Full Name: Conrad Lope
Age: 20
Hometown: Clifton, NJ
Student/Occupation: Student
Game Nickname: zyZ
Team: Evil Geniuses
Favored Class: Rogue
Favored Team Composition: Rogue/Lock/Shaman
Battlegroup: Battlegroup 9 Bloodlust
Arena Rating Team/Personal: http://www.wowarmory.com/character-sheet.xml?r=Laughing+Skull&n=Zyzski

Past Gaming Accomplishments

2008

1st - MLG San Diego
2nd - Blizzard Tournament Realm 1
3rd - MLG Orlando
3rd - ESL US Finals Philly
4th - Blizzard US Regionals
5-6th - ESL LA
7-8th - ESL Montreal

Vengeful Gladiator for Arena Season 3

2008 Rogue of the Year
2008 Breakout Player of the Year
http://www.arenacast.net/arenacast-awards-2008/

2009

7-8th - ESL Global Finals Germany

Qualified - US Regionals 2009

zyZ at US Continental Finals
photo by esl-world.net

How did you get into playing World of Warcraft initially, what led to playing professionally and what keeps you playing the game?

I originally played with a group of real life friends who recommended the game to me. I eventually got into it and continued to progress and play after my real life friends stopped playing. I started taking arenas seriously in season 2 and haven�t looked back. Along with arenas, all of my friends keep me playing and having fun.

Have you played any other games competitively?

Been playing counterstrike since 1.4 and still scrim every once and a while. Best game ever made.

Outside of competitive eSports, what occupies your time. Are you a student? (major?) Any sports or hobbies?

Currently a student majoring in Computer Science. During the semester I�m usually pretty busy with schoolwork, but during breaks/summer is all partying and hanging out on the reg. I casually play baseball/basketball/football with friends, snowboard in the winter, hit up the gym a few times per week, and live the life of a boss all day every day.

To what extent do your friends and family know about this aspect of your life? How have they reacted? Will they be following the competition from home?

Pretty much everyone knows about it. Most of them are jealous that I get the opportunity to travel around the world and make money from playing. All of my friends and family are incredibly supportive. I remember getting spammed with texts and calls from people who watched us win in San Diego.

How did you come to be a part of your team? What are the factors that make this team the best choice for you?

Me and Isaac (Azael) were originally with Spoh last year as RLD. Eventually we switched over to Rogue Lock Shaman by picking up Kollektiv and parting ways with Spoh. This team is the best for me because we are all the best at our respective classes. We made this comp popular and play it to its full potential.

What is your usual role on the team? As of this moment, what class is your favorite to play in competition?

I play the rogue on the team, which is also my favorite class. Along with the warlock, I am a damage/control class. I�ve played a few other damage dealing classes in competition, but rogue is definitely the most fun. Being able to pull off flashy clutch plays for the camera is awesome.

How has the Wrath of the Lich King expansion and subsequent 3.1 patch changed competitive play from last year if any, in your opinion?

The biggest change has been the nerfing of the godmode WLD composition that dominated last year. More classes are viable now and we will probably see a decent variety of teams this year. Although the RMP comp that did well last year will definitely still be strong.

If the classes were to remain largely the same come time for MLG Columbus, what comps would you expect to see in heavy rotation. What comps are you anticipating to be the most challenging to take down?

From the team list, I�m expecting a few RMP�s, maybe a WLD, and some other paladin cleave teams. Mostly worried about WLD and the cleave teams just because of the mismatch between our rogue team vs plate teams. RMP�s always put up a good fight, but we play it a lot and should be ready for it.

What teams would you expect to pose the biggest threat to your own? Why?

Don�t actually know yet because everyone is trying out new compositions. The RMP from Ensidia is the only comp I can pretty much guarantee. They should be a good matchup.

For someone just starting out in WoW Arena PvP, what is the most effective piece of advice you could offer? What are the keys to success in WoW Arena?

The most important in WoW arena is your team. Like anything else in life, you really need to be able to network, and find people who can help you progress into a better player. Also, it�s pretty important to realize that you cannot win every single game. There will always be some sort of imbalance or bad luck that could ruin a game, no matter how well you play. It can be frustrating at times, but you have to put it behind you and continue to the next game.

GotFrag eSports

World of Warcraft: Behind EG's zyZ - "We're all the best"

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