# Post-Frankfurt Report: The dust has settled, Mineski roster still intact
![alt text](http://i.imgur.com/oXRe3i6.jpg)
*The Eaglesong, the name of the trophy for Valve's first-ever Dota 2 Major*

With Mineski bagging 9th-12th place from the first ever Dota 2 Majors, the team will take home 45,000 in USD (over 2M in Philippine Peso). For the first time in a long while, the team will be acquainted with a concept which has been proved to be a big part of success in traditional sport organizations, continuity.

Fresh off their coming-out party in Frankfurt, Mineski has confirmed that there will be no changes in its roster. With roster locks to be implemented on December 8, Jessievash, Jay, Kuku, Ryo and Julz will remain with the team until after the Winter Major. The second leg of the Majors was announced on stream, and will be held on March 2-6, at the Mercedes Benz Center in Shanghai China.

![alt text](http://imgur.com/YDcGPT5.jpg)

Mineski followed up on their SEA region rampage en route to the Frankfurt Main stage, taking a game from TI5 runner-up CDEC, and taking their series from Chinese powerhouse EHOME and TI3 champs Alliance in dominant fashion, both ending in 2-0. This led them to a slot in the upper bracket, and a date with the team led by the legendary captain Puppey, Team Secret. After their stellar play in the group stage, they dropped their upper bracket matchup, and then lost to the eventual champs OG which resulted in their gracious exit from the tournament. The team may have finished on the lower half of the standings, but the team had exceeded well-managed expectations. Although they have fizzled out towards the end of the tournament, not much can be said as they lost to two teams which went on to play the grand finale. With the upcoming Winter Major and the looming 6.86 patch, how will they fare with the same roster?

The recent dominance of the team all took place in the balancing patch post-TI. For sure their SEA rivals Fnatic and MVP (now MVP Chickenmaru), along with Philippine counterparts TnC, Arcanys and Execration will not stand idly by, and try to take the regional crown from Mineski. The team has been one of those who have played around the Meta quite well, balancing their picks from late-game scaling cores such as Juggernaut, Spectre, Ember Spirit, Shadow Fiend and Anti-Mage to heroes which can fight early namely Phantom Lancer, Windranger, Slardar, Dark Seer, Queen of Pain and Gyrocopter and most notably Huskar. Tusk, which has sported an absurd amount of Pick/Ban rate of a 100% in the group stage, has also been a staple pick for Mineski. Their support play were also Meta centered, with picks ranging from Undying, Bane, Disruptor, Night Stalker, Ancient Apparition, Bounty Hunter, Winter Wyvern and Spirit Breaker to name a few, and most especially Dazzle, which helped Huskar gain respect ban worthy status. This has proved the team has the ability to play into the Meta, as well as create their own identity and play style.

Continuity is a concept which has eluded Dota2 teams, as only a handful of teams now carry majority of its players from their own successful stints. All TI champs have undergone roster overhauls, including defending champs Evil Geniuses, which dropped Canadian Kurtis “Aui_2000” Ling right after TI5. The team has been together for approximately three months, and the team believes that they have a lot to work on, but their roster is not one of them. Chemistry has not been a problem with the team, and as seen on vlogs on their early days in Frankfurt, the team members are enjoying each other’s company. With the same players fielded for the Winter Major, familiarity with the members will most certainly help the team’s drafter Jay. There is a certain comfort level necessary for a team, which is evident with the NBA defending champions Golden State Warriors as they have surged to a historical 16-0 opening record. With the help of the Majors roster locks, the idea of continuity doesn’t seem to be farfetched.  It helps winning comes easier, and losing becomes more bearable. It helps hot streaks continue, as well as bouncing back quickly from a slump attainable.

Only a quarter of the Dota2 season is done, and the road leading to TI6 is still long. With the nerf hammers ready to drop, will the team be able to adapt? If Arc Warden or Abyssal Underlord gets introduced and instantly included in captain’s mode, will they be viable for Mineski’s strategies? With only a few months together under and already two international LAN qualifier slots under their belt, the team is still on its honeymoon phase. For Mineski to achieve what was once deemed unachievable, an international LAN event championship, they must elevate to the next level. Change is necessary to improve, and being true to Pinoy Dota tradition, they have made a change: their decision to stick with their roster. A much needed change, and the best change to make at all.

![alt text](http://imgur.com/8nKfZHx.jpg)
*(c)[Wykrhm Reddy](https://www.facebook.com/wykrhmreddy)*

They have the tools. They have the will. They have proven that the hype is warranted, and the scene took notice. Now they have continuity, and the boys believe there is nowhere to go but up. The incoming patch is still a variable to be considered, but Mineski is certain and aware of their goals. The long-term destination is Seattle, and the next stop is China. The team is all aboard the hype train, and it is now time for us to buckle up on our seats, for it is going to be a long and bumpy ride.