[MSGP] Monster Strike Grand Prix 2016 (January 31, 2016)

Monster Strike has been trying to innovate since day one, doing something different with their game. They were one of the first to introduce real-time Co-Op for mobile games in Japan and expended the Co-Op range from your bedroom to all across the world. They also created their own Anime and made it available to a non-tested platform in Youtube.

Now they are working with the e-sports distribution organization in Japan to create a Monster Strike Tournament with a pretty hefty prize pool. This is the Monster Strike Grand Prix and the finals will be on January 31st.

What is the Grand Prix?

Monster Strike Grand Prix is a national tournament that will use the spin-off app, Monster Stadium. The app pits two teams of 4 in a time attack battle through Local Co-Op. It also syncs up with your JP Monster Strike account (sorry, not for NA) so you use the monsters you actually built up in the main game against your opponents. You can do 1 vs. 1, 2 vs. 2 or even 1 vs. 3, but tournament teams can only be 4 members.

There were Regional Qualifiers throughout Japan in the follow 5 regions:

- Chuubu Region (12/6): 3 teams
- Kansai Region (12/20): 4 teams
- Hokkaido Region (12/27): 2 teams

- Kyuushu Region (01/10): 3 teams

- Kanto Region (01/17): 4 teams

This equals to 16 teams that have a chance of being the number 1 MS team. The knockout stage will happen in a special convention called Tokaigi (which translates to Battle Summit) that lasts from January 30th to the 31st. The whole tournament will be on the 31st. 

The Prize Pool

Here are the prizes for the winners during the Regional Qualifier as well as the Playoffs.

Regional Qualifier
First Place: 1st Place Trophy and place in the Playoffs
Second Place: 2nd Place Trophy and place in the Playoffs
Third Place: 3rd Place Trophy and place in the Playoffs
Fourth Place: Place in the Playoffs

Playoffs
First Place: 20,000,000 yen or 170k USD
Second Place: 10,000,000 yen or 85k USD

Third Place: 6,000,000 yen or 51k USD (losers of the semifinals)
Top 8: 2,000,000 or 17k USD (4 teams)

So the total prize pool is 50,000,000 yen or 426k USD! 

The Rules

There are not many rules to follow. You apply through the app which you have to connect 4 accounts through your location. You also have to be 18+ and not a high school student.

During the tournament, the organizers will provide you with a device which you upload your account to.

The biggest game breaking rule will have to be that you cannot have dupes on the same team. However, different forms (Evo/Asc/Div) are treated as different monsters. So hooray for no Lucy/Arthur cheese.

The Regional Qualifiers

Monster Strike Stadium has 3 special stages as well as 2 normal Extreme stages that were made for the Qualifiers.

Special Stages
- Tokaigi 2016: Fire Stone Statue
- Tokaigi 2016: Water Monster of Destruction
- Tokaigi 2016: Wood Song Bird

Extreme Stages

- Clown Prince of Pumpkins (Jack-o-lantern)
- A Ritual of Revenge (Princess Takiyasha)

First off, over 100+ teams will have to participate in a Time Attack Round. The top 16 times will be able to advance to the Knockout Round. The Knockout Round is played out like this:

Top 16: Water Monster of Destruction
Quarterfinals: Wood Song Bird
Semifinals: One of the two Extreme stages
3rd Place: Fire Stone Statue

Finals (Best 2 of 3): 

- #1: Fire Stone Statue
- #2: Water Monster of Destruction
- #3: Extreme stage that wasn't used in the Semifinals

The 16 Teams!

Here are the 16 teams who have made it to the Playoffs!

Chuubu Region
#1: 極楽元町会
#2: espoir
#3: 運極周回

Kansai Region
#1: モンスト一家
#2: nobu's
#3: Nutriente
#4: ワルサーP38

Hokkaido Region
#1: Funnyストライカーズ
#2: MONST-PLANET

Kyuushu Region 

#1: ヒッパレ・パレ!!
#2: ヴィジョンファクトリー
#3: 60ME-C

Kanto Region
#1: クルセイダーズ
#2: 2000万パワーズ
#3: いそりはまん不在
#4: りゃーの巣窟

Why Should I Care?

Well if you love Monster Strike, I think a MS tournament is more enough reason for you to care.

However, for JP players, there will be a mission log entry starting from the 22nd to the 31st (before the tournament). It will give you the list of the 16 teams above and you will have to predict which team will become #1.

Here are the rewards:
Guessing #1: 50 orbs
Guessing #2: 10 orbs
Guessing #3: 5 orbs

No joke, 50 orbs if the team you predicted becomes #1. So grab your thinking caps on and theory craft who will win! Small catch is that your account has to be above Rank 50.

Of course I will write about each individual qualifier, team-by-team in future posts. I will also give my predictions on who will advance every step of the way. So make sure you check them out!

Official MS Grand Prix Link: http://grandprix.monster-strike.com/tokaigi2016/#contents