Fnatic finally ended its part in this year’s post-International roster shuffle drama, as Southeast Asia’s number one Dota 2 team finally filled out its squad and is now ready for the upcoming major tournaments this fall.
American Jimmy “DeMoN” Ho and Filipino pair Marc Polo Luis “Raven” Fausto and Nico “eyyou” Barcelon, who are all former members of TNC Pro Team, have now brought their talents to Malaysia and will carry the Fnatic banner along with team captain Chai “Mushi” Yee Fung and Khoo “Ohaiyo” Chong Xin.
In this series of introductions, we’ll share a few facts about the trio who will now wear the Fnatic crest on their chests!
Marc Polo Luis “Raven” Fausto
Many were looking down on this little-known carry from the Philippines, underestimating his skills as the go-to-guy and saying that he cannot make it against world beaters.
But after he served Vici Gaming Reborn a full plate of his Terrorblade special and kicked the Chinese squad out of the last International, the uprising Filipino earned a few stripes on his shoulders and garnered some well-deserved attention.
Though it wasn’t until TnC Gaming shocked the world and knocked out two-time major winners Team OG that Marc Polo Luis “Raven” Fausto truly staked his claim as one of the top Position 1 players in the world.
In two games against OG, Raven had an average KDA ratio of 14.3 with an XPM of 547 and a GPM of 612. They got knocked out in the next round by eventual runner-up Digital Chaos, but Raven still finished with great numbers in TI6, as he was seventh-best in KDA with 5.66, third-best in kills with 9.20 and second-best in GPM with 685.
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
Like many players from the Dota-loving Philippines, Raven started playing high level of competitive Dota 2 with a small time local team called Click N’ Search.
He spent more time as a Position 2 player back then instead of playing as the main carry, but still Fausto had the team-best 4.02 KDA and the highest GPM with 546.
They only earned P15,500 ( around $330 in today’s money) during the short time the team existed, as the squad disbanded even before the Mineski Pro-Gaming League Season 7 Leg 2 ended and they lost by default to TnC Pro Team, who will lose to Mineski in the final.
In between the periods he spent playing for CNS, Raven also moonlighted for Mineski in some competitions with his CNS teammate Aaron “Yamaguchi” Cuartero, and there he found he is more suited as a Position 1 player.
He slowly built his pub profile and competitive profile with Mineski and CNS, but he left the former in March 2015 and the latter in June 2015 to pursue his studies.
SMASHING RETURN
TnC Pro Team was starting to rise in the SEA region in early 2015 when it was winning competitions like the monthly Corsair Gaming Arena.
But in August of that year, the Filipino side saw its carry John Linuel “Teehee” Abanto and its support Jhonel Jay “seven” Maguddayao leave the roster because of personal reasons, and TnC was forced to scramble for players.
Luckily for TnC, Raven decided to end his hiatus and answer the call, and the union will prove beneficial to the team and the player.
Dota 2 is a team game, and not all credit should fall on Raven, but it is a big thanks to the small guy’s carry performance that TnC started winning more frequently and begin pocketing bigger prize money from competitions.
TnC appeared on their first premier competition in the World Cyber Arena 2015 in Yinchuan, China, where they fought their way into the playoffs but got knocked out in the first round by a more experienced Team Liquid.
THE BIGGEST STAGE
With just a little more than $50,000 of winnings in two years, it is understandable that TnC felt dwarfed by the teams competing in TI6.
Former TI champions like Navi, Alliance and Newbee were there, along with 2016 major winners Team OG and Wings Gaming.
Nerves were evidently affecting their game, as even the experienced DeMoN looked lost when TnC got swept by Alliance in their first series at KeyArena Center.
But the whole team recovered, and went on to win seven of 14 group stage games, though they still started the Main Event in the lower bracket after placing fifth in Group A.
Against VGR in that first LB series, Raven played his Terrorblade like a classic carry, staying away from trouble and quietly farming up for a good set of items suitable for his bushwhacking needs.
By the time Raven deemed that his towering hero had enough damage, he initiated a gank and quickly killed three of the opponent’s champions. Armed with a Skadi and a Manta Style, it took Raven less than 10 seconds to kill an opponent. When his team reached VGR’s T3 in the middle, the game was over and he was Godlike.
NEW CHALLENGE
When the post-International roster shuffle period opened, TnC once again shocked the world after all the players left the in-game roster.
From one of the feel-good stories of the International, the team went from “aww” to “what the?” real quick.
But, as in every roster shuffle period, it happens. The drama happened, and TnC was left without a single player.
Almost a week later, Raven, along with TnC teammates DeMoN and eyyou announced that they have travelled across the seas and will now join Fnatic.
“One chapter closes, a new one begins with Fnatic,” said Fausto to Fnatic’s official site.
With a good team at his back, Raven has proven that even little-known minnows like him can send famous giants down to the canvas.
But now, the carry from the Philippines has lost the element of surprise and is facing a more daunting task – to keep rising in the ranks of the world with the big boys now trying to bring him down.
