On March 17th (local time), the very first Eastern Clash kicked off in Shanghai, China. In this midway point of HGC KR Phase 1, the arena pit is open as the best teams in the east battle against one another. Top HGC team L5 faced off against the second-place MVP Black in the winner’s bracket and then again in the grand finals.

At the end of the day, all-time favorite MVP Black comfortably defeated L5 in the finals 3-1, claiming the spring throne once again. As the second half of Phase 1 is set to commence next weekend, Inven caught up with the members of MVP Black to hear about their recent endeavors.

First off, congratulations again on winning the Eastern Clash. How do you feel about reclaiming the spring champion throne after defeating your biggest rival, L5?

Jung Hyuk “Sake” Lee: I think we lucked out.

Won Ho “KyoCha” Jeong: Every time, I told myself that I’d win again, and it feels great to see my words become reality.

HGC KR saw many teams going through rebuilding, but none are as consistent as MVP Black. Why do you think that is?

Sake: Our team atmosphere is great. I guess we all actively contribute to the team instead of a single person dominating the atmosphere. I think the main takeaway is that we work hard and play hard in a more relaxed environment.

Tae Jun “merryday” Yi: We don’t blame each other. I think that pretty much sums it up.

You guys have been one of the top favorites for the longest time, but why do you think you particularly fare well in spring seasons?

Sake: I guess it’s because spring season is when teams tend to go through rebuilding. We had one roster change last year as well as a couple this year, but we adapted more readily than the others.

KyoCha: I think we were able to play more comfortably this season since everyone else was starting fresh. We came out with better results because we went back to the drawing board with a clear mindset. We also had less pressure to win than before.

How did the former MVP Miracle players, Ttsst and Reset, get over the pressure as new players on the team?

Oon Sung “Ttsst” Kang: I don’t think I’ve felt too much pressure. I pretty much played the same way as I did for Miracle. I used to overextend a lot when my team fell behind, but my teammates cover for me well now, so those instances are few and far between.

Jin Woo “Reset” Im: I personally felt most comfortable as a ranged assassin and regained confidence after returning to my original role from melee flex duty. Initially, Sake and I were going to fill flex roles and divvy up heroes, but I eventually got to be a ranged assassin when Ragnaros became a prominent pick. I’m always grateful to KyoCha for gladly accepting to fill the melee flex spot.

Ttsst has been known for his reliable style of warrior play in Miracle. Has his playstyle changed at all in Black?

KyoCha: He’s actually rather aggressive, to the point where it makes sense how he won in China. He’s always right in the middle of the enemy in scrims.

Sake: He’s fully assimilated now that he knows when to disengage. I used to tell him to benchmark the plays from BlizzCon because he was too aggressive in the beginning. His playstyle changed dramatically in a really short amount of time. I think that’s why we won.

The top three HGC teams all have dedicated players that oversee draft like Noblesse for L5 and Sign for Tempest. What’s your technique for drafting?

KyoCha: I think communication is the key. Picking meta heroes is one thing, but players have to feel comfortable enough first. That’s why I proactively ask and listen to other teammates even when they don’t speak up first.

What are your thoughts on the current bruiser-heavy meta?

KyoCha: Tassadar and Arthas reign supreme. Nothing can really replace Tassadar’s shields. I think we need more heroes like Zarya that have shields.

In this current bruiser-centric meta, it’s difficult for secondary ranged assassins to shine. It’s almost safe to lump all secondary assassins into a single flex pile. Any thoughts?

Sake: I don’t believe roles in HotS dictate playing specific heroes. It’s especially true these days when hero talent is more important than roles. I think a surprising number of heroes can’t realize their full potential due to role categorizations.

What was the thought process behind playing Uther and Lúcio, whom you were arguably the best iteration of in the Eastern Clash?

merryday: Lúcio is a hero that I practiced a lot with when he first came out. His kit was exactly how I imagined, so I experimented with him a bunch. I worked on him so that I could use him at HGC KR as well, but he was in an awkward pick considering the Varian dominance in the meta. Stun on Warbringer was too much to handle.

Then came the Eastern Clash, where I think Chinese teams could open new possibilities for Lúcio. I honed my Lúcio skills some more within the team and saw a comp where I could use him well. Uther is something I’ve played for two years, and I told them Uther is a viable pick given the comps. I guess it worked out.

I know Heroes 2.0 doesn’t have a huge impact on the competitive aspect of the game, but how do you feel about it?

Reset: I really dig the new UI from the last update. I’m afraid I can’t say the same for the new hero, Cassia. I feel like the dev team pushed out a hero without considering the current meta.

KyoCha: You can’t forget about the new skin tints. I think Cassia’s kit is a bit awkward. Her range is way too short.

merryday: I feel pretty positive about the new update, but I do think there needs to be more for support characters. I’ll be a little bummed out if it stays as is.

It’s still early in Hero League Season 4. Any tips for players braving solo queues out there?

merryday: I’d like to recommend Zeratul, even though I’m a support on the team. There aren’t that many dedicated support mains in HL, which often forces passive playstyles. There aren’t many heroes more troublesome to deal with than a good Zeratul. If you’re half-way decent with him, you can shut down the enemy support and carry the team.

Ttsst: I’d recommend Muradin, who’s a well-rounded hero. Other flavor-of-the-month warriors like Arthas and Dehaka are fine and all, but Muradin is the best for learning to adapt to every situation because of his flexible kit. If you do well enough to hold down a lane, you will feel the games tilting in your favor.

Anything you wish to say that we haven’t covered?

Sake: Just as we won the Eastern Clash, I’ll try hard to finish first place in the second half of Phase 1. I think good results will naturally follow as long as we maintain the current team momentum.

Ttsst: I want to thank my head coach who always goes through so much trouble for us and I promise to work hard to show you better plays.

Reset: I hope to show you a consistent side of my assassin plays instead of those that push my luck.

KyoCha: I wish to work on the Murky comp that we showed you at the last Eastern Clash. We’re also experimenting with comps that involve new heroes like Cassia and Probius, so be on the lookout for those. Lastly, a big thanks to our sponsors, Gigabyte.

merryday: Thank you to all those who personally cheered me on since the early days as well as those who root for and have an interest in MVP Black. I’ll give my 100 percent in the remaining two big tournaments left, so that I can reap good results. Oh, and congratulations to OGN producer Daeseung Park on his marriage.