The European regional qualifier features some of the best raw talent that WoW has to offer. Innerfire will be sadly missed, but other than the Bulgarians this tournament really has the cream of the European crop.

Ensidia’s momentum (rogue/mage/priest)

In Ensidia we have one of the most popular teams in WoW today. The Dreamhack crowd cheered the name of Ryan 'Hydra' van Buiten when he came onstage for the final – a rare event for a game whose audience is usually so subdued.

But unlike some of the other well known teams, Ensidia has the skill to back up their fame. With an MLG third place and Dreamhack victory already under their belts, this team will be looking to build on their success. Momentum is clearly behind them and it will take something special to stop the Brits.

Woah, dude! (warrior/warlock/druid)

Despite qualifying in first place for this event, Woah faces an uphill struggle against RMP at the regional finals. WLD is not the setup it was when Inflame won last year’s Blizzcon and all three players will need to be at their peak in every game to stand any chance what so ever.

Never the less, if anyone can overcome those kinds of odds it is Woah. During an interview on ESL TV last night, 'ocelote' told viewers that the team had been playing up to ten hours a day. That kind of dedication demands respect but whether it brings results is another matter. The talent and commitment is there but it will be a tough event for one of only two non-RMP teams.

eDawgs… dog (rogue/mage/priest)

On last night’s WoW Wednesday, I said I was most looking forward to seeing this team perform. They came out of nowhere in the recent ESL-Invite tournament, beating the likes of Ensidia and aAa. Ocelote even called them “the best RMP in the world” on the same show and while that might be a bit far-fetched right now, they are definitely one of the most exciting teams to watch at this event.

The aAa teams (rogue/mage/priest)

Since their impressive performance at Extreme Masters, it’s been a pretty barren spell for against All authority Rat. A less than impressive showing in ESL-I has cast doubts over the French-Swiss team after they crashed out of the finals without winning a single map. The regionals will be the perfect chance for this experienced team to blow away the cobwebs as well as the doubters. It could well be that LAN is their forte since any team that beat HON must be considered dangerous.

‘The second aAa team’ is quite an appropriate moniker for against All authority Casual. Despite being talented in their own right, they have lived mostly in the shadow of Anelit’s team. A reasonable showing in ESL-I may have raised expectations, but history shows that this team does not perform well in a LAN environment. In Hannover, the team couldn’t even pick up a single map. Expect them to do better this time around, but they still can’t be considered a threat to the favourites.

SK hungry enough? (rogue/mage/priest)

It’s hard for me to write about SK without being biased so I’ll keep it short. If SK shows up with motivation and their A-Game they will be almost impossible to stop. Simon 'zom' Palmer told me they are likely to play their main RMP setup, which is only a good thing in my eyes. Counter-comping is too unreliable, and when you have three players who are so skilled at their main classes it seems silly to risk a change. Expect SK to do well at this event if they are hungry for it.

RiMP and x6 (RMP and hunter/dk/paladin)

Rest in Many Pieces is a team that we have seen in various guises over the recent history of WoW. They have never been world-beaters, but usually give a decent account of themselves. What that usually amounts to is ‘making the numbers up’ and I don’t expect the regional finals to change that trend. Being an above-average RMP is no bad thing, but with the likes of SK and Ensidia in attendance, it takes a little bit extra which don’t think this team has.

The Spaniards of x6tence are another veteran group of players with plenty of LAN play to their name. But for all that experience, they don’t have much prize money to show for it. One first place at EM LA and a couple of fourths are the best they can boast. With the current state of hunters in arena their chances of regaining their LA form are slim. Although eMg did well with the same setup, teams are much more prepared for it by now and the surprise factor is significantly diminished.

Predictions

As cheesy as it sounds, this tournament is one of the toughest to predict. So instead of giving you my opinion, I’ll leave it up to you guys. Cop-out or democracy in action? Have your say in the comments below! One thing is for sure, though, this will be a tournament you won’t want to miss. Who is the best RMP in Europe? Can that setup be out-comped or out-played? We’ll find out all that and more this weekend.