16. Mineski

The South-East Asian qualifier victors bear the dubious honour of being the only unanimous vote in the entire power rank. Not one single ranker considered them as anything other than the very weakest team in the field. And it's not hard to see why; after Valve invited MVP and Fnatic to Manila, there were no more SEA teams with any sort of international pedigree. On top of that, leading into the main qualifier, Mineski had a losing record against Filipino rivals and Open Qualifier champions TnC Gaming. While Mineski won the Qualifier, it's hard to paint them as even the 3rd strongest team in SEA after the invited teams.

In March, Mineski lost their carry player KuKu to TnC and moved JessieVash to the substitute role, picking up Benhur and Bok to fill up their roster. While the roster changes didn't spark instant results, they can't have been that bad, since the new team did manage to win the Manila Qualifiers. What remains to be seen is if that was just a honeymoon period, or if Mineski can legitimately challenge other regions on a grand stage such as the Major. Our money is on no.

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16	16	16	16	16	16

15. Digital Chaos

Where to even start with Digital Chaos? After EG and Secret's post-Shanghai roster shuffles left much of the scene in shock, noted YouTube content creator, caster, and owner of DotaCinema Shannon "SUNSFan" Scotten imported four Europeans to finally fulfill his dream of creating another internationally competitive North American Dota 2 team. Although DC were easily the strongest-looking team in the American Qualifiers for the Manila Major, their competition, at best, was positively mediocre. Digital Chaos certainly have the talent to compete- w33 and MiSeRy proved themselves capable during their time on Team Secret, and Moo is one of the most promising players in North America. However, the roster is practically brand new and has not yet faced any serious international competition. Despite their potential, the historical examples of TI4 mousesports, TI5 Team Tinker, and Frankfurt Major Cloud9 tell us not to expect much from this untested group of players.

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15	12	14	14	15	14

14. LGD Gaming

When talking about LGD, you cannot help but talk about the Xiao8 influence. For years Xiao8 has set the benchmark for Chinese Dota. His teams are reliably at the top or near the top in any patch, as Xiao8 goes into his laboratory, crafts solid draft systems and play styles, dominates the scene, and sets the meta until it eventually gets figured out. More recently, Xiao8 has pioneered the retire and return cycle so he only needs to play professionally five months out of the year. His teams have historically flown under the radar, only to peak and surprise at The International with top form. In the last two years, Newbee and LGD have finished first and third, respectively, at Valve’s premier event while making few waves in the run up.

This year, LGD has yet to show us the meta-defining play, but can we expect anything less from the Director and his team? If we follow the rhythm of previous Xiao8 teams, May and Manila are too early to expect the best out of LGD. However, compared to LGD squads of yesteryear, this LGD is a more talented players in more suitable roles. Compared to a year ago, the team has effectively replaced their weakest player, Yao, with Xiao8's more effective offlane play. In exchange, they get a good rookie, September, and move Xiao8 out of his less effective support role. The only potential downgrade is Agressif, who in time, may fill Sylar's shoes. LGD are looking past Manila for Seattle, but will be coming to show off how far they have gotten in two and a half months.

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12	15	15	13	13	15

13. Team Empire

Empire has had a very respectable past few months considering their new roster is barely 3 months old. A 4th place finish at ESL One Manila, where they eliminated the new Team Secret, another 4th place finish at WePlay, and their triumph at the EU Qualifier for the Manila Major have all drawn people’s attention to Empire. Given all their results, one might expect Empire to be a bit higher in the rankings; unfortunately for them, the competition at this Major could not be fiercer. While Empire does indeed stand a good chance at performing well, it would be a lie to say they would not be the underdogs versus most of the teams in attendance.

One of the biggest talking points about Empire is their carry, Ramzes, a young player- he just turned 17 in April- who is proving that he can keep up with the veterans in all aspects. On the other hand, Scandal, who played for Empire in 2012 and 2013, brings much needed experience to lead his younger teammates. Afterlife, Miposhka, and KingR are also all looking to make a name for themselves on Empire, as they face their toughest challenge yet.

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9	14	12	15	8	12

12. Natus Vincere

Despite being ranked lower on the lower end of the scale, Na`Vi might actually be a team to look out for come the beginning of the Manila Major. They showed just how strong they can be at the StarLadder i-League Invitational, where they made it to the grand finals through the winners bracket defeating OG, VG.R, and LGD to get there, before falling to VG.R in their second meeting. Were it not for a string of disappointing qualifier losses and a poor performance at WePlay, we would all be talking about Na`Vi being back for the Nth time. Their recent 2nd place finish behind OG at DreamLeague shows that Na`Vi does have what it takes, but are still trailing behind the top competitors.

The current Na`Vi does seem to have a fire we haven't seen from them in a very long time. At times they seem to have some of their old magic back and stronger than ever. Dendi is showing glimpses of his former self in the mid-lane while GeneRaL has been an undisputed boon to them in the offlane. Artstyle's return may not have immediately yielded result, but if anything, Na`Vi under his guidance are proof that perseverance can pay off. Given enough time and effort, we can see the stars begin to align for this fresh Na`Vi squad.

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13	8	9	12	14	13

11. Team Secret

It is no secret that Puppey’s team is struggling to find its rhythm. The additions of Arteezy and Universe were supposed to put Secret in a position similar to the “Secret 2.0” version last year that included s4 and Zai; but so far, it has backfired like no one could expect. Team Secret have only 5 victories out of 15 maps, and a grand total of one series victory since Shanghai. Granted, Secret is not a team that plays many matches, but things are not looking promising. Secret has been in this situation before, and they did manage to turn it around. Their run prior to the Shanghai Major was barely better than this run- they had a 41% win rate prior to their first Shanghai match, and no one could see a championship coming for them. With this in mind, we might expect Secret to be able to step up their game for the next major. However, the difference this time is that Secret played both Frankfurt and Shanghai with the same roster, meaning they had plenty of time to adapt and learn how to work together. That time is not available for them now, and with other teams improving their game, the future of this lineup is looking grim.

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14	11	13	8	11	10

10. Alliance

Above all else, Alliance has determination. They are a team never afraid to go back to their roots, fielding an age-old roster, and often drafting classic but uncommon heroes. In recent months, Alliance has seen significant ups and downs. In the aftermath they have cemented themselves as a strong but certainly not dominant team, snagging top eight at the Shanghai Major but only top 6 out of 8 at Epicenter, where they lost to a resurgent Newbee.

That said, though Alliance is one of the more average teams at Manila, they certainly aren’t a team to be underestimated. This is a team that has had years to gel and boasts a TI3 victory under their belt. Much of the team’s success is predicated on the performance of the exceptionally skilled mid-lane veteran and captain s4 in any given game; when he hits his stride, Alliance can hold their own with the best, with the incredibly stable Loda, EGM, and Akke supporting AdmiralBulldog’s ability to garner unmatched farm from the offlane. If everything clicks, Alliance could be a threat to win the tournament; however, given s4’s inconsistent recent performances, a bottom 8 result seems likely.

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11	9	8	11	9	11

9. Fnatic

For some, ranking Fnatic just outside of the top eight seems like a travesty with their strong finish in Shanghai followed by their massive win streak leading up to ESL One Manila. However, we have to keep in mind that their impressive form right after Shanghai was with a lineup that no longer exists. Mushi’s coaching seemed to have unlocked the full potential of the Southeast Asian squad; with his return and Net’s subsequent departure, Fnatic now have to put everything back together. Since that roster change, Fnatic have only played 2 series on LAN- the EPICENTER wildcard matches. What they showed there was far from reassuring and resulted in them placing lower than previously expected in our rankings.

Losing to No Diggity, a team that is not even at Manila, and then getting eliminated by compLexity, who match up evenly with Fnatic, are significant signs of decay from their play just a month prior. For them to make it into the top eight at Manila, Fnatic will have to rediscover the cohesion and crisp play that served them so well before Net’s departure.

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10	10	11	6	10	7

8. Wings Gaming

Wings Gaming are perhaps living proof that persistence and patience will pay off. The current Wings roster has been playing together since just after TI5; before that, the core of the team- bLink, bian, and Innocence- played together under the Speed Gaming banner. When they first started playing together, the team was little more than fodder for the big-name Chinese teams. After their surprise victory at ESL One Manila, Wings have become a force to be reckoned with in their own right. Wings now need to repeat their performance on a much larger scale. Their upset at ESL came at the tail end of patch 6.86 against a relatively weak tournament field; at the Manila Major, Wings will face hungrier and stronger opponents on a new patch. Innocence's creative drafting should allow Wings to escape early elimination, but their relatively inconsistent online results since ESL make it hard to believe that they will rise much beyond that.

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7	13	6	2	12	9

7. compLexity

compLexity has often been overlooked as a top contender, but making top 8 at TI5, top 6 at Shanghai, and beating EG at Epicenter shows that this team knows how to step it up on the international stage. While they don't have individual superstars to rival the likes of Miracle-, Jerax, or QO, compLexity shows the passion, discipline and dedication that are hallmarks of a great team. Following the TI5 shuffle, Complexity have shown steady improvement, and can probably expect to at least finish at a respectable top 8 in Manila with great potential to go further. While they are a team that likely won’t convincingly defeat any team at Manila, they also have the capability to upset any team on a good day.

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8	7	5	9	6	8

6. Evil Geniuses

The reigning TI champions come into the Manila Major looking for answers. After a poor showing at the Shanghai Major, they reacquired Aui_2000 and another ex-EG player, BuLba, to replace Arteezy and UNiVeRsE, respectively. While fans were divided on the move, the team obviously wasn't working in it's post-TI configuration. With just 2 tournament results since the change, the new roster hasn't truly had a chance to show its mettle, but has nonetheless failed to impress. A 3rd place at Weplay would have been respectable had the opposition included more premier teams. Against a more challenging field at the EPICENTER LAN in Moscow, EG managed an anemic 5th-6th place result.

Such results might warrant an even lower placement than 6th in this power rank, but EG are without a doubt a team that could still win it all. BuLba, thought by many to be the weak spot in the newly formed team, has shown that he can play at least Dark Seer at the highest level and that the team’s current woes cannot be laid at his feet. If ppd can solve the patch and find ways to win games in the drafting phase, and if Aui_2000 can find ways to have more impact with his farm, then EG could easily re-emerge as a dominant team.

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6	5	10	10	7	4

5. Vici Gaming Reborn

VG.Reborn’s appearance within the top five might come as a surprise to the casual follower, but since their foundation as the secondary squad of Vici Gaming, they have enjoyed a slow but steady rise. Led by the veterans fy and DDC, the (relatively) new stars NoNo, Yang and Zyf have successfully established themselves on top of the Chinese scene after the post-Shanghai Major chaos. Eclipsing the star-studded “main” Vici Gaming lineup, VG.Reborn are now the only attendee of their organisation at Manila. Their success, however, is not limited to their Chinese backyard; at the StarLadder Invitational, they shook the world upside down as they swatted aside the likes of Na`Vi, OG and even MVP Phoenix, all while playing with a standin as NoNo was unable to attend the event.

With their full roster available at Manila, VG.Reborn are expected to do even better than they did in Kiev, as hard as that might prove to be. Nevertheless, VG.Reborn have earned themselves plenty of respect and caution from the other teams at the Major, and will be a strong force to be reckoned with.

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5	6	7	7	5	6

4. OG

Ranking 4th, OG have made it back to the top after their dip in form since they won the Frankfurt Major half a year ago. After their mediocre showing at Shanghai, some had even claimed that OG’s days were already numbered. Alas, how mistaken they were. After the new patch hit, the fan-favorites struck back against the doubters with a vengeance, as they proceeded to take a well-deserved 3rd place at EPICENTER and went on to take the DreamLeague championship for a second consecutive season. While their strong form in the tournaments leading up to Manila might warrant an even higher rank, the teams ranked above our 9000-MMR stars are the same ones OG has been struggling to beat.

OG may be ranked behind the trifecta of Liquid, MVP and Newbee for now, but the gap is certainly not a big one. Taking MVP down during their last encounter and going blow for blow against Liquid and Newbee during EPICENTER shows that Fly & co. are just a small step behind them, waiting for any signs of weakness to pounce and strike.

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4	4	3	5	4	5

3. Newbee

Despite having to go through the regional qualifiers, Newbee can lay claim to being the strongest team in China. When the invitations for the Manila Major came out, many thought that it was a travesty that Newbee had to prove their strength in the qualifiers. Newbee responded to the snub in kind with a 15-0 undefeated beatdown of all challengers. In their first two years of existence, Newbee have been the sleeping dragons, rarely ever leaving the country except for The International. However, with the addition of gregarious Chuan and Aussie kpii, Newbee is opening up to the world, appearing recently in EPICENTER, their first non-Valve LAN event outside of China. With more potential appearances on the deck, Newbee may be seeing a growth in western fanbase, soon.

Newbee's strength is based on its three stars of Hao, Mu, and KaKa. Alongside an effective Chuan and improving kpii, Newbee fields individual talent unmatched in China, if not the world. Against ordinary opponents, Newbee will play a conservatively early game and then steamroll opponents with superior midgame execution and movement. The team is at its best when the in-game shot caller, Chuan, is on an initiation hero and leads Newbee in an around-the-map non-stop gank-a-thon. Newbee looks exceptionally scary precisely because they can often make their more dubious drafts work through sheer execution and outplay. However, against top level competition, Newbee will have to look to KaKa to clean up the draft and avoid the questionable picks.

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3	3	2	4	2	3

2. MVP Phoenix

MVP was a very difficult team to place due to their absence from EPICENTER; but with their 3-0 win over EG at DotaPit Season 4 and their more recent victory in Kiev at WePlay Season 3, it's hard to argue MVP is far from the front of the pack. MVP's post-TI additions DuBu and Forev turned them from a team capable of causing upsets into a team that consistently performs on the international stage. Their 4th place finish at the Shanghai Major signalled that MVP would be here to stay for the foreseeable future; their victories afterwards only reinforced that notion. MVP had faltered playing online after the Shanghai Major, losing multiple qualifiers to Fnatic. However, they proved their ability to perform on the new patch at WePlay where they won 3-1 over Vega Squadron in the finals.

MVP has been a story of rising stars in a region many thought of as a joke. QO and MP turned from average professional players into super stars over the course of the last six months while Febby and DuBu showed how important it is to have a support duo who are in sync and play with a plan. MVP's ability to overwhelm their opponents and break down defenses will be especially useful as they look to take down the likes of Liquid, OG, and Newbee in Manila. MVP may be higher than some expected on the list, but make no mistake, they've earned their placement and will be looking to add winning a Major to their list of achievements.

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2	2	4	3	3	1

1. Team Liquid

Is there any doubt? Team Liquid’s performances since the signing of 5Jungz have been consistently solid. They have slowly and steadily progressed to become what is today the best Dota team in the world. Throughout the past year, Liquid have delivered many top placements at premier tournaments such as ESL One Manila and the Shanghai Major. When you add these results to the recent crown at EPICENTER, you get the perfect recipe for a top team.

Liquid’s strength comes from their flexibility. Like water, the team can adapt their draft and set the tempo when the enemy’s strategy demands it. Liquid are by no means flawless; however, they have proved that they can show poise and play well whether they are behind or ahead. Team Liquid have played consistently excellent Dota, both online and offline, since the Shanghai Major, which makes them the clear team to beat going into Manila.

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1	1	1	1	1	2