Methodical masterminds: H2K
The shine has slightly waned from the glass slippers H2K wore early on in the 2015 EU LCS, and the Cinderella story of their Spring Split has transitioned them from a freshman team to a top European contender.
They've rightfully earned the respect of opponents and fans alike, but with their graduation to a top tier team comes greater pressure and expectations.
After going 2-4 through their first three weeks in the EU LCS, H2K shook up their roster by bringing in kaSing as their new starting support. If H2K is Cinderella in this story, then kaSing is their fairy godmother, as his addition to the lineup provided the magic necessary to propel H2K to an unbelievable eight wins in a row as soon as he stepped foot on the EU LCS stage.
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kaSing was the catalyst H2K needed to gel the team's overall chemistry into a synchronized union. "Team environment is one of the most important things in the game," explains kaSing. "If you haven't solved these issues before playing on stage, it's not going to be a great game." A happy team is an effective team, and H2K's internal harmony has given way to beautifully coordinated gameplay at times, and at their best they two-step around the Rift like they all share one mind.
The Play
H2K's cohesive team atmosphere lends itself to their macro-oriented approach, something they learned from coach, Pr0lly. Pr0lly's ability to mold his team into having one of the most sound methodical playstyles in Europe is no small feat, and when their team fighting is on point, H2K are extraordinarily deadly.
"Pr0lly has stepped up to a new level. From my personal opinion, of the coaches I've had, Pr0lly has been the most influential one."
That influence is clear in this clip of H2K countering an Origen Dragon with a swift initiation on to enemy AD carry Niels. H2K split Origen right down the middle and win the fight before Origen even knows what hit them. Two turrets and two kills for one Dragon? H2K knows how to trade objectives.
The Story Continues
H2K's fans were thrilled by the team's 3rd place finish in the Spring Split and the finish proved that H2K is a team with great potential. With potential comes expectations, and while H2K improved in many areas over the course of the Summer Split, so too did their competition.
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Origen, the Summer Split's newly promoted EU LCS team, stole H2K's spotlight, and even brought the record-setting 18-0 Fnatic to five games in the Summer Split Finals. Though Fnatic's victory over Origen meant that H2K's back-to-back 3rd place finishes were enough to qualify them for Worlds, H2K's fairytale Spring Split began to feel like a distant memory.
Unlike Origen, the majority of H2K didn't have extensive experience at the highest level of competitive play. Their journey from the Challenger Series to Worlds in the course of a single year is remarkable. And while their feats this year have been great, the toughest challenge yet is right around the corner.
Talk of the Rift
Throughout the Summer Split, H2K improved in nearly every capacity. Their solo laners Odoamne (top) and Ryu (mid) caught the attention of analysts, fans, and importantly, their opponents, for their carry capabilities. Jungler Loulex received most of the flak from H2K critics, but his performances on Lee Sin during the Summer Split Playoffs went a long way to stifle the naysayers.
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For H2K to take meaningful strides, though, they need to start playing with the confidence that they've gained, and they're the first to admit it.
"We should play our own game -- I feel like, as long as we're comfortable and know how to play our comp efficiently, then we shouldn't have any problems."
"We get too afraid to force stuff. I think against better teams, like at Worlds… we need to play really confident if we're ahead or they'll just pick us off one by one and we'll lose games," says H2K's AD carry Hjärnan.
Experience grants confidence, and with a year of LCS under their belt, H2K will take to the Worlds stage to prove that they have the skill, endurance, and drive to succeed. This is no fairytale. This is their story, and they're just getting started.
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Interested in learning more about the other teams competing at Worlds? Check out the whole lineup, now.
