What is Your Favorite Food?

Li: Any sort of meat. I am a huge meat eater. There is a picture of me up at an A&W when I ate a fifteen-patty burger in eight minutes and fifty-eight seconds. Then I had an ice cream cone. I was awarded a giant mug.

Any role-models?

Li: Umaga of the New Zealand All Blacks; that Haka is fierce.

Do you have a favorite console system?

Li: Nintendo 64; Super Smash Brothers anyone?

Looking forward to any up-coming game titles?

Li: Anything with good player versus player.

What does your future hold; what do you want to do?

Li: Not a clue.

How far along are you in your edumakation saga?

Li: I’m in my third year at a university with an undecided major; I haven’t learned jack.

Are there any leagues you are in favor of and why?

Li: CEVO; as for why, I do not know! I took a break from the game after CAL-DotA Season II.


This carnivorous, all-star rugby lover is the in-game leader for Team Pandemic’s DotA division. His strategy behind his gaming success will show you how seriously competitive Larry is, although his origins definitely wouldn’t point to professional gaming and the world of E-Sports. His first position was “Shaman” on a team called Clan ADA (Arrogant DotA A-holes). When he was denied a starter position on his team, instead of taking a backseat he formed his own team and named it WSRC (White Rock Crew). He says of competitive DotA, “We got into DotA competition because any other form of DotA was losing its flare; it is as simple as that.” Within a few months, he was number one at IGS. Shortly after achieving number one Clan ADA merged with his own team.

Larry’s teammates have played along side each other for quite some time, one of the many reasons behind their success in competitive DotA. When Clan Plug got sponsored by Complexity, he knew he had to prove that his team was just as good or even better. So he started e-mailing major gaming organizations, one of them being Team Pandemic. “We were all very excited to be taken in by Team Pandemic, as the organization sounded very professional, and without being too much of a softy; a warm online family. Pandemic jokes around when it’s time for jokes but is all business when it matters.”

Asking him what he liked least about the competitive gaming scene, his answer completely fits with what he likes so much about Pandemic. “What I like least is the general lack of human decency that spawns within these competitions. Added to that is the fact that you can say and act however you want in front of a keyboard and monitor.” To Larry, Pandemic maintains an upper level of professionalism not shown in many teams. Throughout the interview Mr. Li stressed the importance of competition in gaming. When I asked him what he liked most about the DotA scene, he replied, “I like the competitive aura. Playing matches mean so much more when there is a title at stake.”

Between his slighter weaknesses, like sometimes under-estimating his opponents, and great accomplishments like coming in second at the MeetYourMakers DotA tournament as well as CAL Season 2, Li finds a happy balance in his team’s strengths and skills. This keeps him coming back every day. In six months, “I see myself and the team sticking together. Wedge, DijonGenie and I have a pretty tight bond as we have stuck it out through thick and thin which gives Pandemic.DotA a very strong core. We plan to start winning some LAN events once they become available.” One of Pandemic.DotA’s biggest strengths is their innovative style of play: “Our DotA team is responsible for popularizing many heroes in league play including Juggernaut, Skeleton King, and Bristleback. I often hear from fans that our replays are the most fun to watch because we are aggressive and sometimes a little loopy.”

Fachh, with all his DotA experience, has some sage-like advice for new and current teams. He explains that the most important thing is learning the mechanics, and realizing the maximum potential of every hero. “Many new teams just copy what they see from the higher level players and that will only take you so far.” He also says focus on team confidence. “I think the most important thing a team needs is confidence in each and every member of the team. Without trust in a game like DotA, you are unable to execute battles quickly and efficiently.” As successful as his team is in DotA, you can definitely tell he practices what he preaches.

A big thank you to Larry “Fachh” Li for his input, time and effort into this article!