- NRG looked slow / underprepared on Lotus in the opening rounds with late adaptations. Their Pearl T side looking predictable and static, could have been costly without XLG's weak early micro / nerves.
- Keiko covered NRG a lot, without him being confident and Super Saiyan the game would have been in a different stage.
- Vyse wall caused XLG some issues and its a main focus point for this event imo
- Effective timeout from Bonkar before round 10 with NRG causing pressure towards C and take timing on B, allowing Keiko to catch two and stunt XLG after taking a timeout - Great call from Bonkar / Ethan and counters their timeout + causes more potential error for mistakes.
- XLG had decent macro understanding but really struggled with micro on Pearl and a deeper depth of macro on Lotus. One dimensional thinking - required a pre mortem for Lotus and with all the analysts discussing their obvious B/C attack style I would've hoped they had more depth.
- XLG play joint at the hip as a unite on Lotus and proving that you don't want to 5v5 when they are holding sites or retaking.
- Lack of exec utility from XLG on Lotus forces them to adopt a slow / pokey style of play and NRG took time to adapt but eventually forced XLG to gamble on strats with no luck.
For a first time showing with the comp on the international stage this will be a good test for them but its a similar situation to previous events.
Regardless, props to XLG for testing elements of NRG, NRG really need to step up in their next match for me to believe in another successful event.
🚨Competitive gamers🚨
30 min of cardio before gaming is a hidden cheat code.
Study on 34 gamers found:
→ Reaction time ↑ 38.3ms
→ Visual memory ↑ 15.7%
→ Speed accuracy ↑ 49.8ms
It's never been easier to not throw my elo :)
Hey all!
I'm currently writing my university dissertation, focusing on DISC personality traits amoung elite VALORANT players (Immortal - Radiant)
The goal of this research is to explore which personality traits are most common at high ranks and how they might relate to in game roles and competitive behavior. The findings could really help inform future coaching approaches in competitive VALORANT, and its something I'm really excited to explore.
If you’re Immortal or Radiant, I’d really appreciate it if you could take a few minutes to fill out my survey.
If anyone would like further information or wants to ask any questions feel free to send me a DM and I'd be more than happy to chat!
https://t.co/BGDSR9iFbS
#VALORANT #VALORANTCoaching
“I’m no geologist, but when i look at AAAAY i see a BIG block of cement” - @X1NVal 🔥
(i did look it up… cement is NOT a rock.. BUT i understood the analogy…)
https://t.co/2cLQcXGH9c ❤️
If you enjoyed this kind of theorycraft and off-meta idea, follow me for more! 🐍💡
Drop a comment and let me know what map, agent, or comp you’d like me to break down next!
#VALORANT#VALORANTCoaching#VALORANTAnalysis#VCT
1️⃣Pearl’s off season meta got me theorycrafting…
Double duelists and double initiators have dominated Pearl in the offseason but what if we explore double controllers? Viper + Astra could bring back a 2023 Harbour/Viper vibe whilst opening a new take on the map for 2026.
🚨THREAD BELOW🚨
1️⃣0️⃣Final Thoughts and Feelings
This comp is different, unique, and slightly unconventional, which is exactly why I felt excited to write about it. Viper’s utility in combination with Astra and supportive duelists opens layers of strategy that aren’t typically explored at the professional level. In theory, it seems strong, adaptable, and capable of controlling tempo and rotations in ways most teams aren’t expecting.
That said, theory and practice are very different things. Execution, coordination, and timing all have to line up perfectly, and there’s every chance the comp could flop or fail in real games and that’s completely fine. Sharing ideas like this is about exploring possibilities, not guaranteeing results.
Ultimately, what I hope to see in 2026 is a team brave enough to experiment with this composition, to test its limits, and see how far off-meta ideas can push the meta forward. Even if it only works partially, the lessons learned could influence new strategies, creative uses of utility, and the evolution of map control on Pearl.
SLT are going to be such an exciting team to watch in 2026.
With similar levels of aggression to PRX with an all round talented roster they are likely going to upset a LOT of fan favourites if they keep going at this trajectory.
Can’t wait to see more of them during #SVL2025