Spotlight on Nerdstompers

GotFrag.com - Nerdstompers.com didn't achieve the group placement required to move on to the playoffs at MLG Columbus, but their nostalgically versatile play, combined with three very large personalities, extinguished any doubts the community had as to whether a WLD composition could still compete in today's environment. Let's take a closer look at this team to see why they generally do so well with what many consider an outdated comp.

The Team

Velsus Druid

Velsus, who is considered to be one of the best American druids right now, wowed the Columbus crowd with his superb situational awareness, amazing positioning, and seemingly psychic hot placement, switching between defensive and offensive play as his team reacted to different situations. He played well under pressure, even though it was his first LAN and he was up against teams like Complexity Red.

Nadagast Warlock

While Nadagast certainly isn't the flashiest warlock on the scene right now, he makes up for it with consistent play and his synergy with Hoodrch. His unique use of deathcoil was noticed by the community in Columbus; he used it early on to create a chain of events which helped Hoodrch put out tremendous pressure, and then used it to seal the deal with the famous coilstorm, (which involves deathcoiling the kill target as Hoodrch bladestorms to create what is an almost guaranteed kill, unless the coil is trinketed/dispelled).

Hoodrch Warrior

The man usually known as "the boss" is one of the few people who have been able to play an arms warrior at a competitive level with consistently positive results. His on-the-dot spell reflects, combined with his situational awareness, make him perfect for this WLD, especially due to the lack of a consistent defensive dispel. He is also the most seasoned player on the team, as his first appearance at MLG dates back to the first MLG WoW event at San Diego, and his experience helps his team strategize and predict their opponents' plans.

The Chemistry

The team's performance in Columbus highlighted their strongest asset: communication. All three players are extremely vocal, to a greater extent than even other top teams, and this adds to the precision with which they play. The constant communication of cooldowns, positioning, and health/mana pools removes the need to play with addons and helps the team provide support and make the well-timed decisions that translate into wins.

The comp of WLD itself is one of the most notorious in WoW's short history, peaking during the prime of Burning Crusade, where it won the majority of tournaments. Ever since the WotLK expansion came out, however, people have been reluctant to run it; warriors and druids became relatively underpowered during the first few seasons, shadowcleave enjoyed only short-lived popularity during season 5, and spellcleaves have been on the rise since season 6. This team has been one of the few to achieve positive results with it during what one could say is one of more balanced seasons, topping out the Bloodlust battlegroup.

The Verdict

Nerdstompers were the only team, apart from Loaded Black, to beat CompLexity Red at MLG Columbus, and they did so by keeping not one but two targets below 40% for the majority of the matchup. They were unable to come through in the end at MLG Columbus, but we have good reason to expect great things from them at Raleigh.

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