[hamhamed]

Pain isn't the toughest of opponents at TI. Will they be playing vs a team that is currently still alive in the bracket? So far it seems Pain is kind of controlling the game at least much better vs the caster team (99th percentile)

[unrealhoang]

When OpenAI played caster team, there was 5 invulnerable couriers that further increase their strength using death ball strategy.

[noxvilleza]

They're still the ~19th best team in the world.

[rajahafify]

No. TI is not a meritocracy. Pain came from the weakest region in the world. Without the SA slot, they wouldn't even be in TI.

[Latty]

Based on the name, you are replying to Noxville, who runs DatDota and knows these statistics in detail. Pain is 20th in the world according to their Glicko 2 rating (https://www.datdota.com/ratings) right now, he's not pulling it out of his ass because they were at TI.

[xfer]

And you know that, how? Have you seen them fight against other region teams that failed to qualify?

[andreime]

Maybe, like me, he follows the pro scene.

People complain a lot that Europe is stacked (meaning stronger teams) compared to regions like NA, and they get the same amount of slots a TI. South America is probably the weakest region.

I think a lot of people following the competitive scene would agree with what he was saying - that Pain is not top 20 in the world.

[xfer]

I follow the pro scene too, nobody sensible would say they are not top 20, can you name a team that deserved to be in TI other than pain here from any region?

> People complain a lot that Europe is stacked (meaning stronger teams) compared to regions like NA

Really? Go ahead and name an EU team that is not playing in TI that should be here. EU is top heavy and they get to TI easily, other than that not much. SA is weaker region for sure, that's why they have 1 team from their region and they deserve to be there.