How FNC Doma leaving affects Fnatic going into 2022

VCT Champions 2021 is officially over, and a new champion in Acend has been crowned. After coming into the tournament as underdogs, Acend fought their way through an initial Keyd series loss to ultimately win in the finals against VCT Masters Berlin champs Gambit. And after the confetti was cleared, the VALORANT offseason officially began. And it was Fnatic who made an announcement that Doma would be moving to the inactive roster, and would field new opportunities in both NA and EU.

Doma was part of the original SUMN FC trio alongside both Boaster and Mistic where he stayed with Fnatic throughout 2021. Now, the two will act as a duo on Fnatic as the team undergoes a stylistic change to change their fortunes in the EMEA.

Fnatic’s Domagoj “Doma” Fancev at VCT Masters Reykjavík

Why was FNC Doma Benched?

Originally the star of SUMN FC, Doma was a bright young talent that made the switch over to a more supportive style to help his team get better. And while they enjoyed some success, like a second-place finish at VCT Masters Reykjavik, that was no longer enough to help this new look Fnatic push past the upper echelon of VALORANT teams.

And in the press release, it was revealed that, while talented, Doma was benched to start new.

“Doma has an extremely high mechanical ceiling. He has proven his ability to perform at this highest level of play. However, we envision a different look for the roster come 2022.”

That different look is yet to be made known to the public. All that is currently known is that Fnatic will be without their adaptable star.

What FNC Doma brought to Fnatic

Doma was thrust into a supportive role on Fnatic where there were not many opportunities to shine as a player. While on SUMN FC, Doma was a very different player. Prior to the arrivals of Derke and Magnum, Doma was primarily a Raze player and one who opted for more aggressive duels and openings.

Throughout Doma’s career, his most prolific and played agent is his Raze, with which he has played 123 competitive matches, boasting a 265.2 ACS. However, in the past three months, that has not been the case. Instead, he has been placed on more support-style agents that can help his team find more information. A contrast to his more supportive and utility-based playstyle in recent times, Doma’s strengths were always around aggressive openings.

Moving to North America would be the best bet for his playstyle. Many Tier 1 and 2 North American teams can utilize him in a better fashion. Specifically, a team that can play around his initial strengths as a duelist.

Who can replace Doma?

Suitable replacements for Doma depend on how Fnatic wants to play moving forward. Currently, they play a more controlled style that is set up around map play and utility to gain advantages. Doma was thrust into a position where his role changed from more duelist agents like Skye to supportive ones like Sage.

If Fnatic wants to add a person to fill in that role of a support/utility style, then finding someone from EMEA who is known for agents like KAY/O, Sova and Brimstone would be best. They do not need firepower if they want to continue building around their current playstyle. They need a player who can specialize in this supportive playstyle that they intended to push Doma onto.

Fnatic in a group huddle at the VALORANT Champions

In theory, Fnatic could also look for more firepower similar to Derke. Though it is very likely they may run into similar issues that they found with Doma.

Nonetheless, things will definitely change without Doma on the team anymore. No longer a majority SUMN FC team, Fnatic will look towards the future. Now, they aim to build a lineup around captain Boaster. Looking to improve upon their quarterfinals finish at VCT Champions 2021, Fnatic is looking for deeper success. For now, Fnatic will undergo tryouts to decipher who will be the best replacement for Doma moving forward.

Check with our Esports News for more VALORANT related articles and the whereabouts of Doma and his future team.