With Dignitas out of the playoffs, here are the thoughts of the team’s coach, Mabrey.
The phrase “What Season? Dig Season!” has been said in the community, but the journey of Dignitas has ended. Their playoff chances were eliminated in a close 2-3 set loss to 100 Thieves, concluding their season. In an interview, Dignitas’ head coach, Joshua Alan “Mabrey” Mabrey, discusses the successes and failures of the season and the difficulties of coaching a team of experienced players.
A Season of Near Things
Dignitas started the season as the seasoned underdogs, having a lineup that would have been a dream team in 2017. However, they were unable to make it to the finals and were defeated by 100 Thieves in a very close series. After the match, Mabrey said that the defeat was especially bittersweet because they were so close to winning the match. “It sucks to lose,” he said. We were close to winning game five but the Baron play turned the tables for the worse and it is sad that our season had to end like this.
Smolder’s Strength in the Mid Lane
The discussion then turned to the team composition of Dignitas and their decision to select Smolder in the mid lane, which was a key part of their team. Mabrey went on to describe why Smolder is so powerful in the current meta, citing its utility and the fact that it has no poor counters. Smolder fits well against a lot of meta champions across different roles,
he said. It is a champion that you can pick blindly in mid lane because it has very few things that can be used against it and its ult on the wave when behind is useful throughout the game.
Veteran Roster: It Is a Two-Sided Tool
When asked about the difficulty of bringing a team of veterans to change and to compromise, Mabrey said that it had been one of the biggest problems. Despite the fact that the broadcast and the community praised Dignitas for the team’s experience as their main strength, Mabrey also pointed out the challenges that it caused. Yes, it is correct that having experienced players can at times be a mixed blessing,
he said. It is not easy to have everyone on the same page when each of them has had success in different ways on different teams. We made some strides, but not fast enough, and today’s loss is the evidence.
Worlds Predictions and the Fearless Draft Tournament
Moving forward, Mabrey gave his opinion on which team should be the third seed for Worlds – Cloud9 or 100 Thieves. Without any doubt, he supported Cloud9. I don’t think it’s even close. 100 Thieves often win by outplaying their opponents, making them make mistakes rather than having better macro play, which will not work in international competitions.
When it comes to the Fearless Draft tournament that was to be held in the near future, Mabrey was not very hopeful. Although he admitted that such format could make strategy more difficult, he stressed audience interaction. If it increases the number of viewers, I am for it,
he said. The current meta can get boring at times, so anything that adds excitement back into the game is a plus in my book.
Lane Swaps: One of the Factors That Are Often Overlooked
Mabrey also briefly discussed the lane swap meta that has been present for quite some time now, and it is more significant than just what Riot Games may think. While Riot has tried to reduce the effectiveness of lane swaps by increasing the health of turrets, Mabrey still thinks that they are valuable. Lane swaps do not only alter the matchups; they affect drafting and early game strategies as well, and the teams that can do this right can have a significant edge.
A Message to the Fans
At the end of the interview, Mabrey had a word for the Dignitas fans who have been following the team all through the season. It was good to have your support,
he added. Sorry we could not do more, but I hope we gave some entertainment at least. We will be back stronger next time.
As their playoff run comes to an end, Dignitas and the fans are now looking forward to the future, as the League of Legends scene is set to change in the coming years, with a possible regional split.
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