What you need to know about Fnatic’s LoL team ahead of the IEM X World Championships at Katowice, March 4-6
As we move towards the IEM X World Championships, let’s take a look at one of the main contenders – Fnatic of the EU LCS.
Fnatic are the most successful European team since the formation of the LCS, having won Riot Games’ official competition five times out of a possible six. While their roster is not immune from the chopping and changing that is prevalent in professional League of Legends, the organization has demonstrated an eye for talent that has arguably been the secret of their longevity.
LCS success hasn’t always translated directly to the IEM events though as while Fnatic placed 2nd in the eighth World Championship in 2014, they didn’t take part in many of the 2015 season tournaments and were defeated by China’s Qiao Gu in the IEM X Cologne semi-finals in December. This is despite an exceptional year where Fnatic won both the EU LCS Spring and Summer Playoffs.
As ever, it’s the Korean and Chinese teams who are favourites for the IEM World Championship, with World Champions SKT in attendance and Qiao Gu showing dominant form in the LPL.
However, a favourable draw for Fnatic could see them build some vital momentum going into the back end of the tournament and they’ll be keen to go the distance and prove that success is what defines any Fnatic side.
The Fnatic line-up going into the tournament is still relatively new, with three changes from the team that dominated EU LCS competitions last year. Meanwhile, 2016 has already seen one roster change with newcomer Noxiak replaced by Klaj.
Let’s see that line-up in full for the IEM X World Championships in Katowice:
Gamsu – Top Lane
Gamsu exploded onto Summoner’s Rift in his first LCS game for Fnatic with a terrifying Olaf performance against Origen. Since then he’s shown himself to be a capable player on just about any Top Lane tank. While other teams have capitalised on the AD meta to put Carry champions at the top of the map, Gamsu has largely been team-focused and willing to be the beefy frontline, protecting his team-mates and initiating fights. Hailing from Korea, Gamsu is no stranger to western LoL, having spent the entirety of 2015 with North America’s Team Dignitas.
Spirit – Jungler
A veteran of the Korean and Chinese scenes, Spirit came to Fnatic with high expectations from fans and analysts. Spirit was part of the Samsung Blue side of 2014 that made it to the semi-finals of the World Championships, losing to the eventual champions – their sister team Samsung White. For Fnatic, Spirit has shown a tendency to play riskier Junglers such as Quinn, Nidalee and Kindred, who rely on intelligent positioning and timing to be effective and stay alive.
Febiven – Mid Lane
While many of the plaudits for Fnatic’s 2015 successes went to the flashy antics of the now-departed Huni in the Top Lane, Febiven was able to fly under the radar to some degree, quietly and calmly dealing damage and posting brilliant statistics. Equally adept at playing control mages or assassins, the 19-year-old Dutchman will be a key player for Fnatic in 2016. The European region is well-known for producing some of the world’s most talented Mid Laners and Febiven will be keen to prove he’s the cream of the current crop.
Rekkles – AD Carry
Rekkles is the former prodigy coming into his prime. One of LoL’s youngest ever competitive players, his entry to the LCS was delayed for several splits due to his age before he was finally able to join Fnatic. Rekkles demonstrated his calm but deadly style of play throughout 2015, posting a scary K/D/A ratio of 10.16 during the 2015 Summer Split.
Klaj – Support
The newest member of the side, Klaj was scouted by Rekkles and has already been compared by his AD Carry to the legendary YellOwStaR for his map awareness. The IEM X World Championships presents Klaj with his first taste of international competition so all eyes will be focused on his performances.
Dafabet will be offering odds on the IEM X World Championships.
