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Hydra Cup Season 1 Results: Dead Last (5th)

Projected Best Shot for Hydra Cup Season 1 MVP: Rachael Douglas
Hydra Cup Season 1 Team MVP: Rachael Douglas

Projected Hydra Cup Season 2 Team Placement: 6th
Best Shot for Season 2 Team & Overall MVP: Rachael Douglas

Roster Additions: Pearl, Velen
Roster Purges: Rhiannon Brock, Eregor, Chythraul Cubuklu, Veritas, Mairead Harker

In Hydra Season 1, Forces of Nature was little more than a Force of Rubbish, coming in last and scoring less than 100 points. Unfortunately, the outlook this time around looks little better. With a roster comprised of relative unknowns backed by semi-accomplished veterans and very little dueling experience outside of the Isle, FoN's fortunes will entirely rely upon quick adaptation to the Outback and Arena. This tactic failed spectacularly in Season 1 and it'll do so again in Season 2. Maybe there's a new Captain Futility on the horizon!

Jacen Balthazar (DoF: 0 WoL; DoM: 53 WoL; DoS: N/A) -- Last year, I gave Jacen quite the bollocking for putting a 5-year-old kid on his team. Credit where credit's due...the child's gone meaning Jacen is no longer a numpty prat. Congratulations to you, demigod, for finally growing a brain cell and using it.

Jacen was the 6th best scorer in Season 1 for his team (94.5 points) but will need to do more this time around. In the last year, Jacen's added just over thirty WoL to his Isle record but lost ground in the other sports (he used to have a single WoL in each). Leading by example? His team would be wise not to follow his dueling examples. Jacen already challenged for the Tower of Fire before Hydra began, meaning he's either counting on a string of defenses for points or he didn't trust himself to win and didn't want to risk the points. That's gotta inspire confidence in the others. Oodles and oodles of confidence.

Siofra Kelley (DoF: N/A; DoM: 15 WoL; DoS: N/A) -- Aside from adding 6 WoL to her Isle record, Siofra's done pretty much nothing in the last year. During Season 1, I advised her to stick with what she was good at...dueling on the Isle. This year I think she needs to branch out. Unless she absolutely dominates the Isle and has no need to venture elsewhere for points, she's going to have problems. Perhaps she can contribute points with rank upgrades. Given she could easily lose and regain her status as Mage several times over the course of the tournament, it's probably the best strategy she can employ.

Pearl (DoF: 1 WoL; DoM: 2 WoL; DoS: 0 WoL) -- Ah, the lustre of a pearl. This one better shine bright over the next 6 weeks or else she's a waste of a signing. Of course (not to flog a dead horse or anything) she can always challenge for a Tower with her brilliant pair of WoL on the Isle. If Jacen had two brain cells, he'd ditch the CHILD as his neophyte and swap in Pearl. Unfortunately, he only has one and that lone solitary overworked cell, as explained above, was all used up in kicking the CHILD off his team. As far as Pearl goes: good luck to you, sweet-cheeks, you're in for a long six weeks.

Rachael Douglas (DoF: 27 WoL; DoM: 23 WoL; DoS: N/A) -- As was the case in Season 1, Rachael has the most dueling experience on the team and again holds the best chance to keep them relevant in the tournament. The highs and lows of Rachael's dueling career have been well touted over the years. Basically, she'll either carry Forces of Nature or sink them. Last year, she carried them to last place though it's not like she had a whole lot of help from her teammates. Let's hope she bulked up those shoulders in the interim since her dueling pedigree hasn't changed much.

Velen (DoF: N/A; DoM: N/A; DoS: 1 WoL) -- Velen? Velen who? The name's unfamiliar. But then you hear shouts from the rooftops: Velen's #1! Velen's #1! And then you too feel an overwhelming desire to bellow his name and sing his praises in the streets! What's he #1 in, you ask? Well, I'll tell you. Velen leads -- that's right, leads! -- his team in Swords WoL. Wow!, you say. How fantastic! Then you realize that he has a total of 1 WoL in the Arena and you scratch your head.

That's right. The entirety of Forces of Nature has 1 WoL in Swords (Velen's as it turns out) and it's all up to the rookie not to bugger it up. Pressure's on, mate! Oh and by the way, you might want to go visit the Isle and Outback so you can, just maybe, help your team not be last again.

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