Team Vitality and Natus Vincere will renew their rivalries, this time at the BLAST Premier World Final 2022 in the Upper Bracket matchup in Group B on the 14th of December, 2022 as the last match on the opening day of this mega event.
By the Books (A Historical Introduction to the Fixture)
The two teams have met often in 2022, with Natus Vincere having the upper hand, winning 3 best-of-three series in straight maps in a row before Vitality got the better of them in ESL Pro League Season 16. However, their last meeting was a best-of-one on Mirage at the IEM Rio Major 2022 which ended 25-21 in Natus Vincere’s favour.
Expected Result
Vitality are yet to unlock the squad’s true potential with Spinx and still is a dangerous side to face on any given day. For Natus Vincere, it is more about getting their players up and firing again along with handling the usual rumors of a change making the rounds.
The veto is likely to feature legacy maps again, with Mirage, Inferno, and Overpass the likeliest selections. Expect another close encounter between the two teams, with Natus Vincere having the edge on the day.
MVP Candidate (Points)
When the match features two of the best players currently in the csgo scene, the points threshold is often broken. Both ZywOo and s1mple have an insane 3-month fantasy score average on FanClash. But, it is the Natus Vincere talisman that edges his adversary, with an average of 79 fantasy points.
MVP Candidate (Writer’s Opinion)
Again, a tough one to call. Between ZywOo and s1mple, there are two players who can take over any map and match and swing the result in their team’s favour. Besides the usual suspects, you have electronic from Natus Vincere, who is also a worthy candidate. But, it is s1mple who makes the cut for this match.
The Credit Optimiser
If you have to utilise the credits to an optimum level, s1mple and ZywOo have to be in the team. The two are then joined by another great pick in the form of electroNic. Magisk and Perfecto are the options to fill the rest of the squad in order to accommodate both s1mple and ZywOo in the same squad.
The Stacked Squad (Best Squad according to Fantasy points)
The experts have retained the 3:2 ratio of player selection between Natus Vincere and Vitality. However, according to fantasy score averaged over the last 3 months on FanClash, b1t makes the cut over electroNic while the rest of the squad remains the same when compared to the economically optimized team.
Writer’s Squad
The recommendation is to go with a Natus Vincere win. However, it is likely to go down the wire. Hence, there is no compulsion to go for 3 Natus Vincere players. But, I have gone with the same ratio as the experts just because of how reliant Vitality have been on ZywOo these past few months.
s1mple and ZywOo are easy picks and slot straight into the squad. electroNic has good numbers when it comes Damage dealt and his ADR makes him a lucrative option for the squad. He is joined by fellow Natus Vincere star Perfecto because he has a very low death rate and an admirable KAST% going into the match.
I could have had Magisk in my squad to complete it and take the experts’ suggestion of credit optimisation. However, I do feel like Spinx has the potential to outperform his teammates and Vitality just needs to tap into that potential that made them sign the former ENCE star.
As far as captains are concerned, s1mple is my choice for captain and ZywOo becomes the vice-captain to capitalise on the multipliers available. Perfecto is an ideal choice for the Helping Hand booster while you can go with s1mple or ZywOo for any one of the Frag Leader and the Damage Control boosters. I have gone with s1mple to be the Frag Leader for the match.
Our expert/author GodspeedxD will be streaming the match live on FanClash’s YouTube channel, discussing the match from a fantasy perspective as well as from an esports angle. Make sure you tune in and join the watch party.
Summary
s1mple and ZywOo are interchangeable when it comes to captain and vice-captain choices. But, it is tough to recommend picking anyone else for either of the multipliers. electroNic could have been an interesting option if the game was expected to be one-sided.
As far as boosters are concerned, if b1t is in your team, he is an able choice for the “Heads are all I see” booster due to his insane Headshot percentage. Other intriguing picks for boosters include the “I’ll watch you die” booster on Perfecto and any of the Frag Leader, Procession Starter and Damage Control boosters on s1mple and ZywOo.
When it comes to picking the team, apart from s1mple, ZywOo and electroNic, Magisk is a good choice while Perfecto and b1t can both be justified depending on what you want to go with.
You can make up to 20 different squads and/or combinations of the same squad to maximize your chances of winning the Fantasy Royale. Another way to optimize your chances of winning the Fantasy Royale is to use up as much of the 20 team slots available to each user.
Now that we have equipped you with the relevant information regarding the match between Vitality and Natus Vincere, it is time to put your thinking cap on and build the best team(s) for the Fantasy Royale event.
