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[Review] Analysis of ZOO vs LoL in IBL in Infinity Kingdom

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Article Publish : 09/28/2025 16:11

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💠Introduction

What’s up, folks? Welcome back to my Illusion Battlefield League(IBL) series, where I take a closer look at different matches. The IBL tournament differs from regular IB in that everyone will construct marches and skill builds using a fixed set of skills. At different stages of the tournament, more immortals and skills will become available. Everyone has access to the same immortals and the same skills. Castle skins and Lord Talents do not affect the more fast-paced battles of IBL. Relocations and marching speed are also faster. The event is one of the most entertaining events in Infinity Kingdom, and players enjoy spectating, almost like a sporting event. In this article, I’m going to take a closer look at the first playoff match between Server 14’s The ZOO(ZOO) and Server 57’s Leftover Loners(LoL). LoL’s positions in this match will be denoted in green while ZOO’s will be in red.

💠Table of Contents

Overview
Starting Positions and Talents
ZOO
LoL
Tower 1
Tower 4
Central Tower
Altars
Home Towers
Play-by-Play
Summary

💠Overview

ZOO entered the Top 16 after a strong 6-2 start in the first phase. They beat WV in the opening round of the second phase but stumbled against Midnight Sun. From there, they fought through the loser’s bracket with wins over DSP and RIF before earning redemption in a rematch against Midnight Sun to secure their spot. LoL, meanwhile, began with a 4-1 record and advanced through the Group Elimination stage by defeating AID, PURR, and AWGM. Both teams are evenly matched in strength and numbers, making this one of the most balanced and unpredictable clashes in the Top 16.

💠Starting Positions and Talents

ZOO

Started with 22 players and ended with 26
9 Attack talents
6 Defense talents
1 Support talents

LoL

Started with 20 players and ended with 27
11 Attack talents
7 Defense talents
9 Support talents

💠Tower 1

ZOO committed nine players to Tower 1 with one overlap, while LoL sent six. The smarter play for LoL would have been to give up Tower 1 entirely. As the top-sided team, they hold the positional advantage at Tower 4, and contesting there would have been the better move. ZOO understood this dynamic and overloaded Tower 1 to secure momentum. Their formation was standard and well-executed aside from a single overlap. LoL’s formation was also clean and organized, but with fewer players at the objective, they were always at a disadvantage. As a result, ZOO should come out on top at Tower 1.

💠Tower 4

ZOO chose not to contest Tower 4, while LoL committed six players with one overlap, setting up in positions designed to intercept potential relocations. This was the correct read, as LoL held a clear proximity advantage from the top side, an edge that strong teams consistently capitalize on. For bottom-sided teams like ZOO, contesting Tower 4 is an uphill battle, and opting out was the safer decision. However, it also meant LoL could secure the tower largely uncontested, reinforcing their early momentum.

💠Central Tower

ZOO committed eight players to the Central Tower, establishing a strong early presence. LoL, on the other hand, only sent two players, a decision that offered little practical value. With ZOO choosing to forgo Tower 4 in order to concentrate more forces on the remaining objectives, their setup at the center was well-aligned with their overall strategy. LoL’s two-player deployment was ineffective, as such a small number cannot realistically delay or defend against ZOO’s formation. Those players would have been better utilized reinforcing Tower 1, where LoL had a more viable chance of contesting. With superior numbers and positioning, ZOO should be able to secure the Central Tower once it opens at the ten-minute mark.

💠Altars

Neither team went to the altars.

💠Home Towers

ZOO stationed four guards at their home tower and LoL had two at theirs. Four is generally too many in the opening minutes.

💠Play-by-Play

ZOO took three minutes to eliminate their first enemy while LoL was struggling to deal any meaningful damage. They intercepted a late relocation and quickly zeroed another soon after, tightening their grip on the fight. Both sides relied heavily on rallies, which slowed the overall pace of the match, but once a few LoL players fell, the rest began dropping rapidly. ZOO surrounded both the tower and the remaining enemies, zeroing them out before finally capturing the objective at the 13-minute mark.

Since ZOO did not send any players to Tower 4, LoL secured the objective without resistance four minutes into the match. Afterward, two LoL players immediately began relocating toward ZOO’s home tower, while another shifted to the Moon Altar. This left only two defenders stationed at Tower 4, creating potential openings if ZOO decided to counterattack.

In the center, ZOO bombarded their closest target with a combination of solo attacks and rallies, quickly zeroing him before another LoL player landed beside the last defender. LoL attempted to send several more players toward the objective, but ZOO intercepted their relocations and destroyed them before they could provide support. With both defenders eliminated and reinforcements cut off, LoL had no presence left at the tower. ZOO maintained complete control and secured the Central Tower uncontested at the 13-minute mark.

At the 15-minute mark, LoL began relocating to the right side of the Central Tower, aware they needed to create an opening. ZOO immediately countered by relocating nearby and zeroing most of the attackers with little resistance. By the halfway point, ZOO had built a 16,000-point lead. LoL continued sending players toward the tower, but with ZOO simultaneously harassing their home tower, they struggled to gather enough strength in the center. Each time LoL made progress, ZOO pushed them back decisively. Unable to secure a third objective and eventually losing control of Tower 4 as well, LoL’s position in the match collapsed entirely.

💠Summary

The MVP of the match was ZOO’s Callous as they won with 100,000 points to LoL’s 55,400. ZOO executed a strong early-game strategy, choosing to sack Tower 4 in order to reinforce and dominate Tower 1 and the Central Tower. LoL attempted a similar plan but faltered by undercommitting at Tower 1 and relinquishing control of the center entirely, rather than sacrificing Tower 1 to contest it. Even at Tower 1, LoL struggled to make an impact, losing most of their players before making significant progress. Their biggest misstep was failing to destroy multiple relocations at their home tower despite having numerous defenders, which drew away a third of their team’s effort and forced sacrifices elsewhere. This lack of coordination cost them both early and mid-game control. ZOO demonstrated solid fundamentals and should be a serious threat moving forward. They advance to face BUNS, while LoL’s tournament run ends here.