Hello Esports fans,
We'd like to provide an update on the character ban rules for Eternal Return Super Masters, a new tournament beginning in Season 13, as this has been a topic of considerable interest among players and viewers.
While finalizing these rules, we gathered feedback from players, tournament staff, viewers, and our internal operations and broadcast teams. We also revisited previously considered options and carefully discussed the best approach.
After thorough consideration, we've decided on the following rules.
■ Character Ban Rules for Super Masters
Super Masters will continue to use the same 3-Pick Ban system as the existing Masters tournaments. However, to encourage greater variety in matches, the following additional rules will apply.
Fixed Round Rule: The team that placed first in the previous round may ban one character that was picked during that round.
Checkpoint Rule: The team currently leading in overall points may ban one character that was picked during the previous round.
■ Why We're Keeping the 3-Pick Ban System
1. Preserving the Identity of Masters
Super Masters will not consist exclusively of KEL teams. At least approximately 50% of the participating teams will be Masters teams. With this in mind, we believe it's important to consider both the overall level of competition and the quality of matches to ensure an enjoyable viewing experience.
Additionally, our goal is for Masters to establish itself as an independent tournament with its own unique format and appeal, rather than simply serving as a lower-tier competition beneath KEL.
We believe the 3-Pick Ban system best represents what has made Masters special since the early days of Eternal Return: a competitive stage where anyone can rise to the challenge.
2. The Nature of the Four-Round Format
Masters consists of four rounds, compared to the six rounds played in KEL and the Super Cup. This means fewer matches and fewer opportunities for different team compositions to appear. Under these circumstances, introducing a 2-Pick Cap could actually result in less variety in character picks and bans.
For example, if a particular character is especially strong in the current patch, a 2-Pick Cap would allow every team to take turns using that character. Under the 3-Pick Ban system, however, that character would likely become a priority ban and would no longer appear after the first round.
Another consideration is the difference in preparation required between the regular rounds and the finals.
With a four-round format, teams can complete their matches using just two compositions. However, reaching the finals would require them to prepare four different compositions, creating a significant gap in preparation requirements.
In comparison, KEL teams need at least three compositions for the six-round format and at least four for the finals, meaning they only need to prepare one additional composition.
We believe asking teams to expand from two compositions to four within a short preparation period would be considerably more challenging.
3. Considering Tournament Preparation Time
Masters has a rating cut for qualification, and the time between qualifiers and the main tournament is relatively short. This leaves participating teams with limited time to prepare new compositions that meet the tournament rules.
In previous tournaments that used the 2-Pick Cap system, such as KEL and the Season 6 and Season 9 Super Cups, participating teams were confirmed in advance, giving them time to prepare specifically for that format.
Since Masters involves both a rating cut and qualifiers, we believe introducing a 2-Pick Cap system would require more careful consideration.
We believe the identity of KEL, Eternal Return's highest level of competition and a tournament beloved by many, comes not from its format but from the players and teams who compete in it.
Super Masters, which will feature all 16 KEL teams, will likewise provide the top-tier competitive experience that viewers have come to expect.
We also believe that one of the most important aspects of any tournament is how enjoyable it is to watch. This depends not only on the variety of team compositions but also on the players' skill levels, the quality of their gameplay, and the overall level of competition.
Given the four-round format of Masters, we currently believe that maintaining the 3-Pick Ban system will provide an enjoyable viewing experience. However, we remain open to refining the rules as the tournament progresses if we identify opportunities for improvement.
We sincerely thank all the players and viewers who have shown interest in Super Masters. We also hope you'll continue supporting the remaining Season 12 Masters tournaments, KEL, and other competitions leading up to Season 13.
We look forward to your continued interest and feedback as we work to make Eternal Return Esports even better.
Thank you,
Eternal Return Esports Team
