: 

CheesdBeluga - One of the many innovators on this team, can be seen playing Mordekaiser/Kha'Zix but he is also a solid laner with traditional champions. Can his unique style bring in a few wins in this round robin format?

Chance to make it through the group stage - Low (10-20%)
Chance to make it to the LCS - Low

5. The Walking Zed

2nd team to qualify in #2 Season 4 Spring NA Qualifiers

courtesy of lol.gamepedia.com

	Yazuki	Gabriel Ng	Top
	KOR Kez	Kevin Jeon	Jungle
	Bischu	Aaron Kim	Mid
	bobbyhankhill	Cameron Nelson	AD
	NydusHerMain	Philip Sohn	Support

The Walking Zed being former Ex-Gold Gaming Los Angeles members hit a hard turn when the most talked about challenger player Quas (now on Curse Gaming) left. Walking Zed looked toward the the team replaced that with a player who hasn't played in the scene since season 2 Yazuki. The team after beating Quantic in the ALCS Qualifiers just never looked the same, even with the solid play Otter the team could not do enough to stay well. Overall the team energy pulled them through in the end when they did pick up former Team Astral Poke marksman BobbyHankHill. Although Nydus and Bobby are former teammates the real question is still towards Yazuki and Bischu, can the solo laners carry it out for the team to keep them in the game.

Honorable Mention: 

Bischu probably one of the best Challenger NA Mid laners, keeps himself consistent but can get pressured especially in high level competition. Can he keep his composure?

Chance to make it through Group Stage - Medium (20-30%)
Chance to make it to LCS - Low

4. Quantic Gaming

1st team to qualify in #2 Season 4 Spring NA Qualifiers

courtesy of lol.gamepedia.com

	Apple	Jung Cheol-woo (정철우)	Top
	Prime	Yoon Du-sik (윤두식)	Jungle
	SuNo	An Sun-ho (안순호)	Mid
	Locodoco	Choi Yoon-sub (최윤섭)	AD
	Gunza	Jung Gun-hee (정건희)	Support

Quantic Gaming is the team most hyped for the NA Challenger scene just cause of there move over from Korea to NA as well as Locodoco's history in both NA/Korea's professional team. The team is new but have been hitting there stride as of late. They are in all the exclusive challenger tournaments except they did not qualify for the NACL. The only challenger level experience they get in league basis are through the Amateur League Challenger Series and National ESL - Pro Series. They do scrimmage teams but with prizes on the line there might of been something held back from teams they face only in scrimmage. Even though they still have dominated the competition but have had some lapses in team communication when it has gone to late game. Overall the biggest thing is how teams will react to Prime's aggressive jungling and how they can shut down the solo laners of Apple and Suno, right now Quantic's greatest strength/players.

Honorable Mention: 

Locodoco is on the rise ever doing well in the last big competition in the Well Played Qualifiers, but overall the weakest on his team before this. Will he be consistent or falter during the pressure?

Chance to make it through Group Stage - High (40-50%)
Chance to make it to LCS - High

That'll do it for seeds 4th through 6th, later on today we'll figure out the 3rd through 1st and get ready for the group stages! I hope you guys enjoyed the article do post your feed back about these teams and let me know if theres something different you'd want to believVve for the 4th-6th seeded teams?