Ask The Pros: Team Liquid's Quas
Riot·1/30/2015, 6:45:47 PM·0 votes·12,158 views
Ask The Pro is an ongoing series on lolesports.com, where we ask a pro player questions from the community. The player then picks the next pro to ask questions. Be sure to follow us on Twitter to submit your questions for the next Q&A!
In our last Ask The Pro interview, we talked with Cloud9's An "Balls" Le about top lane picks, working out, and that odd username of his.
He also had a question for Diego "Quas" Ruiz, the top laner on NA's current top team, Team Liquid.
Cloud9's Balls: Why did you choose to play top lane?
Quas: I transitioned from mid lane to top lane in order to join the challenger team New World Eclipse back in June 2013.
Senah: What do you feel has the largest positive and negative effects on a team environment?
Q: The largest positive would be good communication and respect between teammates. I'd say that lack of motivation by some members has the biggest negative effect on a team.
Dalton: Why should I start you over C9's Balls this week on my fantasy team?
Q: I'm known for having a consistently high KDA!
Winston: Who was the champion that took you to Diamond 1. Was it your top Karthus?
Q: Swain is the champion who has helped me climb the ranked ladder most over the seasons.
Cole: Where do you think you rank among top laners in EU and NA?
Q: I don't like ranking myself because my performance depends a lot on how well the team is doing. But I'd say I'm top 3 in NA. Not sure about EU, though.
Riff: How differently do you think Team Liquid will play with Chae "Piglet" Gwang-jin instead of Yuri "Keith" Jew?
Q: I think Piglet is a better laner than Keith, so there'll be more 2v2 fights, for sure. And I trust him to hard carry games when he's fed and not be out of position.
Eevo: Do you think your team can keep up with Team SoloMid and Cloud9 after Week 6, when it really matters?
Q: As long as we keep preparing for our matches as well as we are currently, we will definitely be able to keep up with top teams.
Tyler: Do you think Jax will be played heavily, or is he more of a comp-specific pick?
Q: He's still a really good split pusher and doesn't have too many bad matchups in the current meta. You just need a comp that works around him to make sure he snowballs.
Score: With the recent nerf for Morellonomicon and the fall of assassins this patch, will Swain mid/top rise in the near future?
Q: It definitely helped Swain, but I don't think it's too big of a deal. Lissandra and other top laners who rushed it were affected the most.
Eric: What are your thoughts on Jarvan IV top?
Q: He's a solid laner with a lot of decent matchups. He also has good engage, but is lackluster as a full tank, so he needs to be built a bit squishier than most team-fighting melee tops.
Panda: Would you like to see the top lane meta shift to a more carry-focused meta?
Q: I don't mind the current meta. It's more focused towards team fighting and teamplay than carry-focused or 1v1 outplays.
Yvelta: How do lane swaps affect a top laner's strategy?
Q: It destroys any possible advantage from counterpicking and sets them back in power spikes. So snowball-reliant top laners suffer most from it.
Javier: Which top laner do you find to be the most difficult to play against in solo queue?
Q: Probably Riven. A lot of Riven mains really know their limits and play the all-in situations very well, allowing them to snowball and take over the game.
Volkner: How do you deal with extreme camping from the enemy jungler as a top laner in solo queue?
Q: There's no clear way to counter it. You just have to hope your team does well knowing their jungler's position. As long as you don't die and keep relatively even in creep score, you'll be helping out your team.
Amastris: Does your family ever get to come visit from Venezuela and watch you play live?
Q: It'd be really difficult for them to fly over to watch me play live, but they watch all of my games and support me from home. They always make sure to remind me they're behind me, even when I'm so far away.
JJ: Have you stopped eating Venezuelan food? Do you miss it? I've always seen photos of fast food with you. Saludos, Dr. Quas.
Q: Sadly, I haven't had Venezuelan food in a very long time, other than a couple areas. I miss a lot of it, and am looking forward to eating some when I go visit later this year.
Vicinity: If you could be any top laner in real life, who would you pick and why?
Q: I'd be Swain, because he's a mastermind strategist, clear headed, and always calm. Also, he can transform into a giant demonic bird.
LoLesports: Which pro player would you want to answer questions next? Would you like to ask him anything?
Q: I'd like to ask Eugene "Pobelter" Park from Winterfox: How is the team dynamic in terms of communication with the two Korean player additions to the team, and Johnny "Altec" Ru not being able to speak Korean?
Josh Augustine's favorite champion is Gnar, he's never enjoyed a Darius, and he will always go for the kill, even when he knows he shouldn't. He currently works as a game designer on EverQuest Next at Sony Online Entertainment. He’d love to talk with you on Twitter.
Career Quas
Senah: What do you feel has the largest positive and negative effects on a team environment?
Q: The largest positive would be good communication and respect between teammates. I'd say that lack of motivation by some members has the biggest negative effect on a team.
Dalton: Why should I start you over C9's Balls this week on my fantasy team?
Q: I'm known for having a consistently high KDA!
Winston: Who was the champion that took you to Diamond 1. Was it your top Karthus?
Q: Swain is the champion who has helped me climb the ranked ladder most over the seasons.
Cole: Where do you think you rank among top laners in EU and NA?
Q: I don't like ranking myself because my performance depends a lot on how well the team is doing. But I'd say I'm top 3 in NA. Not sure about EU, though.
Liquid Quas
Riff: How differently do you think Team Liquid will play with Chae "Piglet" Gwang-jin instead of Yuri "Keith" Jew?
Q: I think Piglet is a better laner than Keith, so there'll be more 2v2 fights, for sure. And I trust him to hard carry games when he's fed and not be out of position.
Eevo: Do you think your team can keep up with Team SoloMid and Cloud9 after Week 6, when it really matters?
Q: As long as we keep preparing for our matches as well as we are currently, we will definitely be able to keep up with top teams.
Professor Quas
Tyler: Do you think Jax will be played heavily, or is he more of a comp-specific pick?
Q: He's still a really good split pusher and doesn't have too many bad matchups in the current meta. You just need a comp that works around him to make sure he snowballs.
Score: With the recent nerf for Morellonomicon and the fall of assassins this patch, will Swain mid/top rise in the near future?
Q: It definitely helped Swain, but I don't think it's too big of a deal. Lissandra and other top laners who rushed it were affected the most.
Eric: What are your thoughts on Jarvan IV top?
Q: He's a solid laner with a lot of decent matchups. He also has good engage, but is lackluster as a full tank, so he needs to be built a bit squishier than most team-fighting melee tops.
Panda: Would you like to see the top lane meta shift to a more carry-focused meta?
Q: I don't mind the current meta. It's more focused towards team fighting and teamplay than carry-focused or 1v1 outplays.
Yvelta: How do lane swaps affect a top laner's strategy?
Q: It destroys any possible advantage from counterpicking and sets them back in power spikes. So snowball-reliant top laners suffer most from it.
Javier: Which top laner do you find to be the most difficult to play against in solo queue?
Q: Probably Riven. A lot of Riven mains really know their limits and play the all-in situations very well, allowing them to snowball and take over the game.
Volkner: How do you deal with extreme camping from the enemy jungler as a top laner in solo queue?
Q: There's no clear way to counter it. You just have to hope your team does well knowing their jungler's position. As long as you don't die and keep relatively even in creep score, you'll be helping out your team.
Good Guy Quas
Amastris: Does your family ever get to come visit from Venezuela and watch you play live?
Q: It'd be really difficult for them to fly over to watch me play live, but they watch all of my games and support me from home. They always make sure to remind me they're behind me, even when I'm so far away.
JJ: Have you stopped eating Venezuelan food? Do you miss it? I've always seen photos of fast food with you. Saludos, Dr. Quas.
Q: Sadly, I haven't had Venezuelan food in a very long time, other than a couple areas. I miss a lot of it, and am looking forward to eating some when I go visit later this year.
Vicinity: If you could be any top laner in real life, who would you pick and why?
Q: I'd be Swain, because he's a mastermind strategist, clear headed, and always calm. Also, he can transform into a giant demonic bird.
LoLesports: Which pro player would you want to answer questions next? Would you like to ask him anything?
Q: I'd like to ask Eugene "Pobelter" Park from Winterfox: How is the team dynamic in terms of communication with the two Korean player additions to the team, and Johnny "Altec" Ru not being able to speak Korean?
Josh Augustine's favorite champion is Gnar, he's never enjoyed a Darius, and he will always go for the kill, even when he knows he shouldn't. He currently works as a game designer on EverQuest Next at Sony Online Entertainment. He’d love to talk with you on Twitter.