Comparing The Four Grand Final Rosters Role By Role
The complexities of a game like Overwatch should not be underrated. With the number of intangible characteristics hidden in a single team fight from decision making to the team communication, it can be a difficult process to identify a superior team prior to a match. With that said, the regular season and playoffs have provided bundles of evidence for making an argument for these four teams.
As the Overwatch League Grand Finals edge closer, comparing the strength of each team role by role is a great place to set some expectations.
Shanghai Dragons vs Philadelphia Fusion
DPS
While both of these teams have been showcasing very solid DPS play as of late, the Dragons made a great impression all season long. With ByungSun "Fleta" Kim earning MVP honours and Jae Won "LIP" Lee deservedly garnering a lot of talk for Rookie of the Year, it wouldn't be difficult to see these two outclassing Philadelphia in any meta, or at the very least matching them in their level of play. Heesu "Heesu" Jeong and SeungHyun "ivy" Lee stepped up their game immensely this year, and JaeHyeok "carpe" Lee was solid as well. The edge in DPS goes to Shanghai though, since Philadelphia don't seem significantly better on many given heroes, as well as needing to substitute to make full effect of their roster.
Tank
Sumin "SADO" Kim established himself as a top-tier main tank this season after widespread doubt about the community left concerns if he could help lead this team to victory. Junho "Fury" Kim kept up his reputation as one of the best off tanks in the world, but again, it seems complicated to place them higher than the Dragons duo. In a long, intense series, it is easier to put faith in Euiseok "FEARLESS" Lee to make the small decisions more consistently than SADO. In the same situation with Fury, Jun Woo "Void" Kang could even outplay him. Void's MVP nomination was no mistake, and this tank line is scary. The gap in the level of play between these tanks isn't enough to rule out the Fusion, but the edge goes to Shanghai.
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Support
These teams both boast playmakers in the support slot with Philadelphia's KyeongBo "Alarm" Kim earning Rookie of the Year. He is going to have to step up big for the Fusion to win, and there is no doubt he is going to be a spectacle to watch. His elite level of play was one of the cornerstones to the Fusion's success this year, and honing in on Daniel "FunnyAstro" as his best support partner elevated their support position to the next level. While FunnyAstro and Jae Gon "Leejaegon" Lee can both create havoc for their opponent, Leejaegon tended to get caught out slightly more.
It is important to note that this shouldn't condemn Leejaegon as the only reason he was caught out was because he was going for game-changing plays. He succeeded on enough of those unorthodox duels to justify the risk he takes, but if FunnyAstro can match his playmaking and avoid a few extra deaths, that could be the difference-maker for this position. Min chul "IZaYaKI" Kim is a stellar player as well, but Alarm is a level above at the moment. The edge at support goes to the Philadelphia Fusion.
Click to enlargeSan Francisco Shock vs Seoul Dynasty
DPS
It is difficult to count out Junyoung "Profit" Park in any matchup. Not only is he incredibly skilled, but he has the experience of being an Overwatch League Champion. Unfortunately, their first matchup is against the one team that can boast the most final's experience in the league. NamJu "STRIKER" Gwon, Seonchang "ANS" Lee, and DongJun "Rascal" Kim form the scariest DPS lineup in the entire league. The three can be combined to field virtually any combination of heroes in any meta, and it is hard to see them getting outclassed by Profit and Dong Eon "Fits" Kim.
Tank
The community was surprised to see the absence of Myeong Hwan "smurf" Yoo's name from the MVP ballot, and it is clear to see why. His performance was spectacular throughout the season, and an argument for his place as the best tank in the league would certainly have merit. Put him alongside Hyobin "Choihyobin" Choi, who was an MVP candidate, and they form the strongest tank line in the league. Matthew "Super" DeLisi, is available to play Reinhardt as well. Meanwhile, the Seoul Dynasty struggled to figure out their tank line all season long.
Jaehui "Gesture" Hong is a playmaker, but his duo partner seemed like a revolving door at points between Min Hyuk "Michelle" Choi, Hyeon Woo "ToYou" Lim, and finally settling on Min Seo "Marve1" Hwang in the playoffs. Marve1 cemented his place as the starter late in the season, and his play isn't poor, but it doesn't match the level of Choihyobin. The edge goes to the San Francisco Shock.
Support
This is another position where it seemed like the Dynasty simply couldn't click at their peak level for most of the season. Jinmo "Tobi" Yang is a great support player, and Youngwan "Creative" Kim has settled in nicely next to him. However, this duo doesn't seem to have the same carry potential that the Shock have. They won't harm their team, but Minki "Viol2t" Park and Grant "moth" Espe were difference makers in the Shock's journey through the playoffs. The most recent example of the Shock's support line playing well against an elite team was the Winner's Final of the playoffs where Viol2t and moth took on one of the best support lines in Alarm and FunnyAstro. It would be foolish to count the Dynasty out, but the advantage again goes to the reigning champions.
Images via @SFShock | OWL
