Lima Major Playoffs: Three lethal offlane players to look out for

The Lima Major Playoffs begin on February 28, 2023, after a grueling group stage that lasted over five days. As a result, twelve teams qualified for the playoffs, whereas six teams got eliminated.

Three offlane players, in particular, stood out with their performance which helped their team inch a step closer to their dream of lifting the first Major trophy of the DPC 2023 – The Lima Major.

Let’s take a look.

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Ludwig “Zai” Wahlberg is synonymous with success. Any team he goes to shines bright like the morning star. The same is the case with Zai catapulting Team Liquid’s performance a notch higher above others at the Lima Major. He is one of the most successful offlane players heading into the Lima Major Playoffs.

Amassing a 7.69 K/D/A in the Lima Major group stage, Zai has been vital to Team Liquid’s topping their group. He has played nine unique heroes in eight series – an incredible feat for an offlane – and pivoted to being the team’s second carry at crucial junctures.

Zai has mostly played tempo-controlling heroes allowing his team to establish lane control, and gain an advantage in team fights, like Enigma, Snapfire, Death Prophet, Broodmother, Furion, etc., thus making it more effective for the remaining players to play in their elements.

He has also transitioned to a hard-hitting DPS offlane, as evident against Shopify Rebellions and Team Aster, opting for a full damage build.

Needless to say, Zai’s versatility is proving to be a crucial weapon in Team Liquid’s arsenal.

Magomed “Collapse” Khalilov is a force waiting to be unleashed, not that it hasn’t been unleashed before... duh. He’s won The International 2021 after all – the crown jewel Dota 2 event and became a millionaire.

His numbers at the Lima Major aren’t as impressive as other offlane players but he’s a 'Beast' that cannot be underestimated.

Despite averaging a K/D/A of 4.13, Collapse is pivotal to Team Spirit’s success at any event, especially at the Lima Major.

Remember how Collapse single-handedly trolled his opponents with the Centaur cartwheel Aghanim Scepter build? Remember how he is the only player to opt for that item build?

Talk about being trendy, eh?

How about playing Spirit Breaker, breaking the spirits of Execration, and subsequently sending them out of the tournament?

Collapse’s main role is being Team Spirit’s go-to initiator. With every successful initiation comes a successful collapse in the enemy ranks. Not everything is about numbers or stats because they do paint an incomplete picture at times.

Adrian “Wisper” Dobles is the highest-rated offlane player heading to the Lima Major Playoffs. He has the highest K/D/A amongst his peers at an impressive 8.72 rating.

Wisper also surpasses everybody, including carry players, by averaging 13 kills per game. Team Spirit’s Yatoro is in second place with an 11.44 rating.

See the difference?

Wisper’s bad habit, for the opposite team, is that he always pops off to secure kills. That’s his way of playing Dota – pure and unbridled aggression.

Make no mistake, for it is a risky maneuver since Wisper’s aggression can often act as a double-edged sword. So far, it has worked in Wisper’s and Evil Geniuses’ favor.

Evil Geniuses is the only South American team starting in the upper bracket of the Lima Major Playoffs and the majority of its success can be attributed to Wisper.

But how long can Evil Geniuses rely on Wisper’s ability alone? That’s the real question. Teams will strategize around shutting down Wisper and if they succeed, then half the battle is already won.

Stay tuned to Esports.gg for more Dota 2 news, and updates! You can also catch up with our Lima Major event hub here.