"Battle of Phoenix Mountain 2.0," a preview of the AG finals, highlighting two major disadvantages for AG, with the odds leaning 60-40.

After almost two years, AG and WB face off again in the finals. Unlike the previous Battle of Phoenix Mountain, the difference between the teams is much smaller now, adding more intrigue. Making it to the finals proves that both players and coaches are at their best! Let’s examine the pros and cons of each team!

AG’s advantages are twofold:1. Rich finals experience and more consistent performance; proficient in multiple systems with a solid foundation for BO7 matches. 2. Having pick/ban priority allows better simulation of the first or even second game’s BP, gaining an early edge. Similarly, AG faces two major drawbacks: 1. Some players’ performance is questionable, such as Zhongyi’s Tiger and Yinuo’s marksman. 2. They are more heavily studied; for example, during the spring season finals, Laolin researched AG extensively.

Now let’s look at WB’s strengths:1. The team’s mechanics are very solid, so even when behind, they can hold their ground in 5v5 fights and avoid collapse. WB no longer plays a purely defensive turtle style. 2. Lin Li’s team has strong pre-match strategies and is good at surprising tactics. Their research on AG has been ongoing since the spring season.

WB’s weaknesses: 1. Many rookies, and the finals performances of Nuanyang and Zimo have been underwhelming. Based on my experience watching finals live, the indoor arena (closed with significant echo) has many fans cheering for AG, which might affect WB’s performance. 2. There is a one-week gap before the finals; even the hottest players from the losers’ bracket can cool off after a week off (if the finals were tomorrow, WB’s chances would be greater).

The key battleground is the jungle. Currently, WB focuses on mid-to-late game and tends to avoid early aggression. If AG allows WB to farm and operate freely, it will come down to mid-to-late team fights, where AG may not gain a big advantage. Therefore, AG needs to take the initiative, adopting the early-game tempo they showed against TTG to build leads on both sides; combined with the crowd’s cheering boost, they aim to overwhelm WB so that Nuanyang makes the first mistake.

The contest over the red buff is crucial. WB may play defensively, while AG, as the aggressor, cannot afford to be loose in positioning and must focus on a clear target. If WB’s defense is solid, they might counterattack and snowball the game.

Pei Qinhhu: Zhongyi’s Tiger has seemed afflicted by a strange compulsive aggressive playstyle since the spring finals, unlike a typical tempo jungler. This season’s win rate speaks for itself (Zhongyi’s Tiger 4 wins 6 losses, Nuanyang’s Tiger 10 wins 5 losses). It’s uncertain if he can forcibly adjust his Tiger playstyle in the coming days; if not, using Tiger in the finals could be very risky.

Renders must avoid repeating spring finals mistakes. Under normal conditions, Renders can suppress Zimo without issue (don’t assume Sikong Zhen is a great hero). If Renders fails to keep track of Zimo, Yinuo’s death count could rise significantly.

Based on normal levels, AG leads 6:4 over WB. However, the pick/ban phase and both teams’ current form will greatly affect this ratio. It seems unlikely to be a peak showdown; a 4-2 finish is more probable. What do you all think?

Recently, Zhen Ji’s strength in top-tier matches has returned to T0 status. It’s inevitable since Zhen Ji’s abilities are extremely powerful. Her first skill can freeze herself, allowing self-protection when enemies try to engage, combined with the cleanse effect from Scorching Domination. Although Zhen Ji lacks mobility, her survivability is quite strong, which is crucial for mages; stronger self-defense naturally makes her more formidable.

Zhen Ji’s second skill synergizes with the first skill’s ice pillar for small bursts, and she can cast while moving, offering excellent control over her output. Her ultimate deals area damage with control effects and is explosively powerful. In the late game, the more enemies around, the higher her damage, exceeding even Da Ji’s burst. Plus, with this season’s buffs to mage lifesteal items, Zhen Ji’s sustain is very strong.

Players who prefer mid-lane climbing should consider picking Zhen Ji first!