Tune in on March the 21st for the explosive return of Guild Wars 2’s highest level of competitive play. This season, 16 teams over two continents will battle it out for their share of US$200,000 as well as an invitation to the mid-year season finals.

In case you missed out on any of the action from Season 1, here’s a quick recap:

Now that you’re all caught up, we’d like to offer a huge welcome to E Dream and Gems N Tonic from North America and Super Smash from in Europe – congratulations on dominating the competition in the Challenger Cup, but don’t get too comfortable!

Meet the lineup

Season 2 is already set to be huge – here’s the lineup for week one:

North America

• Team PZ vs. E Dream
• Final Form vs. Gems N Tonic
• Spoookie vs. Ez Pz Lemon Squeezy
• The Abjured vs. Never Lucky

Europe

• Car Crashed vs. Orange Logo
• Vermillion vs. More Guns Than Roses
• Super Smash vs. Purple Noise
• Rank Fifty Five Dragons vs. The Civilized Gentlemen

Get ready for more Pro League action!

Be sure not to miss any of the exciting matches to come – visit the Pro League’s official website for all the latest information and follow ESL Guild Wars 2 on Twitter and Facebook for updates!

Coming up from underdog status, Vermillion really had a chance to prove themselves in week two, taking out WTS victors Orange Logo in a drawn out 2 – 0 set. Beating powerhouse The Civilized Gentlemen soundly, in week five, further cemented Vermillion as a team to be reckoned with. Cool and collected, Vermillion have proven themselves capable of predicting the strategies of the opposing teams, no matter the composition, and reacting swiftly.

In these final days leading up to the finals, we had a chat with team leader, Argi, to find out a bit more about how the team got together, and the behind the scenes.

ESL: Hey Argi! I just want to get more of an idea of you guys as a team: how long have you been playing together? And have you made any significant roster changes?
Argi: The complete current roster was made right before the Pro League started. Other then that the team, Vermillion, was made around 4 months ago. With Pro League announced we decided to replace one of our members called Zuik [now in More Guns Than Roses] with Kervv, who was teamless at the time.

ESL: We saw you guys back in the Go4. When exactly did you make the decision to play GW2 competitively, and why?
Argi: As soon as we made the team we decided to play competitively and try to get as strong as possible. We did quite decent, even though we just started playing together so there was some high hopes and potential.

ESL: You’ve done so well in the Pro League so far, taking on the greats from the Go4 and absolutely dominating. What would you say is your biggest achievement?
Argi: Our biggest achievement so far is definitely beating TCG 2-0. It was a very important match, that we were not very confident in due to the lack of practice we had. We couldn’t practice much, because there were unfortunate timings between the holidays of players and scrim partners.

ESL: Give us an idea about how often you’re doing scrims, or practicing together.
Argi: We don’t really have a set schedule of how often we scrim, but usually we try to scrim at least three days a week. Although if we have a match coming up that we are not very confident in, we try to scrim every day.

ESL: Who would you say is your biggest threat – even going as far as the finals?
Argi: If we would make it to the finals then i would say our biggest threat is going to be the Abjured from NA, simply because we don’t know how they play. Also there is a big variety of compositions players use between Europe and North America, so we have no clue on how those work yet, and what could be the strongest.

ESL: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Best of luck!

Join us for the next matches!

Tune in on Monday the 25th of January for the last games of Guild Wars 2 Pro League Season 1!  Visit the Pro League’s official website for all the latest information and follow ESL Guild Wars 2 on Twitter and Facebook for the latest updates.

Europe

Chaotic Contingency vs. Purple Noise

We started this week with the true underdog matchup, with both teams at the bottom of the standings and fighting to pull out of last position. With both teams fairly evenly matched in skill, Chaotic Contingency put the pressure on with a heavy damage team composition – against which Purple Noise historically struggles.

Chaotic Contingency held the upper hand in the early game, keeping Purple Noise at around 50% HP collectively. Purple Noise managed the first points, but ChC took out two players, and opened the map for a double cap. Purple Noise held strong and managed a decap to keep the points neck and neck, but Chaotic Contingency pushed their way to victory with a triple cap.

However, Purple Noise weren’t about to roll over, taking the first kill in game two. ChC took advantage of a disconnect on Purple Noise’s side – and while Purple Noise held strong for a few minutes, ChC put the pressure on the remaining members to take a 100-point lead with a double cap. It didn’t take long for a forfeit to occur.

More Guns Than Roses vs. Car Crashed

More Guns Than Roses were looking like a favorite this week. Despite suffering a loss in the last match of 2015, GnR had the advantage of beating WTS champs oRNG in week three. Car Crashed were looking a lot less sturdy, but have proved themselves one of the most adaptable teams in the Pro League, thus promising a great matchup.

Just seconds in, Car Crashed secured the first cap – and held on to at least one cap for much of the early game. Taking some risks, Car Crashed dominated at mid – but a misplay lost them a cap, forgetting about the GnR players coming from spawn. Even so, Car Crashed took their double back, pushing their lead to over 200 points. More Guns Than Roses rallied with some kills, but too late – CC’s double gave them enough points to take the game.

Car Crashed took the advantage early in game two, too, building up a hefty lead. More Guns Than Roses tried – and failed – to slow CC down. GnR finally found their foothold, but still couldn’t close the gap in a significant way. With just 3 minutes left, the map was cleared. Managing a late double, Car Crashed rode out the timer, taking the last game in the series by almost 300 points.

Orange Logo vs. Rank Fifty Five Dragons

Rank Fifty Five Dragons have proved themselves a powerhouse, holding their position at the top of the scoreboard with zero losses. However, if any team could have broken their streak, it would be oRNG. Orange Logo have actually suffered in the Pro League, coming off the back of some amazing success in the Go4GW2. This week could have been their last chance at getting into the finals, with only harder and harder matches coming up in their future.

oRNG showed their prowess in the early game, feinting out to manipulate a cap flip. However, Rank55 ultimately came out on top, securing a triple cap in the first 4 minutes. oRNG dug their heels in and portalled out for a decap – but they couldn’t ride that momentum. Instead, oRNG took both spawn caps, closing the point gap to 200 points – until they suffered a three-man wipe and lost all nodes. Rank55 pushed ahead to 500 points.

Next was another close start, with Rank55 taking the first cap – followed by an almost immediate decap from oRNG. Neither team made significant headway, until oRNG managed to take out several players for a slight point lead. But oRNG didn’t push their man advantage, and Rank55 took the game back – maintaining a 50-point lead. Desperate, and with just one minute left, oRNG failed a Lord rush. Rank Fifty Five Dragons won by just 87 points at time.

The Civilized Gentlemen vs. Vermillion

Vermillion have been a dark horse in this competition, coming from underdog status to absolutely dominate in the Pro League. Up against them: pillar in the Guild Wars 2 competitive scene The Civilized Gentlemen, with their chance at a second-place spot within their sights this week.

With practically mirrored opening strategies, no real advantage was awarded until Vermillion took the first kill, pushing for the only cap. TCG replied with some great rotations, forcing Vermillion to regroup – and regroup they did, offering some great counterplays to keep TCG under control. Taking out three of TCG in one massive cleave, Vermillion scattered across the map to push their advantage. TCG rallied, but weren’t able to close in. Vermillion held onto a cap throughout the game, and a last-minute double cap cemented their victory.

With both teams playing reactively, the early game was close, but Vermillion held onto a slight lead. Corralling TCG, Vermillion played the map, and took out TCG’s only point income with some nice portal play. Vermillion’s single cap slowly tripled TCG’s score, but with just four minutes left, TCG put themselves back in the game. The point gap closed to just 100 points, but The Civilized Gentleman ran out of time, failing a Lord Rush at 12 seconds left.

North America

Apex Prime vs. Ez Pz Lemon Squeezy

The first game for North Ameica brought us two of the four teams sitting in the middle of the standings, looking to knock each other out of that third slot. Both teams came off the back of a loss in their last games of 2015, meaning this week was also serving as a redemption round.

Both teams had very different opening strategies, with Apex pushing caps and EzPz securing kills. The kills had it, giving EzPz the chance to take a solid double cap. Apex Prime flipped control of the outer nodes, but couldn’t make it into a significant lead. With just 20 points between them for the majority of the game, both teams were trading kill for cap for kill. Apex took the lead with just 40 seconds on the clock, taking the game with a final boss kill.

After such a close first game, Apex Prime asserted dominance with an early double cap. EzPz replied with a cap of their own, but with no decaps for almost 5 minutes Apex Prime was lightyears ahead. EzPz switched the double into their favor and closed the gap up slightly – but Apex Prime held their single node into the Lord window, taking the Lord and the second game of this series.

Never Lucky vs. Zero Counterplay

Zero Counterplay have struggled throughout the Pro League, with no victories under their belt as of yet. Set against Never Lucky this week, this was Zero Counterplay’s chance to get a foothold over another bottom-tier team. However, Never Lucky have shown promise in the past with one win in week three, and had a chance to prove themselves against ZC.

The initial three-point push by both teams went in favor of NL. With the first cap feeding them points, NL aimed to keep ZC in the downed state. Never Lucky employed some great portal play to keep Zero Counterplay on 0 points. When ZC finally put themselves on the board, they were already 150 points behind. A double cap set the tide turning in their favor, but they couldn’t close the point gap. Never Lucky ran the clock to take map one.

Never Lucky took three kills very quickly next, using their man advantage to get the first cap – and taking the double pushed NL into a massive lead. Zero Counterplay managed to get some decaps to slow the inevitable. With 5 minutes remaining, ZC got their first points on the board, but Never Lucky ultimately took the game 581-15 with a Lord kill.

Team PZ vs. Final Form

This was another set of two teams both sitting on 2-2. Final Form have not been doing so well in recent weeks, despite taking the win against Zero Counterplay most recently. Team PZ looked strong coming into week five. After taking some losses in the first two weeks with some intense three-game sets, Team PZ have really levelled up their strategy.

Final Form took the first cap, taking an early 50-point lead uncontested as there wasn’t much aggressive action from either side. It was a very close game overall. Final Form slowly pulled ahead, holding the only cap for most of the late game – but Team PZ relied on boss kills to take the lead. Just 16 points behind at 20 seconds remaining, Final Form took the final boss kill to take the game.

It looked like a repeat of game one, with Final Form taking the early lead. However, Team PZ took out a few players in order to clear the map. Both teams sat in a stalemate until the final minutes, with Team PZ getting a double cap to take the lead. Finally, both teams headed for a Lord kill. However, they cancelled each other out, and Team PZ ultimately won game two.

Heading onto the Battle of Kyhlo, Team PZ turned the tide with the first cap, slowly taking the lead. Already 100 points behind, Final Form focused down players to flip the cap, but Team PZ weren’t ready to let it go. A double cap solidified Team PZ’s lead. Final Form managed to clear the map, but couldn’t hold any caps of their own. Team PZ took the win this week with a 350-point lead.

Spoookie vs. The Abjured

Saving the best for last, the match of the week was a battle between the top two teams in North Americ. The Abjured are the only undefeated team in NA, with a long history of total domination. If anyone could knock them off their throne, it would be Spoookie. Standing pretty at second place, this match was critical for Spoookie to maintain their standing.

Spookie took the first cap, able to get the upper hand on The Abjured early. However, The Abjured took half of Spoookie down and out to take a double cap and close that point gap. Spoookie fought hard, with some great rotations and decaps slowing The Abjured’s snowball. However, keeping on top of reclaiming those decaps pushed The Abjured into an almost 300-point lead. A late triple pushed The Abjured over 500 points.

The Abjured took no time in taking control of game two. With a triple cap, The Abjured held the man advantage over the map by keeping Spoookie down to two or three players at all times. Spoookie managed three kills in quick succession, taking a cap and putting points on the board. However The Abjured were unphased, taking the game by 407 points to sit at 5-0 in the Pro League!

Join us for the next matches!

Tune in on Monday the 18th of January for more Guild Wars 2 Pro League action! Be sure not to miss any of the exciting matches to come – visit the Pro League’s official website for all the latest information and follow ESL Guild Wars 2 on Twitter and Facebook for the latest updates.

Europe

More Guns Than Roses vs. Vermillion

More Guns Than Roses won in a surprising upset against oRNG last week, and were set to be strong coming into week four. Having been playing with Vermillion up until the Pro League, GnR’s Zuik had something to prove against his ex-teammates. But Vermillion were looking dominant, having come up 3-  in their Pro League career.

It was a surprising start, with More Guns Than Roses opening with a Lord rush – but Vermillion denied the kill, boosting their points with three back-to-back player kills. With such a bunker composition, GnR didn’t have the damage to put any pressure on until late game. But by that point, Vermillion were over 200 points ahead. Vermillion continued to rack up points via kills, taking the game 250-0 at time.

It was neck and neck coming into game two, with both teams taking a kill and a cap straight off the bat. However, taking a double cap gave Vermillion the lead, increasing it to 208 points before GnR could respond. Another double cap cemented Vermillion’s win, putting them 4-0 for the Pro League.

Rank Fifty Five Dragons vs. Chaotic Contingency

With the top of the scoreboard versus bottom of the scoreboard, the outcome of this matchup was already set in stone. Rank Fifty Five Dragons are still looking strong coming into week four, having only dropped one game so far. Chaotic Contingency haven’t taken a single game.

Rank Fifty Five put the first points on the board, taking a cap and a kill early on. Keeping ChC down a player at all times gave Rank 55 the opening for map control. Chaotic Contingency finally got points in the board almost 6 minutes into the game, but Rank 55 quickly turned things back in their favor. Despite managing a kill in the late game, ChC couldn’t get a foothold, and Rank Fifty Five Dragons took the game with a Lord rush.

ChC fought harder in this second early game, getting kills but proving unable to take benefit from their man advantage. Rank Fifty Five’s constant cap put them solidly in the lead, and wiping three ChC players twice in a row gave them the opening for a double. A triple cap was the nail in the coffin, and Rank Fifty Five Dragons became the second team to come up 4-0.

Orange Logo vs. Purple Noise

After a disappointing show last week, Purple Noise’s chance of a comeback was slim. But WTS champs Orange Logo have also been on the back foot, taking their only win for the Pro League in the first week. This week, their new team (and their hairstyles) showed a glimmer of oRNG’s former glory.

oRNG put the pressure on for an early double cap, keeping Purple Noise at only a two or three-man threat. Purple Noise, with some good portal use to get the decap on mid, tried to get any advantage they could. However, oRNG with a triple cap was too much for them to handle, and the points from a Lord Kill pushed them well over 500 points.

Even with oRNG getting the first points on the board, Purple Noise weren’t giving up this game as easily with some decent defense. Orange Logo taking a double cap started the snowball and, despite some great portal decaps by Purple Noise, pushed them well into the lead. Purple Noise managed some kills on key players but were unable to capitalize on their advantage. Orange Logo took the game with a late triple cap.

Car Crashed vs. The Civilized Gentlemen

The pressure was on The Civilized Gentlemen to win against underdogs Car Crashed this week. After dropping one week already, every set matters to keep TCG in the running for the finals.

Car Crashed gave TCG a run for their money, contesting all nodes and holding their own – until TCG took the first points of the game 2 and a half minutes in. With such a slow early game, TCG’s lead was only minor. Car Crashed finally found an opening for a cap to put points on the board, but eventually a half wipe gave TCG the double. In the final minutes, TCG pushed for Lord to distract CC and reinforce their win at time.

The next game saw another slow start, with TCG taking kills to get the ball rolling. Inevitably the first cap went to TCG, but Car Crashed put up a strong fight to deny the cap for almost 5 minutes. After almost 5 minutes with nothing changing, Car Crashed managed two kills and a cap – but it was all too late. TCG defended their point income until the train pulled into the station and took the game.

North America

Never Lucky vs. Team PZ

Over in North America, the opening matchup was two of the most promising fifth place teams going head to head. Team PZ looked strong, having taken a game off both The Abjured and Apex Prime, but finally winning a set last week against Spoookie. Meanwhile, Never Lucky had their first win against Apex Prime last week.

With Never Lucky on the defensive and Team PZ pushing hard, game one was a stalemate – until Team PZ forced the first kill at 4 and a half minutes in. PZ pushed their advantage to get a cap, riding that point income into a massive lead. Never Lucky managed a few kills and the decap, but it wasn’t enough to beat the timer.

Team PZ rode that momentum into game two, with two early kills giving them the first cap. Never Lucky answered with a cap of their own for just a few seconds – until Team PZ secured a double to take a massive lead. Never Lucky couldn’t get a foothold, and Team PZ took the game 501-30.

Apex Prime vs. Spoookie

After an upset last week, both Apex Prime and Spoookie came into this week on the back of a loss. Neck and neck in the standings, this match meant a lot in terms of standings heading into the new year.

Spoookie started strong, taking out Apex player after player to open the map. With the only cap, Spoookie had a 100 point lead before Apex could even put points on the board. Even taking a node Apex couldn’t catch up, and not even a Lord kill would have saved them.

The next game saw an amazing opener for Spoookie, with some great portal play overwhelming Apex Prime. Spoookie replicated their strategy from the last game, taking mid to start the snowball. And, in another echo, Apex managed to get back into the game with kills and a cap, closing the point gap to less than 100 points. However, Spoookie’s lead was overwhelming, leading to them taking the game.

Zero Counterplay vs. Final Form

Zero Counterplay hasn’t found a victory in the Pro League, despite taking a few maps in the past few weeks. Final Form had everything resting on this match to give them a chance to climb the ladder.

In an unconventional opening, Final Form put most of their forces in at mid, and despite some players in the downed state, took the first few kills. Zero Counterplay held their own, however, and denied any caps until the stalemate was broken by Final Form over 10 minutes into the game. Zero succeeded in a Lord rush, putting them ahead for the first time all game. However, FF almost immediately countered with a Lord kill of their own, giving them the points to take the game by just 100 at time.

Zero Counterplay headed for teb off the bat, handing Final Form the first cap in just seconds. 2 minutes in, Zero Counterplay forfeited.

Ez Pz Lemon Squeezy vs. The Abjured

Ez Pz Lemon Squeezy looked strong coming into week four, sitting pretty at second place and having lost only one game so far. But up against the powerhouse of The Abjured, who have remained undefeated in NA for over a year, their chances were slim – even with The Abjured playing an unfamiliar comp.

The Abjured stumbled slightly but were able to keep the pressure on Ez Pz, taking the first kill and using that momentum for a double cap. Behind by almost 250 points, Ez Pz managed to flip quarry, but The Abjured stalled their points before Ez Pz could make any significant comeback. With a triple cap, The Abjured soared to 500 points.

Heading back to basics, The Abjured had a comfortable advantage from the start, with an early double cap. Ez Pz weren’t looking for a repeat of the last game and pushed hard for a cap, managing some kills to level the field. With the only cap at 5 minutes left, Ez Pz were hard pressed to turn the game around, but The Abjured took back their double cap to take the game.

Join us for the next matches!

After a short break, the Guild Wars 2 Pro League is back on Monday the 11th of January 2016. Be sure not to miss any of the exciting matches to come – visit the Pro League’s official website for all the latest information and follow ESL Guild Wars 2 on Twitter and Facebook for updates!

Europe

Rank Fifty Five Dragons vs. Car Crashed

Car Crashed had their first win in week two, but this week saw them pitted against one of the strongest teams in Europe. Losing just one game against TCG last week, Rank Fifty Five Dragons came into this set confident – especially with the addition of Texbi, formerly of TCG, to their roster.

Rank Fifty Five Dragons started strong, taking the cap at mid before engaging in a massive teamfight. Getting the kills they needed for map control and keeping Car Crashed busy in 2v2s, Rank Fifty Five’s unchecked caps gave them a massive point advantage. Taking a double and keeping at least one cap under their control at all times, Rank Fifty Five pushed their lead. With a massive triple cap with just a minute on the clock, Rank Fifty Five Dragons hit 500 points.

After taking the first kill, Rank Fifty Five maintained the only points on the board for almost 4 minutes. However, taking out two Car Crashed players opened the map for Rank Fifty Five to take a triple cap, giving them a massive 150-point lead. Car Crashed put the pressure on Tranquility but left the map open for Rank Fifty Five to get a foothold once more. With just 2 minutes remaining, Car Crashed managed to clear the board – but it just wasn’t enough to overtake Rank Fifty Five Dragons.
Vermillion vs. Purple Noise
On paper, this matchup looked one-sided. With two wins under their belts already, Vermillion are proving themselves masters. And, after such a close final game last week, Purple Noise underperformed in these two very quick games.

It was a slow start for game one, with no points on the board for 2 minutes. However, Vermillion started the ball rolling with a kill and a double. With Purple Noise dropping like flies, Vermillion had the opening for a triple cap. From there, it was only a matter of time – Vermillion took the game 500-0.

Purple Noise came out of the gate swinging, getting two kills and a double cap – but they overextended, and Vermillion took out three players and cleared the board. Taking Stillness in addition to a double cap, Vermillion’s lead only grew. With Purple Noise preoccupied with defending another Stillness, Vermillion managed a triple cap and secured their win.

Orange Logo vs. More Guns Than Roses

Taking on Farror to replace Tage in this week’s matchup was set to shake things up, but WTS contenders Orange Logo have had a rocky introduction to the Pro League. More Guns Than Roses have been rising through the ranks, proving themselves last week against Purple Noise.

First: a three-minute stalemate. More Guns Than Roses got the ball rolling with a kill and a cap, but the early game was completely up in the air. Even so, GnR completely decimated oRNG in teamfights, holding on to their caps to extend their lead. Dragging the timer out, GnR took the game by over 300 points.

Game two was a desperate neck-and-neck fight. oRNG held the initial advantage with a comfortable 100 point lead – but not for long. GnR took out three oRNG players one after the other, getting a double and evening the score. It was down to the timer with Orange Logo in the lead by only 6 points – which took us to game three.

This saw another close start, with both teams trading kills and caps to keep points even – until GnR found an opening for a decap and took the lead. A disconnect by R O M was honored by Guns N Tools, and despite the sportsmanship GnR managed to take a double cap. oRNG pushed back N Tools, switching control to close the gap. However, with just 20 seconds on the clock, GnR killed Svanir for a 25-point lead.

The Civilized Gentlemen vs. Chaotic Contingency

After a hard-fought loss last week, The Civilized Gentlemen were back with a vengeance this week against underdog Chaotic Contingency. With new addition El Presidente, ChC were lacking the polish they needed to put up a good fight.

Chaotic Contingency took the first cap, but that was their only advantage. Taking three men down in the first 2 minutes, TCG had the opening for a triple – and they maintained it throughout the whole match. The Civilized Gentlemen took the game in just 9 minutes.

The next game saw an aggressive opening for TCG, who knocked out all five Chaotic Contingency players at once and took full map control. Rallying from spawn, ChC managed to clear the map – but they weren’t able to close the 200-point gap. TCG cleaned up, taking caps and buffs to boost their points over 500.

North America

Final Form vs. The Abjured

Over in North America, powerhouse The Abjured proved their mettle after dropping a map in last week’s games. Final Form suffered a loss last week but, being 1-1 for the Pro League, entered this match looking strong.

This first game saw a massive three-point play from both teams, with The Abjured coming out on top for an early lead. Despite some great portals by FF, The Abjured took the two cap early. With a huge teamfight at mid going in favor of The Abjured, Final Form bailed out to get decaps and switch map control. Maintaining a double, FF took the lead. However, The Abjured put the pressure on kills to take the game by just 17 points.

In game two, The Abjured demonstrated complete control, getting the first cap, and snowballing from there. When Final Form finally put points on the board, The Abjured were already 300 points into the lead. It was only a matter of time until a double cap and, with two buffs, The Abjured hit 500 points and took the set.

Team PZ vs. Spoookie

Spoookie came out on top in a hard-won three map set last week, but being 2-0 in the Pro League put them right at the top of the standings. Team PZ were sitting at the bottom of the ladder – until they unlocked their true potential and dominated in this week’s set.

A lack of communication by Team PZ meant that Spoookie dominated the early game. But, rallying together, Team PZ fought back to bring themselves back up to even points. With contestation on all nodes, giving up a single cap was a death sentence – and Spoookie sealed their fate by handing PZ a double cap. Over 200 points ahead at the final seconds, Team PZ took game one.

Spoookie took the first kill of the match – but that was all Team PZ would give them. Just 3 minutes in, Team PZ were sitting pretty with a double cap and Stillness. With a subsequent triple cap, Team PZ’s lead grew to 497 points, giving them the game.

Zero Counterplay vs. Ez Pz Lemon Squeezy

Zero Counterplay can’t catch a break. After their forfeit in the first week and a loss to Apex Prime in week two, Zero have much more to prove themselves real contenders in the Pro League. Ez Pz Lemon Squeezy had an easy win last week and, despite a hiccup in game one, really pushed their limits until the very end of this three-game set.

Ez Pz took the early lead, taking Zero Counterplay’s home node for a double cap. However, dominating the small scrims on the outer nodes opened mid for Zero Counterplay – and pushing for a double cap pushed them well into the lead. Ez Pz stole a cap a little too late in the game, with Zero’s map control keeping them well in the lead and pushing them to 500 points.

Zero Counterplay had a slight lead early on in game two, taking out Ez Pz players all over the map. Using their advantage, Zero pushed for a double cap, and this coupled with Stillness took the lead decisively. However, in a stunning turn of events, Ez Pz took Tranquility from under the nose of Zero’s Aeroxe, costing Zero Counterplay the game.

Game three looked to go to Zero Counterplay, with them having an early 100-point lead. However, as in the first two matches, all was not as it seemed. Using an opening in a 2v1, Ez Pz wrangled a double cap and, in a very slow burn, came out in front. Zero Counterplay could not get the decaps so went for boss kills instead – but it was not enough. Still holding that double cap, Ez Pz Lemon Squeezy took the final game in the set 501-490.

Never Lucky vs. Apex Prime

Apex Prime were the favorites coming into this matchup, being one of the strongest teams in the Pro League and previously undefeated. Newcomers Never Lucky had suffered from a severe bad luck streak, struggling for the past two weeks.

Both teams traded caps in an early game stalemate, only broken with a lucky mid cap giving Never Lucky the double. Apex Prime could not get a foothold from that point, with Never Lucky riding that initial double to 500 points.

Apex were out for revenge in game two, with an early two-cap advantage. However, Never Lucky wouldn’t give up that easy, switching map control in their favor and taking the lead. Tranquility went to Never Lucky, but Apex Prime quickly got a decap to keep themselves in the game. Taking Stillness wasn’t enough to bridge the 100-point gap, with Never Lucky hitting 500 points to take the set 2-0.

Join us for the next matches!

The Guild Wars 2 Pro League is back next Monday the 14th of December for the last show of the year. Be sure not to miss any of the exciting matches to come – visit the Pro League’s official website for all the latest information and follow ESL Guild Wars 2 on Twitter and Facebook for updates!

Europe

Vermillion vs. Orange Logo

Two of the top prequalifier teams went head to head in the first round this week. There was much the same roster as last week, but this time with Orange Logo substitute Baenz on the lineup. With a long history between these two teams as scrim partners, we saw a huge mix up in strategy – and a somewhat surprising result.

It was an impressive start for oRNG, getting the first kill in just 30 seconds. Despite this early advantage, oRNG played a very defensive game and couldn’t get the damage out to take the lead. Both teams were neck and neck until Vermillion decimated oRNG’s ranks in a three-man wipe. Maintaining a double cap and taking buffs left and right, Vermillion more than doubled oRNG’s score. oRNG’s preoccupation with the Tranquility buff left the map open for Vermillion, and using their advantage they kept the lead until time ran out.

With some sneaky portal play, oRNG managed to clear the map and keep it that way for a long time. However, despite an aggressive push to keep Vermillion at bay, oRNG were losing all teamfights, leaving the map open for Vermillion. With a double cap at one minute left, Vermillion pushed hard and took the match just 22 seconds from endgame in the longest set we have seen in the Pro League so far.

More Guns Than Roses vs. Purple Noise

Two very new teams, both on the back foot after suffering dramatic defeats last week. More Guns Than Roses set out to prove themselves against Purple Noise in two of the closest games in the Pro League.

More Guns Than Roses had the early game advantage, almost taking full map control before Purple Noise even had points on the board. GnR dominated every teamfight, using their player advantage to push for the triple. Purple Noise rallied in the last minutes, managing a double cap, but GnR’s lead was still immense. Taking Tranquility gave Purple Noise a window of opportunity to turn the game around, but GnR took Stillness for the points they needed for the win.

Game two saw Purple Noise step up as a team, the but early game was very much in GnR’s favor. GnR took out four players in quick succession, taking a double cap and the lead. However, Purple Noise came out on top in teamfights, using a condition-heavy strategy to keep GnR’s health down. It was a slow catch-up, but Purple Noise took the triple and the lead. GnR, only 60 points behind, closed the gap with boss kills. In the final tense seconds, less than 10 points between them, Purple Noise took Chieftain to take the lead – but a More Guns Than Roses double cap was enough to solidify the win at 501-500.

Rank Fifty Five Dragons vs. The Civilized Gentlemen

The featured matchup between veterans Rank Fifty Five Dragons and The Civilized Gentlemen lived up to all expectations, giving us the first three-game set of the EU Pro League. An intense grudge match, with ex-oRNG Frae on TCG and Rank 55 made up of former TCG members Texbi, Levin and Zan.

TCG opened uncontested, with a double cap and a few kills under their belts early on. Keeping on top of decaps, TCG doubled Rank Fifty Five’s points very quickly. TCG suffered a huge blow by losing three players simultaneously but regained their advantage almost immediately, retaliating with a two-man wipe. Just 100 points from a TCG win, Rank Fifty Five pushed for Tranquility, but TCG’s defense was just too strong. With just one node under their control, TCG’s points ticked over 500.

Rank Fifty Five Dragons turned the tables in game two with an aggressive start. TCG fell behind almost immediately, getting decaps but losing players across the board. A big teamfight at mid set the tone for the rest of the game, with Rank Fifty Five taking the lead by just one kill. From there, their fantastic rotations kept the map under their control. TCG, to their credit, worked hard at taking out players but Rank Fifty Five had too secure a lead, killing bosses to quicken the inevitable and taking us to game three.

First points went to Rank Fifty Five Dragons, who managed an early kill, but with one cap apiece the early game was decided by a teamfight at mid. Rank Fifty Five took the advantage but was thwarted by TCG. Taking a double, TCG managed to get 100 points ahead before Rank Fifty Five reacted – and they reacted with fury, taking out four players within seconds of each other. Using that momentum, Rank Fifty Five took full map control and the lead. A final, desperate Lord rush by TCG was too little, too late. Rank Fifty Five Dragons took the game – and the series – with their triple cap.

Car Crashed vs. Chaotic Contingency

Another matchup between two teams on the quest for redemption from last week. Both Chaotic Contingency and Car Crashed made it through the qualifier undefeated, but suffered in their first match of the Pro League. However, being on more even footing resulted in two fantastic games in the final European set of the night.

Starting with a cap each, the early game was very equal. Car Crashed pushed for buffs but spread themselves too thin, leaving the map open for Chaotic Contingency to take the double. However, from there both teams traded double caps and kills almost evenly. A disconnect on the side of Chaotic Contingency didn’t seem to affect points all that much, but certainly didn’t hurt Car Crashed’s chances. Holding at least one cap at all times, Car Crashed got the points to take the game.

Car Crashed came into game two very strong. Chaotic Contingency kept the pressure on with kills but failed to get the decaps they needed to slow Car Crashed down. Despite constantly being down one or two players, Car Crashed held on to their home node for so long that the consistent point income was enough to take the game and the set.

North America

Zero Counterplay vs. Apex Prime

Zero Counterplay was something of an enigma, having been forced to forfeit due to roster problems in week one and handing victory to the Abjured. Apex Prime, however, took the win in the only 2-1 game of last week, and were looking strong coming into week two.

A strong start for Apex Prime set the tone for the match, taking mid and pushing for downs early. However, Zero Counterplay snatched a double cap in an instant, bringing points about even. With the appearance of Tranquility, Zero Counterplay all but abandoned the fight above ground – to the detriment of their points. Three players underground, Apex Prime took control of the map. With a double cap, plus two buffs, Apex generated enough points to take the game.

Game two proved to be a very slow match, with Apex Prime maintaining the slightest lead and supplementing their caps with boss kills. Apex Prime was on the back foot after losing a team fight at mid, but Zero Counterplay failed to work with their advantage. With less than 100 points left until an Apex Prime victory, Zero Counterplay managed a double cap before Apex drew out their point lead to take the win.

Team PZ vs. The Abjured

This week was the Pro League debut for WTS champions The Abjured, who had an automatic win last week due to their opponents’ forfeit. Against the greats we had Team PZ, who came off the back of a 2-1 loss. However, that didn’t deter them from putting The Abjured to the test, again coming into a three-game set.

Team PZ had the early game advantage, taking the lead with a double cap. However, overinvesting in a teamfight put the game in the hands of The Abjured who, despite losing a few players, managed to gain map control. The Abjured solidified their lead until Team PZ took the first Tranquility buff of the Pro League for the triple. The Abjured quickly decapped, however, and used player kills to increase their lead, eventually taking the game to 500 points with a double cap.

The Abjured carried their momentum into game two, with a double cap straight off the bat and ahead early by over 100 points. However, Team PZ changed the course of the game, taking down two Abjured players in quick succession and securing a double cap and the lead. The Abjured fought back, keeping Team PZ in the downed state to take the two cap but failing to overtake them in points. Another boss kill increased Team PZ’s lead, and taking out yet another three Abjured players solidified Team PZ’s win.

Into game three, and historically The Abjured’s best map. Despite this, Team PZ dominated the early game with two kills and a cap. However, The Abjured took a double cap very quickly and, extending their lead over 200 points, completely snowballed the game. Team PZ put up a good defense, stalling the inevitable and getting a full map clear, but The Abjured took yet another double cap, pushing their points over 500 and taking the set 2-1.

Final Form vs. Spoookie

With both teams taking the win last week, this best of three was tense – both Spoookie and Final Form were looking to solidify their place in the top position of the Pro League.

Final Form took the double cap early, using their triple Mesmer strategy to overwhelm Spoookie and deny their home node cap. However, Spoookie pushed back to take the double and the lead, taking out half of Final Form in the process. Despite having so many team members down Final Form pushed down to Tranquility in a feint, leaving their players above ground to take a two cap from spawn. With less than 100 points left in the game and both teams neck and neck, Spoookie capped the Stillness buff and overtook Final Form to take the match.

Game two started slow, with both teams switching caps but keeping the score fairly even. Spoookie finally took the lead with a double, but a teamfight at mid in favor of Final Form turned the tide of the match. Trading double caps for most of the mid game, the score stayed even until Spoookie took out Chieftain for the point bonus. This left the map open for Final Form. Spoookie took Svanir, too, in the final seconds, and would have taken the game if Final Form hadn’t decapped mid and taken the game themselves by just three points.

Spoookie had the early advantage in game three, taking the triple cap – but Final Form descended quickly to decap. With just one node under their control, Spoookie managed an impressive 150-point lead before Final Form managed to stall them with a clear map. Team fights extended the point pause, with Spoookie breaking the curse with a double cap. With only a few caps here and there, Final Form had no hope against Spoookie’s impressive lead. With a double cap just 50 seconds from endgame, Spoookie took the game to win the set

Never Lucky vs. Ez Pz Lemon Squeezy

Last week saw both of these teams in the bottom tier. Never Lucky is looking surprisingly unlucky despite coming through the prequalifiers. Ez Pz were looking strong this week, however, as close as their matches were last week.

Ez Pz proved that strength with an early double cap. Never Lucky’s portal aggression lead to a successful decap at Altar, but Ez Pz maintained consistent map control – even going so far as to take an unnecessary Tranquility buff for the triple. Never Lucky managed decaps, but these weren’t enough to stop Ez Pz’s points climbing over 500.

Game two saw a desperate struggle, with both teams neck and neck for much of the early game. Ez Pz managed a two cap and pulled ahead, holding just one node to maintain a 100-point lead. About half way in, a disconnect for Ez Pz was honored by Never Lucky, who stood one player out of the fight. Never Lucky continued to try for decaps but did not manage to close the point gap. Ez Pz continued with a minimum of one cap and very slowly took their points over 500 to take the set.

Join us for the next matches!

The Guild Wars 2 Pro League is back next week on Monday the 7th of December. Be sure not to miss any of the exciting matches to come – visit the Pro League’s official website for all the latest information and follow ESL Guild Wars 2 on Twitter and Facebook for updates!

Europe

Car Crashed vs. Vermillion

Car Crashed showed up strong in the qualifiers but were no match for ESL veterans Vermillion in this first match of the Guild Wars 2 Pro League.

Despite a fantastic start for Car Crashed, the score remained neck and neck until Vermillion dominated in a team fight at Keep. From there, Vermillion took advantage of holes in Car Crashed’s rotations, taking control of the map with a triple cap and winning the match.

Both teams were cautious coming into game two. With an impressive three-man wipe in their favor, Vermillion’s focus on player kills allowed for an early triple cap. With a full decap just 30 points from end game, Car Crashed were only delaying the inevitable. An instant double cap brought the game back into the hands of Vermillion.

More Guns Than Roses vs. The Civilized Gentlemen

TCG have been consistent Go4GuildWars2 cup winners and WTS contenders – and it really showed in this matchup. More Guns Than Roses pushed their way through the ranks to make it into the Pro League, but their mettle was tested in their Pro League debut match.

With an early double cap, GnR looked confident they could take on the greats. However, TCG lived up to their reputation, scoring an early triple cap and maintaining it until GnR called GG just 5 minutes into the game.

An aggressive start for game two set the tone for the entire match. TCG kept on top of player movement, and asserting their dominance on kills meant a two or three-man advantage at all times. With a triple cap under their belts and nothing on the board for GnR, TCG added insult to injury by taking out the Lord for an impressive 533-point victory.

Orange Logo vs. Chaotic Contingency

French underdogs Chaotic Contingency came into the Pro League expecting a challenge, and were put to the test against WTS Cologne champions – and fan favorites – Orange Logo.

A fantastic start for oRNG, using a bait tactic to take out three CC players within the first seconds, allowed oRNG to take all three nodes just 2 and half minutes into the game. Supplementing their point income with kills, the champs took the game in just 7 minutes.

Chaotic Contingency showed their potential early in game two, but oRNG turned the tables on them very quickly. Three minutes in saw oRNG with a triple cap plus an opening for a Lord rush. CC managed to rally far too late as oRNG had a hefty point advantage from an early Lord kill, ending the match 500-102.

Rank Fifty Five Dragons vs. Purple Noise

Having confirmed their roster just before the qualifiers, newcomers Purple Noise really had a challenge on their hands with one of the best teams in ESL Guild Wars 2 history – Rank Fifty Five Dragons.

And it was an intimidating opening by Rank Fifty Five, who pushed fast and hard across the map to contest Purple Noise’s home node. Purple Noise held strong for only a few moments, before suffering a two-man wipe in what would become a Rank Fifty Five Dragons snowball. Absolutely decimating Purple Noise’s ranks, Rank Fifty Five swiftly took complete map control and the game.

Game two began – and ended – in absolute domination by Rank Fifty Five Dragons, with two kills and a double cap within the first minute. Purple Noise rallied late in the game, taking one node for points on the board, but Rank Fifty Five quickly took map control back to maintain a massive lead. With three Purple Noise players down, Rank Fifty Five took out the Lord, boosting their points over 500.

North America

Final Form vs. Ez Pz Lemon Squeezy

We saw some familiar faces in a new composition in Final Form, set against relatively recent addition to the ESL Guild Wars 2 circuit Ez Pz Lemon Squeezy.

An aggressive start from Final Form. Despite seemingly dominating the early game, FF were more than 80 points behind. However, managing the first kill, Final Form used their advantage over Ez Pz to push for a double cap. Maintaining the double for the rest of the game with a strategy of distraction, Final Form pushed their lead to victory in the first game.

Final Form continued their advantage in the second game. With some great portal play coming out, Final Form had consistent control over the map. A misplay at Waterfall could have turned the tides in Ez Pz’s favour, but Final Form skillfully regained control, holding on to their lead until the end.

Never Lucky vs. Spookie

An interesting matchup between some familiar faces. Both teams made their way through the October Go4GuildWars2 ranks but did not face each other in the monthly finals. However, whereas Never Lucky made it through on Go4 merit, Spoookie battled it out through the qualifiers to prove their place in the Pro League.

Opening game one, both teams took their home nodes and went all in for a messy team fight at mid. Spoookie came out on top, and with a double cap took the lead. However, Spoookie overextended for a triple cap and Never Lucky retaliated, taking out four players simultaneously. While this could have turned the match on its head, Spoookie regained their double to take the round.

Spoookie really shone in the second matchup. With an early double cap, Spoookie focused on keeping the teamfights at mid, denying any decaps by Never Lucky. After securing a triple cap, Spoookie made an early push to take the Lord, moving the teamfight there until their points climbed high enough that the Lord kill gave them the game.

Team PZ vs. Apex Prime

An amazing meeting of newcomers Team PZ and old faces Apex Prime in the most intense show of matched skill of the week.

Despite a high-action opening, the early game was slow until Team PZ took control of the map. With messy teamfights and no structure to the match, it seemed as if a Team PZ win was guaranteed until, with just 3 minutes left in the game, Apex cut off PZ’s point flow at 450 points. In the biggest upset of the Pro League so far, Apex pushed their advantage to just one point behind, and in a clutch play took out the Chieftain to take game one.

With such high stakes, game two could have gone to either team. Apex Prime maintained around a 20-point lead for a majority of the game, despite PZ taking control of the map for short periods. But with less than 5 minutes on the clock, Team PZ finally overtook Apex. Both teams headed for their opponent’s Lords simultaneously, but Team PZ made the kill first.

Our first look at Kyhlo in the Pro League was a neck and neck battle, trading kills and nodes in a desperate fight for advantage. Stretching the action to the final minutes, Apex Prime pushed ahead by over 100 points to take the best of three!

Zero Counterplay vs. The Abjured

With a last minute forfeit by Zero Counterplay, this week fell in favor of WTS champions The Abjured.

Join us for the next matches!

The Guild Wars 2 Pro League resumes next week on November the 30th. Be sure not to miss any of the exciting matches to come – visit the Pro League’s official website for all the latest information and follow ESL Guild Wars 2 on Twitter and Facebook for updates!