After news broke out that Dignitas would re-enter the North American LCS, many wondered how strong of a line-up the age-old fan-favorite organization would field. Seeing how they had all Clutch Gaming’s existing player contracts, there was a burning question lingering in the air: which players would they opt to keep?

Fortunately, we didn’t have to wait long to find out. After a fairly exciting off-season period, we finally know the full Dignitas 2020 LCS roster. Much like with Evil Geniuses signing Jiizuke, it’s not exactly what most people expected.

First, despite what people are saying, this is a solid roster. There’s more than enough talent, veteran presence and a fair bit of mechanical prowess to make them competitive. That’s just a fact. Dignitas might not have the best line-up around (or the most logical one), but they’re a contender for the playoffs.

That said, it’s hard not to be at least a bit confused because of whom Dignitas decided to sign. This is by no means an expected combination of players, but rather a stylistically confusing mash-up filled with familiar faces, former superstars, and one promising rookie. Not exactly mind-blowing, but at least Dignitas has everyone talking. That, in and of itself, is already a small triumph.

How the Dignitas 2020 LCS Roster Stacks Up

Let’s take a closer look at their starting line-up:

• Top Lane: Heo “Huni” Seung-hoon
• Jungle: Jonathan “Grig” Armao
• Mid Lane: Henrik “Froggen” Hansen
• AD Carry: Johnson “Johnsun” Nguyen
• Support: Zaqueri “aphromoo” Black

There’s something truly fascinating with this line-up, but no one’s quite sure whether it’s in a good or a bad way. On the one hand, most of these players are known quantities. You know how high they can go and they’re probably going to deliver. On the other, they’re just not coming in with a lot of hype or momentum. On the contrary. Huni is still one of the biggest names in the game, but he’s far from a stable, consistent performer.

You’ll tune in to see whether he’s 5/0 or 0/5, but the latter isn’t nearly as rare as it should be. Many have called him a coin-flip kind of player, which is perhaps the most apt description. He can blow you away with spectacular mechanics and awe-inspiring clutch plays but he’s also prone to get caught out of position and going for greedy plays, something that a player of his caliber has no business doing.

And sure, when he’s at the top of his game he’s an invaluable asset, but it’s always a matter of time before his play deteriorates and he starts to flat out “int.” Signing Huni is a double-edged sword. His biggest strengths often rotate with his biggest weaknesses.

Grig, on the other hand, is much more consistent albeit less capable. His days over at Team SoloMid were enough of a reference to warrant a spot on yet another starting line-up, and while he’s not exactly a flashy mechanical deity, he’s heavily undervalued and underappreciated. Pairing him with a player like Huni is a good decision, and if the two mesh in the right way they could end up dominating often.

The middle lane is where things get incredibly interesting. If there’s one shining star within this line-up, it must be Froggen. Why he decided to sign for Dignitas is anyone’s guess at this point as he surely had better options overall. Quite frankly, he was hard carrying the Golden Guardians throughout 2019 and is still one of the best and most talented mid laners in all North America. And he’s a deceptive performer as well. He’s a rock in the mid lane and his stats are absolutely astounding. Will he prosper underneath the Dignitas banner? It’s still too early to tell, but the odds certainly aren’t in his favor. This is a team that could reach the playoffs with ease or, conversely, end up in the bottom four.

Hardly a “once in a lifetime” opportunity.

The Final Piece to the Puzzle

Finally, we have the bottom lane duo — Johnsun and Aphromoo. Not exactly a mind-blowing combo. Then again, they could surprise a lot of people, especially if Aphromoo returns to form. His tenure at 100 Thieves didn’t impress (2019, at least). He desperately needs a bit of redemption.

Johnsun, on the other hand, is a hyped rookie without any concrete LCS experience. How high he’ll eventually climb remains to be seen, but he’ll have his hands full come Spring Split.

If anything, by having such a revered and experienced veteran like Aphromoo by his side, he should prosper and develop sooner rather than later.

No one’s quite sure what to think of the Dignitas 2020 LCS roster. Some are already predicting a total catastrophe. Others, however, are giving slightly more optimistic predictions. Though, this line-up could go either way. They have the right tools to leave a mark and potentially challenge for a spot near the top, but they could also implode much like 100 Thieves did in 2019.

Either way, they should be on your radar come 2020.