#HGC EU Power Rankings After Four Weeks

Before we get too far into this, EU is superior to NA in every way. It pains me, as an NA fan, to write that, but watching even the lower half of EU play is so much better than watching NA matches. For as low as I am going to rank beGenius and Synergy, watching their games is still better than watching a lot of NA matches. OK, on to the rankings:

Leading the Pack: Misfits 6-0 (18-3) 

This is a team on a mission that is not only poised to dominate the Western Clash, but is looking like a serious contender for the Brawl. Aside from a 3-2 series against FNATIC, Misfits has not faced a serious challenge all season long. Four of their six matches have been sweeps, including a sweep of Team Dignitas. Misfits look damn near unstoppable.

So Close, Yet So Far: FNATIC 5-1 (17-8)

While FNATIC is the only team to push Misfits to five games, they have not been as dominant. They needed five to beat Team Dignitas, who was swept by Misfits. FNATIC is the clear number two in EU, and we could look forward to a classic rematch at the Western Clash in the finals. FNATIC is still the team that upset MVP Black at Blizzcon, so they may be capable of beating Misfits, but the difference between these two looks pretty distant right now.

So Good, and Still So Much Work: Team Dignitas 4-2 (14-8)

I have said, repeatedly, no one does a team fight as well as Dignitas. When you watch them play together, they are as good or better than anyone else in the world. They are only slightly behind in drafting and mechanics, and often their team play makes up for it. They have fallen from top in EU last year to third, and that doesn't seem like that much, but at this point, Dignitas will miss the Midseason Brawl if they don't figure out how to compete with FNATIC.

It Just Takes Some Time, Little Girl, You're In The Middle: Team Expert 3-3 (12-9); Playing Ducks 3-3 (11-13)

Team Expert started out 3-0, with three sweeps, for a 9-0 match record. Since then, the former Two Bees Determined have struggled in three straight matches against the top three. adrd remains one of the scariest drafters and the top Medivh player in the world, but unless they can figure out how to compete with the top, who all topped Expert 3-1, they will remain in the middle.

Playing Ducks is just below Expert, but this is a solid team poised to move up and challenge. They have the same basic problem as Expert - unable to compete with the top three - but they lack an identity and have nothing that scares other teams the way Expert does. The Ducks need to figure out what they do better than other teams, or they will just remain in the middle.  

We're A Lot Better Than This: Tricked eSport 2-4 (9-13)

Alex the Pro G is the scariest warrior in EU and this team has been competitive, but they are still not really a solid team... yet. Once Tricked figures themselves out, look out because this team will be scary. Don't be surprised if, after the Mid Season Brawl, Tricked is pushing into the top half of EU.

Bring On The Crucible! Synergy 1-5 (5-16); beGenius 0-6 (2-18)

In week 1, Synergy beat beGenius 3-1. Two things to note: this was the last time Synergy looked capable of taking a set, and beGenius only picked up one other map win since week 1. Both teams are heading for the Crucible, and there is little they can do. Synergy showed a flash of... something... in one game against Playing Ducks, but then reverted to their old form:

Seriously, @SynergyHOTS, game one, you looked like a different team, and that's a good thing. Be a better version of you #HGC.

— Anne Elise Morrigan (@anne_elise) February 12, 2017

So, Falstad ban, draft Varian and Hammer, give up Tassadar and Valla... um @SynergyHOTS? You are starting to look like the old you #HGC

— Anne Elise Morrigan (@anne_elise) February 12, 2017

And that is end of game 1 to draft of game 2.

beGenius, actually took the time to take exception to me calling them out on Twitter:

@anne_elise @TRICKED_eSport That's not kind at all this "as predicted" 😰😭👎

— beGenius ESC (@beGeniusESC) February 11, 2017

@anne_elise @TRICKED_eSport We will try to !!

— beGenius ESC (@beGeniusESC) February 11, 2017

So, beGenius has heart and is trying, but two map wins in six matches, and they just look over matched right now. To be fair, neither Synergy nor beGenius have played particularly poorly (we'll get to that in NA), but the six teams above them are just playing worlds apart. Likely both teams will win their Crucible matches, largely because they have been playing the best in EU and not playing in the Open, but these two teams are so far away from being anywhere near contention.