Top Valorant Teams in the Philippines at the end of Episode 2
One Valorant Challengers: Philippines caster’s list on his top 10 and beyond of the Philippine local scene.
Half a year has come to pass this 2021, and the Philippine Valorant scene is looking bigger and better than ever. The Valorant Champions Tour (VCT) in the Philippines provides an official circuit for the local scene to play in and gives a clear path to face off against the region. Alongside this, multiple community tournaments still pop up: from the small-scale tournaments held by individual streamers to the larger and longer-lasting setups created with organizations and brands. A lot is going on in the PH Valorant scene, and there’s something for everyone to hop into!
Now, it’s time yet again to follow the flow of the ranked season and give notice to the efforts of the teams in their path to be the best in the PH scene. This is MY RANKING of the PH teams and will be based on their results throughout Episode 2 in Valorant, or the months of January-June 2021. In terms of criteria: recent results/rosters and frequent tournament entries will have a heavier bearing in the rankings, newer teams and full rebuilds start from scratch and must work their way up, forfeited matches have no bearing, and tournament results in the VCT official circuit and major community tournament organizers are the focal points of results. As to not go too long on talking about the teams, I’ll be writing as compact as possible: with major changes and additions to note, and an introduction to newer Valorant teams. Categories in between ranks will also help streamline the general idea of the rank order.
With that out of the way, here are my Top 10 PH teams in Valorant:
THE PINNACLE OF THE PH PEAK
1. Bren Esports
The kings remain the kings as Bren Esports keeps the top spot of the PH scene. Their recent form has been the strongest they’ve ever been, but it has been a shaky road to get to this point. They dominated the local side of VCT PH Stage 1 but struggled in the SEA Masters 1 with issues plaguing them such as having their fifth player just for the sake of smokes and a poor win rate in pistol round. With a loss in VCT PH Stage 2 as a hard reality check for the team, they changed it up by adding Witz to the roster, and finally, we saw their members adjust to the specialties of each member and play as a whole team in comfortable roles and agents. From that point on, they had an incredible showing- and as the PH representative both times to SEA in the VCT, their latest showing was an indicator of their strength. Past the official circuit, they’ve kept their form in the local community circuit as well, with multiple new championships under their belt. Their signature victory as of late comes in the form of a “Bren Streak”, by winning 5+ rounds in a row to effectively win the game. They’re a team with so much renown and fame from their previous ventures in the PH esports scene and have continuously raised the standard. However, being at the top has become even harder, as their best form comes now at a time with them dealing with the rest of the field caught up to their level and are now continuously challenge Bren map after map. They’ve always said they never wanted to stop growing; now they need to grow past their best to continue being the best.
2. Zeal Esports
Formerly known as the 6045 Pirates, Zeals Esports is an underdog story to remember for the Philippine scene. A team hailing from Cebu, they were a relative unknown before VCT PH Stage 2 beyond their passionate fanbase and early believers from Stage 1. Initially, the team was one-dimensional and relied on their star Duelist from the collegiate side, FireSaiyaJin, to get the job done. This all changed upon Stage 2 Week 3: with the additions of coach Zyki and Senyorcarl to the main roster, they made an unbelievable run to win it all and take the 2nd SEA slot. Ever since then, which began with their initial revenge win over Alpha Esports Pro, they started playing on a completely different level from before and even received international renown with a dominating map victory over X10 Esports, the top SEA seed, before falling to them in a 3-map set. After their incredible regional run ended in the same placing as fellow representative Bren Esports, they set off to dominate in the community and have held a near-perfect record in tournaments under their new name. Beyond losses to certain teams like Bren Esports and Oasis Gaming, Zeal Esports has had a near-perfect record (barring forfeits) in these community tournaments, leading to multiple first-place runs. The Zeal Esports that we see now is the definition of confidence: they have the most explosive gameplay in the PH and can outshine and out-clutch the rest of the field. Their core is young and full of promise that grows bigger and bigger every day, and they are one head-to-head match away from sealing their spot as the top team of the PH scene. They are the future, and that future is now.
THE CROWNED CONTENDERS
3. South Built Esports
They’ve come, and they’ve conquered. The last bastion of PH CS:GO has finally made its way to Valorant, and they have put everyone on notice. Initially dipping their toes during the VCT Stage 2 qualifiers, South Built Esports pulled the trigger and completed the transition after the end of the past VCT stages and have immediately made an impact. Their resume is outstanding: formerly known as Bren Esports in CS:GO, they come into Valorant with experience at being at the top level, winning crowns in both the local and the regional CS scene. Their official debut with their organization was even better, as it came with immediate multiple championships to herald their arrival and competitiveness with the top teams from the get-go. They’ve set the scene ablaze with their incredible teamwork, chemistry, and on-the-fly decision-making and positioning. This team came together into the game as a full 5-man roster, and there are no wonders why they play the game as an effective unit. No one can deny their prowess and discipline especially when they witness this team’s Defense: absolute and patient, a willingness to capitalize on weaknesses, and a different level of awareness and clutch especially on retake situations no matter the numbers disadvantage. Many veteran fans of the genre await them at the top spot- but as of now, there are still moments of unfamiliarity that remind all that are they technically still a new team in Valorant. There is no question that this team is built to be great, and their meteoric rise is unparalleled in this scene’s history.
4. Action PH
It’s showtime for the roster who has gone through many names, but the boys at Action PH have become a true threat in their time this year. After some dramatic out-of-game issues in VCT Stage 1 and a consistent and respectable showcase in all weeks of VCT Stage 2, the squad formerly known as Walkure found themselves sticking with each other for the long haul. Signing under their current organization, they have enhanced their level of play: with a willingness to do what many are afraid to do and creativity in their approach on a per map and per round basis. Their team play has become sound thanks to the step-up of Aryu, their in-game leader, whose journey from coach to main roster player has finally reached its final destination- and his play is at its best to boot. Not only that, the absolute aggression from the duelist line of WildOreo and flippy has been upped to the next degree, and unbelievable sights and clutches fill the halls of this team. Their results have been solid, with multiple championships in the smaller community scene won by this team and overall performance beating out the other teams in head-to-head matchups. Additionally, they’ve proven that they can contest against the top squads by taking maps from under their noses. Compared to other squads, this team is a bit more lowkey on the outset- but they let their play do the talking and it makes some of the biggest blasts in PH Valorant.
5. Sunsparks
The colors of blue and white burn bright as Sunsparks have shown their true form to the rest of the community. Composed of half of the ArkAngel roster, Dreamz, and the top collegiate team Viridus Arcus, there were high expectations upon this roster’s inception. Initial results were not up to par: they failed to qualify for VCT Stage 2 and struggled even further to get far in community tournament brackets for a while after. However, they stepped it up immensely in the past month, finally reaching the heights expected of them. Their surge in performance started with a runner-up finish to a larger community tournament, followed up by several championships in the smaller scene. Getting far into brackets now and placing well, it’s noticeable that there’s unique parallelism in their play. Depending on what side of the map they’re on, certain players can provide even more impact in what they do. The lethality and explosiveness of JoshS and xavi8k shine on the Attack, while the rest of the team, especially modeskiii, are absolute anchors on the Defense. While there are concerns in their matchups against the top teams of the PH scene and the finality to close out some games, they have defined themselves as an actual contender and it feels like they’ve woken on up to what they were always supposed to be. With an overall balance leading to their success, they can look blistering on a certain side and can snuff out those who get in their way.
THE LETHAL CHALLENGERS
6. SV Empire
The unyielding and the everlasting- SV Empire has always been the challengers of the PH Valorant scene ever since it began. While the team’s roster has made changes through its run through the year- no one can deny their success in being a consistent threat in the PH scene. With a constant presence in the official VCT circuit including 2 final appearances over the past 2 stages (including the heartbreaking Stage 2 runs plagued with back-to-back technical issues) and multiple high placings in community tournaments, they have had a consistent level of play for the past half-year. Their current setup looks deadly as always: the core duo of Nexi and Draxii keep the Empire identity in check, but they add on the best free agents from recently disbanded top teams. If there was a sort-of draft in the PH scene, Empire would have won it hands down with their additions as not only has been the assimilation been solid but also each player’s talents have been amplified as a result. SV Empire is a gem of a team to support: when they come into a day to dominate, they do; if not, they always make it competitive no matter who the opponent is up and down the PH ladder. While they do fall short of tournament wins and must collate themselves as a more cohesive unit, they keep everyone in check by being this constant presence throughout the year, and they have the potential to beat anyone at a moment’s notice.
7. Galaxy Racer
The titan slayers among titans, Galaxy Racer is one of the deadliest to ever grace the game. Coming from the other half of the ArkAngel roster alongside the impactful Dreamfyre squad of Stage 1, their potency is at the very top of the scene. With style as their substance and smooth plays as their standard, individual players on this roster, most notably Georggyyy, can take over the game and define the whole map around them. They are a team that knows that they can beat anyone, however, their results throughout VCT Stage 2 and in the community tell a different story. Struggling to make it past Hashira in the official circuit, the team notably has fewer entries in the community circuit compared to all other teams in this list. Not only that, when they do show up to play, there are instances of them eliminated earlier on than they should, which makes their appearances even rarer. The thing is, when you put Galaxy Racer in a bracket against the top teams, they are there to perform. With incredible coaching behind them, their play looks catered to beat the absolute best in the scene. However, their mortality throughout the year must humble them going further and remind them that they need to get through everyone to fight at the top. For these stars, the biggest and brightest spotlights only amplify their talents- only time will tell if they can get on that stage consistently to shine.
8. UCFC Esports
Looks like the team formerly known as No Org has been given a home, and it’s apt that they fall under a club. UCFC Esports have found each other for the past few months, and their team play is one the best to see in PH Valorant. It wasn’t always the case, however, and their inception after VCT Stage 2 had all sorts of chemistry problems for these high-level journeymen. Working on it week by week, these individuals became a unit- and being around each other has made them even better than they were before. They’ve gone through the steps of being a new team quickly: finding chemistry, team compositions, and certain setups that work for them. Not only that, but they have also seen themselves be the best versions they’ve ever been in the Valorant scene, most notably the incredible specialization of Astr0 on the Astra. While they haven’t made the biggest splash in all the communities, they have a few notable championships under their belt and benchmark wins over teams in the high levels. The more time they have together, the better they get. With their current trajectory, UCFC Esports is a textbook example of how a team can grow their talents through their efforts, with the ball they’re rolling picking up steam day after day.
THE POTENT SLEEPERS
9. SE Atlas
The boys from Davao have always been a solid stable of PH Valorant, and SE Atlas continues with that by staying competitive throughout the year. They’ve had a good run so far in the year with a few ventures in the VCT PH Stages alongside proper performances in community tournaments. With a few of the latter leading to victories before this month, they utilized their strong fundamentals and understanding of the game to outplay and outlast the opposition. With the usual clutch capacity of Yoshi and the addition of VCT standout EJAY to the roster, their approach and mindset for matches have not skipped a beat. Historically though, they have a few down periods in their team’s career, and their recent performance against their fellow top teams has taken a turn for the worse. With matches in them playing older compositions or just the inability to get value out of their comps, SE Atlas has been in a slump and is looking for the right answer through tests of different rotations. Despite this downturn though, they still find ways to make it to the latter stages of brackets in tournaments. No matter what state SE Atlas is in they will be there to solidify their status as a top team. The pressure of the Valorant world is something they naturally can handle, and it’s on them to propel themselves even further than that.
10. Oasis Gaming
Ready to go on another exciting ride on the Oasis Gaming express? The team with the highest of the highs and the lowest of the lows has gone through the motions of rosters swaps over the past few months, and in the end, a family reunion is in order. The year started great for the team- constant Semifinal placing in VCT Stage 1, and championships in the community after that. Unfortunately, they failed to qualify for VCT Stage 2 and decided to make roster adjustments then. It’s been a tumultuous time since then with a lot of experimentation for Oasis Gaming, and the team currently has a mix of their 2 former rosters (Chimaera and CTNx) together. With this roster, the highs are some of the highest we’ve seen from them, most notably with entries and executions on point thanks to crisp initiations from the Duelists of Gadoerzz and Marky. When the team is feeling it, they’ll be breathing on their opponents’ necks and be in places no one ever expects them to, claiming map control everywhere they walk. They’ve stayed competitive in the scene by winning in a few notable matchups above their weight class by having matches playing at this high level and qualifying for the later rounds in community tournaments. Ever the Oasis sickness, the lows do come when they hurt the most, and they’re in a decline in terms of final placing ever since. Recently, there’s a lot of experimentation in roles and agent compositions for this team even in recent tournaments. This willingness to change it up has been their story, and the quest to keep the good times rolling continues with every attempt.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
DR Esports
The poison-pill of any PH Valorant bracket, DR Esports has always been the closest contender to the top cut. After making a name for themselves as a ragtag group of players forming up last minute to make a strong run to qualify and compete in VCT Stage 1, they are a team many fears to face early on in a bracket. They are a team strong enough to take down many in the scene but are unable to consistently go the distance in their runs. Their most recent iteration looks to break this trend though, and just this week as of writing, they’ve added Rabbet and Jremy to their roster. With multiple wise voices now on the team, they’ve won a small championship and went on the best run ever seen from them to get a runner-up slot. A little bit more of those results would push them higher in this list, and it would not be surprising at all given what they’ve accomplished in a week so far.
SR Kadiliman
The original stream team dream of the PH scene, SR Kadiliman has one of the most vocal fanbases in the community, and with good reason. Their play has the most showmanship ingrained in it, owing to their notable players’ streaming careers. While the results have been overall mixed, there have been some highlights including qualifying for VCT Stage 2 once and winning a recent community tournament. Despite this, there is a big change in the vibe of Kadiliman- the teams have made roster adjustments to fill in their agent needs over keeping personalities on the roster, and it has gotten a more professional air around it. They’ve gotten more success out of it, especially with SuperMJ and Face playing even better than before, but with rumblings of even more changes to the roster and the general inconsistency of the squad, who knows what Kadiliman will be and look like next.
Alpha Esports Pro
“Queue the pitchforks!” as even if the number 1 most marketable team in the PH scene has a strong roster and the potential to be one of the best, Alpha Esports Pro has had their initial question handed back at them. A lot of hype in their entry into the PH scene owing to their NA experience, everyone anticipated their moment to make it to VCT PH Stage 2 and face off against Bren Esports, and they fought well in that series. Unfortunately, that matchup proved to be the high point of their PH careers so far, and in their next venture in the official circuit, they became the first steppingstone of the monster that is Zeal Esports. Ever since then, they’ve been stuck in a limbo state. On one hand, they’re naturally powerful that they can outclass many up-and-coming rosters and evenly fight with strong contenders. They’ve also made proper roster moves and agent adjustments, by moving Giansanity to Duelist and bringing in ABatman, who returns to the pro scene with natural chemistry with the team, for the Sentinel role instead. They can play to such a high level through their raw skill, and we see it from time to time in their matches. On the other hand, they notably struggle against the best the PH has to offer and come up short grabbing championships in the community scene. The key feeling when looking at Alpha Esports Pro is “underperformance”- they can be better than they are right now, but they aren’t able to get there. Whether it’s internal problems, like shot-calling, clutch decision making, or just too many eyes and pressure on them, they need to figure it out. The Philippines has answered this team that they ready for them, and it’s a good time for Alpha Esports Pro to strike back.
Bestial Esports
A beast waiting to be unleashed, Bestial Esports is a team that can be a sudden surprise in a matchup. With a core of community members who have grown with the team and experience from members of team Subversive, this is a team trying to break through the midfield and look to hold their own against the top. With players like GabbyDiz looking extremely agile and lethal, Bestial Esports has found ways to make it far enough to contend for crowns in the community scene. They’ve won one of them but do struggle when the opposition gets too tough. Despite this, they have achieved a notable win over South Built Esports and generally stay on the top part of the general pack of PH Valorant teams. These predators want to move on the even bigger prey, and the hunger is there to evolve.
Aether Esports
Popping up once more like a mention on this list, Aether Esports is a bit of an enigma. They’ve resurfaced again with a similar lineup of their core with new blood together. The team can make it far into community brackets and compete against notable teams. Most importantly, they’ve been involved in disruptions to the pecking order of the PH scene, including a long-overdrawn overtime battle with Oasis Gaming, a victory against SV Empire, and most impactful of all, the win against Hashira that proved to the final straw and led to their disbanding. Their interference in the scene once again comes into notice, and this squad led by Dys4nia returns to a level that puts them in a position to slide into the official circuit.
That’s it for me and I hope you guys give it a read and tell me what you think! Do you agree or disagree with this list? Who would you have on top of your list? Again, I do hope newcomers to the scene find this helpful to understand what’s going on and assist in finding your favorites in PH Valorant.
