We sat down with one of our SMITE players Drew "Lassiz" Boyd. We disccused the recent changes to ranked and the current meta. As we are also the PAX Prime 2013 champions, we asked about the team's trip and performance at PAX Prime. Enjoy!

Out of all the Gods in SMITE which would you say is your favorite?

Lassiz: Athena for certain. People ask why when there's other gods with great kits also. The reason she's my favorite is because of her mobility and somewhat of a higher skill cap. I really enjoy gods with the ability to cause others to say “Holy... did that just happen”. The fact she can be almost anywhere on the map while being able to CC (Crowd control) and pump some decent damage really just fits my style of play.

Which Jungler would you say is your least favorite?

Lassiz: My least favorite jungler is definitely Bakasura. The reason being is because I feel like he has no need for a high requirement for skill when all you really do is auto-attack and jump. As fun as I have just holding right click, I like to be a little more active with my gods.

If you could change one thing about the SMITE scene or game, what would it be?

Lassiz: As silly as this may sound, I would like more respect for the game and the scene. I get so tired of people being repelled from a game just because of some of the members in the community. I wish there would be a better welcoming to newer players and sportsmanship just as if there would be in person. I know this is an issue in all games, and it probably won't happen, but I can always hope.

Is there anyone within the SMITE scene that you would say you look up to?

Lassiz: Well this is a no brainer. Aside from the valued members of my team (Each with their own perks), I would have to say Zapman. He has been a favorite of mine since the early days, even when I was just jealous of his natural talent. He's a motivator, a pusher, strategist, and just has so much passion for the game and his hard work. Along with other members of my team: Anatoliy, ShadowQ, and Thebest, each of these guys are not only friends but encourage me to bust my butt and really focus up.

A lot of your team mates said they looked up to you when asked the previous question. Is there anything you'd like to say to them?

Lassiz: I can't say enough to these guys. They have always had my best interest at heart and have picked me up when I'm down. I'm not the easiest guy to play in a game with due to my defeating attitude at times. When I get knocked down, these guys know it. I start to bring the morale of the team down, and these guys just pick me up and get my head back in the game. I am a fan of every one of them and not just because they're my teammates, but they're my best friends as well. If there's anyone I want to be on with this path, it's certainly these guys. They're the only reason I am still even playing.

With the recent changes to Guan Yu do you think he's a viable jungler now?

Lassiz: I certainly think so. I haven't had the pleasure to try him out yet, mainly because I'm just ignorant and scared of change. I have seen my pal PonPon from Denial dominate with him on the playing field several times now. He has certainly shown me how great the new Guan Yu is and makes me really want to work on him.

What are you favorite and least favorite things about weekly competitive play? Is there anything you'd change?

Lasiz: My favorite things about weekly competition is that it keeps everyone’s head in the game and constant growth in the scene. What I don't typically enjoy is how there's constant connectivity issues within teams (Including our own at times) that limit the experience we can give the fans of the game.

How was your recent trip to Seattle for PAX?

Lassiz: This has to easily be one of the best experiences of my life. I not only got to hang out with my team and take my lovely lady to the large event, but I also got to see the HiRez crew again and the other teams. It's nice to put faces with names in game, and really see how they act in person as compared to online. It's just an eye opener going to these events, that it takes planning and a little growing up to do something so amazing and keep with it.

Even though team Dignitas managed to win the tournament at PAX with no losses, were there any games in which you think you could've done better?

Lassiz: There's never a PERFECT GAME. Nothing ever goes to plan and every person knows that. I always wish I could do better, and our team. The finals got a little shaky to the point of me even having yelled at the team. During the first part of the first match I actually lost my cool. I recovered quickly and it seemed everyone got their priorities in order. Shortly after we picked up out slack, we noticed what we did wrong.

What would you say you bring to your team other than your role as captain, and jungler.

Lassiz: I love being the front man. I really love doing the post and pregame interviews as I love interacting with others or a crowd. I try to be the adult on the team, but Lord knows that our younger members have to babysit me. I try to be a role model and keep everyone in check, and as much as I hate to say it, keep everyone's ego in check once in a while (As does the whole team).

Lassiz, you're often known for picking unconventional junglers such as Freya, Athena, and He Bo. Do you have any suggestions for players who want to emulate this play style?

Lassiz: Not everything someone does works for everyone. You'll always see in chat or others say that “So-and-so did this why don't you do it that way”. Well it's simple, not something everyone does will play to your standards. I play the gods that work best with my ability to play the game. Just because someone else says this is the best god, doesn't mean it's the best for you. I encourage people to do their own thing and have a mind of their own of course.

The other day I saw that you had picked up Blink on Ne Zha which isn't a common active for a jungler. Why did you decide to pick up Blink?

Lassiz: I used to always love doing silly things with this ability. Once upon a time I even picked up blink on Hebo when the ability was first introduced. I like it on gods such as Ne Zha because her mobility is lacking. She's an assassin for sure and I like to pop up and surprise gank or even get away when necessary. In my opinion it creates more opportunity to make a play and create more presence on the map.

How do you feel about the recent changes to ranked? What are your thoughts about making ranked more mastery based, and do you think it will improve people's experienced in ranked play?

Lassiz: I love the idea personally, HOWEVER I think it may have been a bit too soon? But I don't see it being a total problem, as people will pick the gods they're most attuned. It's going well so far and I like that it's not always the same gods now in every game as it used to be.

Part of the ranked changes are that K/D/A and Gold will no longer factor into your ELO rating, do you think that this will make increasing your rating easier or more difficult?

Lassiz: Not at all, I look forward to it really. Certain games people can get targeted and/or play support and not attain the best K/D/A. I think it encourages more players to play ranked now so they know exactly where they stand. Not to mention this also makes players strive to play their role the best they can now with the players in their brackets.

Do you have any tips for people who want to jungle in ranked?

Lassiz: There's no such thing as being “terrible”. No one plays perfect every game and everyone has to learn at some point. Don't get discouraged if you have a bad game or if you're worried what others will say. Take something from each game and learn it and apply it. Focus on your mini-map and awareness always and keep presence around the map in all lanes.

Who do you think is the most underrated "traditional" jungler?

Lassiz: Hun Batz hands down. Everyone tends to forget about how unbelievable he is and what he brings to a team. He has one of the best kits in my opinion and can really turn the tides of battle with one great ultimate. He has great mobility and great damage output as well. People always try and find the “next best thing” so they forget about traditional junglers such as this one.

Lassiz turned into the bubble king on his stream lately

What games do you like to play outside of SMITE?

Lassiz: Final Fantasy 14 at the moment. My favorite genre of games believe it or not is RPG's (MMO's).

Do you have any hobbies outside of gaming? If so what are they?

Lassiz: I love to try and stay in shape. Prior to trying to get into professional gaming, I actually played baseball. I love to exercise and “pick things up and put them down.”

Lastly is there anything you'd like to say to our readers?

Lassiz: I just can't express how grateful I am to everyone. It's been one hell of a ride to get to this point, and I know it'll only keep going. I just love having the support of everyone that has helped me get here and just want to help the community keep growing in a positive direction. Also a big shoutout to Team Dignitas' sponsors for their support!