Rogue’s Odoamne on the LEC: “I feel like Bo3 is needed.”

Week 1 of LEC Summer 2022 is over and the results clearly indicate that the strongest teams of the previous split are likely to continue dominating the competition.

At the end of day three, Fragster sat down with Rogue’s Andrei “Odoamne” Pascu to talk about the differences in match formats. Because Odoamne’s team played against G2, Fnatic, and Misfits, losing against the first two opponents, we discussed how he felt about the best-of-one match format used during the LEC regular season. Moreover, the Romanian player revealed how the team dynamics work within Rogue.

Bo1 or Bo3?

LCK and LPL use the best-of-three format, which is arguably better if the organizer wants to have a rankings table that reflects reality more accurately. Apart from the fact that the Bo1 format doesn’t give the teams any chance to adapt to their opponent’s playstyle, it also encourages extreme prudence, which is less fun to watch.

When asked about his preferred match format, Odoamne explained that he’s aware of the added logistical complexity that comes with playing Bo3 matches in a league such as LEC. However, he would still prefer playing Bo3s or at least Bo2s instead of Bo1s during the regular season: “From a purely competitive point of view, I feel like Bo3 is needed.”

Other things, such as having to play three matches in the first week instead of two did not bother him at all. In his view, every competitive week comes with a certain amount of stress for the players, and his team didn’t feel any additional stress during the first week of the LEC. The requirement to play three initial games instead of two has been around for a while and the participants have gotten used to it.

“I feel like it’s just an extra challenge, not an extra stress,” he said.

Communication within the team

Being five or six years older than the rest of his teammates, Odoamne is by far the most experienced LoL player on his team. Naturally, such a difference can have an impact on the dynamics and the communication process within the squad.

Indeed, Odoamne shared that the age and experience difference gives his words a bit more weight in the minds of his teammates, especially outside of the game. That said, he still wants to be treated as just another member of the team: “From a gameplay perspective, I feel like we’re all equals. My views are getting challenged by my teammates. It’s not like whatever I say sticks.”

Playstyle differences

Right now, Rogue is a truly international team, with five players from five different countries. While four of these players are from Europe, one is from South Korea. Even though there might be a difference in their play-style philosophies, Rogue players see this as an advantage.

According to Odoamne, the play-style differences in Rogue’s case are discussed and analyzed by all team members to ensure that the overall strategy is cohesive. As expected, the player who brings the highest number of tactics and strategies that differ from what European competitors are used to is Kim “Malrang” Geun-seong, who previously played for strong South Korean teams like KT Rolster and DAMWON Gaming.

However, his input is seen as an advantage that can contribute to the team’s success. “Even though we are from different regions and are accustomed to different playstyles, it’s mostly a benefit,” explained Odoamne.

Header: Odoamne/Rogue