Dignitas to start V1per, Akaadian, Froggen, Johnsun and Aphromoo in Week One of Summer Split

With the 2020 LCS Summer Split approaching, Dignitas announced their starting line-up. V1per, Akaadian, Froggen, Johnsun and Aphromoo will be the initial starters for Week One, according to DIG’s new Youtube series called Odyssey. Froggen, Johnsun and Aphromoo played every game of the Spring Split, while Akaadian started the last four weeks. Dignitas acquired V1per from FlyQuest to replace Huni, who will play for Evil Geniuses in Summer Split.

The Reasoning

Dignitas’ announcement video stresses that they have built a 10-man roster, consisting of the above-named players plus Lourlo, Dardoch, Fenix, Asta and JayJ. Head Coach Thinkcard explains that the Dignitas players last split started out in a “honeymoon phase” that burned out over the course of the split, and resulted in difficulties meshing their playstyles. He continues to say “This preseason we are pretty much opening up practice with a tryout phase, where every single role is open, we have really strong players in Academy and really strong players in LCS. At the moment we see it as 10 players, and we are alternating rosters constantly, having Lourlo and V1per split time, having Akaadian and Dardoch split time, and it goes through the roles like that. Then, based on who performs best, and based on the synergy we see between teammates, we will finalize a roster.”

Image from Dignitas’ Youtube

Assistant Coach Invert elaborates that “Even though a player doesn’t get chosen for the LCS team initially, they can motivate us to choose them…We are fully committed to ensuring the growth of every player. That is very important. And we are fully committed to finding the best possible five configuration, and that can be dynamic too. The best possible five in Week One doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best possible five in Week Eight.”

Another 10-man roster?

Immortals recently announced a similar strategy of trying out a 10-man roster and looking for player synergies. Coincidentally, both teams missed Spring Split playoffs by losing tiebreakers in Week Nine. The main difference for Dignitas is their Academy team did well in Spring Split. DIG Academy held first place for six weeks, before Cloud9 overtook them. Adding in Dardoch, JayJ and Asta gives Dignitas more depth for cycling players.

The 2020 LCS Summer Split begins June 12. Dignitas faces Golden Guardians and TSM in Week One.

CREDITS

Images from Dignitas’ Youtube.

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