Mind Games to Formation Flips: How Solemn and ATB Seized PvP Glory
21.5.2025
This past month, Starborne: Frontiers competitive series reached its conclusion as two champions emerged: Solemn secured his second straight victory in the Frontiers Legend bracket, while AllTBestForAll, known as ATB, claimed the title in the inaugural Frontiers Epic tournament. Across group stages and high-stakes elimination rounds, both players showcased not only tactical mastery but also resilience and adaptability under pressure.
For Solemn, who entered the Legend bracket as defending champion, the tournament began with a familiar mix of excitement and nerves. “I felt a bit nervous defending the title,” he admits. “I didn’t know if I’d be up against last season’s top names or a fresh set of challengers. It was fun to see almost all new competitors.” True to form, he kicked off the group stage with a tried-and-true arena lineup, deliberately allowing opponents room to find counters. Only after securing his position in the Legendary bracket did he pivot to a more targeted approach, researching the recent compositions of each rival and even enlisting friends to share intel on lower-ranked players’ strategies through their Arena match ups.
One of the most intense showdowns came against Keldanor, an alliance mate whose tactical prowess pushed Solemn to employ convincing mind games and rapid formation shifts. “He is definitely one to watch in the future,” Solemn says, reflecting on the close battle. Ultimately, his blend of patience and precision carried him through the semifinals and into a final match he would win by a comfortable margin. “Back-to-back wins in the first competitive brackets, this game means a lot to me. Winning these has proven that many of the theories I share on Discord are sound,” he adds, issuing a playful challenge to the community: “Anyone who thinks their corrosion builds or damage-over-time tactics can beat me should step up. For now, direct damage reigns supreme.”
Meanwhile, ATB’s journey in the Epic bracket was defined by a roller-coaster of emotions and rapid strategic evolution. Upon hearing his name announced as champion, he says he was overcome by astonishment. “Wow, it actually happened,” he recalls, smiling at the memory. Gratitude followed close behind, tempered by sympathy for newer players who missed out on the beacon reward, a prize that netted ATB a legendary Tygr. “It was a bit bittersweet, a mixed bag of emotions,” he explains, acknowledging his pride and the community spirit that made the event possible.
ATB credits his success to relentless experimentation. He switched his formation from stack to butterfly at the outset of the group stage and continued tweaking his team before every match in the playoffs. The turning point came against Veldan Vizatar, a fellow member of the AllTBestForAll alliance who had defeated ATB in the play-ins. That rematch became the confidence boost he needed to push through to the final. “Winning that matchup against Veldan, one of the strongest opponents in the bracket phase, showed me I could go all the way,” ATB says.
Reflecting on how this tournament differed from previous competitive experiences, ATB notes that these one-on-one duels presented a new challenge compared with the alliance-versus-alliance planet conquests he’d known. “I’ve played a lot of games over the years, but this felt like my first real taste of 1-vs-1 competitive PvP. Once I reached the playoffs, I prepared for each match in depth, studying gear setups and opponent tendencies.”
To aspiring Epic contenders, ATB offers practical advice: duel friends or even challenge yourself using the S.O.V.A. feature to test every formation in a controlled environment. He also urges players to watch arena replays and follow top ladder competitors for inspiration. Above all, he stresses the importance of using every Arena token. “Engineering points and blood tokens accumulate even when you lose, and they are crucial for permanent stat boosts and market purchases. Never let those tokens go to waste.”
ATB also dispels the notion that Frontiers’ competitive mode is pay-to-win. “I’m fully free-to-play, and reaching the top forty in the Arena already, in addition to this tournament victory proves that skill and persistence matter more than spending”, he says with a laugh. As the community celebrates these victories, both champions have set a high bar for future tournaments.
With Solemn’s repeat Legend triumph and ATB’s breakthrough Epic win, Solid Clouds has demonstrated the depth and passion of the Frontiers community. As preparations begin for the next competitive cycle, fans and aspiring duelists alike will be watching closely to see who can challenge these two formidable players in the arena.
