10 Tips for Choosing an Altador Cup Team

     1. Follow your friends.

     A good group of Neofriends make pretty much any aspect of Neopets better, and the Altador Cup is no different. One of the most fun parts of the Altador Cup is comparing strategies and encouraging each other to play your best, so consider asking your Neofriends or guildmates which teams they're supporting, so you can all play together! If none of you have a team picked out, try going through the rest of this list and pick out a team you’ll all be excited to support.

     2. Make some new friends on the Neoboards.

     Instead of joining a team with your current Neofriends, you can also take the opportunity to make some new ones! Most, if not all, of the Altador Cup teams have a community on the Site Events Neoboard. Poke your head in a board or two, and see if any of them seem like a place you'd like to hang out during the Cup!

     3. Pick a team from a favourite Neopian land.

     Each team corresponds to a land of Neopia, representing it in this worldwide competition. Perhaps you have a soft spot for Sahkmet Solitaire and choose to play for The Lost Desert team, or your love of Chombies makes you choose to root for Team Tyrannia. Perhaps you've lost too much money on the Wheel of Misfortune lately and can cross Team Haunted Woods off your list. Whatever your reason for loving a Neopian land, supporting their Altador Cup team is a great way to support the land!

     4. Let the plot guide you.

     TNT has let us know that the Altador Cup timeline has been pushed back a bit due to the beginning of the latest plot, The Void Within. With the wide-reaching spread of the Void, some of the Neopian lands have already been affected and many of the Neopian rulers have assembled to manage the threat. As more of the Void’s effects continue to show, and we see more of the characters involved, you may find yourself drawn to new lands and teams. Perhaps you’d like to help Meridell recover from turning grey by celebrating with a Cup win, or seeing King Roo has made you want to join Roo Island. It awaits to be seen how much The Void Within is going to affect the Altador Cup itself, but I certainly see it influencing players’ team choices.

     5. Get to know the players.

     Especially in recent years, Altador Cup players have given interviews granting some insight into their personalities and their strategies for the upcoming season. Consider following along during this year's pre-season press tour, or read up on some old interviews to see which players you may want to support. Some fan favorites, like Tandrak Shaye of Team Darigan Citadel, have been known to drive support all on their own. Additionally, if you have a favorite member of TNT, you may choose to follow along with their choice if they compete in the Staff Tournament!

     6. Root for the underdog.

     Are you in for a challenge? In the past 18 years, Team Faerieland has placed no higher than fourth place, finishing in last place in last year’s Altador Cup XVIII. They are the only team so far in the history of the Cup to not place onto the podium - yet! You could join the fight to bring them victory! Moltara and Brightvale may be two others to consider, as they have each only reached the podium a single time each.

     7. Look to the previous victors.

     Perhaps you'd like to join one of the most historically successful teams? Last year’s winners, Team Virtupets, have performed very well over the years, placing on the podium 5 times including 2 first place wins. Team Kiko Lake has won first place the most times, with 3 total gold medals to their name. Meanwhile Kreludor, despite only placing first in Altador Cup VII, have made an appearance on the podium seven times so far, including second place last year.

     8. Welcome a new team to the Cup.

     For the first time since Team Moltara’s introduction in Altador Cup V, we have a new team joining, Team Dacardia! If you’re interested in helping to form a community around this new team (or have been loving Tales of Dacardia) then this may be the team perfect for you!

     9. Check out the team colours.

     Perhaps a little bit of a frivolous way to choose, but, they can't all be deep, can they? There's a team or two for every colour of the rainbow, and customising your Pets, Neoboard signature, and avatar is half the fun of participating in the Altador Cup. Why not go with team colours you'll be excited to see every day?

     10. Join Team Shenkuu!

     Here's where my personal author bias comes into play. As a long time supporter of Shenkuu, I think everyone should join our team. Our red and yellow colours are an iconic combination and the land of Shenkuu is one of the most lovely to visit, full of recognizable characters and fun games. The team’s roster of players has remained largely unchanged since their introduction in Year 9, and includes fan favourites Mirsha Grelinek (winner of Rookie of the Year in Altador Cup II) and Antola Maeir. We've placed on the pedestal twice, but you can help us reach first place!

     And those are my 10 tips! I hope that one or more of these ideas resonate with you and have given you a better idea of how to pick an Altador Cup team to support. Whether you’re planning to go for All-Star or just play a few rounds of Slushie Slinger, I hope you enjoy the Altador Cup!