When Elements presented their new lineup, the biggest surprise was the addition of an unknown support player to the LCS squad.
With little over a week before his debut, Hampus ”promisq” Abrahamsson is now working hard to enter the pro circuit with a bang.
– What I’m looking forward to the most is proving that I can play with the big boys, he tells Aftonbladet Esport.

After the Spring Split, Elements revamped their lineup and built a whole new squad around Henrik ”Froggen” Hansen. The new lineup consists mostly of players with former LCS experience, with one glaring exception: Support player Hampus ”promisq” Abrahamsson, who was picked up straight from the Challenger Solo Queue.
– They added me to the ”Friends list” and I immediately felt something was going on, so I had some butterflies in my stomatch. Then Nyph asked me if I wanted to join the team.

What where your thoughts when they suddenly approached you and wanted you to play in the LCS?
– It felt like a once in a lifetime opportunity. You’re supposed to go through the Challenger series and work hard there. They asked me on a Wednesday, then we played together and I left for Berlin the following Monday.

”I’m more focused on backing my ADC up”

From only competing in Solo Queue since 2013, he was suddenly thrown into the highest tiers of League of Legends. Since then, him and the team have been working hard to get in shape for the LCS Spring Split which starts on May 28th. And despite stepping up a level, promisq says he feels confident in his abilities.
– I really don’t think there are any problems mechanically. It’s more about the strategic part, where I have a lot to learn. It’s something completely different than Solo Queue, two different games really.

Since you’re basically unknown on the competitive scene, could you tell us a bit about your League of Legends background?
– I picked up LoL when I graduated high school in 2013, sometime in May or June. Before then I had played Heroes of Newerth. I started playing ranked right away and climbed the ladder. The first season I got Diamond, then I was in Challenger season four and five. I’ve played support the whole time and I was a support in HoN too. It’s two different games but I felt I could use a lot from HoN in LoL as well. You didn’t have to learn the game from scratch because you know how most things work.
– As a support I’m more focused on backing up my ADC than playing Leona or Nautilus who are more in the front lines, tanking. I prefer playing Janna, Nami and Lulu. They’re definitely my favorite champions.

What were your goals in League of Legends when you first started?
– I’m extremely competitive. If I do something I want to be the best and go as far as I can. That’s how it’s always been, even when I did other sports. LCS has been a dream but nothing you can focus on, to become a professional. But it’s always in the back of your head that if you could climb the ranks fast and learn the game, why not go for it?

Now you’ve been practicing with Elements for a couple of weeks. Have you learned a lot during that time?
– Yeah, I’ve definitely evolved. Everything’s new in five versus five, there are major differences compared to the Challenger ladder. You can’t compare that with playing against LCS teams because the style is completely different. We’ve scrimmed for four weeks and I think I’m learning new things every day. Not how you play certain champions but how to work your way around the map and stuff like that. I’ve picked up a lot since we started, but I think I still have a lot to learn.

What are the biggest differences for you?
– The whole focus when entering a game. ”Now we’re gonna do this and that, and not do this and that”. When you play on the ladder it’s ”hold bot and gank, go top and gank”, and it either works or it doesn’t. You don’t have a lot of control. Now we have a gameplan and it’s much more controlled with less random fights.
– At the same time, scrims are different than playing up on stage. You kill a lot more in scrims, but that’s a big difference now. You don’t kill as many champions, because the games are more controlled.

In a couple of days you’ll take the stage for the very first time, what are your thoughts on that?
– I’ve been psyching myself about that since I signed up with Elements. It’s something I think about every night, and I just have to go out and do my thing. Mainly, I want to see how I do for myself and confirm that I can perform in the LCS. That’s what I’m looking forward to the most: Proving that I can play with the big boys.

How do you think you’ll handle playing in front of the crowd and all those viewers?
– I think I’ll be a little nervous. I’m mostly pretty nervous when it comes to new things, like interviews and stuff like that when it’s my first time. At the same time I think it’ll pass after a couple of minutes so it shouldn’t be a problem. Right now I just have a positive mentality about it, I just want to go.

When you were presented in Elements, people were questioning the pickup of an unknown player. What do you think about those opinions?
– Myself, I think it’s special to be picked up straight from the Solo Queue, so I understand the general mentality from that perspective. That other players could’ve gotten the chance because they’ve accomplished a lot for a long period of time. But at the same time, the way I understand it Tabzz had kept his eyes on me for a while and when Krepo said he was quitting I think I was their first choice. They looked at the ladder and picked me.
– That I don’t have the experience that the veterans have isn’t a drawback. I have the mechanical skill and I think that weighs more than the tactical part which you could pick up easier.

Do you feel that you have to disprove the doubters?
– No, to be honest, I don’t feel I have to prove anything to anyone but myself. I don’t care what anybody else thinks. To me it’s about what the team thinks and how I deliver.

How much have you kept track of the competitive scene during your time in LoL?
– I’ve been following LCS a bit. Not every game, every week, every season but I’ve watched all the big games. I’ve gone up early when they’ve played in Asia. Last season I watched a few games, not whole heartedly. But that’s gonna change now that you have to keep track of the other teams.

You’re about to enter a lane against Europe’s best players. Do you feel that you’re at their level right now?
– I definitely feel that way in scrims. We’ve scrimmed against six or seven teams and some Challenger teams. We haven’t played against everyone in the LCS yet. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose, but me and Tabzz have no problems taking a lane two versus two. Generally I don’t have a problem keeping up, but then you have to perform on stage as well.

And facing players like Forg1ven and Rekkles, what do you think about that challenge?
– We have Gambit in our first game so I’m looking forward to that, it’s gonna be a fun first game. I think the level of ADC:s in Europe is higher than the level of supports. Players like Rekkles, Forg1ven and Tabzz who I personally think is really good. I look forwad to a lot of matchups two versus two. It’s gonna be fun facing Forg1ven in the first game and I hope we’ll get a straight up two versus two against them.

What are your expectations on the split, both individually and for the team?
– Individually I just want to see that I can deliver, that’s my first expectation. My aim is pretty low, I just want to feel that I can keep up and make it in the LCS, but I don’t think that’s gonna be a problem.
– As a team, we aim for a top three spot. Worlds is the final goal, but it’s hard to say how things are looking. We haven’t played every team in Europe so we don’t know where we stand, but it feels good and if you compare to other teams I think we have great players. So top three is definitely a goal for us.

After last season and the player swaps, do you think Elements have lower expectations than during the Spring Split?
– I think the management shows they’re willing to go for it. Clearing up the team and bringing in an untested support player. I don’t feel we have any pressure, but we have a great environment. Nobody could really have any expectations with four new players and with last season in mind. You definitely want an improvement, but you never know how things will turn out. But I think we’ll be able to pinch a top three spot.