Things to keep in mind going into VALORANT Stage 1 Masters NA

Heading into the first NA Masters event, there’s plenty to consider as VCT points are now at stake.

The last few months of qualifiers through the NA Challengers series will soon culminate in the Masters 1 tournament, beginning tomorrow and running through the 21st to crown the first official regional champion. This will be the first opportunity for teams to earn VCT points that will work in qualifying them for Champions and the eventual Icelandic LAN recently announced by Riot Games. Months of competition have prepared teams and players for their most important matches yet, but here are some things to keep in mind:

100 Thieves are still figuring out their roster

Ethan “Ethan” Arnold looked great in his debut with 100 Thieves roster despite falling short in the finals against FaZe. Currently though, many of the players on 100 Thieves are stuff in ‘off-roles’ as Ethan transitions to VALORANT and finds his role within the team. Nicholas “nitr0” Cannella has been switched off his signature Omen pick in favor of prioritizing the Controller for Ethan, as it is one of the easier Agents to learn when making the move from CS. Along with this, 100 Thieves’ primary Operator is still up in the air as ever since Quan “Dicey” Tran was cut the sniping responsibility has been switched between Spencer “Hiko” Martin and the team’s anchor, Joshua “steel” Nissan.

Thankfully for the Thieves, Peter “Asuna” Mazuryk has been a constant top fragger for them, providing an invaluable clutch potential when his teammates are able to create the necessary space to enable his play. Certainly, 100 Thieves are still a force to be reckoned with, but it is possible that teams will take advantage of their weaknesses during this awkward transition phase as they are still onboarding Ethan.

Astra unlocked

The Masters event will be played on the most recent 2.04 patch, meaning that the newest Agent, Astra, will be available for professional play for the first time. This new Agent has the potential to shake up the current meta composition across every map as she has one of the most comprehensive kits out of any Controller in the game.

Check out our coverage on Astra’s kit here!

Most teams in this tournament have solidified their strategies and identity, so it will be interesting to see if anyone elects to incorporate this risky new Agent into their composition.

FaZe’s redemption arc and rematch

Since being upset by Xset, FaZe has come a long way and shown massive improvement in their team cohesion. Most recently having defeated 100 Thieves to win the Challengers 3 finals, it seems FaZe’s slow climb on the upward trajectory is finally paying off. Andrej “babybay” Francisty, who is coming off his best individual performances of his VALORANT career, has shown immense confidence in this new and improved FaZe roster with the addition of their coach Thomas “Trippy” Schappy.

If FaZe can continue this dominant streak that couples their incredible individual aggression with fantastic utility pairing, they could make short work out of their side of the bracket. Being placed on the same side of the bracket with Challengers 2 champions, Envy, the competition in this tournament is certainly stiffer than before. Whether or not FaZe can keep their hot streak alive and make the first step toward representing NA in Masters 2 will largely be seen through their performance here.

Sentinel’s last minute switch

The recent sexual assault allegations made toward Jay “Sinatraa” Won have led to his suspension from the team and have resulted in a total expulsion from the NA Masters event. The Sentinels organization has announced they are launching an internal investigation into these allegations but in meantime, the organization is tasked with finding a quick replacement to fill the vacant 5th man spot in the roster.

There has been no word from Sentinels on who will substitute in for the Masters event and potentially fill the void permanently. There are plenty of qualified candidates however as players like Dicey were recently made free agents. Even if they end up temporarily signing a proven talent like Dicey, whether or not the Sentinels can synergize well enough with a sudden new presence on the team is a mystery.

Immortals and Gen.G showing gradual improvement

The two consistent mainstays in the NA VALORANT ecosystem, Immortals and Gen.G, find themselves on opposite sides of the bracket. Both have steadily been improving since their initial foray into the tactical shooter, making minimal roster changes and focusing on synergy between their core players. Both have since middling results for the entirety of their VCT runs so far, neither placing first in any qualifier but hoping that their luck changes here.

Immortals, similar to FaZe, have seen increasing success through enabling their duelists. Alongside Andrew “ShoT_Up” Orlowski, Amgalan “Genghsta” Nemekhbayaer has seen a resurgence in recent tournaments and has proven himself among the best Sovas in North America. Gen.G are riding a high from recent Bo3 success, defeating TSM in a multigame series for the first time in history and also downing NRG in a 2-0 sweep. These recent, albeit marginal, successes may make these two teams greater threats than many give them credit for.

Read more

• Alliance picks up CS:GO pro xms
• Professional VALORANT player Sinatraa accused of sexual abuse
• FaZe’s Challengers 3 win that earned them their seeding

Who do you think will be NA’s first regional champs? Join the discussion on social media or our Discord!

You can also help improve our website by submitting direct feedback!

Image credit: Riot Games