With the 2020 competitive season right around the corner, let’s take a closer look at the upcoming FlyQuest roster, and how high it could potentially climb once the Spring Split begins. FlyQuest was always a fascinating team.

No one’s quite sure whether they’re a solid mid-tier contender who’s prone to overperforming or a mediocre gatekeeper who just so happens to hover near the Top 6.

We’ve seen many shades of FlyQuest over the last four splits. Some of them were shocking in the best possible way. FlyQuest could tango with the best the LCS had to offer. Then again, they often veered into the fiesta realm and regressed when you’d least expect it.

They always had a ton of potential. At times we saw glimpses of their talent and were not left indifferent. Unfortunately, these flashes of brilliance rarely lasted long. One momentous step forward was always followed by two or three steps back. Reading their actual power level was impossible. You never knew which kind of FlyQuest would step foot on stage.

Finally, their willingness to throw down and fight in the late game no matter the opponent garnered them many fans over the last two years. Are they behind five thousand gold? They sure won’t fight like it.

A Change Was Needed

Regardless of the state of the game, FlyQuest always fought like there’s no tomorrow. Their early game left a lot to be desired, but they more than compensated once the later stages of the game came along. In the end, they failed to leave much of a mark, but it certainly wasn’t for lack of trying.

If anything, there’s still a reason to celebrate as the North American region fostered yet another solid contender. They’re not spectacular and they’re surely not going to upset the overall status quo, but they certainly have the potential to improve and grow over the next couple of years.

So, after a fairly fascinating (albeit underwhelming results-wise) 2019, many people wondered how the 2020 FlyQuest roster would look. The line-up needed to change, but not by much. A player swap was necessary for a chance of attaining success. Fortunately, just two changes did happen (in the mid and bottom lane), and they’re both upgrades!

But before we delve any deeper into the FlyQuest roster and their overall potential, let’s take a closer look at the starting line-up:

• Top Lane: Omran “V1per” Shoura
• Jungle: Lucas “Santorin” Tao Kilmer Larsen
• Mid Lane: Tristan “PowerOfEvil” Schrage
• AD Carry: Jason “WildTurtle” Tran
• Support: Lee “IgNar” Dong-geun

Overall, this is a well-rounded roster. These are all seasoned veterans and they’re all still playing at a fairly high level.

2020 FlyQuest Roster: V1per and Santorin

V1per, the 2019 LCS Spring Rookie of the Split, is still in many ways an enigma. He’s both incredibly impactful and talented, but also somewhat inconsistent.

He has good streaks and bad ones, but it seems that whenever FlyQuest finds their stride, he’s front and center with his peculiar champion pool and aggressive style of play. It’s impossible to count the times his unexpected flanks won the game. His split-second decision-making isn’t any worse either.

He’ll still be accompanied by Santorin, a veteran in every regard. The fascinating thing about Santorin is the fact that he’s still improving, and yet he’s been playing the game at the highest of levels for years. He signed for Team SoloMid in 2014.

So many players came and went. Yet, he’s still here, playing out of his mind (at least often). He was the driving force behind FlyQuest’s Spring Split playoff success. Even though his play slightly deteriorated as time went on, he’s still a talented individual whose stock didn’t take a hit.

2020 FlyQuest Roster: PowerOfEvil

In the mid lane we have PowerOfEvil (of Unicorns of Love, Misfits Gaming and Counter Logic Gaming fame). After his incredible performance at the 2017 World Championship, PoE decided to capitalize on his new-found momentum and sign for a big North American organization. That is a very smart move, career-wise. But to say that his decision backfired would indeed be an understatement.

He failed to find any semblance of success ever since he joined North America. Even though Counter Logic Gaming made huge strides this year, his overall value as a player and mid laner never improved.

Despite the strange career twist, PoE is still a top-tier player. If he gets the right resources and is enabled in the right way, he will undoubtedly be able to carry FlyQuest over the finish line.

2020 FlyQuest Roster: WildTurtle and IgNar

Finally, we have their bottom lane — WildTurtle and IgNar, the latter of which is making his debut under the FlyQuest banner. This is a spectacular duo, but not because of their inherent potential. Instead, it’s spectacular because — on paper — these two players synergize perfectly. They’re like yin and yang, at once both completely different and yet eerily similar.

No matter what happens in-game, both players always take a step forward, for better or worse. They refuse to step down and to retreat. That’s a dangerous thing, but if utilized in the right way, it can also be a huge asset. If they get the right guidance and successfully tread the line between dishing out damage from a safe distance and getting entangled in danger, they’re bound to find a ton of success come 2020.

What to Expect from the New Line-Up

Finally, that’s the biggest strength of this FlyQuest roster. They all seem like a solid fit playstyle-wise. They all want to engage and to skirmish from the very get-go. They’re not going to bore you with impeccable macro or drown-out rotations and strategies but will instead throw down from the moment they spawn on the Rift.

Fortunately, they’re not only about trading heavy blows as they possess the mechanical skill and experience which are necessary to play in a much more subdued, macro-oriented manner. If by any chance that doesn’t do the trick, they’ll undoubtedly utilize those virtues for any bravado-fueled endeavor instead.

If they play as well as they could, a finish in the Top 6 is almost guaranteed. Whether they could go any higher remains to be seen, but they should not be underestimated once the Spring Split comes along. Many LCS teams upgraded during the off-season and the fight at the top will be ferocious.

No one’s expecting FlyQuest to stand shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Team Liquid, Team SoloMid, Cloud9 or Evil Geniuses, but they’re going to fight for a spot at the top regardless of public perception and any preconceived power ranking. That’s why we all love watching them compete.