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After seeing the TWDTD and TWDTJ reviews, I figured it was time that TWDTB got a review, rather than a report card. After all, it is the best division of the league, one that requires the most time (except for when TWLD has to be replayed), the most players (only 7.5*+ though), and the most strategy (until we get a ?go TWDTBug). For the record, here were some alternative titles:
TWDTB Draft Review by a Round 11 Pick
A Hallmark of Objectively Analyzing the TWDTB Draft
A TWDTB Draft Analysis with over 160 Words
So here it is, WillBy's TWDTB Preview. None of these are full lines, and star caps haven't been fully considered. I just wanted to build some hype and boost peoples egos.
Malevolent
Team Turban has picked a well rounded team featuring high and medium stars, ancient vets and up-and-comers, people who have won things and people who hope to win things.
Terrier: Maketso
(alt: turban, Banks)
Malevolent will enjoy flexible terrier options this season, a staple of successful DTB teams. Maketso and Banks are both good value 2-2.5 shippers, and only 8.5* apiece. 8.5 is the golden number for a terrier- the average rating required to max your team at 68, good enough to not let your team down, but cheap enough to reserve those points for spiders. Turban can sub himself in if need be, but I would leave him in spider or shark
Shark: Dwopple, Omega Red
(alt: turban, bonghits)
Not as much depth here as I'd like, though sharks were hard to fit this draft. Dwopple and Omega Red are great picks- Dwopple brings the big name talent and Omega Red is (and I mean this in the nicest way possible) very carryable. I think Dwopple is under-starred (how long before that rust is fully shaken off) and Omega Red might be a bit over starred, but it averages out fine. They are a little bit above the 8.5* line, which might cost them in spider depth. Both sharks are level headed and good team players, they will practice through the week and show up strong on Sundays. As mentioned before, I'm a little wary of the depth. Turban can't play himself in all three ships (not even counting that he's expensive) and Bonghits is a bit too weak for this league.
Spider: Banks, Rucci, Autopilot, turban/Ro, player killer/retroaction
(alt: Ekko, Raazi, Mess, finite)
Turban has some good value picks here, and this line can go far. However, he must face a decision to play himself or Ro, or try to max out on low star players to get both. The mid-tier core of Banks, Rucci, and Autopilot is a phenomenal trio (especially Autopilot at 8*). There's not much of a choice past that though- Malevolent will have to play a high star and a low star.
Power
Perennial DTB contender Power, led by legendary captain Zidane looks to extend their legacy and win some easy money. Zidane has drafted smart, finding the under-valued players and looks to field a strong lineup.
Terrier: Aprix
(alt: Major Crisis)
I personally love Aprix in terrier- he plays fast, pushes hard, and positions well. He scores lower on what I call the Mikkiz factor- the ability to somehow make it through a 25 minute game with 2 deaths. However, in the hands of capable sharks his Mikkiz factor goes up, and you can expect to see team Power fighting up close and personal. At only 8*, Aprix is a very good value terrier who looks ready for a mad dash at playoffs. If he can keep his cool (and his teammates do too) then I expect a good outing from Aprix. MC in reserve is an okay option, though I would save that for if Aprix can't show.
Shark: Zidane, beam
(alt: Mean Gene, Major Crisis)
Team Power is sharked by two of last TWDTB finalist sharks. Zidane/beam come in at a collective 17.5*, slightly above the average, though the understarred terrier balances this somewhat. Zidane is one of the best sharks in the zone, and he's found himself a partner he afford to play. Both sharks have good game sense. Obviously beam is the liability here, but I've found that he is quite capable and at 7.5*, he is a good value shark. I don't particularly like the depth here in shark- both players mentioned are multi-shippers and I expect they will be playing and practicing spider most. Both MG and MC are capable in shark, but considering the starters commitment to the game/league, I don't expect to see much sharking from these two. As subs, they are overpriced for shark, and would force considerable lineup changes elsewhere.
Spider: TPZ, Cripple, Bombed, MVP, Kassius/Iron Survivor
(alt: Roiwerk, Major Crisis, Mean Gene)
As mentioned before, Zidane has drafted a lot of under valued players. the likes of MVP and Kassius/Iron Survivor will enable him to field Cripple and Bombed as well. TPZ is horribly underrated at 8.5*, meaning he fits into this line as well. Their low stars will be the weaker points, but I think they have drafted the better end of the 7.5s and there's no other way you can afford to field 29*s in just 3 players. I think that the weakness of this line will be how reserved they can be. I picture Aprix flying up cram, a couple spiders attaching into the fire while others weren't aware it was time to break yet. For the record, I'm not talking about cripple CaMpInG. I just don't see anyone (besides maybe Rab) sprackling his way onto the other side, doaing sharks, and forcing plays. This is your opportunity to prove me wrong, spiders.
Slay
Pressure has drafted himself a lot of weapons, but the quality of mid-stars has me concerned. Like Zidane, I think he has drafted above-average 7.5*s, but a top-heavy lineup could be prone to falling apart.
Terrier: Pressure
(alt: Spartan, Murder?)
While the lack of depth at terr may seem concerning, it is apparent to me that Pressure intends to show every weekend, so maybe it's not such a risk. Coming hot off a TWLB championship, Pressure is a consensus top 3 terrier and without a doubt will be the strongest aspect of his team. The only concerning part for me is that a 10* in terrier is very expensive, and he won't be able to field as good tools around himself as a result. Spartan is not a good alternative unless Pressure can't show, and idk who a low star alt is. I've seen murder terr in pub before, and I thought he did good, so there you go, welcome to the depth chart.
Shark: Zapata, Cranium
(alt: WillBy, Steadman, olde)
This is the most alarming aspect of Pressure's team. While I think Zapata is a great value at 7.5*, I don't think it is safe to pair him with another low star shark. But Team Slay has to make up the extra stars from terrier at some point- with cranium or WillBy they are looking at 17/16.5*s, which is more affordable than some of the other teams. However, 27/26.5* is above average to spend on 3 players, especially in your special-ships. If instead they chose to field a low star combo of Zapata and Steadman with 15.5*, they will have more wiggle room in spider. Time will tell if Zapata and whoever he gets partnered with see success or get pushed around. Luckily, there is a good amount of depth here. With a weak of preseason ahead of us, Pressure has a good opportunity to flesh out his line.
Spider: skatarius, Lockdown, Murder, Dazz, Aggi
(alt: Trasher, Spartan, Spawnisen, Raiji)
Pressure has great depth at the high star positions, and if there were no star cap, this line would be champions. Team Slay is banking on getting good value from its 7.5*s- the returning vet murder, the egers Dazz and Aggi, and the up-and-coming Raiji. This spider line looks very different depending on which sharks are played- if they choose the low stars in shark, they get 1-2*s back, and they could field Spartan in for one of the 7.5s- quickly making this the best spider line (so far). All of the depth leaves Slay with options, which could be crucial to meet the specific challenges posed by and facing their opponents.
Mastirs
Team sukdik has their work cut out of them. Violence missed the respect he deserved, and the #1 player in every ship got himself rated an 8. One of two non-10* basers captaining, Violence is in a unique position where he can easily afford to start himself, if he so chooses. I expect this team to play with a lot of heart, if nothing else.
Terrier: Creature, frozen throne
(alt: Kings)
Mastirs looks weak at the terrier position. Frozen Throne has been putting in the hours in TWBD, and may be ready to anchor his team in DTB. Creature was listed as the primary terrier on Ogron's Team chart, but I'm not sure that's the move. I guess this is his opportunity to surprise me. Regardless, I'm not super excited about either of these options. Kings serves as a low star alternative, but I dont think that will prove necessary, as neither of the others are high starred. Still, it might be worth it to field a very strong spider line.
Shark: Commodo, Violence
(alt: vys?)
Mastirs has two very good options at shark, and not much after that. Commodo is clearly one of the most capable sharks in the zone, and really fits well next to lower-than-average valued violence. 18*s is high for shark, but they've started making it up at terrier. Any of their terrier options leaves them close to 25.5* (the average for 3 players). If Commodo throws on his Jansport, he should find violence less heavy than expected, leaving plenty of room for terriers, and plenty of star cap left for spiders. The lack of depth is concerning, in case someone has to miss a week.
Spider: Sarger, Mouse, Kado, Kira, Dak
(alt: frozen throne, Let, Jackie>, Hacky Sack)
The extra stars left for spider enable Mastirs to field 3 TWLB spiders and a couple of low stars. The more I look at it, the more this draft seems to have lacked 8*s in base. Violence didn't seem to get any, as vys is a big question mark for attendance and maybe Creature is good at spider. I would like this line better if he had a couple more mid-level spiders, rather than be top heavy, but maybe the trio of Sarger, Mouse, and Kado can dominate the flag room. This isn't the only line facing a shortage of mid-level spids. Their alts are all generally low cost players, nothing too remarkable imo. Across the board, I think it would be beneficial if Violence hit the exchange and balanced his team a bit. It will be tough to offload those high stars though.
Terrorist
A TWDT without Terrorist wouldn't be a TWDT at all. Dreamwin looks to do it again, with an impressive draft of mid-valued players and plenty of flexible multi-shippers.
Terrier: Vehicle
(alt: Chief Utsav, dreamwin, fermata)
Dreamwin has lots of options here, but I'm not sure he has any great ones. If Chief shows up, the team will be set, but I remain skeptical of any this type of return. Vehicle can work with a good team in front of him, and definitely works as a bargain pick. Beyond that, they are missing value in other ships if they remove fermata, dreamwin from shark and spider, respectively.
Shark: fermata, Markmrw
(alt: Poid,Jamal)
Porkmrw is an expensive combo, but one of the best in the draft. But with the cheapest option in terrier Vehicle, they are still spending 26.5* in special-ships. If this is the pair terrorist plans to run, they will be set up well in shark. Poid presents an interesting alternative- only 7.5*s, he could slide in dropping their total from 26.5 to 24.5, leaving lots of room for high level spiders.
Spider: Dreamwin/Jamal, midoent, Rasaq, tripin, Biet
(alt: jr5, yeh, paralyze)
Terrorist had the best mid-tier draft class, with midoent, tripin, rasaq, jr5, and paralyze coming in at 8.5 or under. Throw in Ardour and BIET, who both possess the skills to be suitable basers, and you have some real potential on the low-side. The only problem I have with this line is the lack of high tier basing experience. Dreamwin and Jamal both have it, but they can't both be played at the same time with my assumed terrier/shark lineup. Midoent is a star (or at least his lag is), but after that they drop off in experience. If they can come together through the season, they may have a shot come playoffs. If any captain is going to pull them together, it will be dreamwin.
Patouf
Stayon has picked a conservative lineup featuring many long-time basers right at or slightly above the target 8.5*s. I like a lot of his line, but there are some worrisome elements. With the star cap looming overhead, it will be interesting to see who sits, if Stayon intends to start all 5 (!) of his 8.5*s, and how the special-ships line up for this team.
Terrier: RageRitual
(alt: Stayon, Oder)
Rage is a solid choice for terrier- he has the right rating, plenty of DTB experience, and is well balanced in the red ship. With the right team in front of him, he is a champion. One interesting dynamic I'm looking forward to watching is the depth here. Team Patouf has some depth at terr/shark, but its all the same players. If Oder is lagging, or Joeses is missing, Rage will suddenly have to fill in at shark, leaving only Stayon to terrier. There's a lot of playable options here, but there's a general lack of specific skill players to either start or ride the bench.
Shark: Joeses, Oder
(alt: RageRitual, Celly?)
Patouf has the same things going for it here as it did in terrier. Joe and Oder are both very capable sharks, and at a collective 17.5 they are fairly balanced. I get nervous with those two- like myself, they thrive when on capable teams, but can be liabilities in high pressure situations. And with almost the entire shark depth chart (more than I have listed) starting in another ship, there is a big risk when one of them can't play. Rage is a suitable substitute, but that means they're out a terrier, and Celly still sharks (I seem to recall him sharking years ago) then he will need to get into form quick. He could be a good value choice at 6.5*, but there's no reason to start someone that low unless they can massively outperform their rating.
Spider: Best, Lionheart, Henry Saari, Flew, Kess
(alt: Stayon, Spectacular, Kim, Kov, Props)
Patouf has a great selection of mid level spiders, and a couple of the more capable low stars enable them to their best instead. I've found Flew to be capable in spider, and at 7* a great value. If they can find a way to use any of their other 7*s, they could open up the door to have both Stayon and Kess play, which takes this lineup to the next level. I've tried mixing around the line in my head to create the space, but I think the best choice would be to pursue move low stars, in shark or spider, to get Stayon in the game. The Free Agency draft might be too late for this, though there are already some players there worth considering. However they play it, Patouf wont be hurting much in spider, and they have the talent to make switches should that be necessary.
Spelunky
Team Ease will have to fit 5 players in their remaining 38*- averaging just under 8- if they want to play their three 10*s. And why wouldn't you? Ease's team features some of the top draft talent in the zone, himself included. His first two picks have been core parts of so many championship teams, it can barely be captured in a forum signature. And our resident 30* managed to dodge being the first pick of the draft by captaining himself. But does the rest of the team match up?
Terrier: Ogron
(alt: Diakka)
As with team Slay, there's not much to say about the terrier. Ogron will be the first to tell you how hard it can be to win with a 10* terrier, but he consistently achieves this. Diakka can prove a suitable backup, and while 9* doesn't free up much cap space, it might let Spelunky play a stronger spider line if Ogron misses a week.
Shark: Hulk, Azuline
(alt: Tiny)
Hulk has carried me to a DTB and a LB championship, so I'm sure he can get Azuline there too. Azuline has been leveling up recently with countless BDs played. He seems ready to make his DTB debut. While I personally don't believe he's quite at the level yet, the same was said for me not long ago. Dont listen to the haters. As for star cap, it's a bit much to pay for sharks- 18* is one of the highest in the league. Spelunky might regret the relative strength at terrier and shark if their spiders can't keep up. Tiny could serve as an okay alternative, and at only 7*, he could be a good budget pick. Perhaps Ease can get him to practice...
Spider: Ease, Ra, Scurvy, Unlimited, Glyde
(alt: diakka, Raples, terminator, raminator)
This was the best I could come up with to fit Ease in. I didn't. And it turned out pretty well- Ease and Ra are solid of course. Scurvy is on the high end of the 7.5-8 range. Unlimited has been getting playtime for several seasons now. Glyde is okay, but definitely the 5th spider, competent enough to not be a total liability and low-valued enough that you can fit a solid team in. There are other ways to get around it, like benching scurvy and glyde for the double-inator combo. A lot of teams are facing this same problem in spider: all-star talent, and some other people to fill in. Who ever has the best 6-7.5*s will go far.
Blast
RaCka faces two unique challenges this season: first, how does a warbird fare against 9 other captains who are far more experienced in base, and second, how does a man come to terms with his dog being rated a higher baser than he is? Much like team Violence, RaCka will have plenty of star cap space, whether he benches himself or not.
Terrier: Mikkiz
(alt: Skyforger)
Mikkiz has a remarkably high Mikkiz factor, almost a 5/7. As such, I expect he will perform well in this league. Only time will tell if this budding young danish Eurovision contestant can keep his nerves on lock long enough for his solo. (We have Eurovision on Netflix US now, so I can make Eurovision jokes. No, I have not watched it). Skyforger could be a suitable replacement, though his Mikkiz factor is lower, and therefore he is not as good. 8*s is easier to fit than 10, but I think Mikkiz is worth over 1.25 skyforgers (in terrier). Follow your gut, start your first round pick.
Shark: a2m, 24
(alt: rodney)
Blast seems weaker at shark- a2m and rodney are both super capable, but I haven't seen rodney online in months, so 24 gets the nod as the starter. 24 can perform well in shark, and will be even better if he practices consistently. This will also save 1 star for the spiders, which will be necessary as team Blast eyes a nearing star cap. I don't see many other options in ship 8- a little concerning if one of them can't make it. This line will depend largely on rodney showing, which I have doubts about.
Spider: Renzi, Jack, skyforger, Dutch Baser, RaCka
(alt: Geio, death row, lifter, whinegum)
RaCka's team looks particularly weak in spider. this lineup was barely affected by the star cap- all of the high star picks were in terrier or shark, and there weren't many multi-shippers. Still, there are some bright spots. Renzi is great, Jack is solid, skyforger can play well. Dutch Baser looks good at 7.5*, and left with 7* remaining, RaCka might as well take the mantle himself (note, I've never seen him base before). Blast has a few more options at the low star slots, but not much at high star. It would be devastating if renzi couldn't show up.
Demonic
New to capping, we all get a unique insight to Saiyan's tortured mind by looking at this draft class. Like highschool, reading viops forum posts, or trying to explain why someone got drafted last, team Demonic will be an experiment in patience and personalities. That being said, this team has a lot of talented players and if they all try hard and play nice, they will be a force to be reckoned with.
Terrier: Heaven, Tim
(alt: Heaven)
I believe I recall Tim saying he'd miss a few weeks, which is why I have the list above sort of confusing. Heaven can be a solid terrier when he tries, which he usually does for leagues. He will get his opportunity to prove his worth compared to tim in the first few weeks. Tim has proved valuable at terrier, though at 9* might be a bit expensive. Heaven at 8.5* is slightly cheaper, which enables some more opportunities at spider.
Shark: Morph, Paradise
(alt: poseidon, hellkite)
Morph and Paradise are decent shark, and a good value at 8.5* each. This is not the strongest line, though they both have the individual talent and experience to play at this level. However, I'm not sure either will thrive here- good luck bombing cram against the shark lines stated so far. I feel like both will end up too passive. With a strong spider line, they might still see success. With poseidon and hellkite able to flex into shark, they have an appropriate amount of depth, at the cost of some star cap.
Spider: Saiyan, hellkite, Poseidon, zeebu, bike
(alt: Bacon, bellflowers, OGSmurf, QAWS)
This is a mean lineup: you get 2 great spiders in Saiyan and hellkite; an aggressive coffin-shooter in Poseidon; and zeebu and bike ready to prove themselves capable and a worthy part of this team. The final two could prove troublesome for Demonic if they can't find a way to fit in under/over flag. Still, Saiyan drafted smart and found himself reliable high star and low star backups in Bacon, Bellflowers, OGSmurf, and QAWS. There's been quite a bit of discussion on QAWS's abilities, and I for one look forward to see him/her do some damage.
Haze
Haze returns from their TWDTB championship a year ago with a mostly fresh looking team, but a few familiar faces. Rough's team surprisingly has no 10* players- we will see if this is a viable strategy or not. It definitely opens more options up in the 9* range, and depending on the opponent, a balanced line could overwhelm the weaker players on other teams.
Terrier: bram
(alt: wbm)
Congrats bram, you're a terrier again. Bram is a solid pick for terrier at 8.5*- the runner up to last TWDTB comes in at average value for players but below average for terriers. WBM could be a suitable replacement, but I would stick with bram whenever possible.
Shark: Sprackle, Riverside
(alt: Poni, milpitas)
Rough's first two picks cause some controversy on the draft chat, we will see if it was worth it. I'm not super impressed- Sprackle can play well when he's not trolling with shrap, but I'm not sure "well" equates to good enough. Riverside used to be very good in shark, but he's seemed super washed up lately. Maybe this TWDT can turn things around. My fear is that if team Haze sees any true pressure this season, they will crack like the fat freshman during a lineup. Poni is a capable backup, but I haven't seen him play much recently.
Spider: Rough, Jurassic, wbm, tj hazuki, assembly
(alt: Vagabond, Public Assassin, blt_12, Poni)
Haze has interesting options in spider, with their big 3 only costing 9* each, it is easy to play all three of them without sacrificing too much. TJ is a bit expensive for this line- if you switch him with PA, you could switch assembly with blt_12 or Poni. Still, I think their spider line looks extremely consistent across the board. No 10*s shouldn't prove much of a hindrance with a core of strong mid-valued players.
That wraps up my Draft Preview. Everyone has an opinion, this is mine. Feel free to share below- tell me why I'm wrong, why I'm a no talent bozo who is going to ride the bench all season. Thanks for reading!
TWDTB Draft Review by a Round 11 Pick
A Hallmark of Objectively Analyzing the TWDTB Draft
A TWDTB Draft Analysis with over 160 Words
So here it is, WillBy's TWDTB Preview. None of these are full lines, and star caps haven't been fully considered. I just wanted to build some hype and boost peoples egos.
Malevolent
Team Turban has picked a well rounded team featuring high and medium stars, ancient vets and up-and-comers, people who have won things and people who hope to win things.
Terrier: Maketso
(alt: turban, Banks)
Malevolent will enjoy flexible terrier options this season, a staple of successful DTB teams. Maketso and Banks are both good value 2-2.5 shippers, and only 8.5* apiece. 8.5 is the golden number for a terrier- the average rating required to max your team at 68, good enough to not let your team down, but cheap enough to reserve those points for spiders. Turban can sub himself in if need be, but I would leave him in spider or shark
Shark: Dwopple, Omega Red
(alt: turban, bonghits)
Not as much depth here as I'd like, though sharks were hard to fit this draft. Dwopple and Omega Red are great picks- Dwopple brings the big name talent and Omega Red is (and I mean this in the nicest way possible) very carryable. I think Dwopple is under-starred (how long before that rust is fully shaken off) and Omega Red might be a bit over starred, but it averages out fine. They are a little bit above the 8.5* line, which might cost them in spider depth. Both sharks are level headed and good team players, they will practice through the week and show up strong on Sundays. As mentioned before, I'm a little wary of the depth. Turban can't play himself in all three ships (not even counting that he's expensive) and Bonghits is a bit too weak for this league.
Spider: Banks, Rucci, Autopilot, turban/Ro, player killer/retroaction
(alt: Ekko, Raazi, Mess, finite)
Turban has some good value picks here, and this line can go far. However, he must face a decision to play himself or Ro, or try to max out on low star players to get both. The mid-tier core of Banks, Rucci, and Autopilot is a phenomenal trio (especially Autopilot at 8*). There's not much of a choice past that though- Malevolent will have to play a high star and a low star.
Power
Perennial DTB contender Power, led by legendary captain Zidane looks to extend their legacy and win some easy money. Zidane has drafted smart, finding the under-valued players and looks to field a strong lineup.
Terrier: Aprix
(alt: Major Crisis)
I personally love Aprix in terrier- he plays fast, pushes hard, and positions well. He scores lower on what I call the Mikkiz factor- the ability to somehow make it through a 25 minute game with 2 deaths. However, in the hands of capable sharks his Mikkiz factor goes up, and you can expect to see team Power fighting up close and personal. At only 8*, Aprix is a very good value terrier who looks ready for a mad dash at playoffs. If he can keep his cool (and his teammates do too) then I expect a good outing from Aprix. MC in reserve is an okay option, though I would save that for if Aprix can't show.
Shark: Zidane, beam
(alt: Mean Gene, Major Crisis)
Team Power is sharked by two of last TWDTB finalist sharks. Zidane/beam come in at a collective 17.5*, slightly above the average, though the understarred terrier balances this somewhat. Zidane is one of the best sharks in the zone, and he's found himself a partner he afford to play. Both sharks have good game sense. Obviously beam is the liability here, but I've found that he is quite capable and at 7.5*, he is a good value shark. I don't particularly like the depth here in shark- both players mentioned are multi-shippers and I expect they will be playing and practicing spider most. Both MG and MC are capable in shark, but considering the starters commitment to the game/league, I don't expect to see much sharking from these two. As subs, they are overpriced for shark, and would force considerable lineup changes elsewhere.
Spider: TPZ, Cripple, Bombed, MVP, Kassius/Iron Survivor
(alt: Roiwerk, Major Crisis, Mean Gene)
As mentioned before, Zidane has drafted a lot of under valued players. the likes of MVP and Kassius/Iron Survivor will enable him to field Cripple and Bombed as well. TPZ is horribly underrated at 8.5*, meaning he fits into this line as well. Their low stars will be the weaker points, but I think they have drafted the better end of the 7.5s and there's no other way you can afford to field 29*s in just 3 players. I think that the weakness of this line will be how reserved they can be. I picture Aprix flying up cram, a couple spiders attaching into the fire while others weren't aware it was time to break yet. For the record, I'm not talking about cripple CaMpInG. I just don't see anyone (besides maybe Rab) sprackling his way onto the other side, doaing sharks, and forcing plays. This is your opportunity to prove me wrong, spiders.
Slay
Pressure has drafted himself a lot of weapons, but the quality of mid-stars has me concerned. Like Zidane, I think he has drafted above-average 7.5*s, but a top-heavy lineup could be prone to falling apart.
Terrier: Pressure
(alt: Spartan, Murder?)
While the lack of depth at terr may seem concerning, it is apparent to me that Pressure intends to show every weekend, so maybe it's not such a risk. Coming hot off a TWLB championship, Pressure is a consensus top 3 terrier and without a doubt will be the strongest aspect of his team. The only concerning part for me is that a 10* in terrier is very expensive, and he won't be able to field as good tools around himself as a result. Spartan is not a good alternative unless Pressure can't show, and idk who a low star alt is. I've seen murder terr in pub before, and I thought he did good, so there you go, welcome to the depth chart.
Shark: Zapata, Cranium
(alt: WillBy, Steadman, olde)
This is the most alarming aspect of Pressure's team. While I think Zapata is a great value at 7.5*, I don't think it is safe to pair him with another low star shark. But Team Slay has to make up the extra stars from terrier at some point- with cranium or WillBy they are looking at 17/16.5*s, which is more affordable than some of the other teams. However, 27/26.5* is above average to spend on 3 players, especially in your special-ships. If instead they chose to field a low star combo of Zapata and Steadman with 15.5*, they will have more wiggle room in spider. Time will tell if Zapata and whoever he gets partnered with see success or get pushed around. Luckily, there is a good amount of depth here. With a weak of preseason ahead of us, Pressure has a good opportunity to flesh out his line.
Spider: skatarius, Lockdown, Murder, Dazz, Aggi
(alt: Trasher, Spartan, Spawnisen, Raiji)
Pressure has great depth at the high star positions, and if there were no star cap, this line would be champions. Team Slay is banking on getting good value from its 7.5*s- the returning vet murder, the egers Dazz and Aggi, and the up-and-coming Raiji. This spider line looks very different depending on which sharks are played- if they choose the low stars in shark, they get 1-2*s back, and they could field Spartan in for one of the 7.5s- quickly making this the best spider line (so far). All of the depth leaves Slay with options, which could be crucial to meet the specific challenges posed by and facing their opponents.
Mastirs
Team sukdik has their work cut out of them. Violence missed the respect he deserved, and the #1 player in every ship got himself rated an 8. One of two non-10* basers captaining, Violence is in a unique position where he can easily afford to start himself, if he so chooses. I expect this team to play with a lot of heart, if nothing else.
Terrier: Creature, frozen throne
(alt: Kings)
Mastirs looks weak at the terrier position. Frozen Throne has been putting in the hours in TWBD, and may be ready to anchor his team in DTB. Creature was listed as the primary terrier on Ogron's Team chart, but I'm not sure that's the move. I guess this is his opportunity to surprise me. Regardless, I'm not super excited about either of these options. Kings serves as a low star alternative, but I dont think that will prove necessary, as neither of the others are high starred. Still, it might be worth it to field a very strong spider line.
Shark: Commodo, Violence
(alt: vys?)
Mastirs has two very good options at shark, and not much after that. Commodo is clearly one of the most capable sharks in the zone, and really fits well next to lower-than-average valued violence. 18*s is high for shark, but they've started making it up at terrier. Any of their terrier options leaves them close to 25.5* (the average for 3 players). If Commodo throws on his Jansport, he should find violence less heavy than expected, leaving plenty of room for terriers, and plenty of star cap left for spiders. The lack of depth is concerning, in case someone has to miss a week.
Spider: Sarger, Mouse, Kado, Kira, Dak
(alt: frozen throne, Let, Jackie>, Hacky Sack)
The extra stars left for spider enable Mastirs to field 3 TWLB spiders and a couple of low stars. The more I look at it, the more this draft seems to have lacked 8*s in base. Violence didn't seem to get any, as vys is a big question mark for attendance and maybe Creature is good at spider. I would like this line better if he had a couple more mid-level spiders, rather than be top heavy, but maybe the trio of Sarger, Mouse, and Kado can dominate the flag room. This isn't the only line facing a shortage of mid-level spids. Their alts are all generally low cost players, nothing too remarkable imo. Across the board, I think it would be beneficial if Violence hit the exchange and balanced his team a bit. It will be tough to offload those high stars though.
Terrorist
A TWDT without Terrorist wouldn't be a TWDT at all. Dreamwin looks to do it again, with an impressive draft of mid-valued players and plenty of flexible multi-shippers.
Terrier: Vehicle
(alt: Chief Utsav, dreamwin, fermata)
Dreamwin has lots of options here, but I'm not sure he has any great ones. If Chief shows up, the team will be set, but I remain skeptical of any this type of return. Vehicle can work with a good team in front of him, and definitely works as a bargain pick. Beyond that, they are missing value in other ships if they remove fermata, dreamwin from shark and spider, respectively.
Shark: fermata, Markmrw
(alt: Poid,Jamal)
Porkmrw is an expensive combo, but one of the best in the draft. But with the cheapest option in terrier Vehicle, they are still spending 26.5* in special-ships. If this is the pair terrorist plans to run, they will be set up well in shark. Poid presents an interesting alternative- only 7.5*s, he could slide in dropping their total from 26.5 to 24.5, leaving lots of room for high level spiders.
Spider: Dreamwin/Jamal, midoent, Rasaq, tripin, Biet
(alt: jr5, yeh, paralyze)
Terrorist had the best mid-tier draft class, with midoent, tripin, rasaq, jr5, and paralyze coming in at 8.5 or under. Throw in Ardour and BIET, who both possess the skills to be suitable basers, and you have some real potential on the low-side. The only problem I have with this line is the lack of high tier basing experience. Dreamwin and Jamal both have it, but they can't both be played at the same time with my assumed terrier/shark lineup. Midoent is a star (or at least his lag is), but after that they drop off in experience. If they can come together through the season, they may have a shot come playoffs. If any captain is going to pull them together, it will be dreamwin.
Patouf
Stayon has picked a conservative lineup featuring many long-time basers right at or slightly above the target 8.5*s. I like a lot of his line, but there are some worrisome elements. With the star cap looming overhead, it will be interesting to see who sits, if Stayon intends to start all 5 (!) of his 8.5*s, and how the special-ships line up for this team.
Terrier: RageRitual
(alt: Stayon, Oder)
Rage is a solid choice for terrier- he has the right rating, plenty of DTB experience, and is well balanced in the red ship. With the right team in front of him, he is a champion. One interesting dynamic I'm looking forward to watching is the depth here. Team Patouf has some depth at terr/shark, but its all the same players. If Oder is lagging, or Joeses is missing, Rage will suddenly have to fill in at shark, leaving only Stayon to terrier. There's a lot of playable options here, but there's a general lack of specific skill players to either start or ride the bench.
Shark: Joeses, Oder
(alt: RageRitual, Celly?)
Patouf has the same things going for it here as it did in terrier. Joe and Oder are both very capable sharks, and at a collective 17.5 they are fairly balanced. I get nervous with those two- like myself, they thrive when on capable teams, but can be liabilities in high pressure situations. And with almost the entire shark depth chart (more than I have listed) starting in another ship, there is a big risk when one of them can't play. Rage is a suitable substitute, but that means they're out a terrier, and Celly still sharks (I seem to recall him sharking years ago) then he will need to get into form quick. He could be a good value choice at 6.5*, but there's no reason to start someone that low unless they can massively outperform their rating.
Spider: Best, Lionheart, Henry Saari, Flew, Kess
(alt: Stayon, Spectacular, Kim, Kov, Props)
Patouf has a great selection of mid level spiders, and a couple of the more capable low stars enable them to their best instead. I've found Flew to be capable in spider, and at 7* a great value. If they can find a way to use any of their other 7*s, they could open up the door to have both Stayon and Kess play, which takes this lineup to the next level. I've tried mixing around the line in my head to create the space, but I think the best choice would be to pursue move low stars, in shark or spider, to get Stayon in the game. The Free Agency draft might be too late for this, though there are already some players there worth considering. However they play it, Patouf wont be hurting much in spider, and they have the talent to make switches should that be necessary.
Spelunky
Team Ease will have to fit 5 players in their remaining 38*- averaging just under 8- if they want to play their three 10*s. And why wouldn't you? Ease's team features some of the top draft talent in the zone, himself included. His first two picks have been core parts of so many championship teams, it can barely be captured in a forum signature. And our resident 30* managed to dodge being the first pick of the draft by captaining himself. But does the rest of the team match up?
Terrier: Ogron
(alt: Diakka)
As with team Slay, there's not much to say about the terrier. Ogron will be the first to tell you how hard it can be to win with a 10* terrier, but he consistently achieves this. Diakka can prove a suitable backup, and while 9* doesn't free up much cap space, it might let Spelunky play a stronger spider line if Ogron misses a week.
Shark: Hulk, Azuline
(alt: Tiny)
Hulk has carried me to a DTB and a LB championship, so I'm sure he can get Azuline there too. Azuline has been leveling up recently with countless BDs played. He seems ready to make his DTB debut. While I personally don't believe he's quite at the level yet, the same was said for me not long ago. Dont listen to the haters. As for star cap, it's a bit much to pay for sharks- 18* is one of the highest in the league. Spelunky might regret the relative strength at terrier and shark if their spiders can't keep up. Tiny could serve as an okay alternative, and at only 7*, he could be a good budget pick. Perhaps Ease can get him to practice...
Spider: Ease, Ra, Scurvy, Unlimited, Glyde
(alt: diakka, Raples, terminator, raminator)
This was the best I could come up with to fit Ease in. I didn't. And it turned out pretty well- Ease and Ra are solid of course. Scurvy is on the high end of the 7.5-8 range. Unlimited has been getting playtime for several seasons now. Glyde is okay, but definitely the 5th spider, competent enough to not be a total liability and low-valued enough that you can fit a solid team in. There are other ways to get around it, like benching scurvy and glyde for the double-inator combo. A lot of teams are facing this same problem in spider: all-star talent, and some other people to fill in. Who ever has the best 6-7.5*s will go far.
Blast
RaCka faces two unique challenges this season: first, how does a warbird fare against 9 other captains who are far more experienced in base, and second, how does a man come to terms with his dog being rated a higher baser than he is? Much like team Violence, RaCka will have plenty of star cap space, whether he benches himself or not.
Terrier: Mikkiz
(alt: Skyforger)
Mikkiz has a remarkably high Mikkiz factor, almost a 5/7. As such, I expect he will perform well in this league. Only time will tell if this budding young danish Eurovision contestant can keep his nerves on lock long enough for his solo. (We have Eurovision on Netflix US now, so I can make Eurovision jokes. No, I have not watched it). Skyforger could be a suitable replacement, though his Mikkiz factor is lower, and therefore he is not as good. 8*s is easier to fit than 10, but I think Mikkiz is worth over 1.25 skyforgers (in terrier). Follow your gut, start your first round pick.
Shark: a2m, 24
(alt: rodney)
Blast seems weaker at shark- a2m and rodney are both super capable, but I haven't seen rodney online in months, so 24 gets the nod as the starter. 24 can perform well in shark, and will be even better if he practices consistently. This will also save 1 star for the spiders, which will be necessary as team Blast eyes a nearing star cap. I don't see many other options in ship 8- a little concerning if one of them can't make it. This line will depend largely on rodney showing, which I have doubts about.
Spider: Renzi, Jack, skyforger, Dutch Baser, RaCka
(alt: Geio, death row, lifter, whinegum)
RaCka's team looks particularly weak in spider. this lineup was barely affected by the star cap- all of the high star picks were in terrier or shark, and there weren't many multi-shippers. Still, there are some bright spots. Renzi is great, Jack is solid, skyforger can play well. Dutch Baser looks good at 7.5*, and left with 7* remaining, RaCka might as well take the mantle himself (note, I've never seen him base before). Blast has a few more options at the low star slots, but not much at high star. It would be devastating if renzi couldn't show up.
Demonic
New to capping, we all get a unique insight to Saiyan's tortured mind by looking at this draft class. Like highschool, reading viops forum posts, or trying to explain why someone got drafted last, team Demonic will be an experiment in patience and personalities. That being said, this team has a lot of talented players and if they all try hard and play nice, they will be a force to be reckoned with.
Terrier: Heaven, Tim
(alt: Heaven)
I believe I recall Tim saying he'd miss a few weeks, which is why I have the list above sort of confusing. Heaven can be a solid terrier when he tries, which he usually does for leagues. He will get his opportunity to prove his worth compared to tim in the first few weeks. Tim has proved valuable at terrier, though at 9* might be a bit expensive. Heaven at 8.5* is slightly cheaper, which enables some more opportunities at spider.
Shark: Morph, Paradise
(alt: poseidon, hellkite)
Morph and Paradise are decent shark, and a good value at 8.5* each. This is not the strongest line, though they both have the individual talent and experience to play at this level. However, I'm not sure either will thrive here- good luck bombing cram against the shark lines stated so far. I feel like both will end up too passive. With a strong spider line, they might still see success. With poseidon and hellkite able to flex into shark, they have an appropriate amount of depth, at the cost of some star cap.
Spider: Saiyan, hellkite, Poseidon, zeebu, bike
(alt: Bacon, bellflowers, OGSmurf, QAWS)
This is a mean lineup: you get 2 great spiders in Saiyan and hellkite; an aggressive coffin-shooter in Poseidon; and zeebu and bike ready to prove themselves capable and a worthy part of this team. The final two could prove troublesome for Demonic if they can't find a way to fit in under/over flag. Still, Saiyan drafted smart and found himself reliable high star and low star backups in Bacon, Bellflowers, OGSmurf, and QAWS. There's been quite a bit of discussion on QAWS's abilities, and I for one look forward to see him/her do some damage.
Haze
Haze returns from their TWDTB championship a year ago with a mostly fresh looking team, but a few familiar faces. Rough's team surprisingly has no 10* players- we will see if this is a viable strategy or not. It definitely opens more options up in the 9* range, and depending on the opponent, a balanced line could overwhelm the weaker players on other teams.
Terrier: bram
(alt: wbm)
Congrats bram, you're a terrier again. Bram is a solid pick for terrier at 8.5*- the runner up to last TWDTB comes in at average value for players but below average for terriers. WBM could be a suitable replacement, but I would stick with bram whenever possible.
Shark: Sprackle, Riverside
(alt: Poni, milpitas)
Rough's first two picks cause some controversy on the draft chat, we will see if it was worth it. I'm not super impressed- Sprackle can play well when he's not trolling with shrap, but I'm not sure "well" equates to good enough. Riverside used to be very good in shark, but he's seemed super washed up lately. Maybe this TWDT can turn things around. My fear is that if team Haze sees any true pressure this season, they will crack like the fat freshman during a lineup. Poni is a capable backup, but I haven't seen him play much recently.
Spider: Rough, Jurassic, wbm, tj hazuki, assembly
(alt: Vagabond, Public Assassin, blt_12, Poni)
Haze has interesting options in spider, with their big 3 only costing 9* each, it is easy to play all three of them without sacrificing too much. TJ is a bit expensive for this line- if you switch him with PA, you could switch assembly with blt_12 or Poni. Still, I think their spider line looks extremely consistent across the board. No 10*s shouldn't prove much of a hindrance with a core of strong mid-valued players.
That wraps up my Draft Preview. Everyone has an opinion, this is mine. Feel free to share below- tell me why I'm wrong, why I'm a no talent bozo who is going to ride the bench all season. Thanks for reading!
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