ANX Likkrit talks Worlds performance, World of Warcraft, future hopes

Sunday night, on the final series of the 2016 League of Legends World Championship Quarterfinals, Albus NoX Luna faced off against the EULCS’s H2K.

The series was finished in a decisive three games from H2K. Despite being sent home, Albus NoX Luna held their head high as the best performing International Wildcard Team in Worlds history. After their loss, Rift Herald had the chance to sit down with support player, and crowd favorite, Kirill “Likkrit” Malofeev, to talk about Brand, Bard, Zyra, and World of Warcraft.

Ryan Gilliam: The first thing I need to ask you about is the Brand pick that you were so successful on, how did it feel to go into this quarterfinal match tonight and have that instantly banned first pick?

Kirill “Likkrit” Malofeev: I knew that was going to happen, there was literally no reason to leave Brand open.

Ryan: Does that feel nice to have the respect of a team like H2K to see that ban come out just for you?

Likkrit: I think that in the current meta that is like the only support pick that can break all their plans on bot lane. Because they want to just safely push and farm when their jungler was doing the job and for us we were comfortable with that as well and Brand was the only way to interrupt this farm farm farm on bot lane.

Ryan: What is about that AP support style that really lends itself to you and the way you like to play.?

Likkrit: For me, I’m not actually an AP support player I just like Brand because he is awesome. For example we could pick Zyra, a lot of times during the series, but I don’t consider this champion really strong because you lose a lot of opportunities. If you fall behind like we did with Zyra, you have no literal way to come back because this champion has no way to be good unless it keeps being useful in game, like equal in gold and stuff.

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Ryan: With Brand’s rework coming in earlier this year do you fell like that made him a more viable support pick to you?

Likkrit: I have only started playing Brand post-rework because pre-rework he was nerfed already. And I was playing Brand when it was good, and after rework I started playing him again cause I like his champion mechanics, I love how it works.

Ryan: ANX has kinda become the most likable team at Worlds through group stages and I think a lot of people in the community would attribute that to you and some of your interviews. How does it feel to have that put onto you?

Likkrit: Sincerely, I don’t care. Some people will like you, some people will hate you. If you just stay close to you, you can just go like Perkz who got hated by literally everyone and it killed him.

Ryan: You had a diagnosis last week of Chicken Pox, was that uncomfortable to play and practice with?

Likkrit: Actually, I was misdiagnosed, it wasn’t chicken pox. I have red spots all around my body and yes its uncomfortable, but as I have said already I don’t care. I have played sick on another, with Pneumonia, and you have to play you can’t just say ‘awh I am sick’ you have to go and do your best.

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Ryan: So you got driven from San Francisco to Chicago as I understand, is that correct?

Likkrit: Nope

Ryan: Oh, no?

Likkrit: Nope.

Ryan: Did you end up flying?

Likkrit: Yes, me and Riot Games managed to find a way.

Ryan: Oh, perfect. Well, when you found out you may have been driving in the first place though was there any part of you that was excited to see more of America, or were you not looking forward to that trip?

Likkrit: The first thing I thought when I was told I would be driving, was I have not been feeling good in cars. So, after I was offered a train, but train was going for three days like non at all, and it was unacceptable. We wouldn’t have any time for practice, we would have come by the time first quarterfinal starts. By car, I can’t say that I love watching in America, I am sure I would like to go by car just to sightsee.

Ryan: Is there anywhere specifically you would like to site see if you were given the opportunity?

Likkrit: Actually, I have seen the Golden Gate in San Francisco Alcatraz and some stuff in Chicago so I saw what I wanted to. If I want to go site seeing, I just go browse the internet, because it gives you great opportunities of seeing the world.

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Ryan: You were talking earlier, that your team had poor opportunities to scrim, and when you guys were prepping for Worlds you spent some time playing World of Warcraft. I have a couple quick questions about World of Warcraft?

Likkrit: Sure, sure.

Ryan: What faction does ANX play for Alliance or Horde?

Likkrit: I have been playing for Alliance all my life, I have never had a Horde char. Like literally, I have been playing World of Warcraft for like, since Classic so you can imagine how long it is. And I have never had a Horde character higher than the tenth level, so Alliance.

Ryan: What class do you play?

Likkrit: My first and main character is a Rogue, and second is Druid healer. And actually that druid healer is the reason I am playing support instead of playing another role. Because in World of Warcraft, healing was really interesting and cool and I appreciated it really hard cause I was tired of dealing damage. You press your rotation every single time and you are just getting tired of it. And healing was cool. And when I come to League, I realize, dealing damage here is funny and healing is boring. And I was like, ‘I play Brand.’

* laughs *

Ryan: How much of a correlation do you think there is between healing in World of Warcraft and supporting in League?

Likkrit: Well, the thing is Healers in World of Warcraft have much more opportunities to affect the game than supports in League of Legends. For example, Bard is correlated with some healers in World of Warcraft in terms of skill set and interest of playing. But if we talk about something like Zyra. I like Zyra I have played her a lot I have mained her and the last competitive pick of Zyra before Worlds was me, but I don’t know, I don’t like it.

Ryan: Do you remember what level your artifact weapon is right now?

Likkrit: Yeah sure.

* laughs *

24, and 21 on druid.

Ryan: Were you and ANX motivated at all by a Russian Guild hitting Mythic First on Emerald Nightmare?

Likkrit: Well, the thing is that, I have some friends in Exorsus. For example, there was a team in Russia called Little Chase that competed, of course it was like four years ago. There was a Healer Paladin from that team in Exorsus, which was the world first, there was a Monk, or not Monk. Oh yes Monk, and a Warrior all from Exorsus or Karfagen back when Karfagen was better than Exorsus.

Ryan: What is your favorite expansion of World of Warcraft?

Likkrit: Well, as for me the thing is I had missed, or was busy studying like whole of Lich King. So I didn’t manage to play any how. But if we talk about later expansion actually Legion is really cool. For now. We don’t know how it turns out, but for now it’s really good. And I think Cataclysm. I had really loved Cataclysm and Pandaria is spoiled by amount of Daily quests I had to maintain, and Drainor I had hardcore League of Legends, so I had literally no time to play both.

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Ryan: So now that you have kind of made a name for yourself in an international sense would you have any interest on being exported to North America or Europe or do you plan to stay with ANX?

Likkrit: It is a hard question to answer because if someone throws money at you [Likkrit does “make it rain” motion] you can’t refuse. You are like well yes I can play here for this and I can play there for that, I mean I love my team and the players but! So, yes probably I would. I’m not sure, I would’t play for a team that has no way to go to Worlds, but if I had a good offer I would go yes.

Ryan: Is there any team that you would be particularly interested in joining.

Likkrit: Actually, I have always wanted to play with FORG1VEN, but well, this place is occupied. So no real chance.

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Ryan: I have one more question. If you are ever given the chance to go all the way and win worlds. Who would you want your World Champions skin to be for?

Likkrit: Bard! Actually, my main character which I have most games with and my most beloved character is Thresh. But at worlds Thresh is trash now. So that would be Bard. Yes, I am known for Brand, but my rank one EU West was on Bard. All my personal achievement have been on Bard and I consider myself to be a really good Bard player if I am in good shape.

Ryan: Is there anything specific you would want with your Bard skin like longer hair or anything like that characteristic to you.

Likkrit: Ha, he would collect reports instead of chimes.