Power Rankings 3/31/2015

What an exciting end to the LCS Spring Split! With several Playoff seedings coming down to the wire, and in some cases promotion / relegation, every match mattered. Not least of all the tiebreakers at the end. There were also some overwhelming upsets in Asia in the past week, with some having more impact than others as the Demacia Cup came to a somewhat anti-climatic conclusion and Champions Korea heads into Week 11. Check out where things stand as we move one step closer to Regionals and the Mid-Season Invitational.

Korea

1. GE Tigers (11-1) [23-4]
2. SKTelecom T1 (9-3) [19-9]
3. Jin Air Green Wings (7-5) [17-11]
4. CJ Entus (8-4) [16-12]
5. NaJin e-mFire (5-7) [13-15]
6. KT Rolster (4-8) [11-18]
7. Samsung Galaxy (1-11) [4-23]
8. Incredible Miracle (3-9) [8-19]

(Match Score) [Game Score] "It bleeds. We can kill it." GE Tigers finally suffered their first loss of the LCK regular season when they were taken down by No. 6 KT Rolster. Sure, GE has already secured its placement in the Playoffs and no single loss could change that, but it does raise questions about the team's mindset after their IEM Katowice performance. SK Telecom T1, in particular, look poised to pounce come Playoffs. As we head down the stretch, it will be important to see how the meta impacts both top teams' form. While nearly all of the SKT T1 K team that won 2013 Worlds is now off of the roster, they still have the best player in the history of League: Faker. Panel: Alex Manisier, Erik "DoA" Lonnquist, Christopher "MonteCristo" Mykles, and Mike "Noctt" Huh

China

1. Edward Gaming (14-1-3)
2. Invictus Gaming (6-5-7)
3. OMG (8-1-10)
4. Vici Gaming (6-3-9)
5. Snake (8-2-9)
6. LGD Gaming (6-4-7)
7. Master3 (4-7-7)
8. Team WE (2-8-8)
9. Qiao Gu (4-0-2)
10. Team King (4-7-7)
11. Star Horn Royal Club (4-10-4)
12. Gamtee (1-7-10)
13. Energy Pacemaker (1-9-7)

Record format is (W-L-T) You may have noticed that there are now 13 teams listed on our China ranking. Generally within a region, Challenger-level teams are inferior to their premier league counterparts. Well in new and interesting times, sometimes you have to break the rules. Qiao Gu has been making waves in China, first beating OMG two weeks ago and now continuing to earn third place in the Demacia Cup after defeating both Snake and Team WE. The other side of the coin is that the Demacia Cup was almost entirely stomps the whole way through, with all but two of the eight matches ending 3-0. EDG is good, Team WE is on the rise, and Snake was exposed, as we somewhat knew they always would be. Given the wealth of talent in China's Challenger League (LSPL), it's a wonder that the teams in the LPL at the bottom of the ladder haven't been able to get their act together. But this is truly a blessing in disguise -- next split will be even more exciting. Panel: Barento "Raz" Mohammed and Michale "Drexxin" Lalor.

North America

1. Team SoloMid (13-5)
2. Cloud9 (12-6)
3. Team Impulse (11-7)
4. Counter Logic Gaming (12-6)
5. Gravity (10-8)
6. Team Liquid (9-9)

After what seemed like a down year for Cloud9, in the end they manage to finish No. 2 in North America. They went 3-0 in the final week, including winning a tiebreaker match over Counter Logic Gaming. A highly unusual one in that, where we saw a Jarvan IV mid, a Draven ADC, and a return to Zac for Meteos, the first time since 2013. With wins over both TSM and CLG in convincing fashion, Cloud9 look like they did in seasons past. Their win in the tie-breaker match gave them a first round bye, and set up a potential rematch between CLG and C9 for a spot in the Final. Similar to Cloud9, after a season of struggles, Team Liquid managed to just squeak by Team 8 and make it into the Playoffs by winning their tiebreaker. As someone who has been critical of Liquid's decision to use Piglet during their losses, I have to say I am very impressed with his play in recent weeks, but particularly in Week 9. Panel: Cameron Gilbert, Mattias "Gentleman Gustaf" Lehman, Taylor "Riot RoboTayCo" Cocke, Jason "Riot Jayway" Wai, Joshua "Riot Jatt" Leesman, and Frank "Riot Mirhi" Fields.

Europe

1. SK Gaming (15-3)
2. Fnatic (13-5)
3. H2K (12-6)
4. Unicorns of Love (9-9)
5. Gambit Gaming (10-8)
6. Copenhagen Wolves (8-10)

To be honest, it would have been a crime against nature if Elements made Playoffs. This isn't to say I dislike the team -- I actually like the players -- but they did not play well for much of the Spring Split. The fact they still almost made the elimination rounds speaks to the power vacuum in Europe. Despite SK Gaming's struggle internationally, they have dominated Europe throughout the Spring Split and are actually 4-0 since IEM Katowice. With that being said there is still explosive potential for the EU LCS Playoffs. All six teams have shown flashes of brilliance and at one point or another looked as though they have the potential to win Europe. We now have to see which teams perform in the clutch. Panel: Devin "PiraTechnics" Young, Mattias "Gentleman Gustaf" Lehman, Taylor "Riot RoboTayCo" Cocke, Jason "Riot Jayway" Wai, and Frank "Riot Mirhi" Fields.

Taiwan

1. Yoe Flash Wolves (19-2)
2. Hong Kong Esports (15-6)
3. Taipei Assassins (17-4)
4. AHQ e-Sports Club (13-8)

Taiwan is still off until their Regional Playoffs that begin next week. Make sure to catch the stream when matches begin April 10 3:00am Pacific Time or 12:00 CEST. Panel: James "Obscurica" Chen and Chia "Reazony" Yu.

Brazil

1. INTZ e-Sports (5-0-2)
2. Keyd Stars (5-0-2)
3. paiN Gaming (2-0-5)
4. KaBuM! Black (1-2-4)

Record format is (W-L-T) INTZ remains the top team in their region, for now, following their 3-0 semifinal against paiN Gaming. While paiN put together a strong protect-the-carry composition in Game 1, their split focus while killing INTZ's nexus -- and a beautiful Azir ultimate by INTZ's mid laner Gabriel "Tockers" Claumann -- quickly led to paiN's demise. While doubts still remain about how well INTZ will adapt to the latest patch, jungler Gabriel "Revolta" Henud's Lee Sin play in games two and three will go a long way towards silencing these critics, making it a pick for Revolta that seemingly works in any meta. On the opposite side of the bracket, KaBuM! e-Sports Black was completely overpowered by Keyd Stars in a more lopsided 3-0 sweep. Black has improved tremendously throughout the season, and will face paiN Gaming this weekend in a further test of their overall growth. Unfortunately, they were thoroughly outclassed by Keyd Stars, especially in the early game, across all three matches. Keyd is ramping up at the exact right time, with their hybrid roster looking more cohesive than ever. While still prone to a few over-extensions, jungler Kang "DayDream" Kyung-min controlled the pace of Keyd's matches excellently, and top laner Matheus "Mylon" Borges reaffirmed his place as one of Brazil's best with impressive performances on Vladimir and Hecarim. Written by Emily Rand Panel: Emily Rand

Japan

1. DetonatioN FocusMe - Champion
2. DetonatioN RabbitFive - Finalist
3. 7th Heaven - Semifinalist

We have our first International Wild Card representative. DetonatioN FocusMe took the stage at Belle Salle Akihabara in front of a standing-room-only crowd, and made an emphatic statement that they're more than ready to take their game overseas. Though RabbitFive came out strong at first, getting ahead early in the first game before faltering, FocusMe's next two wins were methodical and oppressive as they completed the 3-0 sweep. With a month to go before they take the stage in Turkey, the question now becomes whether their domestic results can translate into international relevance. Because while FocusMe are undoubtedly the kings of Japan after that performance, there's a big world out there waiting to welcome its newest challenger. Written by Cameron Gilbert Panel: Cameron Gilbert

Latin America

1. Lyon Gaming (8-3)
2. KLG (9-3)
3. Furious Gaming (10-2)
4. Dash9 Gaming (7-4)
5. Bencheados (5-6)
6. Last Kings (6-5)
7. Revenge esports (5-6)
8. Gaming Gaming (5-6)

The Latin America South Regional Finals shocked all of LATAM when KLG took down the (until then) unstoppable Furious Gaming -- a team that had defeated KLG twice already during this split. With a convincing 3-1 in the Final, the primarily Chilean KLG will have the crowd in their favor when a challenger from LAN flies down to Santiago on April 11 for the split’s Grand Finals. In the North, the current Latin American champions Lyon Gaming look like they've regained their old form. Tonight they compete in a classic when they face their regional enemies Dash9 Gaming. To LATAM fans, this has the feel of a CLG vs. TSM final. Whoever wins, we know that KLG will be sure to take notice. Make sure to tune into the LAN Finals at 6:00pm Pacific Time on Twitch. Written by Erick “Skyshock” Gonzalez Panel: Erick "Skyshock" Gonzalez

CIS

1. Moscow 5 (13-1)
2. Virtus.Pro (10-4)
3. Hard Random (7-7)
4. Glacial Phoenix (5-9)
5. Carpe Dien (7-7)
6. RoX.KIS (8-6)
7. Internationally V (4-10)
8. Team Just (2-12)

First and last didn't play this week, but the middle of the pack saw significant action. Hard Random was a highlight on the week and continue to grow at very good pace -- they defeated Carpe Diem, who showed better results for much of the regular season. Conversely, RoX.KIS fell heavily this week, with their late-game indecisiveness costing them a LAN-Finals spot. GPX also had a noteworthy week, with both ups and down. In two of three games against RoX, they recovered from a terrible early game to defeat RoX 3-0. Written by Michael "Olsior" Zverev Panel: Michael "Olsior" Zverev

Southeast Asia

1. Bangkok Titans (8-1-3)
2. Saigon Fantastic 5 (7-2-3)
3. Insidious Gaming Legends (7-1-4)
4. Zotac 269 (6-2-4)
5. Saigon Jokers (7-3-2)
6. Hanoi Full Louis (4-3-5)
7. An Phat Ultimate (5-3-4)
8. ASUS FATE (4-7-1)
9. Mineski Globe (2-2-2)
10. Team Fat Rabbit (2-3-1)

Record format is (W-L-T) With GPL Spring 2015 entering its Knockout stage, Bangkok Titans (BKT) and Saigon Fantastic 5 (SF5) are brilliant candidates for the championship. BKT has looked strong all split, having only recently suffered their first loss. Meanwhile, SF5 has a more balanced squad, and they also control objectives very well. Still, neither team has booked their ticket to the finals quite yet. In particular, BKT will be on the lookout for Zotac 269. Though underappreciated all split, they did just hand BKT its first loss, and very well could be this split's giant killers.

Turkey

1. Beşiktaş (12-2)
2. Dark Passage (11-3)
3. HWA Gaming (11-3)
4. Atlas (6-8)
5. Team Turquality (5-9)
6. NumberOne eSports (5-9)
7. BPI Phoenix (4-10)
8. ZONE eSports (2-12)

With the Turkish Winter Split coming to a close, title contenders Beşiktaş and Dark Passage will battle for the Winter Champions crown on April 4. The winner also books a ticket to the IWCI, so stakes are quite obviously high. Beşiktaş, who haven’t lost a single game with their full roster, seem to be a half-step ahead on DP. As to the rest of the league, HWA Gaming put up a strong fight against DP, but in the end lost 3-1 in the semis. The question remains whether Atlas will be able to fend off Team Turquality to secure 3rd place, a not-so-easy task considering Turquality's steady performance all year. NumberOne eSports managed to make a comeback from a 0-6 start in the early season, but they still have to compete to retain their spot in TCL Summer split. BPI Phoenix, who had their share of roster swaps -- having fielded 11 different players throughout the split -- also has to win their spot through relegation matches next split. Written by Kursad Demirer Panel: Kursad Demirer, Christopher Willekens

Oceania

1. Chiefs eSports Club (13-1)
2. Legacy eSports (9-5)
3. Dire Wolves (11-3)
4. Team Immunity (7-7)
5. Avant Garde (6-8)
6. Sudden Fear (4-10)
7. Team 4Not (3-10)

The first split of the Oceanic Pro League has drawn to a close, with the current power levels of the teams shaking out to be about what most people expected at the beginning of the season, with the Chiefs on top. Though the Dire Wolves had an incredibly successful season with a total record of 11-3 (to Legacy's 9-5), they haven't been able to replicate the magic of previous weeks, dropping a game to Team Immunity and looking shaky in their win against 4Not. Legacy, on the other hand, are coming into the playoffs off two dominant wins against those same teams, and it's hard not to back them at this point. Meanwhile, Immunity has put an end to the 4th place discussion, taking the Dire Wolves out where Avant could not and even defeating Avant in a head-to-head two weeks ago. At the bottom of the rankings, Sudden Fear inspires a little more confidence in us thanks to their more varied playbook than 4Not. Written by Alex Manisier Panel: Alex Manisier

International

1. Edward Gaming (14-1-3)
2. GE Tigers (11-1)
3. SKTelecom T1 (9-3)
4. Invictus Gaming (6-5-7)
5. OMG (8-1-10)
6. Vici Gaming (6-3-9)
7. Jin Air Green Wings (7-5)
8. Team SoloMid (13-5)
9. Snake (8-2-9)
10. LGD Gaming (6-4-7)
11. CJ Entus (8-4)
12. Cloud9 (12-6)
13. Yoe Flash Wolves (19-2)
14. SK Gaming (15-3)
15. Team Impulse (11-7)
16. Fnatic (13-5)
17. Master3 (4-7-7)
18. Hong Kong Esports (15-6)
19. H2K (12-6)
20. Counter Logic Gaming (11-6)

The biggest change to this list this week is undoubtedly the return of Cloud9 to international relevence. After 3-0ing North America in the last week to secure second, so much has changed. The meta favors Meteos's tank jungle style and Sneaky has broken out as a true super star. North America now has two hopes once again. China continues to hold the majority of the top ten slots, and we are now given further evidence why after the Demacia Cup Playoffs. Invictus Gaming, not Snake, not OMG, not Vici, emerged as the runner up to the infallible EDward Gaming -- though they were also dismissed 3-0 in the finals. It seems EDG maintains a comfortable distance between itself and everyone else... for now. The potential for shake up this weekend is massive, with multiple Best of 5s coming up in North America and Europe, as well as Taiwan next week. Let us know what you think of the rankings, write your own, and give us feedback on things to improve either on Twitter or in the comments below. Images courtesy of Inven, CGA, Garena, ESL, SANKO, INTZ e-Sports, and Lyon Gaming Frank Fields is a Senior Editor for Riot Games' Esports Web Content team. You'll find him missing flash charms and trying to get carried in Diamond... or on Twitter where he'd love to talk to you about esports.

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