The coach of 1win, Timur 'Ahilles' Kulmukhametov, assessed his team's performance at the Elite League Season 2, discussed the current meta of auras in Dota, and revealed that one of his objectives was to shift the players' mindset.
Regarding 1win's performance at Elite League Season 2, Kulmukhametov rated the team's form at around 6.5 to 7 out of 10. He explained that it was challenging to pinpoint an exact figure. The team was still in a recovery phase after a rigorous bootcamp, which had left them fatigued. Currently, they are in a more restorative period.
Kulmukhametov found it hard to predict how Dota might evolve if the developers did not tone down the auras. He noted that the essence of the game remained unchanged, though the paths to victory and strategies varied. It was evident that most top teams, at least in the Riyadh playoffs, were focusing on aura items like Pipe of Insight, Crimson Guard, and Guardian Greaves. The strategy was to gather these items quickly, engage in early fights, and dominate early on.
He preferred the current faster-paced meta over the previous season's longer, more drawn-out games. The ability to finish games more swiftly was a positive change.
Regarding stress, Kulmukhametov mentioned that initially, some players were quite anxious. One of his tasks was to alter their mindset, helping them recognise that they were no longer a tier-3 or tier-2 team but were approaching the level of tier-1 teams. This shift in perspective was intended to help players feel more comfortable and confident during LAN events, reducing their apprehension when facing top-tier opponents.
The Elite League Season 2 is being held in the capital city of Peru from July 25 to August 4, with participants competing for $800,000. An additional $200,000 will be distributed among the teams based on their popularity with viewers during the playoffs.