I like looking at the top 32 at Worlds.

I like looking at the top 32 at Worlds.

Agree this is a good way to find what is working well, but what this does not tell us is everything that could work well. Just because something does not appear at top tables doesn't automatically mean it is not competitively viable.

Kinetic Operator proves this time and time again with his Worlds lists. Who before Worlds thought Triple K Wings would be a competitive list, let alone one which would make top 16? Admittedly, he is an extreme example, as he is easily one of the best players in the world, but I enjoy that he continues to show the community that there are always options out there that are fresh, new and competitive. If KO had not attended Worlds, tactician K-wings could very well still be waiting to be discovered.

I agree. To think that there are only 32 possible "good" lists in the game is quite limiting to me. I think there are a lot more possible combos out there than that.

I also like of Ratatouie: "Anyone can cook." It doesn't mean that everyone can be a great cook, but a great cook can come from anywhere. So....a great list can come from out of the blue and unexpected. It can take someone flying completely different to the rest of the meta. I mean, most Worlds players are from Middle America. What if there is a kid from Florida, or Canada, or Thailand that can fly a list that's never been flown before in a way that is utterly counter-intuitive, but it works? Just because the limited number of people who actually attend Worlds don't see a list as competitive doesn't mean it's actually uncompetitive.

There are a lot of people who get nervous when it gets to Worlds. Do they go with something new that they think MIGHT work? Or do they go with what has been winning a few Regionals lately instead? Most people will just go with what has been winning instead of trying to fly something different. They want to play it safe.