Br33zy (Parker Brown) is back for week two of Pro Quest Season 3! Check out the latest on how the meta game is shaping up heading into the final weekend of qualifiers for Pro Tour Baltimore.
Hi everyone! I’m back to provide the metagame breakdown as we close out week two of ProQuest. If you missed the week one analysis, check it out here! Otherwise, buckle up as we take a deep dive into this week’s data and discover how this incredibly diverse meta is evolving.
This week we received data from 134 local game stores spread across 29 countries reporting 3,865 players! It’s safe to say that ProQuests around the world are firing off with loads of competitive players ready to show the world that their hero is ready for the spotlight. Something to remember is that some stores are only reporting their Top 8 or winning heroes. So when we dive into top 8 conversion rates and winners later in the article, keep in mind that the dataset for the entire field may be slightly skewed. For example: “X hero has a X.X% Top 8 conversion rate” may not reflect true percentages because some stores did not submit the entire playing field.
As well, moving forward I will be reporting on the data in percentages rather than jumping back and forth between percentages and raw data points. My apologies for any confusion this may have caused during the week one analysis.
That said, let’s take a look at the overall meta for week two:
In contrast to the week one metadata, we have not shifted too severely in one direction or the other. Each hero has maintained a respectable showing as loyalists are locked in to prove their hero deserves a spot among the top ranks. For two weeks now, we’ve seen Fai dominate ProQuest with his presence, sitting well above the rest at 16% overall. Tied for second through fifth place we have Oldhim, Dash, Dromai and Iyslander - each representing 10% of the metagame. With 56% of the metagame represented by 5 heroes, that leaves a staggering 46% left to divvy up between the rest of our Adult heroes.
Next, let’s take a look at which heroes secured themselves a seat in the Top 8:
Once again Fai is proving to be a rebellious force both in lore and in game. With such a strong showing of Fai players and his consistent wide/aggressive stance, it’s no surprise that he currently holds the majority of Top 8 placements. With his ability to pivot mid to late game and assert his defensive dominance, 14% of Oldhim players found their way into the Top 8 this week. Uprising fans rejoice as we fill in third and fourth placement with Iyslander and Dromai. With Dromai likely being the strongest counter to Iyslander, it’s no wonder we saw so many of them duking it out at the top tables this week.
Honorable mentions to the 3 Azalea and 3 Levia players who managed to take these underdog heroes into the Top 8.
Now, let’s take a look at our overall winners from week two:
Similar to week one metadata, we see that Fai, Oldhim, and Iyslander continue to be the commanding forces in week two. From week to week, these three have asserted their dominance and remind us that though we are in an open meta, they are the ones to beat. Just like last week, we have 14 different heroes securing Living Legend points in week two, an impressive feat we’ve never seen twice in any ProQuest season before.
One noticeable fact is that Dorinthea and Dash were tied at 7.83% of wins as we closed week one but this week some tides have shifted. Dorinthea’s wins were cut in half while Dash’s wins almost doubled. This could be evidence that the ice tax from two of our top performers are just too heavy for the warrior class. Meanwhile, Dash has tools such as Teklo Foundry Heart and Teklo Core which allow her to generate additional resources to pay for Frostbites and keep her Boosting to victory.
This week we finally discovered what Arakni has been hiding underneath that cloak, it was Living Legend points! 10 weeks after their release in Dynasty, Arakni, Huntsman, has become a fan favorite and winning two ProQuests is no easy task for a new hero. I couldn’t bring Viserai to the leaderboards in my local ProQuest so I want to thank those of you who managed to do so. *tips hat*
As promised, here is the full set of data for week two! Explore Top 8 conversion rates as you wish but please remember that some stores only reported their Winning heroes so these conversion rates may not reflect 100% of the overall field.
| Hero Name | Players | Top 8's | Wins | %Top 8's | % Wins | T8 to Win |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arakni, Huntsman | 39 | 6 | 2 | 1% | 1% | 33% |
| Azalea, Ace in the Hole | 49 | 3 | 0% | 0% | 0% | |
| Bravo, Showstopper | 213 | 79 | 7 | 8% | 5% | 9% |
| Briar, Warden of Thorns | 162 | 60 | 7 | 6% | 5% | 12% |
| Dash, Inventor Extraordinaire | 282 | 84 | 15 | 8% | 11% | 18% |
| Dorinthea Ironsong | 188 | 67 | 4 | 7% | 3% | 6% |
| Dromai, Ash Artist | 284 | 100 | 8 | 10% | 6% | 8% |
| Fai, Rising Rebellion | 450 | 181 | 24 | 18% | 18% | 13% |
| Iyslander, Stormbind | 279 | 123 | 22 | 12% | 16% | 18% |
| Kano, Dracai of Aether | 59 | 10 | 1 | 1% | 1% | 10% |
| Katsu, the Wanderer | 51 | 14 | 1% | 0% | 0% | |
| Levia, Shadowborn Abomination | 39 | 3 | 0% | 0% | 0% | |
| Lexi, Livewire | 165 | 51 | 6 | 5% | 4% | 12% |
| Oldhim, Grandfather of Eternity | 288 | 139 | 28 | 14% | 21% | 20% |
| Rhinar, Reckless Rampage | 122 | 38 | 8 | 4% | 6% | 21% |
| Ser Boltyn, Breaker of Dawn | 63 | 17 | 1 | 2% | 1% | 6% |
| Viserai, Rune Blood | 83 | 22 | 2 | 2% | 1% | 9% |
In week one and week two of the metagame we observed a wide array of hero representation and though it’s too early to say we have a defined meta, we are beginning to see some trends. While many players are using this season to test hero viability, it’s clear that there are going to be some familiar faces standing in their way. Each of our top performers have diverse strategies and with limited sideboard options, it’s in your best interest to understand your local meta. In the ProQuest I played in last week, I didn’t battle against a single Fai or Iyslander yet these were two of the heroes I prepared for the most. What I found is that my strategy could have drastically changed had I understood my local meta better. Therein lies the beauty of an open meta; you never know what you’re going to get.
As you all know by now, we received some very interesting Ban and Suspension announcements earlier this week. Our three strongest ProQuest performers were the targets of the announcement and each of them lost main deck tools that may have been a leading cause of victory [Ed: Please note that these changes don't come into effect until after the final weekend of ProQuest events]. And as we head into week three, I would not be surprised if we see some experimental deck changes from Fai, Oldhim, and Iyslander. ProQuest is the final major, localized event before we head into the Calling Indianapolis, and it’s likely the best place to test your new builds against very strong players. It will be interesting to see how much of the ProQuest metagame sticks after January 30th once the bans take effect, but one thing about Flesh and Blood players will remain to be true: They will adapt.
Next week we wrap up the final analysis of ProQuest season 3 and possibly close the door on what could be a very short-lived metagame. Will Fai, Iyslander, and Oldhim continue to dominate ProQuest or will one of our favorite underdogs take center stage?
Tune in next week to find out!
Parker Brown is a Flesh and Blood player, and an author of content relating to Flesh and Blood. The opinions expressed in the above article are his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Legend Story Studios.